The golden route- Japan

The old Tokaido post road is what connects Tokyo to Kyoto.  This path is called the ‘golden route’.  The road has many places that are scenic. A lot of poets and artists have written and drawn about the beauty of this road.

There are a series of paintings called ‘the fifty three stations of the Tokaido’.  People gradually started traveling along these roads for sheer pleasure.

This place is also an amazing spot for tourists. There are about fifty three stations and inn stops. The road gained a lot in popularity over the seventeenth century.

Japan is a beautiful place with a lot of contrasts and diversity. If you are traveling on this road, you are sure to experience a Japanese ultra modern feel. Also you will get a chance to explore ancient Japan. For all this you can use either the Shinkanses or walking pilgrimage style or the postman style.

Tokyo

The roads here that start from Nihonbashi (which means Japanese bridge) are the starting points for most of the journeys here.  And remember, before you start on your big journey; get a little acquainted with some amazing places in Tokyo.

The Tokyo imperial palace needs to be booked in advance if you want to stroll around.

Check out right next to the palace are the imperial palace gardens. This is on the sight of the old Edo palace.

The shoguns have the yasukuni shrine that is built for them. And around this area, lie the dead soldiers from the Japanese armies.

Then, once you are done, go visit the Edo Tokyo museum which is just beside the sumo stadium.

The museum is filled with artifacts and models of wooden theaters and block printing workshops.

Tokyo has many shrines and temples. The senso-ji temple and the hase kannon temple along with meji jingo are some of Japans most memorable sites for temples.

Shop for clothes. Shibuya is a great place for electronics. Go up the Tokyo city hall and get a bird’s eye view of the street of the city.

And mostly don’t miss the Tsukiji fish markets. This place is very famous in the region.

Hakone

To come here the easy way is to board the shinkansen from Tokyo to odawara. Over here the hakone Nation Park and Mount Fuji are definitely worth visiting.

In fact if you get a railway pass, you can move around the place more easily and go where you would like to go and if there is a place that tickles your fancy then go right ahead and spend more time at the spot of your choice. Hakone is especially famous as a place for Fuji pilgrimage.

Lake Ashi has amazing sights. Later, come o the hakone open air museum and see the old buildings and artifacts.

The black eggs cooked in valley water; is said to add seven years to your life.

Check out this area again in some time for the continuation into part two of the amazing golden route in Japan.