Activities in Japan
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TOP SELLER
Mt Fuji, Lake Ashi and Bullet Train Day Trip from Tokyo
11 hours (Departs Tokyo, Japan)
by Viator
Visit Japan's iconic Mount Fuji on Tokyo's most popular day tour, then return to Tokyo by famous Shinkansen Bullet train. You'll enjoy lunch on Mt Fuji, cruise…Not LP reviewed
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Ikaho Onsen
Ikaho Onsen is a great public bath with views of Mt Haruna. To get there, take the Jōetsu Line from Takasaki to Shibukawa Station ( futsū ¥400, 25 minutes), and then a local bus to the onsen (¥550, 20 minutes). There’s also a shuttle bus from the east exit of Takasaki Station to Ikaho Onsen Bus Terminal (¥1000, 55 minutes, three daily), and buses from Shinjuku (¥2300, 2½ hours, nine daily).
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Hato Bus Tours
Among its variety of tours, the Panoramic Tour (adult/child ¥9900/6600) takes in most of Tokyo's major sights and also includes lunch and a Tokyo Bay cruise.
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Rokuryu Kōsen
The bubbling amber water here contains minerals that the many old timers who come here in the afternoon claim can cure a number of ailments. These same folk tell stories about the occasional ancient leaf that’s worked its way up the pipes and into the tub. These leaves are in high demand and are reputed to be excellent for your skin. The bath is located down a small lane on the right; look for the traditional Japanese building with the blue curtains.
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Cable car
This mode of transport whisks you to the top of Hokadate-yama mountain in a few minutes. Take tram 2 or 5 to the Jūjigai stop (around 200) and walk uphill to the ropeway platform (seven minutes). A summit-bound bus (around 360, 30 minutes) leaves directly from the station, is cheaper and stops at several viewing places as it winds to the top. Those wanting to rough it old-style can take the hiking track (from May to late October).
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Kyūmeikan
Kyūmeikan dōjō welcomes foreign observers as well as practitioners of kendō (meaning ‘way of the sword’), a discipline of wooden sword fighting that evolved from actual sword techniques used by samurai in battle. There’s a fee of around ¥5000 for a lesson lasting one hour or more; those seeking to practice here can usually reach an English speaker on the phone at the dōjō.
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Teine Highland
Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing can all be done near to Sapporo. The closest place is Teine, 10 minutes' train ride away. Teine has 14 lifts and is very much geared towards beginners. It's the place to ski if you're wanting to play around for a while; it's probably a disappointment for hard-core skiers, but is good for families with children. As with other skiing resorts, all equipment can be rented when you arrive.
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Koyasan Interpreter Guide Club
This club offers four-hour private tours of Kōya-san for around ¥5000 per group for up to five people. It also offers regularly scheduled tours on Wednesday from April to September for around ¥1000 per person. The morning tour meets at Ichi-no-hashi at 08:30 and lasts 2½ hours and covers Oku-no-in. The afternoon tour meets at Kongogu-ji at 13:00, 1½ hours, and covers Kongobu-ji and the Garan.
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Kyoto Cycling Tour Project
Another great place to rent a bike is the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project. The folks here rent mountain bikes (¥1500 per day) which are perfect for getting around Kyoto. Bicycles can be delivered upon request (¥500) or you can pick them up at their shop. KCTP also conducts a variety of bicycle tours of Kyoto, which are an excellent way to see the city (check the website for details).
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Meiji-Jingū Gaien Ice Skating Rink
Open year-round, Meiji-jingū Ice Skating Rink is there for a good twirl and glide around the rink. When you arrive you’ll be given a choice between three types of skates – ice hockey, speed skating and figure skating (rentals cost ¥500). Choose whichever will help you move across the NHL-sized rink. Discounts on admission are offered after 3pm (adult ¥1000).
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Sunrise Tours
- Tokyo, Japan
- Activities › Tour
Within the city, the offerings of Sunrise Tours are not much different from those of the other tour companies, but as a subsidiary of Japan Travel Bureau (JTB), the country’s largest travel company, it boasts an extensive roster of day trips and tours in other parts of Japan. Some are return trips from Tokyo, while others originate in other big Japanese cities.
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Eight Rent
Near the south exit of Shibuya Station, this place requires a passport to rent a bicycle; call ahead for an appointment. It's a decent deal if you're only renting for one day, but if you plan to get around on a bike for the duration of your stay, you might be better off purchasing a cheap bike from Tōkyū Hands and selling it when you leave. Call ahead for an appointment.
