Cherry Blossoms in Tetsugaku-no-michi a teenager’ s shopping haven. Omotesando and Minami Aoyama offer high fashion.
Now that you have investigated the museums, and the shopping malls, you might need to slow down a bit, get out of the big city, and draw in some of the most spectacular sights of Japan— the sculpture gardens and lakes.
An excellent place to visit for a few days is the Gora Kadan in Hakone, which you can reach via a forty-minute ride on the bullet train Hikari # 515. The Gora Kadan is not a hotel but a traditional Japanese Ryokan. The place dates back to the 1820s, and has traditional Tatami style rooms, futons for sleeping, Kimonos and slippers. Here you can rest in a truly heavenly place, and enjoy the surroundings at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Outside you will find open-air natural hot springs baths, as well as a pool and Jacuzzi. You can visit the Open-Air Sculpture Garden, in which nature is the dramatic backdrop, or you can take the Aerial Cable Car to Togendai for a cruise on Lake Ashi, with views of Mt. Fuji.
Now that you have seen Hakone, it’ s time to visit Kyoto,( bullet train # Hikari 511). Kyoto sits next to the Kamogawa river. Kyoto has been said to be the most beautiful city in Japan. This is a place for art, gardens, temples, and plenty of cherry blossoms! Start your day with a visit to Ryoanji Temple which, in English, is the Temple of the Peaceful Dragon, and has the most famous rock garden in Japan. The style and layout of the rock gardens is fascinating; it is called a dry garden, in which gravel or sand is raked to represent water ripples. Classical Zen gardens were created at temples of Zen Buddhism in Kyoto, and were intended to help viewers meditate, as the dry garden imitates the fundamental essence of nature.
After visiting the Temple of the Peaceful Dragon, try to visit the Golden Pavilion, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is covered in gold leaf and surrounded by gardens. While there, you can experience a traditional Tea Ceremony. After tea, enjoy a stroll down Teapot Alley, an area where roads and buildings have been preserved. There are many restaurants in this area. Be sure to visit Gion, the home of Kyoto’ s most famous geisha.
Next on the traveler’ s list is taking a stroll along the Philosopher’ s Path, with a visit
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