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Japan

Journal 2024

Landing in Tokyo
First Sight - Mount Fuji
Japan - a dream trip. I waited for almost a year before I actually gathered my courage to embark on this trip. I discussed this trip with many people who visited Japan for leisure, for work, they told me it is a challenging place to navitagate due to language, it is expensive, its expansive but at the end they all mentioned it was all totally worth it ! With this I started planning my Japan journey part by part, gathering funds, gathering list of places to visit, gathering list of food dishes to try. After, several considerations on May 20th, 2024 after casting my vote, I took my flight to this much awaited adventure. As I am writing this today, almost a month and a half after the trip, this place is still as overwhelming, I am still unable to believe, I actually visited it and it was just wonderful and as everyone told me, it was totally worth a visit !
After landing in Tokyo, it took me almost three hours to slowly figure out the JR (Japan Rail) train pass activation counter, to get my wifi router (Japan wifi was a blessing with unlimited data plan) and to get my money exchanged to Japaneese Yen. Japan Rail Pass and Japan Wifi are surely a must for travelling in Japan. Especially if one is travel like me from one end to another from North to South, from East to West. I booked Narita Express from the Airport to Tokyo Station.

Hotel Monte Hermana Tokyo was a 7 minutes walk from Tokyo Central Station. I dropped my luggage and then went onto nearby convenience store to pick up sushi for dinner. After 12 hours travel, I wanted to relax and rest before setting out the next day morning.
Mount Fuji View Point
Fujiyoshida, 22nd May 2024
The next day morning I embarked on a 4 hour long travel to Fujiyoshida from where I was expecting to get a glimpse of Mount Fuji. I took the train from Tokyo Station and changed it Mount Fuji Express.
The night before I kept wondering whether it would be worth travelling this far. As I reached the view point, I saw people waiting on the terrace staring at the mountain in front which no where looked close to Mount Fuji. A sheet of clouds kept moving around. I waited for an hour but the wait was getting endless. As I was almost ready to give up and decided to move down the view point to explore the neighbourhood, there was a moment when the clouds shifted to reveal a small part of the snow clad tip. This was the moment when I decided to stay longer, to wait, to see the flat top of the mountain to be revealed. I took. abreak and walked down to explore the neighbourhood around.

As I walked through the neighbougood with, I saw people waiting around for the clouds to move and reveal the mountain. It truely was a magical moment when after waiting and staring for almost 2.5-3 hours, the clouds decided to part ways to reveal the perfect table top tip covered with snow.
Sensō-ji Buddhist Temple
Taito City, Tokyo, 22 May 2024
After the breath taking view of Mount Fuji. I travelled back to reach Central Tokyo. From the morning which was very calm, and peaceful with hardly 3-4 people around in the quaint town of Fujioshida, I reached the busy crowded streets of Tokyo.  I made my way to Sensō-ji, Japan’s oldest Buddhist temple. Navigating through the lively streets of Asakusa, I passed the Tokyo Skytree and Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center by Kengo Kuma. I followed the steady stream of people, some dressed in traditional kimono to reach the main courtyard. The large iconic red lantern of Kaminarimon Gate held my attention for long. The temple grounds were buzzing with life; I suddenly saw 100-500s of tourists around me with numerous burning incense sticks which generated fragrant clouds.

In the courtyard, despite the crowd, there was a sense of reverence as people lit incense sticks and offered prayers under the temple’s grand wooden roof. Beyond the bustling Nakamise shopping street, Sensō-ji’s grand Hozomon Gate had intricately detailed red beams, heavy black lacquer doors, and larger-than-life Nio statues which symbolized protection. The main hall, with its sweeping, curved eaves and richly painted wooden beams.

Inside, the ceiling is adorned with delicate paintings of dragons and deities. I paused to admire the five-story pagoda nearby, its tiered roofs stacked gracefully upward, creating a silhouette against the sky.
Fuji Television Network, Inc. (Kenzo Tange)
Minato City, Tokyo, 22 May 2024
The Fuji Television Building stands on Odaiba, a sprawling, man-made island in Tokyo Bay. This area is built on a reclaimed land to serve as a commercial and entertainment hub. I was surrounded by the shimmering expanse of water, as I caught a glimpse of the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower in the distance.

Open promenades, scenic waterfront parks, and broad pedestrian paths interlaced seamlessly with sleek buildings. The waterfront is lined with broad walking trails and green spaces where locals and tourists gather along Tokyo Bay.  Fuji Television Building and its massive silver framework create a geometric lattice that seem to suspend the building’s elements in mid-air. The colossal steel grid has its each beam meticulously designed to support a sprawling stack of glass and metal cubes.

