5 and a half reasons to set off right now on a journey to the Land of the Rising Sun. Why are you still here?
We could end the article right here by simply telling you that Japan is the land of sushi, Godzilla, and Sailor Moon.
If that’s not enough for you, then let’s try a different approach with this other stuff instead. Here are 5 reasons to come with us on an amazing trip to Japan and see a whole lot of awesome things together.
Because Japanese culture is an incredible patchwork
Japan’s rich history has helped make the Land of the Rising Sun a truly fascinating blend of ancient and modern.
On one side, you’ll find traditional districts like those in Kyoto, with their wooden houses and rice-paper panel walls—the kind where you definitely don’t want to walk in with your shoes on. Then there are loads of stunning temples, torii gates (not the kind with horns, the wooden gateway-shaped ones), Buddhist pagodas, Osaka Castle, and plenty of other beautiful sights.
On the other side, there are futuristic metropolitan areas straight out of Neon Genesis Evangelion, where you half expect an Eva unit to launch from some underground hangar at any moment. Like Tokyo, with its ultra-modern neighborhoods full of skyscrapers, neon lights, and technology everywhere you look.
Read also: A winter 2023–2024 to remember: these are the destinations for you
Because nature in the Land of the Rising Sun is spectacular
Japan has it easy here. Mother Nature has blessed it with pretty much everything that makes your heart skip a beat.
Japan has those breathtaking cherry blossom forests that, when in bloom, become one of the most picturesque sights in the world.
It has Mount Fuji, which looks as if it were placed there on purpose to create the perfect postcard view.
It has the giant bamboo forest of Arashiyama, a place so amazing it’s hard to believe. And nearby you’ll also find Tenryū Shiseizen-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that, okay, may not be part of the natural landscape, but is absolutely beautiful.
It has the Kegon Falls, dropping 100 meters in a way you have to see to believe.
And we’ll stop here, otherwise we’d be here all night listing every last one of them.
Honestly, Japan really does have it all. Not fair.
Because getting around feels like being launched from a catapult
The best way to get from point A to point B in Japan is to speed along at over 400 km/h on the Shinkansen trains, also known as bullet trains.
In reality, traveling on these rockets on rails is extremely comfortable and packed with conveniences: on board, you’ll even find snack and drink vending machines so you can relax during the journey.
And they are punctual—really punctual. Seriously punctual.
Because you can sleep in a capsule hotel
Have you ever slept in a pod?
That’s more or less the kind of experience Capsule Hotels offer.
These hotels provide accommodations made up of small cubicles (the capsules, of course) just large enough for one person to lie down. And often there’s even a small TV for each guest!
They are Japan’s answer to the needs of workers who have stayed late doing overtime and can’t make it home that same day, or for travelers waiting at the airport for a flight the next day. And needless to say, they’re quite affordable.
Because you can see Hachiko
You probably already know this story, but if you’ve never heard it before, get your tissues ready. The whole box.
Hachiko was the Akita dog of a Japanese university professor who, every day, left from Shibuya Station in Tokyo and returned to the same station after work. Hachiko had grown used to accompanying him there in the morning and waiting for him on his return, right there, every single day.
One day, the professor died of a stroke while at work and never came back, but Hachiko waited for him at Shibuya Station anyway. And he did so every single day until his own death, for 10 years.
Moved by his devotion, the Japanese authorities erected a statue in his honor right near the station, only for it to be melted down for weapons during the Second World War.
A copy of the statue was later made, and today it can still be admired there, in Shibuya.
😭😭😭
Read also: Polar Express: the train that crosses Lapland to take you straight to Santa Claus
Because you’ll visit it with us!
What’s the point of going to Japan if you don’t enjoy it with us?
Do you want to see all the things we’ve described? Would you like to travel through the Land of the Rising Sun and discover all the unique features of the local culture? Would you like to experience Japan in all its shades? But most importantly, do you prefer panettone or pandoro?
If the answer to the first 3 questions is yes, then we already consider you one of us for the next 13-day organized tour across Japan.
As for the last one, think carefully before answering. The last time we discussed it among ourselves (translation: fought about it), it turned into complete chaos and ended at the police station.
