An article somewhat unusual today as you will find below some notes I jotted down quickly during my trip to Japan. If it can help some of you plan your trip to Japon... :) The Zozoji temple is located in a small park about 15 minutes walk from Tokyo Tower. This large temple is very beautiful with a very beautiful statue of Buddha. Don't miss on the right side of the temple the hundreds of small statues wrapped in their red clothes. For your daily shopping (water, pastries...) there are small neighborhood supermarkets through the ampm and Family Mart chains. For alcohol there are Japanese beers (Asahi and Rikin) but also whisky such as my favorite brands Yamasaki, Tamakouchi, Sentori, Hakuchu.... It's important to note that this costs as much as very good Scottish whisky. There is also a tax to add to the listed price. You can buy some for example at Don Quixote. For transport the JR Rail train is much cheaper than the subway so you should favor it especially if you have the JR pass. There are day passes or better yet reloadable cards where you deposit money that is used as you go. In this case plan to put between 15 and 35 euros as journeys often cost between 130 yen (1 to 3 stations) up to 300 for an entire line, which works out to between 1 and 2 euros per trip. Knowing that you pay from station A to station B, and that if you change lines you must pay again for that portion of the journey. In Yoyogi Park there is a small paid garden (500 yen) with a small well, a large pond and an iris plantation. This garden is not exceptional except at the time of iris blooming. We recommend instead visiting the free part of the park The Harajuku shopping street is the must-go place for shopping for clothes and fashion accessories. It's indeed on this street located below Yoyogi Park (where cosplayers can also be found on Saturdays and Sundays) that you will find the boutiques where Tokyo's wild young girls shop. Prices are reasonable compared to Ginza and many designers have set up shop here like this strange modern art gallery that gives free rein to artists in a house where every room (toilets included) serves to showcase the most original works. This gallery also houses a mini bar for a well-deserved break. Please note that like all clothing shops and shopping in general, opening hours start at 11am... But end late in the evening. The Shinkansen This is the Japanese TGV that connects all the major cities of Japon. The main station in Tokyo is Tokyo Station, but you can also take it from Yoyogi Station. The ticket is purchased at JR Rail stations, the best option being to go to the ticket counter for all information about the journey. The network is very extensive (for example there is a shinkansen every 10 minutes between Tokyo and Kyoto). There are two types of tickets: with reservation and without reservation. If you have no time constraints the advantage is to take without reservation. Strangely the Japanese take little luggage on the shinkansen which will allow you to place your bag comfortably. Note that there are no electrical outlets on the shinkansen. The traditional small bars of Shinjuku are old-style bars near a small winding path 5 minutes from Shinjuku Station. These are really old-fashioned bars that look a bit seedy with very minimalist decoration (the bar itself being barely more than 3 meters wide by 5 meters long) and accommodating only about ten seats on the ground floor... Moreover you must pay an entrance fee of 1000 yen. Worth recommending then to those nostalgic for 1950s Japon or tourists looking for real Tokyo. Customs and Etiquette During your visits to Tokyo you will have almost no occasion to remove your shoes when entering a place. You will do so at the Tokyo City Museum when visiting a replica of a traditional house or at the tea house in the park near the fish market. On the other hand you will need to do so in certain temples in Kyoto... Or if you are invited to a Japanese home. The Language Barrier in Japon While it's true that most Japanese speak little or no English their goodwill is more than enough to get by for a vacation. With just the 5 basic words like konnichiwa, domo arigato and sayonara you will manage without problem: in restaurants you point to what you want with photos from the menus, in shops Japanese people will indicate to you on a calculator the amount to pay... It's only in certain restaurants where you order via a touchscreen or in those where you order via vending machines without images (mainly ramen restaurants) that you'll need to ask the servers for help. Arriving in Kyoto can be quite impressive during vacation periods because there are lots of people and lines, but it's well indicated and you have a tourist office on the 2nd floor and on the 9th floor (more complete but closes at 6pm) note that if you are staying in a large hotel (like the ANA Hotel) there is a shuttle bus service from the station to your hotel. Kyoto's cinema village is really very kitsch and doesn't seem to have evolved since its creation (the special effects pond with the dragon's head looks straight out of an Ed. Wood film, the terror elevator stays on the ground with walls that vibrate, the giant's head that appears in the middle of the mountain reminds one of the old Gargantua theme park...). Moreover this park is resolutely dedicated to children and adults will get bored here because there are no thrill rides. So for 2200 yen it's a bit overpriced if you're not a Power Rangers fan (because there's an