We love to travel!
Those of you who know us, and have followed along on our empty nest nomad adventures over the past fifteen years, already know that. But for you new comers, we mean we love it so much that we have visited about sixty different countries on six continents. Yes, you’re right if you guessed Antarctica as the one we are missing. It is still sitting there mocking us from the top of our bucket list.
Speaking of that list, there is another place that is still on there even though we have been there before, Japan. Our experiences within the Land of the Rising Sun consist of only a couple days in each of Nagasaki and Osaka, and one or two times changing planes in Tokyo, so we feel like we have not spent nearly enough time there.
Clearly a whole lot more is left for us to explore. That got us thinking about all of the things that we could see and do if we returned, and asking ourselves the question…
Why Should We Visit Japan?
The country consists of the four main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, along with almost 4,000 smaller islands, covering nearly one hundred and fifty thousand square miles. For reference, that is a little bigger than Germany, so there is a lot to see.
The “Land of the Rising Sun” has a deep, long, history that stretches back some five millennia, and yet it is easy for visitors to encounter both the past and the future. Japanese culture has been quick to adopt and create much of the latest modern technology, trends, and fashions.
As with almost everywhere we visit, we never pass up a chance to go for the food. Of course we started with Japan’s most famous culinary export, sushi, but we discovered several other delectable delicacies on our previous visits. We found our favorites in Osaka, where the word Kuidaore, meaning “to ruin yourself with extravagant food,” has become synonymous with the city. We did our best by beginning with Takoyaki. No other food says Osaka quite like these hot octopus-stuffed balls of deliciousness.
Then we were blown away by an array of incredible grilled foods served on sticks by chefs who are top notch entertainers all while creating amazing small plate dishes. And we had to have noodles. We were introduced to Udon, and loved it, but we have now learned that just about every city, town, and village in Japan brags about their own famous noodle dish. Guess we will have a lot more to try when we make our next trip.
The first time we visited we were lucky enough to see Japan in the Spring, which is arguably the best time because the famous cherry blossoms are in bloom. There are also a bunch of festivals, running from late March to early May, that coincide with the blossoms depending on whether they are in the northern or southern part of the islands.
Where to Go in Japan
As I mentioned, we have been to Nagasaki and Osaka, and both of those cities are most certainly worth a visit. But there are tons of other places that make us want to return so we can spend more time exploring.
We most certainly feel the need to see more of Tokyo than just the airport, if for no other reason than to feel a little touch of what life is like in the world’s largest city. Then we also definitely want to go to Kyoto, the former capital of Japan and home to more than two thousand temples and shrines, as well as Hiroshima for another look at the history we first experienced in Nagasaki.
If you are a beef eater, like we are, then Kōbe has to be on the old to do list too. The city is famous all around the world for its exquisite, perfectly marbled, and very expensive beef, but it is also been well-known as a center of sake production for centuries.
If we decide to visit in the winter then Sapporo needs to be on our itinerary. It was the host city of the 1972 Winter Olympics and skiers can still shush down the very same slopes as the best in the world did back then. It is also home to the huge Sapporo Snow Festival in February.
Getting Around in Japan
Good news! Japan has one of the best transport systems anywhere in the world. That means that getting from one place to another is usually no problem. That is, as long as you choose the right method. For example, please, what ever you do, do not rent a car and try to drive around Tokyo.
However, the railway system is fast, reliable, extremely efficient, and covers almost all of the country, so it is travel choice for most visitors. There is also a good bus system that is more economical than the trains, but takes much longer to get from one place to another.
And despite our earlier warning about driving, there are plenty of places outside the big cities where a car is a great way to get around and discover some of the off the beaten path attractions of Japan.
How to Stay in Touch in Japan
In our extensive travels we have learned that the very best way to feel right at home with phone and internet service while gallivanting across the globe is to use a SIM Card. And in Japan, a Japan SIM Card is the way to go. This allows us to use our own phone, both voice and data, just like we would if we had local service.
When you order from Mobal you can choose long or short term usage, with no contracts, and shipping or pick-up are always free. And if there does happen to be a problem, they provide easy to use online support or they have staff that are native English speakers guaranteed to give easy, friendly, and understandable support whenever it is needed.
One more thing that we love about their service is that the majority of Mobal’s profits have gone to a number of charities with a desire to change the world.
