Japan 2008
Our first trip to Japan (10-22 April 2008)! We arrived in Tokyo, and visited the Ghibli museum, Nikko, Kamakura, Nara, Osaka and Kyoto.
Travels Through A Lens
Trips Around the World
2008
Japan 2008 Day 13: Palette Town (Venus Fort)
Venus Fort is a completely over the top shopping centre in Palette Town, Odaiba, designed to look like a medieval European town.
Japan 2008 Day 13: Mega Web (History Garage)
Mega Web History Garage is a museum located at the basement of Venus Fort and features historic cars, motorsports and nostalgia.
Japan 2008 Day 13: Mega Web (Toyota Universal Design Showcase)
Toyota Universal Design Showcase allows a visitor to "touch and feel" various elements of Toyota design and innovation.
Japan 2008 Day 13: Mega Web (Toyota City Showcase)
The Toyota City Showcase is probably the world's largest Toyota car showroom, and features exhibits and hands on experiences.
Japan 2008 Day 13: Tokyo (Palette Town)
Palette Town is a shopping mall and entertainment complex containing a giant red ferris wheel plus Toyota's showcase centre (Mega Web).
Japan 2008 Day 13: Tokyo (Odaiba お台場)
Odaiba is an artificial island built from reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay. It has ultra-modern buildings looking like a science fiction film.
Japan 2008 Day 12: Tokyo (Seiseki-Sakuragaoka Whisper of the Heart)
Seiseki-Sakuragaoka was the inspiration for the location used in the animation film 「耳をすませば」 (Whisper of the Heart).
Japan 2008 Day 12: Tokyo (Leaving Sanrio Puroland)
Well, sad though it may be - eventually we decided we have seen everything and therefore it was time to leave Sanrio Puroland (sob!).
Japan 2008 Day 12: Sanrio Puroland (Fairytale Under The Sea)
The last show we caught was "Fairytale Under The Sea" - this one had lots and lots of dancing, and has an underwater theme.
Japan 2008 Day 12: Sanrio Puroland (Parade – Believe)
Sanrio Puroland's parade (Believe) is a homage to all those fans young and old who have "believed" in Hello Kitty for most of their lives.
Japan 2008 Day 12: Sanrio Puroland (Hello Kitty Nutcracker)
The next show we watched was a version of the Nutcracker ballet, but starring Hello Kitty and her family. This ends with a cabaret show!
Japan 2008 Day 12: Sanrio Puroland (Someday II)
The first show we attended at Sanrio Puroland is a fairytale called "Someday II" (obviously a sequel to Someday I).
Japan 2008 Day 12: Tokyo (Sanrio Puroland)
Sanrio Puroland hosts musicals, restaurants, attractions, and theme rides based on Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and more.
Japan 2008 Day 12: Tokyo (Tama Center)
Today we decided to head out of Tokyo towards the sprawling western suburbs of Tama New Town. The commercial centre is called Tama Center.
Japan 2008 Day 11: Shinosaka Station
Today we leave Osaka to return back to Tokyo. We took some photos around Shinosaka station whilst waiting for the Shinkansen to arrive.
Japan 2008 Day 10: Osaka (Various places around Umeda)
After visiting Osaka, we explored various places in Umeda before heading back to the hotel and packing for our trip to Tokyo tomorrow.
Japan 2008 Day 10: Osaka Castle (大阪城)
Osaka Castle played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. It has been rebuilt several times.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Osaka (大阪) at Night
By the time we arrived at Osaka from Nara, it was already evening. We had dinner at Umeda then explored Osaka at Night.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Osaka (大阪) Kiddyland
The Kiddyland at Umeda is not as big as the Tokyo flagship store, but the goods are nicely arranged and it was easy to find things.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Osaka (大阪) Donguri Republic (ドングリ共和国)
The Donguri Republic is a store selling character goods and plush toys. We had a lot of fun here browsing and gaping at the merchansdise.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Nara (奈良) Kasuga Grand Shrine (春日大社)
The Kasuga Grand Shrine, originally the family shrine of the once powerful Fujiwara family, is the largest and most extensive shrine in Nara.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Nara (奈良) Tamukeyama Hachimangu (手向山八幡宮)
Tamukeyama Hachimangu (手向山八幡宮) is a Shinto shrine next to Todaiji, dedicated to the Hachiman kami and established in 749.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Nara (奈良) Toudaiji (東大寺) Other buildings
We explored other buildings in Toudaiji temple complex, including the Great Bell precinct and the halls named after festival months.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Nara (奈良) Toudaiji (東大寺) Daibutsuden (大仏殿)
The Daibutsuden in Toudaiji houses the huge bronze statue of the Great Buddha, and is apparently the largest wooden structure in the world.
Japan 2008 Day 9: Nara (奈良) Toudaiji (東大寺) Nandaimon (南大門)
Toudaiji is one of the Seven Great Temples in Nara and part of the World Heritage Site. We entered it via the Nandaimon (Great South Gate).
Japan 2008 Day 9: Nara (奈良) Okumura Museum (奥村記念館)
Nara is the ancient capital of Japan. We begin our visit at the Okumura Museum, with an interesting earthquake simulator.
Japan 2008 Day 8: Kyoto (京都) Kyoto Gyoen (京都御苑) (Imperial Palace)
Kyoto Gyoen is a national park at the heart of Kyoto that features nothing less than an Imperial Palace, the former residence of the Emperor of Japan.
