Japan Trip 2016 (Itinerary / Tips / Links)

Dates: 13th December 2016 to 21st December 2016

Cities visited: Tokyo, Shirakawa-Go, Kyoto, Osaka (day trip)

Flight: Singapore Airlines

Accommodation: Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku (Tokyo) / Shimizu Inn (Shirakawa-Go) / Hotel Mume (Kyoto)

Itinerary (with links to the various blog posts by the day):

Day 1 13th December 2016 – Shinjuku

Day 2 14th December 2016 –  Ghibli Museum

Day 3 15th December 2016 – Shinjuku Gyoen, Harajuku

Day 4 & 5 16th & 17th December 2016 – Shirakawa-Go

Day 5 17th December 2016 – Kyoto, Pontocho

Day 6 18th December 2016 – Kiyomizudera, Tenryujin, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Okochi Sanso

Day 7 19th December 2016 – Nishiki Market, Osaka (day trip)

Day 8 & 9 20th & 21st December 2016 – Kokedera, then back to Singapore.

Tips:

• Get used to using Hyperdia to calculate train fares and train routes.  Sometimes, buying a JR Pass isn’t necessary.
• Cash is still king in Japan.
• Shops and malls close really early during winter season.  Tokyo malls close earlier than Kyoto ones, surprisingly.
• Google Maps is the absolute life-saver – easily the most important digital revolution in current times. It’s extremely accurate in Japan.
• Talking about accuracy, the trains in Japan are extremely accurate too – down to the minute.
• Talk in hushed tones, if you must, in trains.
• Not every ramen shop along the alley is authentic ramen.  Learn how to differentiate ramen shops opened by Mainlanders and those opened by Japanese.
• The temperature/weather in Japan isn’t really very low/cold, but it’s extremely WINDY in Shinjuku.  A good fleece jacket and a proper efficient windbreaker is definitely necessary.
• Lots of steps/stairs within temple grounds.  Lots.  Something to think about if you have painful knees.