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Zürich Airport, Switzerland
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Sapporo, Japan
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Aomori, Japan
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Tokyo, Japan
https://www.japan.travel › spot
Köche von nah und fern reisen in diese Ecke Kappabashi-Straße かっぱ橋道具街von Tokyo, um die Werkzeuge für ihr Handwerk zu kaufen. Japanische Küchenmesser bieten eine erstklassige Qualität
Nici: Shibuya, a vibrant place in Tokyo, that is popular for its restaurants and bars and famous for its bustling pedestrian crossing, where thousands of people cross each day.
We enjoyed a Smoothie bowl for breakfast and for lunch, we tried something new, a so called Monjayaki. It is kind of an omelette, cooked on a hot griddle right at your table.
In the morning we went to see another temple. Although, the main reason we went there was actually the shopping street closeby.
We were hunting for more souvenirs! And of course more food was involved 😂
We also drew a random numbered stick at the temple which corresponsed to a particular fortune.
Afterwards, we went to Shinjuku, known for its nightlife. There's a popular street with bars, all really small and cozy. At some bars, like the Champion bar, they are really creative. For 3.50 CHF you can poke balloons hanging from the ceiling and inside is a piece of paper that tells you which drink you won.
Then it was time again for some sushi - at this place you could get the sushi of the day for only 10 yen a piece!
Far away from the big cities is Hakone situated, famous for its Onsen.
So we spent the day relaxing in various outdoor pools of different temperature.
The baths are set in amongst trees and vines, which is the perfect setting for a relaxing soak.
Male and female are separated (which forced us to have a break from each other 😉) and you enjoy the hot springs completely naked. Typicially people with tattoos are not allowed inside but nowadays there are exceptions.
The town where we later wanted to go for dinner is very small and remote, so there were not many restaurants available. After spending a full hour searching for a place to eat we finally made it and had delicious Yakiniku, a japanese style barbecue.
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Kappabashi kitchen street, Japan
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Fujiyoshida, Japan
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Mount Fuji Crater, Japan
https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/ (make reservation)
Early July to mid September is the official climbing season when the trails and mountain facilities are open. During this period the mountain is usually free of snow, the weather is relatively mild, access by public transportation is easy, and the mountain huts are open. In recent years the official season has been set as follows: Yoshida Trail: July 1 (Subashiri, Gotemba and Fujinomiya Trails: July 10) to September 10
Yoshida Trail from Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station (Yamanashi Prefecture) at 2300 m; most popular; Hourly buses from Fujisan/Kawaguchiko Station: 1780 yen (one way), 2800 yen (round trip), 50 minutes
Ascent: 5-7 hours, Descent: 3-5 hours; the most popular base for the climb to the summit and most easily accessible 5th station from the Fuji Five Lake region and central Tokyo. Lots of mountain huts line the trail around the 7th and 8th stations, and there are separate trails for the ascent and descent. The sunrise takes place on this side of the mountain
Subashiri Trail from 5th Station (Shizuoka Prefecture) at 2000 m; Buses from Gotemba Station: 1780 (one way), 2400 yen (round trip), 60 minutes, Every 1-2 hours
which meets the Yoshida Trail around the 8th station
Ascent: 5-8 hours, Descent: 3-5 hours (make round trip?)
S to September 10 Early July to the climb can take between 5-10 hours.
Fujinomiya Trail from 5th Station (Shizuoka Prefecture) at about 2400 meters
Ascent: 4-7 hours; Descent: 2-4 hours
The closest 5th station to the summit, the Fujinomiya 5th Station is the base for the southern approach via the Fujinomiya Trail. It is easily accessible from stations along the Tokaido Shinkansen. There are half a dozen mountain huts along this trail.
Besides the trail to the summit, Fujinomiya 5th Station offers a shorter hiking trail to Hoeizan, a nearby secondary peak with a crater on the southeastern slope of Mount Fuji. Hoeizan was formed in 1707 and 1708 during the Hoei Era of the Edo Period, when Mount Fuji last erupted.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6901.html
fee for hiking Mount Fuji will be increased to 4000 yen (23CHF) per person on all four hiking trails, and the voluntary 1000 yen contribution fee will be abolished. make online reservations ahead of time (for the Yoshida Trail; website not available yet for the three Shizuoka trails). A daily limit of 4000 hikers will be maintained on the most popular Yoshida Trail on the north side of Mount Fuji, but note that this number was not exceeded on a single day during the 2024 climbing season.
Most people try to time their ascent in order to witness the sunrise from the summit. Also, the chances of the mountain being free of clouds are highest during the early morning hours.
The recommended way of doing this, is to climb to a mountain hut around the 7th or 8th station on the first day and spend some hours sleeping there before continuing to the summit early on the second day. Sunrise in summer is as early as 4:30am to 5:00am.
trailheads are closed between 2pm to 3am to prevent people from hiking overnight. Only hikers with a hut reservation are allowed to start this time
overnight stay costs typically around 13,000 to 15,000 yen (80CHF) per person with two meals
Helmet free lending service (Yoshida Trail and Fujinomiya Trail)
*[Yoshida Trail] Helmet free lending service at Mt. Fuji 6th station Mt. Fuji Safety Guidance Center. Quantities limited, deposit 2000yen/per Helmet. (returned only when no damaged)
*[Fujinomiya Trail] Mt. Fuji General Information Center at 5th station provides Helmet free lending. No deposit but need to fill out a form.
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Hakone, Japan
Nici: Far away from the big cities is Hakone situated, famous for its Onsen.