Japan 2008 Day 8: Kyoto (京都) Kinkakuji (金閣寺)
Kinkakuji , also known as the "Temple of the Golden Pavilion", is so famous that it is the subject of the novel by Mishima Yukio.
Japan 2008 Day 8: Kyoto (京都) Nijou Castle (二条城)
Nijou Castle was commissioned by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu as the residence for the Tokugawa clan when they are in Kyoto.
Japan 2008 Day 8: Osaka to Kyoto via Shinkansen
Today we are planing to do a day trip from Osaka to Tokyo via Shinkansen. We hope to visit as many sights as we can in a day.
Japan 2008 Day 7: Osaka (大阪) Umeda (梅田)
Umeda ("plum field") is a major commercial, business, shopping and entertainment district, and the city's main northern railway terminus.
Japan 2008 Day 7: Tokyo to Osaka via Shinkansen
Our first trip on a Shinkansen (bullet train)! We travelled from Tokyo to Osaka, a distance of 515 km, in 3 hours.
Japan 2008 Day 6: Kamakura (鎌倉) Sasuke Inari Shrine (佐助稲荷神社)
Sasuke Inari Shrine is a Shinto Shrine full of inari sculptures residing in miniature village on a hill reached by a path of red Torii gates.
Japan 2008 Day 6: Kamakura (鎌倉) Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine (銭洗弁財天宇賀福神社)
Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine is nestled deep in a mountain completely surrounded by rocks, so it is totally invisible from the outside.
Japan 2008 Day 6: Kamakura (鎌倉) Kotokuin (高徳院) (The Great Buddha)
Kotokuin is a Buddhist temple renowned for The Great Buddha of Kamakura, one of the most famous icons of Japan.
Japan 2008 Day 6: Kamakura (鎌倉) Hasedera (長谷寺)
Hasedera, also called the Hase-kannon, is a Buddhist temple in Kamakura famous for its giant wooden statue of Kuan Yin.
Japan 2008 Day 6: Kamakura (鎌倉) Syuu Genji Temple (収玄寺)
We visited Kamakura, a historical town. We discovered the Syuu Genji temple near the Hase station and some quaint shops.
Japan 2008 Day 5 : Tokyo (PENTAX SQUARE)
PENTAX SQUARE is a mix of photographic gallery (Pentax FORUM), users's education facility (Pentax FOCAL) and user club (Pentax Family).
Japan 2008 Day 5: Tokyo (Back to Shinjuku)
From Shibuya, we took train back to Shinjuku and explored the south side, as well as the side closest to our hotel.
Japan 2008 Day 5: Tokyo (Shibuya 渋谷)
Shibuya is famous for the world's busiest pedestrian crossing, the statue of a loyal dog, and stylish fashion stores for young women.
Japan 2008 Day 5: Tokyo (Akihabara 秋葉原)
Akihabara is a suburb full of stores that specialise in electrical goods. Also known as Electric Town, it has everything an otaku wants.
Japan 2008 Day 4: Nikko (日光) Taiyuin Mausoleum (家光廟大猷院)
The Taiyuin Mausoleum honours Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604–1651), the third Tokugawa shogun, and is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Japan 2008 Day 4: Nikko (日光) Futarasan Shrine (二荒山神社)
Futarasan shrine enshrines three deities: Ōkuninushi, Tagorihime, and Ajisukitakahikone, and is part of the Nikko UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Japan 2008 Day 4: Nikko (日光) Toushouguu shrine (東照宮)
Toushouguu Shrine is the most famous shrine in Nikko and the final resting place for the remains of Japan's greatest shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Japan 2008 Day 4: Nikko (日光) Rinnouji Temple (輪王寺)
Rinnouji Temple is a Tendai Buddhist temple in the city of Nikko. It is part of the Shrines and Temples of Nikko UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Japan 2008 Day 3: Tokyo (Ghibli Museum 三鷹の森ジブリ美術館)
The Ghibli Museum is dedicated to the creative output of Studio Ghibli - an animation film studio featuring director Miyazaki Hayao.
Japan 2008 Day 2: Tokyo (Shinjuku at Night)
We had dinner at a ramen shop near the station. After dinner, we wandered around Shinjuku at night - particularly Electric Street (電気街).
Japan 2008 Day 2: Tokyo (Harajuku 原宿)
Harajuku has been epitomised in popular culture as a hang-out for rebellious Japanese teenagers with their own fashion style.
Japan 2008 Day 2: Tokyo (Hamarikyu Garden 浜離宮恩賜庭園)
The Hamarikyu Garden used to belong to a daimyo (feudal lord) during the Edo period and used for wild duck hunting and falconry.
Japan 2008 Day 2: Tokyo Shinbashi (新橋) / Shiodome (汐留)
Shinbashi ("New Bridge") was a bridge built across the Shiodome River (since filled in). Today, it is a railway hub and commercial centre.
Japan 2008 Day 2: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Tower (東京都庁舎)
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (東京都庁舎) is the tallest city hall in the world, with observation decks proving amazing views.
Japan 2008 Day 1: Tokyo (Shinjuku 新宿区)
Shinjuku is a major commercial and administrative centre with many skyscrapers, and the busiest railway station in the world.
Japan 2008 Day 1: Arrival in Tokyo (東京)
Our arrival in Tokyo from Sydney was early in the morning. The Qantas plane landed in Narita Airport, and we took the express to Shinjuku.