An Intimate Photo Tour of Japan

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Japan’s people, food, scenery, and history captured the author’s soul. Read on for an intimate photo tour of Japan through his camera lens.
When I first traveled to Japan, it was mostly to meet my wife’s family members. Silly me, I thought it would be a one-time visit. The people, food, scenery, and history captured my soul. Since that first trip, I have made ten more trips visiting places like Sapporo, Nara, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Kobe, many small towns, and Tokyo. My wife’s parents, aunts, and cousins have shown us the Land of the Rising Sun in a way few Americans could see. I feel so fortunate to have had so many awesome visits and to share some of my photos in my files. We’ll take a trip to the known and not-so-known places, occasionally stopping for lunch and dinner. I hope you enjoy the intimate photo tour of Japan.
Note: All photos are by the author.
Narita, Not Just an Airport
Too many times, we landed at Narita Airport without visiting the town of the same name nearby. When we finally visited Narita City, we had such a good time taking a self-guided tour we did it again on our subsequent trip. It’s easy to catch a bus from the Narita airport to the Narita train station, then walk to the temple stopping at the shops and restaurants.
Stunning figurines and paintings adorn this Narita temple and many other temples in Japan.

Sun and shadows play on the steps and sculptures during our early morning walk.

Narita-san Temple at daybreak is a sight to behold. I have walked the temple grounds twice and love how peaceful it is before most other visitors show up.

Ikebana is the art of flower arranging. On every trip to Japan, I often come across flowers like these.

Narita Cuisine on My Photo Tour of Japan
The filet crew is upfront and part of the experience of dining at Kawatoya-Honten near the Narita Temple.

Unagi is a local delicacy made from eel. It is char-grilled, dressed in a slightly sweet soy sauce, and served with rice. This is one of my favorite local foods.

This nice lady married a Frenchman, and they moved to Narita, where they have a patisserie and chocolate shop. We first stopped back in 2016 when Coer du Chocolat was relatively unknown. I hope you get a chance to taste their goods.

My wife and her mom had stopped to try this street vendor’s dango. Not my favorite thing to eat in Japan, but I’ll have a bit on most trips.

Atami Stands for Onsen
I liked the small coastal town of Atami on my very first visit. We went for the onsen (hot springs baths), but I loved the ocean views, seafood, and history.
A fishing boat heads out to sea from Atami. Several small restaurants in Atami specialize in local seafood.

This free hot springs foot-soaking bath is free to the public outside the Atami Train Station. I enjoyed giving the bath a try on my weary feet.

The town of Atami as seen from the castle high up on the hill. This castle is a replica, but still fun to visit.

Seagulls and humans like the waterfront park in Atami. On a sunny day, I walk the town and meander to the ocean to enjoy this park and the sea air. Walking to this park from the train station takes me about half an hour.

The famous statue of Omiya and Kan’ichi in Atami can be found at the ocean-front park. There is an interpretive display that explains the story in English.

I get up before sunrise on the first few days of a Japan trip. My sleep clock is messed up, and I find myself waiting for dawn to get out and take photographs like this one of Atami from our hotel.

Ichiban ramen in Atami is the place for a delicious lunch. Located just a ten-minute walk downhill from the train station is the place to get ramen.

Arima and Gero, Two Other Onsen Towns on My Photo Tour of Japan
We stayed at this hotel in the historic onsen town of Arima. The river walk takes you past little hot springs where you can test the water temperature if you’re brave.

Just a five-minute walk downhill from our Arima hotel, I found this small shrine in an alcove. I always feel safe walking in Japan and have found some totally cool sites like this on my own.

Gero
The dining room at Yunoshimakan onsen resort looked out on the steep forested mountainside.

At Yunoshimaka, an onsen resort, I loved that the nearby trail had a sign that warned visitors of bears. I hiked the trail solo and later with my wife. We were the only ones on this trail into what seemed to be a virgin forest. No bears were sighted.

Dining at Yunoshimakan was colorful and delicious. We ate well, drank good wine, and enjoyed in-room hot springs tubs with a view.

Enchanting Kyoto
Kyoto is so full of temples, shrines, gardens, and restaurants that it would take a year or two to explore properly. I owe the late great Mrs. Tanni a debt of gratitude for showing my wife and me the town she loved to show off.
Yoshimedera Temple is my favorite place in all of Kyoto. If it wasn’t for our friend and guide, Mrs. Tanni, I doubt we’d have found Yoshimedera amongst hundreds of temples, shrines, and gardens in Kyoto. I could easily spend three or four hours there on a sunny day if time would allow. The 600-year-old pine tree at Yoshimedera is trained in a horizontal fashion that has to be seen to believe.

