Tuesday 19 April 2011

Guest's travel in Japan from March 22nd to April 12th,

Having just returned from Japan last week, I've got a pretty good idea of what is happening in some of the major cities outside the quake/tsunami zone.

Shinjuku

We were on a 3 week trip March 22 - April 12. We stayed about one week each in Tokyo (first), Hiroshima (second), and Kyoto (last). This was our fifth extended trip to Japan in as many years, so we have a good feel for what "normal" is compared to our experience this year.

While we were in Tokyo, we closely followed the news reports regarding the Fukushima nuclear crisis, as most people in Tokyo did, but most people continued on with their lives normally. We stayed in Shinagawa, and along with the rest of central Tokyo (all around the Yamanote Line), we did not experience any planned power outages. The blackouts were only rolling through outlying areas of the metropolis. Also, there were no changes to the Yamanote schedules. I do know that the Narita Express train was suspended, but resumed on an altered schedule on April 4. Also, various night spots (like Shibuya) shut down early to conserve electricity. It was a bit eerie to see that area dark at night. But since such energy-saving measures were put in place, Tokyo Electric found that demand was not as high as anticipated and ended the rolling blackouts in Tokyo-to. We did not notice any shortage of food or water in central Tokyo. Convenience stores seemed to be well
 stocked with basic necessities. We did see, however, at a few restaurants (including Jonathan's) limited menus due to some highways being shut down and transportation of some goods not getting through.


There's not much to say about Hiroshima and Kyoto. Everything seemed completely normal in those cities. Everyone went about their business normally. Plentiful food, water and electricity. Obviously, foreign tourism was down, but there were still plenty of Japanese tourists in the major spots in Kyoto and Hiroshima. Aside from the ryokan we booked through your service (in Atami - everything seemed very normal there as well), we stayed at a ryokan at Ogoto Onsen on Lake Biwa. I hadn't been there before, but the ryokan was bustling with business, so I can only assume it was business as usual for them (on a Monday, no less).

Well, I hope some of that information gives you an idea of at least what I experienced on the trip.  Thanks again for a wonderful service!

Sincerely,

Ken Leiding

Thursday 14 April 2011

Guest's testimony after the quake

Hello everyone, please find here a testimony from one of our guests about the travel situation in Japan;

We arrived in Osaka the day after the quake. We traveled through Kobe, Koyasan, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Unzen, Kurokawa and Kyoto. The disaster appeared to have no impact on most people living in the areas we traveled though, though obviously some people must have had relatives in the quake/tsunami area. We did notice that some people were traveling from the area north of Tokyo, to the southern areas, to put distance between themselves and the area of disaster, eg some ski resort areas were closed for fear of avalanche from aftershocks.

Osaka's castle


Many Japanese people are concerned that the disaster will effect tourism. My daughter attended a science conference in Kobe and many people who were going to attend the conference did not come, or arrived and flew back home immediately.

The media appeared to be over-reactive with their reports. The media was claiming that there was no power, food or water in Tokyo and that radiation levels were dangerous. I don't think that was entirely true.

I am so glad we decided to go ahead with our plans. I adored Japan and the people of Japan. The food, accommodation and sights were wonderful. We felt very safe in Japan but tried not to look at the news reports. I will travel back to Japan in the future and I will promote travel to Japan to people here in Australia.

I spoke with travellers who arrived in Tokyo the day after the disaster and they said they did not feel there was an absence of food, water or electricity. They (like us) wondered why people back in our home countries were so worried about us. People at home were getting all their information from the media unfortunately.

One of the things I noticed, as a follow-on to the disaster, was that groups of corporate people as well as monks were on the streets of Kobe, pleading for donations to help the disaster victims. I admired their ccommunity spirit and gave money to as many groups as I could.

Regards, Jo-Ann Kafer

Monday 11 April 2011

Refresh in Kibune,

Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, the richness of its past, traditional Japanese palaces, gardens…this picture of the city sounds idyllic. However if you plan to visit Kyoto and the Kansai area during summer you will quickly learn that it is incredibly hot during summer.

When you come from a dry summer country such as France, like me, your whole body will make you forget about temples, garden… and ask you to find a cooler place to rest.

Kibune
 

This cooler place exists; of course you can stay in your air-conditioned hotel’s room, but more seriously if you wish to enjoy your trip around Kyoto, I deeply recommend a day or two between Kurama Onsen and Kibune.

Within less than one hour by train, you will arrive at the bottom of the Mount Kurama covered by centenary Japanese cedars. Two pretty rivers embrace the mountain, bringing a cool breeze. Enjoy this cool breeze with my feet in the river was such a relief… It is surprising to be surrounded by nature so close from Kyoto.

Kurama Onsen

Coming from a busy and hot city, Kurama and Kibune are an excellent choice for relaxation, especially if you decide to take a bath in the hot spring bath of the Kurama Onsen.


The walk from Kurama to Kibune gives a chance to visit the Kurama-Dera Temple and discover the fantastic or mysterious Japanese cedar roots.

Japanese cedar in Kurama
 
In Kibune, the attractions are the Kawadoko terraces; every restaurant in Kibune has its own Kawadoko terrace. This terrace of Japanese tatami mats is literally disposed above the Kibune River. The Kaiseki lunch might seem overpriced however the experience worth every penny. The river is running about 50 centimeters under the terrace refreshing while you enjoy your traditional Kaiseki meal. If you are lucky, you might see women wearing Kimono, giving the perfect harmony to this place.

Kawadoko in Kibune
 
Now all you have to do is take a deep breath before going back to Kyoto…

Kibune


If you would like to stay in a traditional ryokan around Kibune or Kurama Onsen, I recommend the following ryokans:
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/kyoto/hiroya.htm
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/kyoto/kurama.htm


By Vincent Penez