Feeling Good about Travel
Mobal’s chairman, Tony Smith, has been a lifelong international traveler, so when he got frustrated trying to keep in touch with family, friends & business contacts on his many trips overseas he created a great way to communicate from almost anywhere.
Once he had some success in the world of international cell phone service he established a number of charities such as Seibo, a Japanese non-profit with the the admirable goal of feeding every hungry child in the world a hot meal at school.
With their charity partners they are making sure kids get the vital nutrition they need to not just survive, but thrive. In Malawi, Mobal is funding over sixteen thousand vital school meals children every day. The work also includes providing sustainable stoves to families to help ensure that no child misses the opportunity for a good education because of hunger.
And the work goes beyond children, more than seven thousand people have found employment through education and enterprise outreach. This growing network of charity partners makes it possible to do more than just travel around the world. With Mobal, we can help to make it a better place too!
Before we take off on our big adventure there is one last thing we feel like we should take a look at.
Things to Avoid in Japan
Remember to take off your shoes.
And never, leave chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. And never pass anything from your chopsticks to someone else’s chopsticks. These actions are associated with funerary rites. Also, don’t point at people or things with chopsticks. While it may not be a part of a funeral, it is considered just plain rude.
But most of all, never, ever travel through Japan with out a Japanese SIM card from Mobal.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
Even the competition struck us as a bit small for gods. The two were offering the city gifts and the best would become its namesake. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and water sprung forth, however it was saltwater so… not so good.
We learned from our intrepid guide, Dionysios, that ingenious architectural techniques employed by the Greeks helped to make it so sturdy. On close inspection we could see that the columns are not straight up and down, and they are also slightly bulging in the middle.
The Parthenon is only one of many tributes the Athenians dedicated to their patron goddess. Another is just a stone’s throw away, the Temple of Athena Nike. Built around the same time as its much larger neighbor, the version we see now is actually a reconstruction.
Originally the museum opened in 1874 and was up on the Acropolis, but as more and more artifacts were unearthed it became apparent that a bigger venue was needed. A location at the base of the famed rock outcrop was chosen and a completion for the design held but, as with almost everywhere in Athens, when construction began they discovered more ruins beneath the site.
Another highlight of the museum, and one of the only exhibits that allows photographs inside, are the Caryatids of Erechtheum. Caryatids are female figures that serve as columns, and the Porch of the Maidens on the Erechtheum is perhaps the most classic example. Replicas support the porch on the temple up on the Acropolis, but the originals are safely tucked inside the museum.
Even though the temple is small, it had importance much beyond its size because it marks the place where Poseidon’s spring flowed forth and Athena’s olive tree sprouted. It is also said to be the burial site of the mythic kings Cecrops, first king of Athens, and Erechtheus, who according to Homer’s Iliad was raised by Athena.
At first sight the forty foot high structure may not be overwhelming, but as we learned about its function we were duly impressed. This is the world’s first weather station. The tops of the eight sides each depict a direction of the wind carved in relief that a vane pointed to in the breeze.
From the best preserved temple we made our way to one of the worst kept, the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Yet even though only sixteen columns remain, it is still remarkably impressive. When construction began in the 6th century BC it was to be the largest temple in Greece, but wasn’t finished until Rome had taken control.
Evidence shows that it was around this time that burials began to take place within the circles. However, soon after our visit an ancient burial chamber was unearthed near Stonehenge.
What could possibly have inspired these ancient builders to drag untold tons of rock from so far away? It certainly made my little quest to see their handiwork seem pretty pitiful in comparison.
The final phase included the largest stones. This time the blocks were brought in from about 25 miles to the north. They were used to construct the iconic doorway like structures of upright stones topped by lintels, with each piece weighing up to fifty tons.
Whoever made the monument left no written records; so many aspects of Stonehenge remain a mystery. Over time a number of myths developed surrounding the stones, including one of the most often repeated which is that the Druids were the builders behind the mystical boulder circles.
More recently a visitor center and small museum have been added, where theories on how the stones may have been moved and how the builders may have lived are recreated in life-sized models. While interesting, these are little more than guesses because any indications of their methods have long since disappeared.
Inside the center, we browsed through old photos and memorabilia until we stumbled upon a serious collector’s item.
Jumping down from our lofty height, we were led through the middle of rainbow (a first for us!) and beheld what our adult selves thought we’d never see – the mythical pot o’ gold.
The human insisted the leprechaun show him his hidden gold in return for the little man’s freedom. 
