Unscripted Adventures

11 March, 2025

Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, is a place of wonder and beauty, ranging from golden temples to bamboo forests. A land of endless discovery, I went from place to place, but I couldn’t see them all. One thing that caught my eye was the floating Tori gate, built in the boonies of Hakone, a small mountainous town known for its aesthetic view of Mt.Fuji. 

Here’s a list of the 5 best places to visit in Japan!

1. Tokyo Disneyland

Disneyland is pretty famous around the world – but being a kid, this would be my favorite. The place was like a fairytale – from Peter Pan to teacup rides in Belle’s palace. It is perfect for families and young children to enjoy – all while eating churros or some pizza. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see the parade, where all the Disney characters come together and put on a spectacular show! We went there by cab in the early morning, so the line wouldn’t be bad for each ride.    + mention how I got there and how to get there, where is it located in Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba 279-0031, Japan. 

2. Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest was an adventure – long stalks of bamboo towered over us, like giants. A trail was set out for us, and everywhere we looked, we could only see the fresh green leaves. The Sun poked out of the dense forest, illuminating it with light. The place is very cinematic, and you can click an endless number of photos. Believe me, my mouth was tired from all that smiling! We had hired a car and went there directly from the bullet train. It is located in Sagaogurayama Tabuchiyamacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8394, Japan. 

3. Shibuya Crossing

Imagine the sound of 100 bulldozers and the bustling of 1000 dogs scrambling for treats – that’s exactly what Shibuya Crossing felt like. Every second, every minute people were either crossing to Starbucks, a Lindt shop, or even a clothing store! HUGE buildings rose, blocking the Sun partially. I fell for the Hachikō Memorial Statue – a statue of a dog with a sad past. Shibuya Crossing is located in Shibuya City, in Tokyo. We hired a car because we didn’t know the city, but the locals usually use public transport like the bullet train or a bus. 

4. Kinkaku-ji – Temple of the Golden Pavilion

The Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto is an actual gem – surrounded by lush green trees dancing in the wind, a lake reflecting its brightness, and a gold-plated hōō (phoenix) set on the top of the black, curved roof. On the way to the temple, you have to walk a bit. Don’t worry – the path’s not too long, but the nature and architecture around us would distract us from our leg pain. When you see the temple, you will for sure stop in your tracks. The first thing I did was take a mental screenshot, so the memory would be seared into my brain for years to come. On the way out, there was a shop, marketing the Golden Temple. We bought a painting which was made out of cloth to hang in our home. I wanted to stay there – bask in the sun and admire its beauty, but we had no time. The best way to get there would be either by a taxi (if you’re nearby to Kyoto) or take a bullet train to Kyoto and hire a taxi there. 

5. Fushimi Inari Taisha

Last but not least, Fushimi Inari Taisha! This is a temple dedicated to the Shintose goddess of good harvest and successful business – Inari. This temple is the head of all the Inari shrines in Japan! The seemingly endless path of the faded, orange torii gates line up, showing us the direction of Mt. Inari. We had gone in the evening when the sun was setting, so the pictures turned out amazing! Did you know, there are over 1000 Torii gates in that temple, all of them donated by successful companies? There’s a little shop where you can buy small souvenirs – we bought a mini torii gate! There is a small food stall where you can buy food to energize yourself before and after hiking the mountain. We went there with a guide, who explained to us a bit of history and clicked some pictures for us. I recommend hiring a car to get there, rather than using a bus. 

So if you visit Japan, make sure you try to visit these places – at least 3 of them. This was only covering a small part of Japan – there are many more! For example, Hiroshima, a place with a sad past. But that’s a story for another time. Until then, stay tuned for my next post! 😃