Things I want to do in Japan next time!

By now it should be no secret that I simply love travelling in Japan; the beautiful sights (both natural and man-made), subtle traditions, sensual changes in seasons and the insanely tasty food have all cast their spell on me. Travelling in any country can be like entering a different world, but in Japan it’s more like entering a different universe – even some of the most mundane daily rituals are approached in ways foreign and novel.

Not one, not even two trips to Japan have been enough to satisfy my itchy feet in this country, and even while I was sitting on the plane back home I was crafting a list of what to do on my next visit.

Okinawa

Furuzamami beach, Okinawa (Image: Hashi photo)

Okinawa is tropical Japan! The beautiful waters of the Okinawa and its surrounding islands, and its unique indigenous culture attract holiday goers from across the country, but it remains less popular with foreign tourists who tend to focus on the bigger main islands to the north.

Nara

The Great Buddha of Nara (Todai-ji)

For hundreds of years Buddhist civilisation in Japan centred on Kyoto and nearby Nara. While Kyoto is the bigger city, Nara is supposed to be equally impressive, with a giant Buddha statue (the biggest in Japan) and scores of temples and shrines.

Hokkaido

Sapporo Snow Festival, Hokkaido (Image: Materialscientist)

Cold, mountainous and filled with national parks, Hokkaido is Okinawa’s opposite. In winter parts of Japan’s second-largest island get snowed in, while in summer temperatures are rarely hot. Every year the island’s capital Sapporo holds a snow festival, featuring ice carvings, ice slides and musical performances.

Mt Fuji

(Image: Flickr.com, reggiepen)

Japan’s iconic mountain is elusive – on my first visit I stood near the base of it, unable to spot it due to cloud cover, and on my second visit the haze meant that I was only able to spot its silhouette as the sun set behind it. I’m not desperate to climb the mountain (although it’s absolutely doable) but I’d love to see it on a crisp, clear day.

Stay in a Ryokan

Traditional ryokan (Image: 663highland)

Ryokan are traditional Japanese homestays, and often feature traditional elements such as traditional dress, a natural hot spring bath or homemade sushi on offer. I had looked at staying in a ryokan in Kyoto when I was there recently, but many of the best ones were booked out, and the prices were a bit unreasonable. Additionally, as my cousin (a Japan expert) pointed out, the whole point of a ryokan is to spend as much time in the room as possible – so it’s better to do that in a place where you won’t be out sightseeing too much.

Stay in a Capsule Hotel

(Image: kallerna)

Sometimes I wonder if these things are invented just for the tourists to take pictures. Extremely efficient, iconically minimalist and quintessentially Japanese, these might be the ultimate Japanese accommodation option – although I’d only stay one night. Definitely one to tick off the bucket list.

Which of these have you done? Which would you like to do? Comment below!