JAPAN TOURISM

1.ONSEN

** Natural hot springs (onsen) are numerous and highly popular across Japan. Every region of the country has its share of hot springs and resort towns, which come with them.
There are many types of hot springs, distinguished by the minerals dissolved in the water. Different minerals provide different health benefits, and all hot springs are supposed to have a relaxing effect on your body and mind.
** Hot spring baths come in many varieties, indoors and outdoors, genderseparated and mixed, developed and undeveloped. Many hot spring baths belong to a ryokan, while others are public bath houses. An overnight stay at a hot spring ryokan is a highly recommended experience to any visitor of Japan.

==> Cherry Blossom Forecast

** Warm temperatures caused the cherry blossom front to move up the Japanese archipelago at a record-breaking pace this year. The trees reached full bloom in Hakodate on April 24 and in Sapporo on April 26, almost two weeks earlier than average. While our annual reportingof the seasonal spectacle will end on April 30 in Sapporo, the cherry blossoms will continue to delight hanami-goers in more eastern and northern areas of Hokkaido and higher elevations of northeastern Japan for a couple more weeks.

** Below are the actual and forecast dates of cherry trees opening their blossoms this year (according to the Japan Weather Association,except Yoshino which is according to Yoshino Town) and the estimated best viewing periods (estimated by japan-guide.com based on the aforementioned forecasts). Rain, wind and temperatures can have a strong effect on the process of the season, for example, they can accelerate, delay or shorten it considerably. Use the forecasts on your own risk.

==>TEMPLES

** Temples are the places of worship in Japanese Buddhism. Virtually every Japanese municipality has at least one temple, while large cultural centers like Kyoto have several thousands.
Temples store and display sacred Buddhist objects. Some temples used to be monasteries, and some still function as such. Structures typically found at Japanese temples are:

1.Main hall

** The sacred objects of worship, such as statues, are displayed in the main hall. Main halls are called kondo, hondo, butsuden, amidado or hatto in Japanese.

2.Lecture hall

** Lecture halls are for meetings and lectures and often also display objects of worship. Lecture halls are called kodo.

3.Pagoda

** The pagoda, a structure that has evolved from the Indian stupa, usually comes with three (sanju no to) or five (goju no to) stories. Pagodas store remains of the Buddha such as a tooth, usually in form of a representation.

4.Bell

** On New Year's Eve, temple bells are rung 108 times, corresponding to the Buddhist concept of 108 worldly desires.

==>MUSEUMS

** Japan is home to a large number and variety of excellent museums. Whether it is about religion, science, history, geography or arts and crafts, museums of different subjects and interests can be found across the country. Below is a list of some of the best museums in Japan sorted by category:

Traditional Art

1.Kofukuji National Treasure Museum

** Many temples in Japan have treasure houses of varying degrees of interest. Of these, the National Treasure Museum at Kofukuji Templeis probably the best despite its understated location and exterior - It is easily overlooked on a visit to Kofukuji. The museum has a great collection of Buddhist art that includes the three-faced, six-armed Ashura Statue, one of the most celebrated Buddhist statues in Japan.

2.Nara National Museum

** Located in Nara Park, the outstanding Nara National Museum is an old fashioned, highly educational museum about Buddhist statues. The museum displays a permanent collection of Japanese Buddhist art and religious artifacts. It also hosts annual exhibitions of treasures from nearby Todaiji Temple every autumn.

3. Adachi Museum of Art

** This museum's star attraction is its beautiful garden, which is widely considered to be one of Japan's best. But the museum also houses an outstanding exhibition of Japanese paintings and tableware, most notably a large collection of paintings by Yokoyama Taikan.

4. Kubota Itchiku Art Museum

** The Kubota Itchiku Art Museum presents a collection of outstanding kimono created with the highly labor-intensive tie-dyeing technique by Kubota Itchiku. The intriguing museum buildings and surrounding gardens further enhance the appeal of this museum near Mount Fuji.

5.National Art Center Tokyo

** The National Art Center Tokyo (Kokuritsu Shin-Bijutsukan) in Roppongi is one of Japan's largest museums. The museum maintains no permanent collection but hosts excellent exhibitions that change periodically. The facility's futuristic building is part of the attraction.

6.Otsuka Museum of Art

** The Otsuka Museum of Art is the largest museum in Japan. It houses a huge collection of life-size reproductions of Western art masterpieces from antiquity to the 20th century, including works by Michelangelo, El Greco, Goya, Monet and Picasso.

==> SNOW TIMES

**During winter, cold air masses from Siberia blow towards Japan, picking up moisture from the Sea of Japan in the process. The wet cold air collides with the mountains along the Sea of Japan coast, resulting in heavy snowfall. Some areas experience extreme amounts of precipitation with snow depths of three to six meters.

**Fittingly, Japan offers many popular destinations for snow seekers. While most of Japan's major cities, including Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, receive only small amounts of snow, locations offering snow experiences are readily accessible from them. The snow season in Japan is long and in some places begins as early as November and lasts into May, with the peak being in February.

1.Kusatsu Onsen of Gunma Prefecture

**It is blessed with large volumes of quality hot spring water and is consistently ranked the top onsen destination in Japan. The large Sainokawara Rotemburo outdoor bath offers pleasant views of the winter landscape.

2.Manza Onsen

** Manza Onsen is a hot spring resort town located 1800 meters above sea level, high up on the slopes of Mount Shirane. The mountain provides the onsen town with the country's most sulfuric waters. Large amounts of snow in the winter make the town one of the best places near Tokyo to enjoy an outdoor bath in the snow.

==>FLOWERS

** Colorful leaves (koyo) are to the Japanese autumn what cherry blossoms are to spring. The viewing of autumn leaves has been a popular activity in Japan for centuries and today draws large numbers of travelers to famous koyo spots both in the mountains and in the cities.
** Each year, starting in mid September, the "koyo front" slowly moves southwards from the northern island of Hokkaido until it reaches the lower elevations of central and southern Japan towards the end of November. Some trees around Tokyo and Kyoto remain colorful into early December.

KANSAI REGION