Japan guide
Very excited to know that Ori's travelling to Japan. I wrote him 3 very long travel guides from my experience in Japan. Any of you who are travelling to Japan in near future may find this quite useful too...
Hi Ori,
Hey how are you? I am really excited by your decision to apply for the japan thing. It'll definitely be a great architectural pilgrimage for you. So here comes my first advice: do it.
there's really a lot that I want to tell you but i don't have a clue about where i should start. Perhaps i should just answer the string of questions that you pose me one by one, before i tried to add my own thing.
I spent a month in Japan to travel across Honshu. Honshu is one of the four major islands of japan. That said, I think you should spend some time in Hokkaido and possibly shikoku, the other two islands. It is generally easy to travel across japan because you can buy a japan rail pass http://www.japanrail.com/ from a foreign country (israel, mexico or canada, depends where you end up before you depart for japan) and plan your itinerary along shinkensen, the rapid train system in japan. you can get it from agencies designated by japan rail. check out the japan rail website for details.
I spent my first three days in tokyo, visited omotesando (where the prada store, the spiral by fumihiko maki, comme des garcon store, tadao ando's mall and furniture showcase store, toyo ito's todd's, SANAA studio's christian dior store, the chanel flagship store and various award winning buildings are. just take a walk around omotesando and hop into any buildings that look good to you) and ikebukuro (where the famous st. mary cathedral by kenzo tange and fumihiko maki's tepia are). The tokyo met is a must-go http://www.mot-art-museum.jp/. This building was designed by Mariko Miyagi, who is not so famous internationally but is critically acclaimed in japan. Visit also the museum of photography. architecturally it's not great but they often have excellent photography exhibitions there. check this website http://www.syabi.com/ google these buildings to check them out. There is also an interesting new development called rappongi hills, where the famous mori tower is. visit the lobby of mori museum. architecturally it's not that good but it is a good architectural phenomenon to look at. it's quite nicely done but it's quite expensive to get beyond the lobby. travelling in tokyo is complicated by its complex railway system. put simply, the city of tokyo is overlayed by two major railway system - the japan rail (tokyo) and the metro. Try your best to take Japan rail all the time because your japan rail pass can access these local trains. Don't worry about the differnet kinds of JR lines when you visit the website because with your japan rail pass you are supposed to be able to take all the trains (confirm with your agent) except one or two of them. If you decide to travel across honshu it's mostly likely that you'll take the Tokaido Shinkensen all the time (you'll know what i mean after some research on JR) Notice that different trains run at different speeds ( i.e. they sometimes skip stations), even though they depart from the same station. It doesn't matter much if you are not travelling too far but if you are going from one city to another your schedule could be delayed for as much as a whole day. I have attached a Tokyo metro map http://www.bento.com/subtop5.html for your information here. as you can see, it looks like a bowl of technicolor spheghetti. But this is the only way to get around really so make sure that you know which station you are going everytime you travel. For a place to stay check out http://www.hihostels.com/openHome.do. I stayed at the youth hostel at Asakusabashi, which is a very interesting area peppered with little restaurants under railway bridges. You'd experience the famous quick noodles stand that westerners fantasize about.
Then you should do two cities at the peripheries of Tokyo - Yokohama and Kamakura. Yokohama worths only a half day trip because, as far as you are concerned, the International Ferry Terminal is the only thing worth seeing. Kamakura, on the contrary, can easily make a full-day excursion for you. It is an old city populated with temples that are at least 900 years old. People say that visiting temples in Kamakura is like dining out in Tokyo - temples are everywhere. it's just that you don't know which ones are good. Well, I visited the, Kenkoku-ji, Kencho-ji, Yankoku-ji (not sure about the spelling. but it's the one that starts with Y.) and two other temples whose names escaped my memory. What i am sure though, is that one of those temples is right next to the Kamakura station (North). You will be able to pick up a pamphlet there that tells you the five oldest temples in the city. Visit as many as you can for the day. Anyway, it's not worth staying at either of these cities overnight unless if you catch the wrong train and can't make it back to tokyo on time. Plan you trip according to the train schedule though - it helps.
