TRAVEL Escapes

Despite December being a cold month with the beginning of winter, temperatures don’t usually drop below zero and you will be exposed to picturesque scenery. The good thing about visiting touristic destinations during this time is that crowds are significantly smaller. There’s a wide range of things to see and do, from religious shrines and museums to beaches, hot springs and gardens. There are touristy gems to explore too, such as traditional tea ceremonies and noodle-making workshops. In this feature, we explore Tokyo and two regions offering some of Japan’s best.

Tokyo

Ueno Park is a popular city space lined with over 8,000 trees, including ginkgo, zelkova and cherry, it features a pond with an extensive lotus bed and attracts a variety of bird species during winter.

The cultural highlights at Ueno Park include Tokyo National Museum, the city’s most popular art museum. It houses a comprehensive collection of artwork and cultural objects from Asia with a focus on ancient and mediaeval Japanese and Asian art from along the Silk Road. Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines are an important part of Tokyo’s landscape. There are several that you can visit in and around Ueno Park. You can’t miss Kan’ei-ji Temple’s five-storey pagoda. It’s one of the few structures in the original Buddhist temple complex that has withstood calamities such as war and fire. The original layout consisted of more than 30 buildings spread across a considerable area of the park. Kan’ei-ji Temple is home to an engraved stone said to be a memorial to the souls of insects that died during a scientific study – a testament to the Buddhist principle of non-violence.

Other popular religious sites in the vicinity include Sensō-ji, an ancient Buddhist temple and Tokyo’s oldest, located in Asakusa. There is quite a bit to cover here, from the Thunder Gate, featuring a massive, 700-kilogram paper lantern, to the two waraji or straw sandals, each weighing 400kg. Exploring all of this could easily take an entire day. However, Nakamisedōri, the shopping street, is lined with many food stalls so you can rest and grab a bite to eat.

Nature lovers can also explore Hama-rikyū Gardens. Beautifully landscaped, the gardens boast a teahouse that serves traditional Japanese tea and sweets. The Imperial Palace East Gardens are only a 10-minute walk from Tokyo station. Stroll through the grounds of the former Edo Castle and climb the ruins. While none of the main buildings remains today, the moats, walls, entrance gates and several guardhouses still exist. The garden itself is wonderful to behold, with colourful flowers and plants that bloom all year round.

Often seen as a day trip from Tokyo, the mountain town of Nikko is the perfect base for Alpine sightseeing. You can opt for a hiking or bicycle tour. The scenic routes, with stunning views and colourful foliage, are a true feast for the senses.