Insight of Japan CONTENT

CONTENT

It is my pleasure to share with all of you these photos taken during my 'Retreat in Japan' from 15 October 2009 to 22 October 2009. Photographs are taken in Tokyo, Kyoto and Nara.

Have a pleasant viewing.

Video views from Tokyo Tower


01. Some nice scenery in Japan
02. Street Scene
03. Tokyo : Tsukiji Fish Market 築地 [ 64 Photos ].
04. Tokyo : Asakusa 浅草 [ 239 Photos - slow d/l ].
05. Tokyo : Shinjuku 新宿[ 27 Photos ].
06. Tokyo : Shimbashi Station Areas [ 40 Photos ].
07. Tokyo : Imperial Palace 皇居周辺 [ 38 Photos ].
08. Tokyo : Roppongi & Tokyo Tower 六本木 [ 43 Photos ].
09. Tokyo : Ginza Station Area 銀座 [ 31 Photos ].
10. Tokyo : Shibuya Area 渋谷 [ 40 Photos ].
11. Tokyo : Tokyo Disneyland [ 139 Photos ].
12. Tokyo : Odaiba seaside resort お台場 [ 75 Photos ].
13. Tokyo : Ikebukuro 池袋 - Not Link yet
14. Tokyo : MISCELLANEOUS- Maps, Tickets etc

15. NARA : Todaji Temple and Deer Park [ 106 Photos ]
16. NARA : Kasuga Taisha Shrine [ 76 Photos ].

17. KYOTO : Kyoto Tower [ 39 Photos ].
18. KYOTO : Hongwan-ji 本願寺 [ 49 Photos ].
19. KYOTO : Arashiyama Resort [ 96 Photos ].
20. KYOTO : Nijo Castle [ 49 Photos ].
21. KYOTO : Golden Pavilion Temple [ 56 Photos ].
22. KYOTO : Honganji Temple [ 18 Photos ].
23. KYOTO : Toji Temple [ 35 Photos ]

24. Mount Fuji [ 75 Photos ].
25. Hakone Resort [ 98 Photos ].

And more ....................

Next trip of My Retreat is Switzerland....................................
( I was there on July 2010 .............................. )

Tokyo : Asakusa 浅草

Asakusa is the center of Tokyo's shitamachi, lit. "low city", one of Tokyo's few districts, which have preserved a certain atmosphere of the old Tokyo.

Asakusa's main attraction is Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple, built in the 7th century. The temple is approached via the Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries.

Asakusa can be easily explored on foot. Alternatively, you can consider a guided tour on a rickshaw (jinrikisha, lit. "man powered vehicle"). A 30 minute tour for two persons costs around 8000 Yen. Shorter and longer courses are also available.

For many centuries, Asakusa used to be Tokyo's leading entertainment district. During the Edo Period , when the district was still located outside the city limits, Asakusa was the site of kabuki theaters and a large red light district. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, modern types of entertainment, including movies, set foot in Asakusa.

Large parts of Asakusa were destroyed in the air raids of World War Two. While the area around the rebuilt Senoji has regained its former popularity after the war, the same cannot be said for Asakusa's entertainment district.

You can double click onto the photo to view more photos - [ 239 photos ]

Tokyo : Shimbashi Station Areas

Shimbashi (新橋) was the Tokyo terminus of the first railway in Japan in 1872. It remains a major railway hub and has since developed as a commercial center, most recently with the construction of the Shiodome "Shiosite" high-rise office complex.

If you want to go to Tokyo Bay (Odaiba) this is the station, via Yurikamome Line. The single mono-rail trip costs 310 yen. A day ticket costing 800 yen will beneficial for those who want unlimited ride to alight multiple stops at Odaiba.

Click onto the photo to view more photos [ 40 photos ].

Tokyo - HAKONE

Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hotsprings, outdoor activities, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt Fuji. Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.

You can double click onto the photo to view more photos.[ 98 photos ]

Mount Fuji

[View of Mt Fuji from the 5th Station - 29 Photos]

Mount Fuji (富士山 Fuji-san) is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,388 ft). Along with Moun Tate and Mount Haku, it is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (三霊山 Sanreizan). An active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji is just west of Tokyo, and can be seen on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers.

Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano, which most recently erupted in 1708. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days.

The easiest way to view Mount Fuji is from the train on a trip along the Tokaido Line between Tokyo and Osaka. If you take the shinkansen from Tokyo in direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, the best view of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from around Shin-Fuji Station on the right hand side of the train, about 40 to 45 minutes after leaving Tokyo.

Note however, that clouds and poor visibility often block the view of Mount Fuji, and you have to consider yourself lucky if you get a clear view of the mountain. Visibility tends to be better during the colder seasons of the year than in summer, and in the early morning and late evening hours.

If you want to enjoy Mount Fuji at a more leisurely pace and from a nice natural surrounding, you should head to the Fuji Five Lake (Fujigoko) region at the northern foot of the mountain, or to Hakone,a nearby hotspring resort.

Mount Fuji is officially open for climbing during July and August via several routes.

Attached 3 photos taken from 3 different locations. You may click onto these 3 photos to view more photos of the respective locations. Have a pleasnt viewing.

View of Mount Fuji from Fuji Visitor Centre - 28 Photos.

View of Mount Fuji from Highland Resort - 28 Photos.

Tokyo : Roppongi Area 六本木

Roppongi (六本木, means. "six trees") is a district in the Minato City Ward of Tokyo, famous for its nightlife and two new, large building complexes, Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown.. It has also gained a name as a cultural center thanks to the presence of several art museums.

Roppongi Crossing in the district's center
The area around Roppongi Station is Tokyo's most popular night life district among foreigners, offering a large number of foreigner friendly bars, restaurants and night clubs. Roppongi and the surrounding districts of Azabu, Hiroo and Akasaka are home to many embassies and a large expat community.

Video views from Roppongi Hills


You may click onto the above photo to view more photos [ 43 Photos ].

Tokyo Imperial Palace 皇居周辺

The current Imperial Palace (Tokyo) is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo station. It is the residence of Japan's Imperial Family.

Moats and walls surround the imperial palace

Edo Castle used to be the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and the country's capital and Imperial Residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. In 1888 construction of a new Imperial Palace was completed. The palace was once destroyed during World War Two, and rebuilt in the same style, afterwards.

From Kokyo Gaien, the large plaza in front of the Imperial Palace, visitors can view the Nijubashi, two bridges that form an entrance to the inner palace grounds. The stone bridge in front is called Meganebashi (Eyeglass Bridge) for its looks. The bridge in the back was formerly a wooden bridge with two levels, from which the name Nijubashi (Double Bridge) is derived.

Meganebashi Bridge
The palace buildings and inner gardens are not open to the public. Only on January 2 (New Year's Greeting) and December 23 (Emperor's Birthday), visitors are able to enter the inner palace grounds and see the members of the Imperial Family, who make several public appearances on a balcony.

During the rest of the year, guided tours of the palace are offered in Japanese, with an English pamphlet and audio guide provided. Tours must be reserved in advance with the Imperial Household Agency.

The Imperial Palace East Gardens are open to the public throughout the year except on Mondays, Fridays and special occasions.

How to get there :
The Imperial Palace is a 10 minute walk from Tokyo Station

Click onto the above photo to view more photos [ 38 Photos ].