The Japanese love fall and cherry blossom season. We usually go during one or the other. Fall in Kyoto is fabulous for viewing the maple trees and fiery red leaves.

We weren’t the only ones gawking at the maples in their fall colors. Many Chinese tourists were at popular sites we visited in Japan in 2016 and 2018. I couldn’t tell the difference, but my father-in-law spoke with one of our cab drivers who said the Chinese outnumbered Japanese visitors to Kyoto that visit.

While waiting for my wife to get her red bean pancake at a street vendor in Kyoto, I walked to the nearby river and took this photo. I didn’t stick around long enough to see if the boys made it to the big rock without getting wet.

Eikondo Temple in Kyoto is a very popular tourist spot. We hired a taxi driver for a two-hour tour, hoping to see something new and different.

Our taxi driver guide took me to this pond on the Eikondo Temple grounds for a good shot.

Lunchtime in Kyoto
We had a fabulous meal at Sakura Terrace at the Gallery Hotel near the Kyoto train station. I love the food in Japan, but at times it’s hard to find veggies at a restaurant, so this delicious salad was a hit.

One of the hotels we visited with a family friend in Kyoto had this colorful fall special on the menu. It tasted as good as it looked.

Juntei is a restaurant on the edge of a bamboo forest on the outskirts of Kyoto. I’ve been there twice and think it’s one of the most amazing restaurants in Japan. Ask the Kyoto Train Station Information office folks how to get to Juntei and have a great meal. All the dining rooms are private, and the 11-course meal is fantastic.

Kyoto’s Amazing Gardens, a Stunning Place to Take Pictures on My Photo Tour of Japan
We found Shosei-en Garden and took a walk on a fall day. This bridge was bathed in the morning light, begging to have its photo taken. It’s easy to find this garden from the Kyoto Train Station. Just ask at the station’s information office and plan on taking at least half an hour to walk to and around the garden.

A calm pond is a perfect photograph subject. We were blessed with a sunny day to enjoy Shosei-En Garden.

Kanazawa and Kusatsu
These towns are off the beaten tourist path. On most of my trips to Japan, I go to towns like these where I don’t see another Caucasian for days. If you can work these towns into your trip, I think you’ll love them both.
I’ve had the pleasure of eating chef Tobi’s sushi twice. Once at the Kanazawa hotel he worked at, then later at his own restaurant. It was some of the best sushi and sashimi I have ever had.

Kanazawa Station is quite a work of art. I recommend you take the time to check out the food and crafts market at the station.

Kanazawa Train Station market has local craft specialties like gold foil work, lacquerware, and other handmade, high-quality goods. We took a gold foil class at a local shop and made chopsticks coated in yellow metal foil for handmade souvenirs.

Kusatsu, An Onsen Town
Kusatsu is one of the three legendary onsens per Hayashi Razan, a Japanese philosopher and poet. I’ve been to all three, and Kusatsu might be my favorite.

Kusatsu Yubatake at dusk lights up with the glow of local shops turning on their yellow-orange lights.

One of many courses at Kane Midori Hotel restaurant. This ryokan is not cheap but well worth the money for its quiet location, excellent onsen baths, and delicious traditional food.

Kusatsu street food vendor.

Bullet Train to Hakodate
The train ride to Hakodate was four hours long, but I most remember the Seikan Tunnel at 54+ kilometers long! It’s said to be the world’s longest underwater tunnel. At the end of the bullet train ride, we transferred to a local train for the short ride to Hakodate. It was a fun and memorable trip to the snowy part of the country, where the seafood is fresh and delicious.
Our sleek and ultramodern ride to Hakodate was one of the most memorable parts of the trip.

The Hakodate Morning Market Square seafood vendor featured live crab, squid, and scallops with an indoor dining area. I liked the live crabs best.

It’s not often one gets to see a tank of live king crabs. We were tempted to buy one and have the vendor cook it for us to eat on-site but went for the fresh scallops instead.

I bought one of these grilled scallops at Hakodate Morning Market Square and ate it for a morning snack. If you love seafood, check out this market that has a few vendors cooking seafood and other delights for on-site dining.

The fortress, Goryokaku, was a fun attraction in Hakodate. Going up in the tower offered good views of Hakodate and the fortress.

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Ending Our Photo Tour of Japan
I’m always sad to leave Japan, even though I believe another trip will happen. From dynamic Tokyo to the tiny towns hidden throughout the country, there’s something for anyone to enjoy. Over the 27 years I’ve been visiting, I’m glad to report it gets easier each time to get around with more signs in English and more visitor centers to help travelers. Let Wander With Wonder be your guide when planning your next trip to Asia or another place worthy of a photo trip .
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An Intimate Photo Tour of Japan
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