The building podium was accessed through a long flight of broad stairway. As I reached the podium, the sheer volume of space was mesmerizing. Tall, massive, towering high.

The iconic spherical observation deck, suspended high above, seemed to float like a giant, metallic ball amid a web of cross beams.
TeamLab Planets
Koto City, Tokyo, 22 May 2024
Dinner at Kura Sushi
Koto City, Tokyo, 22 May 2024
Tokyo International Forum (Rafael Viñoly)
Chiyoda City, Tokyo, 22 May 2024
Tree-Ness House (Akihisa Hirata)
Toshima City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
St. Mary’s Cathedral (Kenzo Tange)
Bunkyo City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Imperial Palace East Gardens
Chiyoda City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Tsukiji Outer Market
Chou City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Small Worlds Miniature Museum
Koto City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Hill Side Terrace (Fumihiko Maki)
Shibuya City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Nabeshima Shoto Park Public Toilet (Kengo Kuma)
Shibuya City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Miyashita Park
Shibuya City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Omotesando Street
Shibuya City, Tokyo, 23 May 2024
Chapel on the Water
Yufutsu District, Hokkaido, 24 May 2024
Dinner at Ichiran Ramen
Tokyo, 24 May 2024
Landmark Tower, Port Museum, Kishamichi Promenade, Cosmo World, Red Brick Warehouse, Yamashita Park, Gundam Factory, China Town Yokohoma, Kanagawa, 25 May 2024
International Passenger Terminal
Yokohoma, Kanagawa, 25 May 2024
Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum
Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 25 May 2024
Kadokawa Musashino Museum by Kengo Kuma
Saitama, Tokorozawa, 25 May 2024
Meiji Jingu, Shinto Shrine
Shibuya City, 25 May 2024
Yoyogi 1st National Gymnasium by Kenzo Tange
Shibuya City, 25 May 2024
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya City, 25 May 2024
Shibuya Sky
Shibuya City, 25 May 2024
Harry Potter Stairs & Time Turner
Akasaka Station, 25 May 2024
En-Route Kyoto
26 May 2024
Nidec Kyoto Tower
Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Nishiki Market
Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Ace Hotel by Kengo Kuma
Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Nijō Castle
Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Kyoto Sento Imperial Palace
Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Yasaka Shrine
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Hōkan-ji Temple and Pagoda and Ninenzaka Neighbourhood
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Meals
Kyoto, 26 May 2024
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 27 May 2024
Ryōan-ji Temple
Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 27 May 2024
Kinkaku-ji Temple
Kita Ward, Kyoto, 27 May 2024
Garden of Fine Arts Kyoto by Tadao Ando
Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 27 May 2024
CoFuFun Tenri Station Front Area
Tenri, 28 May 2024
Nara Centennial Hall
Nara, 28 May 2024
Kofuku-ji Temple
Nara, 28 May 2024
Tōdai-ji Temple
Nara, 28 May 2024
Uji Keihan Railway Station
Uji, 28 May 2024
Namba Yasaka Jinja
Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 29 May 2024
Namba Parks
Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 29 May 2024
Osaka Prefectural Sayamaike Museum (Tadao Ando)
Osakasayama, Osaka, 29 May 2024
Shitenno-ji Temple
Tennoji Ward, Osaka, 29 May 2024
Osaka Castle
Chou Ward, Osaka, 29 May 2024
Tempozan Ferris Wheel, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan, Minato Ward, Osaka, 29 May 2024
Dotonbori
Chou Ward, Osaka, 29 May 2024
Himeji Castle
Hyogo, Himeji, 30 May 2024
Himeji City Museum of Literature (Tadao Ando)
Hyogo, Himeji, 30 May 2024
Hompukuji Water Temple (Tadao Ando)
Hyogo, 30 May 2024
Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art (Tadao Ando)
Kobe, Hyogo, 30 May 2024
Hiroshima Castle
Hiroshima, 31 May 2024
Atomic Bomb Dome,
Hiroshima National Peace Museum, Park and Hall,
Hiroshima, 31 May 2024
 Itsukushima Shrine 
Miyajima Island, Hiroshima, 31 May 2024
Yodokō Guest House,
Ashiya, Hyogo, 01 June 2024
Kansai Airport, Haruka Hello Kitty Train and Back,
Osaka, 01 June 2024
Le Fin