Japan, Urlaub, Tempel, Kultur?

If that was something I could count in up to 100 punctures, I wouldn’t live in Japan anymore because I had long seen and done everything I wanted to see and do. I see and do a lot, but there’s always something to do.

“Tempel” is at least a specific term. So if you’re just talking about the Buddhist temples, the area is recommended for the prefectures of Kyoto, Nara and Wakayama, because here was the center where Buddhism came to Japan for the first time and developed there. If you are in Kyoto or Nara, you can almost simply walk the city, you will definitely find temples. Or one takes the world heritage temple first, which are always impressive. I personally like pagodas super much, so for example the Yakushiji or the Horyuji in Nara have been remembered. Something about “make” in connection with temples is, for example, the gathering of the goshuin, which is quite trendy. I do not do this myself (because unfortunately it goes into the money too), but a friend of mine, with whom I often travel, collects them. Some temples have really extremely pretty, so colorful and with glitter and with paper cuts and so… but as I said, then costs a bit. What many temples offer are “shakyo” (the meditative writing of Sutren) and “zazen” (seated meditation), if you go to “experience shakyo” or “experience zazen” you will also find English offers. At shakyo, the characters are preprinted in gray on paper to look after, that is, you don’t have to know what you’re writing, and at zazen you just have to sit still and listen to the monk, that is, these two things are actually also feasible and somewhat interesting without Japanese knowledge. Some temples also offer tea ceremony, for example, or in some you can even stay overnight. I did the overnight stay twice, I do not recommend it, but who wants to…

The term “culture” is, however, an extremely broad term. So for the first time we have the shintoist shrines to the above-mentioned Buddhist temples, of which two are the most significant, for example, in Ise and Izumo, but there are many more. What is highly recommended in the context of Shintoism is the Kumano-Kodo-Pilgerweg. Then, for example, there are also a few relics of Ainu culture in the north (for example, there is a small Ainu village and dance performances at the Akan lake), under Ryukyu culture in the south (for example, the island of Taketomi, where you can go through the village with the old cottages and the stone walls with water buffalo bags). Then, of course, Anime and Manga are also part of the topic of culture, here there is scarcely much where I am probably not the biggest expert in it…. Then there are also the various Japanese arts, such as Kabuki, No, Bunraku, Rakugo, something (here there are also many English-language offers!) or stop Wadaiko (the drums), Shakuhachi (big flute), Koto (string instrument), Gagaku (diverse small flutes), here there are of course concerts and performances, for which you may also have to grab a bit. Then there are also contemporary performing arts (such as Takarazuka), or something like light installations such as teamLab… Of course there is a huge number of museums of all kinds… Western art and culture and things influenced by it are of course there. Some time ago, for example, I was at the State Guest House Akasaka Palace, where the Japanese government welcomes state guests, which can be viewed against money when there is no state visit, and it is absolutely impressive. Then there are also various craftsmen, where you sometimes also have English-language offers, such as potters, indigo dyeing, weaving, sometimes also knife painting, glass art, jewelry making,… Origami, … Soba noodles myself,… the other day I saw in a temple that you offer small Buddha-figures to be made of wood… Kimono dress and make photos with it there are also super many offers…. there are old Edo villages with ninja and samurai culture…. Oh yes, culture also includes the huge theme “Onsen”…. And the even bigger topic “Essen”………

And away from “culture” there are also “nature” and “sport”, here in Japan there are also extremely many possibilities as a tourist if you are interested in it.

So, as you see, there is really a lot. In other words, what about what I mentioned above, do you not have to have done? What can you leave without having the feeling of missing what? And how many years of time and millions of euros you have available?