impressive collection of costumes) knowing that inside the park there are still paid attractions (for example getting your photo taken in samurai, ninja or geisha clothes for 1100 yen). We recommend going only if you're tired of temples and visiting gardens. You'll then see the only two worthwhile attractions: a humorous reenactment of a samurai film and the spectacle of combat between the good samurai against the evil wizard and his horde of shinobi. The Golden Pavilion of Kyoto It is without a doubt the most beautiful temple in Kyoto and it fully deserves the trip to Kyoto. Indeed it really looks like a movie set. The visit is however very quick because there is only the visit of the park and the surroundings of the golden temple (about 40 minutes). It's a magnificent place for souvenir photos. Note many souvenir shops. The Temple of Ryoan Ji You can get there via bus 12 or 15 or 60, or better after Daitoku-ji. The zen garden is very small but magnificent, and the walk through the park is very relaxing with its pond full of water lilies. The Gion District in Kyoto It's the place to go out in the evening with small inexpensive restaurants, but also more traditional restaurants with all-wood facades but offering menus with much higher prices (50 to 70 euros). In the north of Gion there are quite a few bars and clubs but we're far from the frenzy of Tokyo. What to Remember from a Trip to Japon First the kindness of Japanese people who are really extremely polite and you feel truly like a guest, not like a foreigner or a walking wallet as in some countries. Then the culture which is very different from Westerners whether through the frenzy of Tokyo with its crowded streets and the completely unlikely look of many Japanese women and the new geisha that are maids or hostess bars... right up to the opposite with Buddhist temples and zen gardens. The glimpse of the future is also very disorienting with a city overflowing with life organized according to a vertical model (shops in anonymous buildings with no organization..), a very strong aesthetic concern whether in arrangement or even on the plates. One will regret only the language barrier which greatly reduces exchanges with Japanese people and the great difficulty in finding good places to go out in the evening because the "vertical" organization by district does not allow as in France to detect a good spot just by looking at the crowd in the bar or smoking in the street... The Temples of Daitoku-ji This is an exceptional ensemble of 23 temples of which it is possible to visit a small number (3 in 2009 because of regular renovation work). It's important to note that you must pay for each temple approximately 400 yen and that they are not all of equal quality. For example Daisen-in is a bit disappointing. Likewise if you expect huge zen gardens you will be disappointed because all zen gardens in Kyoto are rarely more than 50m² and most often around 14 m²... We're far from the gigantism of French gardens because here everything is in suggestion, peace and reflection. Take your time visiting these temples and stop to meditate as the monks of these temples still do. Navigation in Japon Navigation in Japon is not easy because distances are really much greater and very small streets are not always indicated. Moreover in most guides they are very imprecise and so you will need to use many local maps to navigate (be careful though as not all maps are oriented correctly). This is also true for Kyoto where we recommend you get the city bus map upon arrival to reach the right place via the excellent bus network (stations are displayed in English just before you arrive, and with the day pass at 500 yen you'll break even by the 3rd trip of the day). The Temple of Sanjusangendo Southeast of Tokyo This temple is very large and houses a superb collection of 1000 statues of Buddha all different and very beautiful statues of deities. It's really an impressive collection not to be missed. The rest of the temple provides information on the building's construction using ancient anti-seismic technique, and also about archer competitions that saw 800 archers face off for dozens of years firing more than a million arrows. The National Museum of Tokyo During our visit in August the museum was closed for renovation and so only the temporary exhibition on Silk Road scrolls was accessible (note this exhibition thankfully ends in September as it's of little interest to non-initiates and costs a hefty 1200 yen). Apparently the museum renovation work lasts until 2013 so pay close attention to the quality of the temporary exhibition. Budget for Kyoto Get the day bus pass 500 Take the subway or JR 2 times 500 Lunch and dinner 4000 (if you go to small restaurants) Breakfast bought at Family Mart or Starbucks: 1000 3 or 4 temples and museums in the day 2500 Bar in the evening with one or two beers: 1000 Various souvenirs and shopping (water at 150, a postcard at 100, a stamp at 70...): 500 The budget for Tokyo and Kyoto is therefore about 10,000 yen per day being very reasonable (no taxi for transport, no nightclub, no big souvenirs...). Remember to use your 10,000 yen bills quickly as not everyone accepts them particularly in Kyoto on buses where you need 1000 yen notes or coins to pay. Also in summer it's essential to have some change to buy drinks from vending machines. The temple of Kiyomizu is one of the major attractions of Kyoto with large crowds and many souvenir shops. It's also a very good neighborhood