The natural scenery, mouth-watering cuisine, endless shopping, festivities, and rich history are only a few of the things tourists love the most about Japan. Every year millions of travelers head to Japan to explore this amazing country and everything it has to offer. No matter the season or weather Japan will always welcome new visitors and show you how advanced, culturally rich, and stunning this country can be. Japan is not only beautiful, but it is also a very technologically advanced country that allows tourists to travel, purchase, eat, and sleep in the most unique and convenient ways. Japan is safe for solo travelers and it is also very convenient and comfortable to travel in large groups and families. It is needless to say that there is no other place in the world like Japan and it should definitely be on every travel addict’s must-visit list.
1. Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine is one of the reasons why millions of tourists love this travel destination. With a major variety of dishes, ingredients, spices, and cooking styles Japan will not leave you disappointed. It is not only what you eat in Japan, it is where and how you eat it, you can choose to grab a quick bite from a street vendor or a market, visit one of the millions of restaurants or if you are lucky, enjoy a home-cooked meal. The food in Japan is so unbelievable that many newlyweds choose this destination for their honeymoon.
It is not only how the food tastes, the Japanese pay a lot of attention to the ritual and form of eating, besides learning a few basic phrases to use on your trip around Japan you should also learn the basics of table manners.
2. Extraordinary beauty landscapes
When you imagine Japan, the first thing that comes to mind is bustling streets, shopping malls, and bright neon lights, but in fact, most part of the country is covered in woods and natural beauty. Japan is home to volcanoes, luscious woods, waterfalls, hot springs, a variety of wildlife, national parks, and hundreds of world heritage sites. Japan will provide you with anything you can desire, you can have an adventurous day of hiking in Oze National Park, climb up to Nachi waterfall or try one of the Mount Fuji trails. If you are not too keen on hiking you can simply enjoy the view from the Cape Oma or cruise through the Hozugawa river, that kind of a tour will take no physical effort at all. Whether it is water, mountains, caves or simply taking photos of cherry blossoms Japan will leave you speechless with its beauty.
3. Cherry blossom season
The Cherry blossom season or – Sakura is the annual Japanese cherry tree blooming season that brings thousands of travelers every year. The cherry blossom season normally starts around the 20th of March and lasts until the end of April. Many people simply enjoy hanami- which is the tradition of enjoying the view of the flowers, others plan on viewing the cherry blossoms around the busiest cities in Japan like Tokyo or Kyoto to be able to enjoy other sights as well. As the weather in Japan can be quite unpredictable we recommend always following the weather and sakura forecast that will show you places of fully bloomed sakura and best times to visit. The ideal conditions for a long-lasting blooming season are cool, dry, and windless weather which will allow the flowers to stay on longer.
4. Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines
Japan has two main religions – Buddhism and Shinto, you will recognize a Shinto shrine by the large gates at the entrance where the Buddhist shrines will have two large statues at their entrance. The gates play an important role in shrine architecture; it serves as a transfer from the human to the god world. When the visitors enter through the gate they must bow and then proceed to wash their hands and mouth which is followed by a donation upon the entrance. After you have made a donation you can ring the bell of the shrine followed by bowing and clapping your hands two times which will show your presence to the gods, after this process, you must have a little moment of silence and one more bow. Many young couples visit the Oyama Shrine to pray for a happy marriage and life, others come to Oyama for New Year’s celebration and pray for their families and health.
5. Amazing UNESCO sites
In 1992 Japan joined the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and as of 2019, there are 23 sites around Japan that have been included in the world heritage list. The World Heritage Site list for Japan includes 19 cultural sites and 4 natural sites, additionally, 8 other sites have been submitted for future addition. The first site that was added to the WHS was the Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-Ji Area in 1993, then followed Himeji-jo, Shirakami-Sanchi, and Yakushima, in 1994- Ancient Kyoto Historic Monuments, 1995- Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama, 1996- Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Itsukushima Shrine, in 1998- Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, in 1999- Shrines and Temples of Nikkō and many more spectacular monuments. The latest additions were in made 2017 the Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region, in 2018 Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region and in 2019 Mozu-Furuichi Kofungun, Ancient Tumulus Clusters.
6. Japan, one of the safest countries in the world
One of the main things we always consider before and while traveling is our personal safety, the safety of our friends and family, and making sure our belongings don’t get lost or stolen. Nowadays you have to be careful while using public wifi, monitor your credit card payment history, carry little or no cash, keep your phone, electronics, and documents safe and many other safety measures while traveling. In some countries preparing for safe traveling can be quite a time consuming and watching over your shoulder every time you leave your hotel can be exhausting, but not in Japan, this travel destination will surprise you when it comes to safety and well-being of tourists and locals. Crime in Japan still exists, but the rates are so low that in some places people do not even lock their car or house doors.
7. Shinkansen bullet trains
Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan mostly operate on dedicated tracks and stop only at major stations. They are run by Japan Railways (JR) Group companies and feature some of the fastest trains in the world, traveling at up to 320 kilometers per hour. Traveling by the Shinkansen train allows you to always be on time as the average delay is only 36 seconds. After the passengers leave the cabins the cleaning crew takes care of the trains and makes sure that everything is in order. Once the travelers enter the train and it is ready to take off, the carriages are pressurized for high-speed travel. The cabin crew will make sure that you are comfortable and all set for your travels, the train also provides you with an amazing view of Mt. Fuji right outside of your window.