I traveled in Japan in January and February 2012.
Brief Itinerary
- From Canberra to Japan (25th to 30th January)
- Kyoto (27th to 30th January)
- Kanazawa (30th January to 1st February)
- Nara (1st to 5th February)
- Hakone and Mt Fuji (5th to 8th February)
- Tokyo (8th to 9th February)
- Sapporo and Otaru (10th to 11th February)
- Tokyo (12th February)
- Nagano (13th to 15th February)
- North-Eastern Hokkaido (16th to 24th February)
- Kamakura (25th to 26th February)
- Nikko (26th to 29th February)
- Return to Canberra (1 March)
Special Topics
- Presented as subheadings inside posts:
- Main Periods of Japanese History
- Early History of Japan
- Classical Japan – Nara and Heian-kyo (715-1185)
- Kamakura Period (1185-1333)
- Ashikaga Period (1336-1573)
- Momoyama Period (1568-1600)
- Tokugawa Period
- Meiji Restoration and Modern Period
- History of Religion in Japan
- History of the Ainu
- Travelling in Japan
- Searching for a More Benign Dystopia
Completed posts
- 27th to 30th January: Kyoto
- Capital of Japan for over 1,000 years; staying in a Zen Temple
- 24rd to 26th January: From Canberra to Japan
- 27th to 29th January: Kyoto – Shunko-In and Myoshin-Ji
- 27th January: Kyoto – Kinkaku-Ji (the Golden Pavillion)
- 27th January: Kyoto – Ryoanji
- 28th January: Kyoto – Kiyomizu-dera
- 28th January: Kyoto – the Gion
- 29th January: Kyoto – The Philosopher’s Path – Nanzen-Ji
- 29th January: Kyoto – The Philosopher’s Path – Honen-In
- 29th January: Kyoto – The Philosopher’s Path – Ginkakuji (The Silver Pavilion)
- see also more entries for Kyoto under Nara (where I was staying at the time)
- 30th January to 1st February: Kanazawa
- Said to have one of the three best gardens in Japan
- 30th January: From Kyoto to Kanazawa
- 31st January: Kanazawa – Kenrokuen Gardens – Hisagoike Pond
- 31st January: Kanazawa – Kenrokuen Gardens – Upper Level
- 31st January: Kanazawa – Kanazawa Castle
- 1st to 5th February: Nara
- First permanent Capital of Japan, for nearly 100 years before Kyoto
- Including a return to Kyoto while I was staying at Nara
- 1st February: From Kanazawa to Nara
- 2nd February: Nara – Kokofuku-ji and Todai-ji
- 3rd February: Nara – Horyu-ji
- 3rd February: Nara – Kasuga Taisha Lantern Festival
- 4th February: Kyoto – Nijo Castle
- 4th February: Kyoto – Fushimi-Inari Taisha
- 5th February: From Nara to Hakone
- First permanent Capital of Japan, for nearly 100 years before Kyoto
- 5th to 8th February: Hakone and Mt Fuji
- Mt Fuji is often not visible through cloud
- 6th to 7th February: Hakone – Fujiya Hotel
- 6th February: Hakone Open Air Museum
- 6th February: Hakone Ropeway
- 7th to 8th February: Fuji-san from Lake Kawaguchi
- 8th to 9th February: Tokyo
- 10th to 11th February: Sapporo and Otaru
- 12th February: Tokyo
- 13th to 15th February: Nagano
- Snow monkeys
- 13th February: Nagano – Walking in to the Snow Monkeys
- 13th February: Nagano – Snow Monkeys
- 14th February: Nagano – Jigokudani and a Serow
- 14th February: Nagano – Snow Monkeys (Day 2)
- 15th February: Nagano
- Organised tour with Martin Bailey
- 16th to 24th February: North-Eastern Hokkaido
- Red-crowned cranes, sea eagles, Steller’s eagles, landscapes
- 15th to 16th February: Nagano to Tokyo to Kushiro (Hokkaido)
- 16th February: Hokkaido – Akan International Crane Centre
- 16th February: Hokkaido – Twilight near Kushiro
- 17th February: Hokkaido – Dawn at Otowa Bridge
- 17th February: Hokkaido – Akan International Crane Centre (Day 2)
- 18th February: Hokkaido – Kushiro to Lake Kussharo