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Excel Air
Excel Air offers 15- and 20-minute flights, which are a dramatic way to take in the skyline of Ginza, the Imperial Palace or Akihabara during the day, at sunset or after dark. Helicopters fly up to eight people. Saturday and Sunday flights cost about 25% more. Flights depart from Urayasu city, east of Tokyo in Chiba Prefecture. Reserve a seat in advance.
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WAK Japan
WAK Japan offers a wide variety of excellent introductions to Japanese culture: tea ceremony, ikebana (flower arrangement), trying on kimono, home visits, Japanese cooking, calligraphy, origami etc. Presenters/instructors will speak English or else interpreters are provided. Pick-up service is available from your lodgings. This is highly recommended.
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La Qua Spa
One of the city’s few true onsen, this unbelievably chic and sophisticated spa complex is where serious bathing aficionados go to indulge in a bit of class and luxury. With multiple floors boasting an incredible variety of baths, massage parlours, restaurants and relaxation areas, achieving beauty as well as peace of mind has never been easier.
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Kusatsu Onsen
Kusatsu Onsen is a quintessential old-time onsen town. Take the Agatsuma Line from Takasaki to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station ( futsū ¥1110, 87 minutes), then a local bus to the onsen (¥670, 30 minutes). There is an express bus from Shinjuku Station New South Exit Bus Terminal (¥3200, 4¼ hours, nine daily).
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USS Emmons
Okinawa's most famous dive spot is the wreck of the USS Emmons, a US Navy Gleaves-class destroyer that sunk in 1944 around 1km off Kouri-jima, a small island lying northeast of the Motobu Peninsula. Divers can make out the hulk from the depth of 25m, though strong currents, low visibility and the presence of unexploded ordinance make this a challenging dive.
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Ten-en Hiking Course
From Zuisen-ji you can access this trail, which winds through the hills for two hours before coming out at Kenchō-ji. From Kenchō-ji, walk around the Hojo (Main Hall) and up the steps to the trail.
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Tenzan
This large, popular bath is 2km southwest of town; weekends and holidays can be busy. A free shuttle bus runs from the bridge near Hakone-Yumoto Station. After soaking in rotemburo of varying temperatures and designs (one is constructed to resemble a natural cave), the 20-minute walk back down the hill along the river is invigorating.
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Tomozuna Stable
Established in 1757, the Tomozuna heya (sumō training house) is home to about 10 wrestlers including Ozeki Kaiō under the tutelage of former grappler Kaiki. You can watch them butting heads at morning practice when possible; send an email in advance to. Be sure to follow the conduct rules and never set foot in the ring!
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Aqua Garden Mitsukoshi-Yū
This charming sentō has an outdoor bath that fits five to 10 comfortably (it rotates sexes each week). Other aquatic attractions include saunas, jacuzzis and a hammam-style marble slab that drips water down your back. For ¥1220 you get access to the sentō and sauna, plus towel rental and a large locker.
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Citizen Plaza
This 30m by 60m slab of ice is used for lessons, ice hockey, speed skating and general-purpose fun. Skate rental will set you back ¥500; discounts are taken off admission if you show up after 5pm. Head west out of Takadanobaba Station and walk about five minutes along Waseda-dōri; look for the big white building to your left.
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Kawara Juku
Kyoto is a great place to study Japanese. Kawara Juku is a friendly little school that offers three-month part-time courses for ¥85,000. Courses start in April, September and January. It also offers a summer intensive course for the same price. Joining a class here is a great way to meet people when you’re new in town.
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Club Ōkitsu Kyoto
Kyoto is a fine place to get a taste of traditional Japanese culture. Club Ōkitsu Kyoto offers an upscale introduction to various aspects of Japanese culture including tea ceremony and the incense ceremony. It also offers kimono dressing upon request (note that kimono dressing is not offered alone: it must be part of a package including tea ceremony and/or incense ceremony). The introduction is performed in an exquisite Japanese villa near the Kyoto Gosho and participants get a real sense of the elegance and refinement of traditional Japanese culture.
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Hozu-Gawa River Trip
The Hozu-gawa river trip is a great way to enjoy the beauty of Kyoto’s western mountains without any strain on the legs. With long bamboo poles, boatmen steer flat-bottom boats down the Hozu-gawa from Kameoka, 30km west of Kyoto Station, through steep, forested mountain canyons, before arriving at Arashiyama.
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Yashio-No-Yu Onsen
Yashio-no-yu Onsen, a modern hot-spring complex, has open-air baths, saunas and a large indoor bath. Take a Chūzenji-bound bus from either train station in Nikkō; it’s a 12-minute ride to the Kiyomizu-itchōme stop. Walk back towards Nikkō, under the bypass and across the bridge.
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