I proceeded to Atami for hotspring but you probably don't want to do that - it wasn't worth it anyway. If you want to have a good hotspring experience you should try hokkaido, where I didn't go last time. After tokyo you can either go north or west - if you go north you'll hit sendai, where the famous Sendai Mediatheque by Toyo Ito is. If you head west I think you should make your stop at Osaka (or actually Shin-Osaka, to be accurate). I stayed at a great hostel at Shin-Osaka. check this out. http://www.hihostels.com/performOpenHostel.do?shop=32356. Osaka itself is a boring city. you'll see beautiful skyscrapers like the yoshimoto tower but that's about it. The old osaka castle is totally not worth going because it's just a remake of the old one that was completely bombed during the second world war. You will, however, be awe-struck by the hustles and bustles at Umeda, where the cool restaurants and bars are. Try not to go to Umeda city, the tallest building in Osaka because it's such an ugly building. plus i remember it was quite expensive to go up there. But if you do decide to go, well, enjoy the view. It's impossible to tell you which one exactly i have been to but explore it yourself. it is extremely exciting. From osaka you should make a day-trip to Himeiji, where the museum of literature, the children's museum by tadao ando are. Speaking of Tadao ando, I think there's actually a book that is published specifically for architectural erasmus like you and I. Buy that book before you head off. Pay a visit to the old himeji castle too - it's absolutely amazing. It's one of those buildings that are so old that you have take off your shoes and wear plastic bags before you go in. The second city that you should spend a day in is Kobe. Kobe city center is, like other japanese cities, densely packed with shopping malls and neon signs and are probably not so interesting for you as a traveller. So visit the Hyogo art museum (ando) and the earthquake memorial next to it (i forgot who did it). These buildings were done after the famous 1994 kobe-awaji-osaka earthquake. and yes, there are some interesting projects at awaji by tadao ando as well that you might want to visit.
It's getting late and I have a class tomorrow. I'll get to Kyoto, Nara, Tottori, Nagoya, shigaraki, okayama and Hiroshima tomorrow. But it sounds like fun to you already, doesn't it?
CKDW
Ori,
so where was i last time? tokyo, kamakura and yokohama right?
okay, i sort of hopped around kyoto, osaka and nara a bit during the time when i was in central honshu. kyoto's wonderful for ancient japanese architecture. don't skip them, like most arch students do as they despise japanese temples as 'a slice of japanese exotica for tourists'. Good architecture always inspires, no matter when it's built. i can actually say that i got more from temples than from 'modern' buildings. By the way i stayed at this nice intimate little hostel that you'd no doubt enjoy too: http://www.hihostels.com/performOpenHostel.do?shop=32001. It's very close to Ryouanji, Nanni-ji and Kinkakuji. Check their bike rental service. you can do all 3 of those temples on a bike.
That said, the first thing that would impress you when you arrive at kyoto is its new train station (by either kurosawa or yoshio hara, i forgot). Yes, 'postmodern' but it's a solid good building. for some reason 'postmodern aesthetics' are less repulsive in japan than in the states. you'll see what i mean when you visit its atrium. it's lovely. it's easier to travel around in kyoto on a bus - they run until pretty late so you can spend more time enjoying the night life of kyoto (not that you would actively participate in it by partying all the time - in fact you shouldn't. spend your time in little japanese restaurant drinking sake in some obscure back alleys) Bus passes are available at Kyoto train station (actually at the bus station outside). There are a few deals, i forgot what. But the best one I believe is the day pass - but you know me, i must have got the wrong pass anyway. Do the math yourself. By the way, here are a few pieces of advice about eating in japan that you'd no doubt enjoy:
1. print this out. this will help -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_restaurant
2. get food from 7-eleven and other convenient stores. I am not joking. Convenient store food is surprisingly good in japan. this is pretty much the cheapest option. Another good thing about convenient store is that you don't have to tell anyone what you want, which saves a lot of hassle miming a plate of speghetti to a waitor in a restaurant. If you want to reduce your spending to minimal, just refrain from picking anything else but the triangular rice dumplings that are wrapped in glad wrap.
3. noodles stands in train stations are good. major stations have noodle stands usually. unlike in normal countries, there are always machines that sell noodles tickets, which you would hand in to the 'chef'. you'll be able to see little vignette of what you are gonna get if you are lucky. but if not, just repeatedly yell 'soba' or 'udon' to the cook. don't worry. no one understands english and i am absolutely serious.
4. yoshinoya. a fast food restaurant that serves thin slices of beef or pork on rice. fast food style. cheap and tasty and gives you a good amount of carb for the day. check this: http://www.yoshinoyausa.com/ to see what kind of food they are offering.
Kyoto is of course famous for its Ryuanji in the West - the stereotypical japanese zen garden that we have all seen in text books. Ryuanji actually belongs to a cluster of temples in that area (the mountainous west end of hte city). 10 minutes away from Ryuanji is the gorgeous Ninnaji (not sure about spelling. check map. it has the oldest wooden structure in the city and its amazing). Kinkaku-ji (the golden temple) is only 20 minutes away from Ryuanji on foot - but skip it. it's not worth the admission fee just to see that concrete thing (painted gold) floating on water. at the center of the city are the tofuji (two blocks away from the train station, again not sure about spelling). On the east side there's this cluster of temples and gardens that you HAVE TO check out. the first one is Kiyomizu-dera. This is an imperative. Then comes the Daitoku-ji, the temple complex that includes a whole cluster of impressive temples. If I remember correctly, Daiseiin has 5 impressive zen gardens that are connected with a very poetic narrative. note the influence of christianity in these 5 gardens. Other great temples in this complex includes Obaiin, Jukoin and Ryokoin.
