Japan Address Locator Map
Map of Japan > Japan Locator Map • Japan Travel Tips • Japan Relief Map
The city of Kyoto was once home to
the imperial court, and offers a glimpse of eleven centuries of Japanese
history. Stroll past canals through exquisite gardens and discover
over 2,000 temples and shrines hidden within the landscape. View
old Kyoto from the wooden platform of the Kiyomizu-dera temple built
into a steep hillside. Peruse handcrafted woodblock prints, silk
and textiles, dolls, and paper goods offered by quiet backstreet
workshops. Annual matsuri, or festivals, feature parades of
imperial costumes from 8th through 19th century dynasties. The Aoi
festival is held on May 15th and believed to be the world's oldest
surviving festival. Kyoto can be reached in 2.5 hours by bullet
train from Tokyo.
The unique artistic talent showcased at the Sapporo Snow Festival is made
possible by 38,000 tons of snow brought in from nearby mountains.
View spectacular ice palaces and hundreds of enormous snow and ice
sculptures depicting everything from Minnie Mouse to Michelangelo's
Pieta. The Sapporo Snow Festival caught on in 1972 after Sapporo was chosen to
host the Winter Olympics; it can be viewed for one week only in early
February. Sapporo is located 731 miles northeast of Tokyo, and can
be easily reached by daily flights and overnight trains.
Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, is a sight to experience in
April. The snowflake-sized pink and white petals fluttering to the
ground can be viewed best from Yoshino Mountain in the Yoshino-Kumano
National Park. Stroll along beautiful pathways and visit the shops
and teahouses of Yoshino for an authentic Japanese experience.
Hanakueshiki is the annual cherry-blossom festival held in Yoshino on
April 11-12, but peak viewing may extend for a few weeks beyond.
Yoshino-Kumano National Park is 21 miles south of Nara and 42 miles
south of Kyoto.
Japan is a unique and paradoxical blending of the old and the new. From the hustle and bustle of modern cities to the peaceful quiet of quaint rural villages and historic temples, Japan holds something to explore for every type of traveler.