People seemed interested in a Japan blog. I studied in Japan for a year in 2000-2001 during my junior year of college. I studied at Oubirin University, which basically means Beautiful Cherry Blossom Tree. After graduating from law school in 2005, I took my post-bar trip in Japan backpacking from the southern part (Nagasaki) back to Tokyo (where I used to live). These pictures are from my backpacking trip as my other Japanese pictures were before I had a digital camera (gasp!).

The trip started with my JR rail pass (unlimited trips on the Shinkansen).

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First stop. Beppu.

Takasakiyama Monkey Park

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Nine Hells of Beppu (met some random Korean girls there and had ramen in hell)

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Beppu Sand Bath (where they bury you in hot ass sand)

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thought you were going to see me naked, eh? nope. just the old lady that buried me.

Next stop. Nagasaki (peace park w/origami cranes, first atomic bomb site marked by a black obelisk, neko-basu for totoro fans)

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Next stop. Kokura Castle

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Next stop. Hiroshima (gembaku domu (where the second bomb hit above a building that is still standing); Hiroshima Castle

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Next stop. Fukuyama Fireworks (including random Japanese family that gave me food because they are cool like that). For future reference, if you ever see Japanese girls wearing yukatas, follow them. I saw a group of four girls get on a train so I got on to. Low and behold, there was a fireworks festival. Nice.

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Next stop. Okayama Castle.

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Next stop. Kurashiki Historic City and another random fireworks event.

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Next stop. Himeji Castle (aka the most beautiful castle you will ever see in Japan).

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Next stop. Osaka (Osaka Castle, Osaka Aquarium (the last picture is a whale))

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Next stop. Nara (five tiered pagoda, Nara Shika (deer), Todai-ji Buddhist Temple, Katsuga-Taisha (Shinto Shrine))

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Traditional Inn I stayed at in Nara

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Next stop. Kyoto (Ginkakuji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion), Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), Kiyomizudera (Pure Water Temple))

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Went looking for maiko (geisha), but found food instead.

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I'll throw in a random maiko for you though.

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Oh, and here is Kyoto Castle (they burned it down, and thus, benches instead of a palace).

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Next stop. Ayabe, where I spent time at a friend's uncle's traditional house; he creates traditional Japanese pottery.

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friend invading my pictures.
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he gave me the following as a present
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america represent!
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Next stop. Greater Tokyo Area (fireworks, day out with friend, Enoshima, famous seal with his bucket)

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So, I have been to the following places. Let me know if you would like to see another.

Taiwan, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, France, Monaco, Peru and Mexico (Cancun area).

Going to Bulgaria, Turkey and Jordan in August/September, so may update again.

UniversalSnip

9871 Posts

April 17 2012 07:49 GMT

are fireworks displays very common in japan?

Sc2Corpse

United States210 Posts

April 17 2012 07:53 GMT

I wish I could travel the world like you do, I have always wanted to go to Japan.

dAPhREAk

Nauru12397 Posts

April 17 2012 07:55 GMT

On April 17 2012 16:49 UniversalSnip wrote:
are fireworks displays very common in japan?

in summer, they are very common. i didn't plan on going to any festivals, but it just happened that they had them in a lot of places i was visiting.

dAPhREAk

Nauru12397 Posts

April 17 2012 07:59 GMT

On April 17 2012 16:53 Sc2Corpse wrote:
I wish I could travel the world like you do, I have always wanted to go to Japan.

careful what you wish for; once you get the bug, its hard to stay still. ;-) japan is pretty expensive unfortunately. other countries i was able to do really cheap (especially central and south america, except for brazil). backpacks, hostels, walking everywhere and eating with the locals.

don_kyuhote

3006 Posts

April 17 2012 08:27 GMT

Turkey is pretty amazing.
I don't know where you're going to go, but if you go to cappadocia region, try the air balloon.
Also, their ice cream from street vendors are the best ice cream I have ever tasted.
Talk about milk and honey, that is it.

drsnuggles

Korea (South)362 Posts

April 17 2012 09:24 GMT

Awesome pictures, would be awesome if you could post Taiwan/Thailand/Vietnam as I'm interested in traveling there in the future, SEA/EA in general is pretty much the best spot for traveling (for me), the food is just incredible and the people are always so nice and helpful

RogerX

New Zealand3180 Posts

April 17 2012 09:32 GMT

These pictures are amazing, thanks for sharing them :o

Mattes

Germany1116 Posts

April 17 2012 09:44 GMT

wtf seal with a bucket...:D

great pictures, i SOOO want to go visit japan one day

JapaneseSC2

60 Posts

April 17 2012 11:49 GMT

#10

Cool pictures! Thank you for sharing^^

UltimateHurl

Ireland591 Posts

April 17 2012 12:03 GMT

#11

Thanks for sharing, great pictures! I hope to get to Japan one day, have been lucky enough to see quite a few places, but not Japan, yet.

Sickkiee

Japan607 Posts

April 17 2012 12:54 GMT

#12

Damn man, I should've done a blog when I lived in Japan for a year (senior year for high school). Then went back again this year for a trip to visit host family and stuff.

You've been to a lot of places I've never been to hahaha, I want to visit them now.

Currently in Japan at the moment too so I may just visit them! :D

dAPhREAk

Nauru12397 Posts

April 17 2012 14:42 GMT

#13

On April 17 2012 21:54 Sickkiee wrote:
Damn man, I should've done a blog when I lived in Japan for a year (senior year for high school). Then went back again this year for a trip to visit host family and stuff.

You've been to a lot of places I've never been to hahaha, I want to visit them now.

Currently in Japan at the moment too so I may just visit them! :D

where do you live? i lived in the tokyo area for a year, so i visited almost everywhere within train distance. the pictures arent digitized though, and i dont want to go through that effort for a blog. ;-)

dAPhREAk

Nauru12397 Posts

April 17 2012 14:44 GMT

#14

On April 17 2012 17:27 don_kyuhote wrote:
Turkey is pretty amazing.
I don't know where you're going to go, but if you go to cappadocia region, try the air balloon.
Also, their ice cream from street vendors are the best ice cream I have ever tasted.
Talk about milk and honey, that is it.

currently, we are planning on 4-5 days in istanbul and 4-5 days in cappadocia. any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks.