Landscape photography in Japan?

Hello all,

 

I'm currently leaving for Japan July 13th-July 25th. I plan on

hanging out with some of my friends in Tokyo for a few days to

experience that great night-life(and hopefully not walk away a poor

man :)) Anyway, I also want to check out some of the wilderness

and/or landscape opportunities that exist as well.

 

This will be my 2nd trip to Japan and I've already done Kyoto and

climbed Mt. Fuji.. I would like to perhaps explore more of the

northern parts of the country, maybe Hokkaido?

 

I realize July is probably the worst month to visit Japan due to the

extreme humidity and haze. Do any of you know of some good areas

where I might get better visibility? I was thinking in order to get

away from that haze, I would have to get out of the Tokyo megalopolis

sprawl.

 

One more thing, I don't speak a work of Japanese, how much of a

hindrance would that be in a more rural, picturesque area? (Hokkaido,

etc.)

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks and I apprecriate all your comments and advice.

 

Take care,

Rick

Anywhere high up should be cooler and Japan has plenty of mountains. Here are some suggestions that are fairly easy to get to from Tokyo.

 

Karuizawa is traditionally where better off Tokyoites go to escape the summer heat. It's lakeside with leisure activities.

 

The Lake Hakone region is worth a visit. It has mountains, lakes and hot springs.

 

Some of the Tohoku (north-east) around Nikko is also mountain and lake land, plus you can visit the Nikko shrine itself.

 

To be honest, not speaking Japanese could be a problem as English is not widely spoken outside the main cities, and they are not so used to foreigners. I was in a small town in Tohoku a few years ago with my wife. We were in a noodle bar. There was an old grandma there. When my wife ordered some food, the grandma exclaimed to the patroness 'that woman can speak Japanese!' My wife IS Japanese.

 

However, in my experience the Japanese are very kind and polite. I suggest you get a basic grammar and dictionary and learn at least the minimum of polite phrases. As I'm sure you realise, that will be much appreciated.

 

The Practical English-Japanese Dictionary by Noah S Brannen is recommended for carrying; it's pocket size, and the entries are in English and Japanese script so you can show the words you want to a native.

To go to Hokkaido by airplane will cost more than it will cost you to fly from the US (I'm assuming you're in the US) at current rates. To take the train will eat up too much of your limited time. The suggestions for Tohoku/Nikko are good.

 

And yes, Tokyo is hot and steamy now.

 

Conni

The Fuji-Hakone area is easily reached by train. The Nikko area is also very close. Besides the temples, there is Lake Chuzenji (and i forget the name of the falls). A significant tourist destination, speaking English won't be a problem.

 

The train stations on the JNR were signed in English years ago, the rails have privatized (I understand) and the private lines (then) weren't always signed in English. Have your friends or an acquaintance write down your destinations so you can get directions, perhaps a few helpful phrases or a dictionary phrase book would be helpful as well.

("Help! I'm lost. Where is the train station?" "Where is the rest room?" and the like)

 

I don't see you'd have much trouble. I lived in Japan for 3 years with the USN and never found getting around difficult. Finding time, yes, but getting around was easy. If nothing else, get help with the train routing, count stations, etc. Nikko was typically easy because it was a destination point for trains, not just a stop on a continuing line.

Craig:

 

It's Kegon Falls.

 

Down at the train station in Nikkon, ask directions to the Deceiving Jizos. It's walkable or a taxi can take you quickly. These figures are along the river which is a photo op especially with the mountain in the background.

 

Conni

Thanks, it's been 20+ years. The Vermillion Bridge is there, and numerous other sites, besides the temple complex. Although it's kind of cliche'd, the area between Tokyo and Fuji/Hakone, around Ofuna? Odawara? offered a mix of agricultural areas and Mt. Fuji and encroaching homes, the bullet train, etc. I might not do it right away and I'd certainly want to verify train schedules but I'd think there would be numerous areas within a reasonable train ride that you could just ride to and then explore. The area on the east side of Tokyo Bay was relatively remote, you needed to plan for a ferry trip or a long train ride. I understand since then that there is a bridge tunnel which might make it more accessible as well.

Shenkyo (the vermillion bridge) is in reconstruction and won't reopen until spring 2004. It was literally falling down. It still made a good photo but you needed to be there in the morning so the sun was behind your back so it lit the bridge and the mountain in the distance.

 

Conni

Will temples/culture do? <a href="http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/Japan2/Nikko/index.html">Nikko</a> is great for temples set in the forest, but if you are looking for plain nature, you might find it a bit tough. <a href="http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/Japan2/Nikko%20Falls/index.html">

Kegon Falls</a> is near by, but it is really famous for the fall colors, and can be a real tourist trap.<P>

 

I did some traveling to the <a href="http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/Japan2/Matsumoto/index.html">

Matsumoto</a> area (near Nagano, in the Japanese alps). The area can be much more rustic, and I saw some amazing photos taken by the locals in post cards.<P> Rail there is great - especially if you can work out a rail pass before you go. I think it took us three hours to get to Matsumoto from Tokyo, riding Shinkansen. I didn't have many problems with the language - we booked our hotels in Tokyo before we hit the country, and we were fine. Patience and a smile (and more patience) goes a long way.