What would you do?

[jay]

I'm faced next week with no specific plans in Japan, other than being in Nara on May 19-23 for the conference. If anyone reading this cared to offer advice, it would be appreciated. What would you do, if you were given an evening, then half-day in Tokyo? Followed by train travel (most direct bullet train, or an alternate routing) down to Nara, which is full of temples, history and tame deer?

Then at the end of the week in Nara, maybe an overnight somewhere in Kyoto before returning to Tokyo for another 24-hour stay there?

Comments

stuff to do in Kyoto and Nara

[kokoro43.livejournal.com]

It's been quite a few years since I went to Japan, when I spent 10 days mostly in Kyoto and Nara (My Japanese teacher put on a cultural field-trip to Japan...). I'd have to hunt for some of the details, but basically:

There's easily enough stuff (museums, Buddhist temples, Shinto Shrines,etc) to do in Nara Park area to keep you busy for a couple of days. Watch out for the dear! They are very aggressive if they think that you have any Deer Cookies... They've got keen eyes, and will see you put them in pockets or purses, and then stick their noses in to get them... We didn't leave ourselves enough time to check out much of other parts of Nara.

We spent ~5 days in Kyoto, and had to pick-n-choose what we saw. There are a lot of temples and museums in Kyoto... They are all sufficiently different that I didn't get close to being bored. There's a famous "Philosopher's Walk" (or something like that) that we missed. But check out Ginkakuji (the Golden Temple), Mizu??ji (the Water temple). I'd have to look up the name of the temple that has the most famous of Japanese Zen rock gardens, which is definitely worth seeing.

I've never been to Tokyo, so I can't help you there.

Re: stuff to do in Kyoto and Nara

[boubabe.livejournal.com]

Ginkakuji is actually the Silver Pavilion (which was suppose to be silver but isn't because they ran out of money while building it). Ginkakuji is actually at one end of the Philosopher's Walk and has a lovely zen garden and bamboo grove.

Kinkakuji is the Gold Pavillion and definitely worth a visit. There is another famous zen garden close to it but I can't remember the name right now. Minor issues about visiting Kinkakuji, though, is that is in northern Kyoto and you need to take the bus there - its a little time consuming.

Kinkakuji is what you see in my photo.

Re: stuff to do in Kyoto and Nara

[kokoro43.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks for the correction. My Japanese is rather rusty, and I forgot which Gin/Kin was Gold/Silver...

I found Kinkakuji the more interesting of the 2, though.

[boubabe.livejournal.com]

I agree - Kinkakuji is gorgeous.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks -- by the way, what's the level of appropriate dress when visiting temples or shrines? For men, is a jacket and tie recommended, or are more-casual clothes OK?

[boubabe.livejournal.com]

Japan isn't as strict as other Asian countries about the clothes you can wear. Since you are just being a tourist, you can get away with just about anything. I might recommend NOT wearing tank tops - you should wear tops that go over the shoulder; that's about the only taboo I can think of. See what the Japanese are wearing when you arrive and go with that.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Heh. So much for the famous "tame" deer... I'm staying in a hotel that is just outside the park in Nara. If I make it to Kyoto, I'll just have one night and about a half-day there before I'll have to catch the train back to Tokyo... thanks!