So we spent the day relaxing in various outdoor pools of different temperature.
The baths are set in amongst trees and vines, which is the perfect setting for a relaxing soak.
Male and female are separated (which forced us to have a break from each other 😉) and you enjoy the hot springs completely naked. Typicially people with tattoos are not allowed inside but nowadays there are exceptions.
The town where we later wanted to go for dinner is very small and remote, so there were not many restaurants available. After spending a full hour searching for a place to eat we finally made it and had delicious Yakiniku, a japanese style barbecue.
Hakone is a mountain area and has many cable cars that are running up the hills. It basically looks like Switzerland 😅
Today we took such a cable car to make a trip to Lake Ashinoko.
As we rode the gondola over a dome, a fabulous view of Mount Fuji opened up to us out of nowhere! Also one notices very well that Japan is volcanically active. Above all, it steams from the earth and it smells of sulfur.
Lake Ashinoko was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone after the volcano's last eruption 3000 years ago. Today, the lake with Mount Fuji in the background is the symbol of Hakone. The lake's shores are mostly undeveloped except for small towns in the east and north and a couple of lakeside resort hotels.
After a day of recharging our batteries, we were down for some hiking. We climbed up the Mount Kintoki from where you are supposed to have a stunning view of the Mount Fuji. However, the weather was not on our side, so we only saw little bits of it. We nevertheless enjoyed being in the nature.
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Seki, Japan
Messerherstellung
G. Sakai Knife Museum
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Kyoto, Japan
Nici: We arrived in Kyoto in the afternoon and were very hungry from travelling. Thus, we urgently had to go for some food and opted for Donburi, a bowl of rice topped with raw seafood.
We strolled around the shopping area and tried more delicious food, including deep-fried mitarashi dang, traditional japanese sweets 🍡 and fried chicken.
Kyoto, known for its rich cultural heritage, allows a glimpse of traditional Japan. With its abundance of temples and shrines, we also learnt that there are endless ways to pray for luck, blessings, and good fortune, including (but not limited to):
Using water at stone basines to cleanse hands and mouth to purify body and mind, offering monetary donation at the main hall or designated areas, ringing a bell or gong, bowing and clapping hands when approaching the main hall or altar, purchasing and hang an omamori (amulets or talismans), drawing fortune-telling paper slips by shaking a box ...
Our first stop was the Nijo Castle (built in the 17th century), a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning architecture and historical significance.
Next on the schedule was the Fushimi Inari Taisha. This iconic shrine is famous for its thousands of vibrant red torii gates that create a mesmerizing pathway through the sacred Mount Inari. It was not easy to reach the top. We saw various tourists giving up on the way. 😅
Last on the list was the Kiyomizu-dera temple, known for its wooden terrace that offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city.
It was indeed an intense sightseeing day, so we snacked our way down the charming pedestrian street Sanneizaka and quickly stopped at the Hōkan-ji Temple for some final pictures of the day.
In the morning we set off for the Bamboo Forest, located in the district of Arashiyama, which is a captivating natural wonder. Walking through the visually stunning bamboo groves creates a surreal and tranquil atmosphere.
Afterwards, we went to the Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama where visitors can observe and interact with a troop of Japanese macaques in their natural habitat.
For lunch we had a set menu with all different kinds of tofu.
Finally, we visited Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, a renowned Zen Buddhist temple.
In the evening we settled in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, offering a unique cultural experience with its tatami floors, futon mattresses and communal baths.
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Nara, Japan
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Osaka, Japan
Nici: Upon arrival in Osaka, we checked in to a popular special kind of hotel, a capsule hotel (First Cabin Hanshin Nishi Umeda). These hotels feature many small bed-sized rooms and have typically separated sections for male and female guests. Ours also came with a communal bath and a hot tub. Of course we had to try delicious sushi for dinner. 🍣 For dessert we had some japanese waffles shaped as a cat head and filled with sweet red bean paste and custard
We started our day with the exploration of the Osaka castle. Its construction started in 1583 and has since been destroyed and rebuilt several times. It houses an informative museum about the castle's history and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a Japanese samurai and feudal lord of the late Sengoku period who is regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.
Learing so much about history makes hungry, we tried Okonamyaki (similar to an omelette) for lunch at a cute little restaurant.
In the afternoon, we stopped by the Shitennoji, which is one of Japan's oldest temples. It was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku, who supported the introduction of Buddhism into Japan.
Dotonbori, located along the canal of the same name, is a street in the Namba district of Osaka.
The colorful area is an explosion of neon lights, mouth watering street food, retro vibes, clubs, stores, and bars. A popular saying associated with the street is "kuidaore", which roughly means to go bankrupt after spending an enormous amount of money on food.
And this is what we basically did the entire day 😅
Here is the list of food we tried (same order as the pictures):
- Daiou Cheese Juu-en Pan (cheese bread) 🧀
- Takoyaki (fried octopus balls) 🐙
- Green Tea Ice Cream Melon Bread
- Gyozas (dumplings) 🥟
- Staircase of Wagyu Beef 🥩
Popular in Japan are cafes with animals of all kinds. We tried out the Mame Shiba Inu cafe and we (in particular Nicole) were not disappointed. 🐕
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Fukuoka, Japan
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Zurich, Switzerland
Rückflug So 19. Okt
16:40 Fukuoka (FUK) -- 19:25 Hongkong (HKG) Cathay Pacific 589 (3:45 Std.)
Abflug: Mo 20. Okt
0:05 Hongkong (HKG) - 7:10Zürich (ZRH) Cathay Pacific 383 (13:05 Std.)