- 18th February: Hokkaido – Lake Kussharo (Kotan)
- 18th February: Hokkaido – Lake Kussharo (Sunayu)
- 19th February: Hokkaido – Lake Kussharo at Dawn from Bihoro Pass
- 19th February: Hokkaido – Lake Kussharo (Kotan, Day 2)
- 19th February: Hokkaido – Lake Kussharo (Sunayu, Day 2)
- 20th February: Hokkaido – Lake Mashu at Dawn
- 20th February: Hokkaido – Iouzan
- 20th February: Hokkaido – Rausu
- 21st February: Hokkaido – Nemuro-kaikyo Strait near Rausu
- 21st February: Hokkaido – Notsuke Peninsula
- 22nd February: Hokkaido – Nemuro Strait (Day 2)
- 22nd February: Hokkaido – Notsuke Peninsula (Day 2)
- 22nd to 23rd February: Hokkaido – Odaito
- 23rd February: Hokkaido – Notsuke National Highway
- 23rd February: Hokkaido – Oshin-Koshin Falls
- 23rd February: Hokkaido – Shiretoko National Park
- 24th February: Hokkaido – Shiretoko National Park (Day 2)
- 24th February: Hokkaido – Utoro to Memanbetsu Airport (Abashiri)
- Organised tour with Martin Bailey
- 25th to 26th February: Kamakura
- Administrative capital of Japan in the 13th century
- 25th February: Kamakura – Engaku-Ji
- 25th February: Kamakura – Tokeiji
- 25th February: Kamakura – Hase-Dera
- 25th February: Kamakura – Diabutsu
- 26th to 29th February: Nikko
- Tombs of the early Tokogawa Shoguns, frozen waterfalls and landscapes
- 26th February: Nikko – Jokoji Temple Cemetery
- 26th February: Nikko – Tamozawa Imperial Villa
- 27th February: Nikko – Taiyu-In
- 27th February: Nikko – Tosho-gu
- 27th February: Nikko – Rinno-Ji
- 28th February: Nikko – Kegon Falls
- 28th February: Nikko – Ryuzu Falls
- 28th February: Nikko – Nihon Romantic Highway
- 28th February: Nikko – Lake Chuzenji
- 29th February: Nikko – Kanman Path
- 29th February: Nikko – Hachiman Shrine
- 29th February: Nikko – Traffic Chaos
Murray Foote 
It seems like yet another great journey Murray. I am very glad for you and slightly jealous of course :). I hope that all will go well and you will come back with wonderful memories and pictures.
Cheers,
Cem
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Thanks Cem. It should be a remarkable cultural and social experience as well as a photographic one.
Regards,
Murray
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As Chairle Sheen says, this article is “WINNING!”
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Like Cem, I’m more than a little envious. Hope I can afford to do this sort of thing when I retire!
Enjoy, I’mm looking forward to your shots!
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There are no words to desrcbie how bodacious this is.
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Thanks Kev
It was a surprise to me that I ended up being able to do this. One aspect was that I had over a year’s leave saved up when I retired.
I haven’t quite left yet, just focusing on the final logistics, it’s only just starting to seem real. Should be a great opportunity.
Regards,
Murray
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Hi. I’m Gota. We met at the restaurant in Nikko. Thanks for your card.
Your pictures are great!! And I love deer one.
I will access your website again. Hope you’ve had a great time in Japan. Bye now.
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Hi Gota
Thanks very much. Yes, Japan has been great. So many remarkable historic places and so many great wild places. I’ll slowly start putting up more Japan posts when I return to Australia.
Regards,
Murray
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