Kyoto is at the same time the most beautiful, divers and fascinating town we saw in Japan and on the other side we have been quite overwhelmed by the intense crowds we were part of, despite traveling in a season where there weren’t cherry blossoms, autumn leaves or Japanese Holidays.
From Owakudani we went down to the lake by ropeway. Before entering the pirate ship themed tourist boats there is a quite beautiful stroll along the shore to do.
The old Tōkaidō was once the most important route in Japan, connecting the political center of Edo with Kyoto. During the Edo period, feudal lords, merchants, and travelers moved along this road, stopping at post towns for rest, food, and lodging. Parts of the original path, especially around Hakone, are still preserved today — stone-paved sections lined with cedar trees that give a sense of how travel once felt: slow, structured, and physically demanding.
Gōra is a small mountain town in the Hakone region, best known as a base for exploring the surrounding hot spring area.
The National Art Center Tokyo is one of the most unusual museums in the city — because it has no permanent collection. Instead, it functions purely as an exhibition space, hosting rotating shows that range from contemporary art to large-scale international exhibitions. Designed by Kisho Kurokawa, the building itself is a highlight: a sweeping glass façade and fluid […]
The Meiji Shrine is one of Tokyo’s most important and widely visited Shinto shrines.
Located in a forested area near Harajuku, the shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, who played a central role in Japan’s transformation during the Meiji Restoration.
With 37 Mio habitants it has more than ten times more people than Berlin
Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area in the world
The GDP of the Tokyo is bigger than the GDP of Russia
Despite being ultra-modern, Tokyo was originally a small fishing village called Edo before becoming the political center in the 17th century
The city was almost completely destroyed twice — first in the Great Kantō Earthquake and later during Bombing of Tokyo in 1945
Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world
Trains in Tokyo are famously punctual — delays of even a minute can come with formal apologies
The city is extremely safe, with very low crime rates compared to other megacities
Even with its dense population, Tokyo has many quiet temples, gardens, and neighborhoods that feel far removed from the urban intensity
Japanese food is quiet, precise, and deeply intentional and well presented and wrapped. Nothing feels random. Everything has a purpose, every flavor a place, every decoration meaning. We were quite impressed.
You feel the remoteness and the silence when night falls in Iya Valley. But our Ryokan “Iya Kankuu” was cosy and welcoming. The owner is maybe 80 or 90 years old and she still runs the business with enthusiasm. We listened to music from Vinyl-Records from the 60s and 70s while having our meals.
The weather was quite unsteady when we stood in Iya Valley and the hiking paths didn’t look like fun so we decided to go to the fantastic Onsen at Iya Onsen Hotel. Its basin is down by the river. You go there by a tiny cable car and it’s like sitting in the river in this fantastic canyon in hot water. I definitely recommend it.
hikeminded 