to stroll and get lost from temple to temple in the small wooden streets. You can thus spend an entire afternoon to end up in Gion dining in the traditional district with its wooden houses. To get to Kiyomizu temple stop at Gojazaka to visit a small temple frequented only by Japanese people then take the small road along the cemetery to climb toward the main temples (600 yen). For the Imperial Palace of Kyoto and the Moss Temple you must reserve at least 1 week in advance or you will be turned away, this is especially true in summer during the general vacation period for Japanese people (from early August to mid-August) and on weekends. The right approach is to make your reservation before you leave (you do however need your passport number). The Imperial Palace of Kyoto Be sure to reserve your ticket 1 week in advance to have the right to visit the Emperor's palace and see some of the rooms of his Kyoto residence. If you have reserved you can go to the registration office located at the top left of the park near the parking lots to then enter the palace through the entrance located across from it. Note that there are tour sessions in English or Japanese. On the other hand the park is completely devoid of interest except for a pretty house at the bottom on the left as you enter the park. The Path of Philosophy After the Silver Temple take the path that runs along the river on the right spending about 1 hour taking time to visit all the temples on the shaded path. There are 4 or 5 temples before reaching Nanzen-ji most free which will allow you to visit these minor temples but nonetheless interesting. Along the stream banks you have small restaurants and cafés for a little break The Temple of Nanzen-ji Toward the end of the Path of Philosophy you will find the Nanzen-ji temple with its very beautiful and very large gate that can be visited (500 yen) and thus enjoy a very beautiful landscape. You can see from afar the large Shrine Museum of Arts (not to be missed for a beautiful photo) and the Budo Center. There is also a Stone Garden and the temple garden (300 yen) but which is very small and therefore doesn't really deserve the detour. Higher on the right you have the city aqueduct. Leaving the temple follow the zoo to reach the museum. The Silver Pavilion of Kyoto Located in the east of the city it is nestled in a very beautiful garden. As its name doesn't suggest it is not painted with silver leaves because it was never finished. However the wooden pavilion itself is superb with a very beautiful vegetable garden and a small zen garden. The rest of the walk continues with a small climb on the hill which allows you to have a magnificent view of the pavilion but also the Kyoto Art Museum. The price of 500 yen is perfectly justified even if the visit lasts less than 30 minutes. Kyoto's metro closes very early because after midnight you must rely on your feet buses or a bicycle. The 2 metro lines are very short (less than 20 stations) and it takes less than 30 minutes to traverse them end to end. Note that during the day the city center (mainly Gion) is quite congested so it's sometimes better to take the metro or JR to avoid being stuck 45 minutes in the downtown traffic jam. Be aware Kyoto is a "provincial" city compared to Tokyo which means that restaurants and shops close much earlier. Possibly you will find in Gion on Shijo Street (near the theater) restaurants that stay open later. Maps and Plans of Kyoto It's important to know that maps and plans of Kyoto are very imprecise whether it's the Hachette Tokyo Kyoto guide Lonely Planet or the Green Guide. If you have time either buy a detailed map of the city in English or print a Google Maps map by zooming in enough to see the maps. Alternatively take screenshots which you can copy to your iPhone. Hotels in Japon During our stay in Japon we booked mid-range to upscale hotels at about 85 euros per night (by going through Expedia to take advantage of interesting discounts). It's important to find a hotel in the city centers or tourist districts so you don't struggle too much with transport and to go out in the evening. In Tokyo Shinjuku and Ginza are interesting but hotels on the Yamanote Line (circular JR line) can work because you'll get from one end of the city to the other very quickly (less than 30 minutes to traverse half the entire line). In Kyoto the distances are smaller and lively neighborhoods fewer (Gion and Pontocho). This is why it may be interesting to stay either in Gion or near the station (main bus hub) or Nijo Castle which is a bit off the beaten path but well served by bus and metro lines. Can You Visit Tokyo in 2 Days? Yes provided you visit only the essential monuments of the city and chain together movements with a pass for 1500 to not waste time on transport and not lose a second. Example of a 2-day visit: Arrival at Tokyo Station from the airport or train Head to Ginza to see luxury shops and department stores Attend a Kabuki performance at the 1st session Head to Ueno Park for a visit of the park and the National Museum of Tokyo (do the museum first). At the end of the day Take the JR Line to Shibuya to see the Shibuya Crossing and the famous 109 shop and the Hachiko dog statue. Have a green tea at Starbucks Cafe. Go to bed not too late because the program starts early tomorrow. Wake at 6am to be at the fish market before 7am. Visit the small market around the area and grab sushi at one of the restaurants. Take the metro to Tokyo City Hall 15 minutes