A trip through hi-tech and ancient tradition. Hanami, Japan

A journey through high technology and ancient traditions

 

Curti - Roma - Helsinki - Tokyo

As usual alarm good time (5:00), we must reach the airport of Fiumicino. Tonight at 2:00 there was also a change of summer is so we lost an hour of sleep ... I hope to recover in flight. After the final preparations erapidamente we go on the motorway, luckily today is Sunday and the road is liberissima including the GRA. In men who do not say we reach our preferred parking (Italy 92) which paid 42 euros for 9-day visit. After the checks fastidiosissimi we finally settled in "our" Air (Finnair). The first stop is Helsinki, where we arrived 3 hours later. Landed discover that our flight was moved two hours of patience ... so we are on vacation. Finally up again, use the Narita airport in Tokyo where we get 9 hours and 50 min later. All in all the flight passes quickly we sleep so well that not even see a movie ... it had never happened. By plane give us the usual form to fill and deliver to the Customs, where the queue for passport control has long committed almost 1 hours!. After having viewed the passports we stick the visa in the passport and move to the first problem ... or cash (we had one of the Bank of Rome) that does not work! Work instead of post cards, the prepaid card Amica (Capitalia) and of course the classic credit card (the maximum download is 38,000 yen with the exchange rate 157 yen = 1 Euro). Right next to the ATM is the office of JR where you can take the train to Tokyo (Narita is 66 km). Given the price the Narita Express (3000 yen) is to be avoided, the better the cheapest limited express (1000 yen), which in 1h 20 min leads to Ueno (last stop). Leaving the JR station on the left, a few steps and take the subway (Ginza line, 190 yen) in Shibuya. The ticket is issued only by electronic machines for the price to see a bison board with all the stops and the prices (it is also written in English). In 20 minutes we are at your destination, we head south towards the exit and the bus station take the 17 (190 yen) and two stops us in our Ryokan the Fukudaya (10,000 yen room with bath, the Ryokan we booked on http://www.jpinn.com). As you enter, as a practice, we take away their shoes and climb into the bed room ...... tatamis and walls made of paper mulberry .... like in cartoons. Of course we are tired and you rest a bit. We head to foot to the station, there's lots of people and there are lots of billboards showing everything from cartoons to video game advertising. Take the Yamamoto line that takes us in 20 min (190 yen) near the district of Ginza. Go and do a walk for this luxury neighborhood, from time to time we stop in front of restaurants that exposure of fedili plastic replicas of dishes served with the prices, very curious. After visiting the palace of tecnologicissimo Sony, take the subway to Shibuya (190 yen) and we stop to eat the wonderful ramen with meat (1350 yen two people).

Tokyo

After a good nttata that prmesso us to retrieve the time zone, we have a nice shower and decide to go and are colazine by Starbucks near you (1140 yen). With the Ginza line to Asakusa arrive (230 yen) in approximately 25 min, a few steps and we arrive at the Senso-Ji temple. The portal has a huge paper lantern, and behind there are many shops. In the courtyard we see a huge cauldron where the smoke comes out dall'incenso coming burned that the faithful gettandoselo use on the head. Doing an offer of about 100 yen it takes to be a kind of a giant toothpick legnetto with a symbol that has a corresponding drawer. From the tray, take a sheet (written in English) where we read that we will have much luck, take the sheet and fold it binds to a particular rack ..... Next there is a fountain with lots of cups tied to a stick that the faithful use to collect water for use in dellla ritual purification. Resume the direct Ueno subway (130 yen), the park is full of cherry trees in bloom and there are many under blue tarpaulins with people trying to make a picnic ... very special. Our next stop is the national museum (600 yen), we give a quick look at artefacts from the South East Asia and we focus on the part dedicated to the Japanese. Beautiful swords and armor of the samurai, to see! details are also Kimon and Japanese dolls. Returning to the subway station do a ticket direct from 130 yen at the central station in Tokyo, of course the metro every 2 minutes and quickly arrive at their destination. When you exit the ticket và it into a appositoforo and this allows you to leave, or when you are wrong, you close a gate and you go to the nearby EPR machines do make the adjustment (to pay the difference). We head to visit (from outside) the royal palace in the distance you see the Tokyo Tower with his special red and white, unfortunately the royal gardens are closed. The weather is gloomy and threatening, then quickly back at the station to buy tickets for the Shinkansen tomorrow (13,720 yen per person), we are directed to Kyoto and the departure is at 14 and 20. We end our quick tour of the park in the stalls that sell everything from grilled cuttlefish with cookies in the shape of Hello Kitty and Doraemon. Take the metro to old house and we spend a good meal (2010 yen).

Tokyo - Kyoto

After a good breakfast, we leave our luggage at the hotel and we head in the district of Shinjuku with the usual meter (150 yen). This district is the commercial center, there are many skyscrapers, including all govenativo what is the most peculiar. Obviously does not lack a visit to the largest electronics store in Tokyo if Japan does not, or yodobashi room where everything is priced ultraconvenienti. After taking the luggage to the station we head to Tokyo from here a few steps and we arrive at the station of the Shinkansen (Tokaido line), is a true spectacle to see all these "miracles" of human range from 500 to 700, or the train fast Nozomi that will lead us in Kyoto in just 2h 20 min (+500 km). Obviously the train departs in perfect time and after a few minutes we can admire the famous view of Mount Fuji, although covered by clouds is a show. We arrive in Kyoto at 16:33, Central Station is covered with huge all glass and you see just outside the tower anonima Kyoto, a few meters and we head to the bus stop, we must take the JR3 that will bring us to our Ryokan the Yamazaki (8400 yen per room shared bathroom). The bus leaves every 30 minutes (depending on the time) and takes 30-40 minutes to get there (250 yen). Although a little out of hand the Ryokan is very nice and close to main attractions of the city, also has an excellent restaurant where we decide to have lunch (1920 yen).

