We packed a lot in to the two, quick weeks we spent in Japan. Besides spending a week on Okinawa, we also had five days in Tokyo and three in Kyoto. Japan was fascinating and unlike any other place we have visited on the trip so far. We felt like we got a great chance to see so many different aspects of this beautiful country.
Shinjuku Garden
Shibuya Crossing (hectic, but orderly)
Cherry Blossoms
The first thing that stuck out to us was the amazing, rich history. We had the opportunity to explore temples and shrines that date back to the 12th century and even earlier. The history and traditions seem very well-preserved even though they are now intermingled with the bustling metropolises of the big cities. The contrast of the old and the new was apparent almost everywhere.
Temple in Asakusa
Purification station before heading into Meiji Jingu – Yoshi-san taught us the cleansing ritual
Christina & Yaya in front of the Sakura (cherry blossoms)
Another widely evident contrast we noticed was the beauty of nature throughout the city. We’re used to New York City, where there are nice parks, but not a lot of natural beauty elsewhere. In Japan, particularly in spring, the cities are gorgeous. One of the highlights of our visit was a picnic we had under the cherry blossoms, surrounded by azaleas in the park. It was truly an unforgettable day. Similar to what you would see in New York, the park was crowded with lots of visitors. Unlike New York, the busy park was also quiet and orderly at the same time!
Tsukiji Fish Market
Sushi time
Picnic under the cherry blossoms
Many of our friends and family have been asking us how Christina has managed with her vegetarian diet on the road. We can safely say that finding food in Japan posed the biggest challenge to date! Like a lot of Asian cuisine, seafood and pork are very common in local dishes. However, in each city we visited in Japan, there was a notable lack of English spoken which made it difficult to communicate the dietary restrictions. Luckily, you can almost always find veggie sushi!
Sunset over Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Gates
A few other highlights from our time in Japan were a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, a two-day guided tour through Tokyo with a volunteer tour guide named Yoshi, and a bike ride that we took around Kyoto which was challenging, but a great way to see the city!
Two women dressed in traditional Kimonos strolling through Kyoto
Tea ceremony in Kyoto
Family underneath one of the 10,000 Torii gates at Fushimi Inari
It was so great to spend time with the family and get to see such a unique and interesting country.
-The Morts
So much beauty! Thanks for sharing.