Things I still haven’t done in Japan

December 16, 2007 on 12:48 pm | In About, Travel | | Email This Post

Every time friends come to visit it makes me realize how many interesting places there are to visit and things to experience in Japan that I have started to take for granted. I mean, Kyoto is like a 45 minute train ride from my place, I can go any day right?

For example, I went to see KODO yesterday, the world’s finest Japanese drumming group (no exaggeration). It was my second time to see them live, but I only went this second time because some friends were visiting from Italy and I thought it would be an awesome addition to their tour. I ended up enjoying it just as much as they did! I should have been seeing KODO play every single year… Which reminds me, I have never been to KODO’s Earth Celebration (jp page here) which happens every year in August on Sado Island…

Now that I think of it, there are many things I still haven’t done in Japan… Time for a list!

Earth Festival on Sado Island

Snow Festival in Sapporo

Okinawa island hopping

The 88 temple Shikoku Pilgrimage (wikipedia link)

Daimonji in Kyoto where they burn the character 大 into a mountain side. (pics)

Climb Mt. Fuji properly

Visit Miyazaki Hayao’s museum

I was close to doing the Shikoku Pilgrimage the summer of 2006, but decided to do a three week south east Asia trip instead! No regrets.

Neputa Matsuri in Aomori

I have been to Aomori and got the following pictures at a museum featuring the festival.

They’re gigantic paper floats lit from the inside. These things are huge. The exhibit hall had an upper level that you could climb up on to view the top portions of the floats. They’re that big!

Stunning aren’t they?

I’ve been in Japan a long time, and done a lot… but there’s still so much more!

What are some of the things on your “Japan To-Do List”? Maybe I can find some more to add to my list!

- Harvey

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11 Comments »

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  1. Gravatar

    I’ve been to the Studio Ghibli museum. Pretty cool! But all the kids running underfoot can be tiresome, especially if you’re monumentally hungover like I was.

    Harvey, ever seen the Boredoms play? Your Kodo mention made me think of them. They’re an Osaka-based experimental group that’s gone from noise rock to a kind of drum-heavy cosmic transcendence. I saw them in San Francisco a few years ago and it was pretty incredible. I’ve always wanted to see them in their native Osaka. If you like percussion, they’re your band. They played in New York last year with something like 50 drummers!

    Comment by Adam — December 16, 2007 #

  2. Gravatar

    nice floats photo. I would love to be in Japan during one of their many matsuris, but I can’t handle large crowd well.

    Comment by lina — December 16, 2007 #

  3. Gravatar

    Yes lina the crowds during festivals are tough aren’t they! My wife hates them as well.

    Adam, I had never heard of the Boredoms! It’s Google time. Thanks for the tip!

    Comment by harvey — December 17, 2007 #

  4. Gravatar

    once again, this site makes me want to visit japan sooner than later.

    Comment by sir jorge — December 17, 2007 #

  5. Gravatar

    I don’t know about Nara, but they light up daimoji-yama in Kyoto during Obon.

    Comment by Thomas — December 17, 2007 #

  6. Gravatar

    Hey that’s right, it’s daimonji and it’s in Kyoto, not Nara, thanks!

    Comment by harvey — December 17, 2007 #

  7. Gravatar

    If anyone living in Osaka is reading this and wondering about other cool things to do in the area… I recommend Himeji castle. It’s a convenient day trip from Osaka!

    Comment by Harvey — December 17, 2007 #

  8. Gravatar

    I’ve read that staying overnight in the temple at Mt. Koya is a good experience. Haven’t been able to convince the wife to do it yet though :)

    Comment by Thomas — December 17, 2007 #

  9. Gravatar

    Hey good idea on the Mt. Koya thing. I have a friend who did that, he’s studying Buddhism so it’s kind of this thing. Seems like it would be quite the experience!

    Comment by harvey — December 17, 2007 #

  10. Gravatar

    There is the Daimonji-Okuribi event in Nara in summer, too.

    Actually I had lived in Nara until I was 26. So I’m not real Osaka-jin…

    Comment by Kayo — December 18, 2007 #

  11. Gravatar

    Just browsing through your blog and had to comment on this!

    I spent time in Aomori to do field work (I’m an archaeologist specializing in Asia) and the crew we worked with helped us get costumes to dance in festival parade itself! It’s fairly easy to do and quite fun - you dance in the parade one night, watch the floats go by the next night and the final night of the festival they put them out into the sea with fireworks!

    I’ve really liked your blog so far, it makes me really miss Japan!

    Comment by shagun — May 3, 2008 #

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