Kyoto

After breakfast (880 yen) in Western style, we head to the station of Kyoto with the usual bus. When you climb on the car, take a bgliettino with the number and when you go down, you should check on the electronic board above the driver the fare to be paid (20 yen). At the station we head towards the train to Nara and buy a ticket to Inari, only two stops (140 yen). Just outside the station you see a red torii is the entrance to the Fushimi-inari Taisha, note by the statues of foxes scattered throughout the sanctuary. Going to arrive at the beginning of a beautiful path all covered with torii there are thousands, the road is 4 km long ..... very impressive vome see the photos. Return the train to Kyoto Station and take bus No. 12 (the bus people have fixed-price 220 yen), which brings us to the Kinkaku-ji Temple (400 yen), famous throughout Japan for its beautiful pagoda d ' gold that is reflected in a beautiful lake surrounded by an equally beautiful garden. In 15-20 min (walk) is reached Ryoan-ji (500 yen), even this place is famous for its Zen garden. Dry garden, as there are plants, but only stones, particularly if there are 15 even if they are always visible 14 ... are two places where you incredible repira a mystical atmosphere.

Kyoto

The bus ahead of the 7:15 and the station of Kyoto take the Kintetsu Line (150 yen) to get off at the first stop and admire the tempioToji very particular with his beautiful five-storey pagoda, the highest in Japan. The next stop is the temple Nishi-haganji ... huge. Leave the temple and do a beautiful walk through shichijo-dori until you reach the temple of Sanjusangendo (600 yen). This beautiful tempiopresenta within one thousand golden statues depicting Buddha, ne vale la pena.Da here a little walk to enter the old Kyoto, the Higashiyama district. The first site to check is the temple of Kiyomizudera Listings for new seven wonders of the world that is picked in Lisbon July 7 next year. On the road that leads uphill to the temple we find two geishas, their clothes are formidable and it is simply a pleasure to see them walking on the typical wooden clogs. The temple is very special is built on piles and on the terrace one can admire the entire city of Kyoto. Particular is also a bridge where the faithful are queuing to collect water that flows from the waterfall above .. After the temple we continue our walk to Gion, I must say that this part of Kyoto is very beautiful with its typical houses, gardens, temples and the inevitable cherry trees. Take the metro to the stop Keihan of Marutamachi to reach the temple of Heinanjingu. The temple has a giant torii at the entrance, everything here is a vivid orange, you can admire the beautiful garden (600 yen), very relaxing especially great where the wooden bridge. From here a few meters to the subway to the Taza frmata of Sanjodori (250 yen) to get off at Nijo where we can admire the castle namesake. To return home we take the n ° 8 (250 yen). At dinner we take a good tempura (2,100 yen) in practice a fried fish and vegetables and a piece of sushi (945 yen), good if it were not for the pestilent wasabi.

Kyoto - Nara - Oji

After a good hot shower usually take the bus that brings us to the station in Kyoto. Here we take the Kintetsu line (we do not have the JR pass) to Nara (610 yen), we must change to Takada. We arrive at the station Kintetsu (much closer to that of sites JR) after 45 min. We go immediately to search the lockers to leave our luggage and we find them easily (300 yen, 24 hours). A few steps and we are now at the Nara Park, today is Saturday and there are tantisime family with children. The peculiarity of the park and there are about 1,200 deer, messaggri considered for the gods. 150 yen you can buy from merchants cookies for the deer that go crazy!. Our goal is the Toda-ji (500 yen), this huge temple housing the Buddha Wooden largest in the world, the eye is more than 1 meter!. Side there is a column of wood with a hole where many children come into a kind of ritual? nice. Coming back we stop at various shops, as well as in a 100 yen shop where everything costs 100 yen (or so) and do backery breakfast in a nearby train station (840 yen). Collect our luggage and we head towards the JR station where we buy a ticket for Oji (290 yen). A few steps and we are at our Ryokan the Yougo (7000 yen including breakfast, ttp: / / www.yougendo.com) very beautiful and with two owners simpaticissimi, the house is very nice and welcoming.

Oji - Osaka

We do breakfast in the beautiful hall of the Ryokan is a magnificent view over the garden, the breakfast is also doing very good breakfast with two Englishmen working in Japan. After breakfast we prepare our bags and we head to the nearby train station where we take the train that will take us 20 minutes to Osaka (380 yen) to Tennoji Station. From there the subway (280 yen) for our luxury hotel APA Villa Hotel, Make reservations through the Internet (www.itravel.jp) at a bargain prices (6800 yen, with en suite bathroom). Check inn is at 15:00 and then after regstrazione leave your luggage and we head to nearby Osaka-jo. This castle is really beautiful is the particular view of the castle with ancient skyscrapers behind. The park outside the walls is very good, today is Sunday and there are many families. The entrance to the castle costs 600 yen and I have to tell the truth maybe it is better from the outside because the interior was converted into a museum to seven floors and is virtually brand new, beautiful terrace and have exhibition of arms and armor of samurai. Always arrive at the metro Dra Dra town famous district of Osaka where you can find everything but its all for the electronics. Also note the buildings dedicated to the manga or thumbnails ... maniacal.

Osaka - Helsinki - Roma - Curti

Alarm clock to 6:00, to finish preparing their bags and take the subway to Namba station (230 yen) emerge from the subway station and enter the station to take the JR train at the international airport of Kansai changed to Tennoji (1030). Since the train is a quick pay carriage on alternate (1440 yen) in 30 min we all'ereoporto. At 11:00 from the air direct to Helsinki and the holiday ends here.