Himeji Castle

• Go all the way to the top. You will appreciate the thick wooden pillars and beams on which this massive palace is built from ground up.
• The armoury on the third floor is amazing with a collection of Japanese Katana Swords from Samurai era.
• Try to walk around the castle. The beauty from inside is architectural, from outside Himeji Castle is a giant work of art.

We covered Himeji Castle on our penultimate day in Japan. It would have been big miss had we not decided to go for it. The architecture, construction and accessibility is unparalleled even by the open standards of Japan. Given that it is in opposite direction to Tokyo from Osaka, we took some effort and it paid off handsomely. While the castle is visible from railway station itself, it hardly justifies what's inside.

Himeji Castle, Himeji

Kyoto

• Kyoto is huge. Plan ahead on what are the top sites you want to visit. Top three in my list were Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji & Fushimi Inari-Taisha.
• Expect a lot of walk. Even if you reach the gates of one of the attractions, the walk inside will be tiring but worth it.
• Take Kyoto Day Pass which includes transport and entry to some of the main shrines. For food, the restaurants near the river are best.

Kyoto is beautiful. At the heart of Japan, nestled with temples, spotted with shrines and bifurcated by a river, the city is duly called the spiritual capital of Japan. We reached Kyoto through a super fast train from Osaka early morning and immediately started moving towards the Kinkaku-ji Temple. It is one of the showstoppers among the famous temples of Kyoto. Known for the gold-leaf structure and located at the centre of a placid lake, the temple was indeed teeming with selfie lovers as we arrived.

Kinkaku-ji Temple

Universal Studios Japan (USJ)

First thing first. You cannot cover all at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) without a plan. So here is step by step guide to help you.

1. Reach USJ by 8.30AM. Based on inbound crowd, the entry time changes between 8AM and 9AM. Avoid weekends & holidays because they attract both tourists and locals. Best days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Buy tickets in advance through www.usj.co.jp or in worse case counter. There are two tickets. One is the Studio Pass for entry, the other is Express Pass (optional but strongly recommended) for selective rides.

Universal Studios Japan Map

Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

• If you have a JR Pass, traveling in Hiroshima is not a problem. The hop-on-hop-off is part of the pass.
• Most visited place is of course Atomic Bomb Dome but you can start walking from station and cover some other attractions in the same direction.
• The city of Hiroshima buzzes as if to defy the existence of bomb attack. Malls and high streets are a treat to visit and restaurants are abundant.

A grim reminder of human ineptitude to be the dominant species on this planet, the Atomic Bomb Dome of Hiroshima was nothing but graceful in its presence. We were in Hiroshima on a sunny Sunday afternoon without much fuss or spend. A distance of more than 200 miles was covered in a bullet train in less than two hours and then a loop bus took us to the Imperial Palace for free thanks to our JR Pass.

Atomic Bomb Dome, Hiroshima

Miyajima, Japan

• Plan Hiroshima & Miyajima together. The Japanese efficiency ensures you will easily cover most of the checklist before evening in both the places.
• The return ticket for Miyajima ferry is covered in JR Pass. The most enjoyable view is when you are in the middle of sea and can view both sides.
• Touch the Grand Torii. It is considered a good omen to visit the most religious relic in Japan.

The ferry transported us to another world. The matter-of-factly Japan somehow vanished across half the mile of sea as we entered Miyajima. In front of us was a green island with lofty mountains that invited you for a trek. The foothills were not bad either - the gigantic orange coloured Grand Torii Gate being the crown jewel. We were told this was one of the top three most scenic spots in entire Japan. I believe it now.

Grand Torii, Miyajima

Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan)

• Take a ferry to reach Kaiyukan. It is the fastest way and throws beautiful view of sea and the giant ferris wheel adjacent to the aquarium.
• While the entry and first stage (at top) is remarkable, it is nothing compared to the treasures down the Kaiyukan. Just hurry through the first mile.
• Apart from the gigantic tank that contains the shark tank, the one most enjoyable are the eagle rays near the exit that you are allowed to touch.

Osaka Aquarium was unplanned. We had kept a day for Osaka but we learned that the aquarium is only a ferry ride away. So we took it. To our surprise the aquarium was gigantic and contained seemingly infinite varieties of sea life. The tickets look a bit costly but once you are through, you will not regret an iota.

Shark Whale @ Kaiyukan

Diabutsu, Kamakura

• Take direct train from Tokyo to Kamakura. Alight at Kita-Kamakura which is one station before the last and start walking. You will find shrines and treasures worth the walk.
• Yuigahama beach was a disappointment. Rather take a seat on one of the sea facing restaurants or bar and take a meal.
• Diabutsu is the highlight of this area. The Great Buddha in green surrounded by green is remarkable. Walking around is preferred although tiring.

It always makes sense to visit the nearest beach-town on a sunny weekend and that is what we planned during our stay at Tokyo. Yuigahama Beach is an hour away from Tokyo. There was a direct train from close to our hotel to Kamakura and a 15 min walk from Kamakura station to Yuigahama. On the way we got feedback from a friendly lady on how wonderful the walk is from Kita-Kamakura to Kamakura. It was a good idea. The series of temples and a garden dedicated to the hydrangeas were delightful.

Daibutsu, Kamakura