walk away to visit the tower and enjoy the free city view Go to the Tokyo Hands store (Time Warner building) to the right of Shinjuku Station to visit the gadgets and gags floor. Take the JR Line to Yoyogi Park to visit the temple in the center of the park then go shopping for clothes on Harajuku Street at the end of the park. Take the metro to Akihabara in the manga and IT district. Stroll through the 1st building just next to the JR station for manga. Then go for a drink at a maid café if you want to bring back souvenirs from Japanese craziness. Possibly finish the night in a nightclub in the Ginza district. The Kamigamo Temple Located at the far north of Kyoto this temple is an active place of worship but it does not offer an exceptional visit except perhaps a walk along the small river which may be interesting for a change from temples. Exchanging Yen At hotels you have a fairly significant cost with an 8% margin but it's what's most convenient if you have euros with you. The most interesting is to go through a money exchange bureau (Rue Vivienne in Paris near the stock exchange). Otherwise you can withdraw money at ATMs but with a fixed and variable cost between 5 and 10 euros depending on the banks and amounts (8 euros for Crédit Mutuel 9 euros for Crédit Agricole... ). The Toji Temple in Kyoto Near the Station This temple consists of 4 interesting elements A beautiful and tall pagoda two temples with beautiful statues and a set of small temples still in operation. Note the turtle statue in the set of temples across from the main entrance. Temples Near Kyoto Station Just 10 minutes from Kyoto Station you have three temples you can visit. The two most interesting are Nishi Hongan-ji and especially Higashi Hongan-ji which is the largest wooden building in the world. Buses and Metro of Kyoto There are two metro lines in Kyoto one going from north to south and the other from east to west. There are few stations so it's very easy to find your way (the price is relatively expensive at over 200 yen for a few stations). Like in Tokyo there's also a JR Rail train line that will complement your trips nicely. But like in Tokyo these are different rates and companies. For buses there's the same difference between regular buses and JR buses (often circled on maps). If you use regular buses for your trips it's worth buying day passes that cost 500 yen because a short trip to a temple costs almost 200 yen. For example taking line 12 then 59 you can chain together a whole series of temples. Taking buses is really very interesting because the city is really large. JR buses don't accept regular day passes so be careful with buses 61 62 63... Because you'll have to pay your fares. As an alternative it's possible to rent bicycles but you should know that temples are often at the edges of the city near hills which means climbing some nice hills by bike (but this can be a very good way to visit the city at your own pace...). Also in Kyoto bikes often use the sidewalks (there are no bike lanes) and ride very fast zigzagging between pedestrians. One last note: like throughout Japon driving is on the left (and not on the right as in France so you must be careful when crossing or cycling. Likewise on the metro escalators it's the opposite of France: people in a hurry walk on the right and people who don't move are on the left. Be aware temples close very early (around 4:30pm or 5pm). So it's recommended to wake up early to visit temples in the morning to possibly do museums in the afternoon or return to your hotel to rest before going out in the evening (and again don't forget you're not in Tokyo and nightlife is calmer... ). The price of beer in Japon is almost identical to that in Paris with for example 1000 yen for a pint at the Dubliner pub in Shinjuku. In small restaurants you have 25 cl beer between 480 and 600 yen. Coffee or tea is generally 480 and croissant 170. Kyoto Station It's a bit of a maze the first time you get there. Be careful the tourist office is not easily accessible from the south side because you have to go from the north side by going over the tracks. To go from the south side to the north side you must go to 2F take the escalator and turn right (you'll find your way thanks to the shinkansen signs). The 2nd floor tourist office is easier to access and distributes city and bus maps (ask for both). There are also luggage lockers on the south side of the station which can be useful if you want to walk around the city before going to your hotel (note that all the major hotels in the city like the ANA Riga Royal Hotel Kyoto... Have a free shuttle that leaves from the south exit near McDonald's). If you want to eat before starting your visit you have a conveyor belt sushi restaurant near the hotel shuttle exit. This restaurant offers many types of sushi for a fixed price of 137 yen! But there are many other shops and restaurants (mainly south station) if you want to dine or buy souvenirs. Return Flight From Kyoto Instead of heading back to Tokyo (which is far because you have to go back to Narita) it's better to take the plane from Kansai (Osaka). This will also allow you to save on transport. To get there you have several options: the simplest and cheapest is to take the train from Kyoto Station but if you want to be comfortable you can take the express private minibus shuttles (for example MK Taxi www.mk-group.co.jp) which will pick you up at your hotel and take you directly to the airport (2 hours of transport 3500 yen).