Tag: Traditional Japan

Introduction to Traditional Japan

Categories Traditional Culture/SpotsLeave a Comment on Introduction to Traditional Japan

Featured picture is of Kinpusenji Temple in late March with ume (plum) blossoms.

In this post, we will introduce 3 things about traditional Japanese Culture: castles, temples, shrines.

Castles

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Throughout Japan’s history, there was a long period where the country was feudalistic. Daimyo (feudal lords) ruled not only their land and people, but they also controlled their own armies. These powerful feudal lords built castles to protect their territory. In the pictures above, there are pictures of the castle keep and various areas of the main castle grounds, but in history, the castle referred to the surrounding area (castle town). When visiting a castle, the interior is usually a small museum where you can find historical facts about its history. If you want to see nice views of the surrounding city, you can go all the way to the top of the castle keep. Just be careful of strong winds!

Temples

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A lot of people confuse temples and shrines, but here is the easiest way to differentiate the two: shrines have torii gates (check pictures below); temples don’t have torii gates. However, there might be a shrine on the temple grounds. In one of the pictures above, you can see a small, orange torii gate on the left of the main hall of Kinpusenji Temple. The other picture is of Zojoji Temple, which is near Tokyo Tower.

Shrines

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Now that we know structural difference between a shrine and a temple, let’s take a look at the religious difference. Temples = Buddhism; Shrines = Shinto. Shinto has many gods/deities, and different gods/deities are enshrined at different shrines. The most divine shrine in all of Japan is Ise Grand Shrine. Amaterasu, the God of the Sun, is enshrined there. Another extremely important shrine is Izumo Shrine. This shrine was dedicated to Ookuninonushi (Grand Master of the Land), who is the god of building the land, amongst other things. In this aspect, Shinto is similar to Hawaiian mythology because Hawaiian mythology has many gods who have different powers, authority, and personalities: Amaterasu is like Pele.

When visiting castles, temples, and shrines, visitors should always mind their manners, but it is hard to do so if you don’t know what to do. We’ll write blog posts in the future about manners at certain places.

We’ll also write posts about other topics!

Mahalo for visiting today!

Featured

Why Japan Is THE Travel Destination from Hawaii

Categories FAQ, Food and Drink, Modern Culture/Spots, Nature, Shopping, Traditional Culture/SpotsLeave a Comment on Why Japan Is THE Travel Destination from Hawaii

 

1. Reasonable Overall Cost

The first thing you would have to do is buy your ticket to Japan. It goes without saying that ticket prices vary depending on which season you want to visit Japan. For example, if you want to enjoy the sakura or autumn foliage, these are the most expensive seasons to visit Japan, so you will have to pay a premium. In recent years, the average price for tickets to Japan for one person is about $1000 roundtrip.

The next thing you need to take into consideration is the currency exchange rate. Luckily, the Japanese Yen has been weaker than the U.S. dollar. If you have already planned a trip to Japan and haven’t exchanged dollars to yen, keep an eye out on the exchange rate!

Topics related to cost of transportation, food and drink, and shopping will be briefly explained below.

2. Best Public Transportation System in the World

Can you believe that train companies apologize for being 1 minute late?! That is how punctual the train system is in Japan. Not to mention busses connect areas which do not have trains, and these busses run close to their scheduled times even in traffic.

For locals in Japan, costs on public transportation is a little expensive compared to other countries in Asia, but as a visitor to Japan, you can purchase a JR Rail Pass which gives you access to almost all Shinkansen (Bullet Trains) and all local JR Lines. Using the JR Rail Pass and other available rail passes will be explained in detail in a future blog post.

3. Awesome Food and Drink

In Hawaii, our food portions are ridiculously big compared to the portions in Japan, BUT the quality of the food Japan is hard to beat. Also, you can eat quality food at a reasonable price if you look in the right places.

Fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, desserts, Japan has it all for you foodies! If you like to drink wine, whiskey, beer, Japanese sake, Japan has great choices for alcoholic beverages.

4. Fusion of Traditional Culture and Modern Culture

From temples, shrines, and castles to skyscrapers and crazy fashion trends, Japan is a mixture of traditional culture and modern culture.

5. Shopping

For those who like high-end brands, there are areas in Japan, such as Ginza in Tokyo, which have streets lined with these stores. If you are on a tight budget but want to get a bunch of omiyage for your family, friends, and colleagues, you can head over to Daiso to buy things priced at only 100 yen!

6. Nature

Japan is surrounded by the ocean, just like Hawaii, and mountains cover about 70% of the land; so, depending on the season you visit Japan, you can have different experiences outdoors.

In future blog posts, we will explain in detail various aspects of traveling in Japan. Stay tuned for more pictures and blog posts in the future! We’re still developing our content, but also check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mahalo!!!