As for modern building kyoto sucks. I visited Tadao Ando's ceremic painting garden and it was ridiculous. It's a good building but it hurts you to see a rubbish program like this.
That being said, there are things that you have to avoid. Generally try to refrain going into Shinto shrines. They are not worth it. Dont' be overcome by tourist big names such as Kitano Tenman-gu and Heian Jingu (particularly this one. DO NOT GO IN). Although this one might be good (i didn't go cos i didn't have time, but i thought about it) Fushimi Inari Taisha
before you visit these temples it's good to read a bit about them before you go. wikipedia, of course, is a good source for those things. One thing that I don't know how you would do but it'd best to do anyway is to check if the temples that you are planning to visit are under restoration or not. it gets really frustrating if 3 out of 4 of your favourite temples are under renovation. It happened to me in Nara, which I am going to write about now.
The first thing that you should visit in Nara is this Centennial Hall by Arata Isozaki. I think i've told you about it already. check it out on the web. Do NOT miss the orchestra pit. it's the little secret of the building and you'll find yourself awestruck when you see it. try to sneak into the main concert hall as well- you'll appreciate the spatial progression very much. Again, nara is famous for old temples so it's probably not the best place to see modern stuff. There's this ancient temple complex that you cannot miss - i mean literally. As soon as you enter the city it'll just be around you all the time. Totai-ji it is. Dai-butsen-In is the grand hall of this temple complex, in which the Daibutsen (the big buddha statue) is placed. Great structure, notice how the axes mundi completely dominates the city in a very asian way. Saidai-ji is a must see. It's kind of in the southwest of the city as far as i remember. It's a bit of a walk away from the station and it's quite hard to find. it's gonna be a nice walk though, i can assure you. you maybe drawn to visit this cluster: Tōshōdai-ji , Yakushi-ji, and Gangō-ji. Don't even bother about them - toshodai-ji and gango-ji are under restoration and yakushi-ji looks ridiculous after restoration. Skip them all. That means there's nothing much for you to see in Nara and yes, that means you can do a day trip there.
This is getting very long! I'll do chapter three about hiroshima, kobe, himeji, nagoya next time.
CKDW
Ori,
oh I am so sorry..... I've been working on my portfolio this week...
where was I last time, Nara and Kyoto right... I'll try to be concise this time. One thing that I forgot to tell you last time was that you shouldn't completely follow my footsteps - it was, no doubt, ingenuously organized by myself but Japan is a big country. You should be able to do better than that. Awaji Island, for instance, is a must go for you if you have time. That's where Tadao Ando's most famous complex is located. In addition, if you don't mind travelling into the hinterland of Japan please do try to visit Ibaraki, where the Church of Light is. I'll be excited to see pictures from you of those wonderful buildings.
What I would recommend to you is go to Kenzo Tange's official website and pick out a few buildings that he did from the 40s to the 60s. A good bunch of them are located in Okayama and Kurashiki - two cities that are 45 minutes (on Shinkensen of course) away from Osaka. I didn't get to visit those because I didn't have time. Like I said, call to check if you can get in. The former government building of Kurashiki (which is considered one of the master pieces by Kenzo) is transformed into an art museum. So check admission. Another 'Kenzo Tange shrine' is located in Hiroshima - the peace museum (I think Japanese people have this weird habit of turning something humiliating into something nicer than it is) that was built after the second world war. The children museum right next to it is worth going too. It's very A-bomb cute (the atmosphere is so bizarre in that thing... I can't even describe it but all I can say is that there is a sense of uniquely Japanese monstruosity to it. But that has to do with the fact that I found a bunch of deformed kids on field trip last time when I was there). Hiroshima is on the Western tip of Honshu so you might consider it your last stop across Honshu, before you head back to Tokyo. there is a pretty cheap place where you can stay in kurashiki - you might consider spending 2 or 3 days there and have daily excursions to himeji and okayama. http://www.hostelsweb.com/hostelsweb.com/hostel.php?HostelNumber=4586
That means before reaching Hiroshima you should visit Kobe and Himeji first. Kobe is a city of modest size (only 4 million people. Small city in Japanese scale). Nothing interesting really except the Hyogo Art Museum. This one is a must go - it marks Tadao Ando's recent shift to other building materials than concrete (although silk smooth concrete still dominates the composition of the building). The cantilever roofs are quite a spectacle to see. If you are wondering what useless urban planning is feel free to stroll around the shorefront on which the museum is located. The entire shorefront was designed by Tadao and it is completely desserted. You'll be able to find a couple of very interesting dwellings built by homeless people at some obscure corners. You should then proceed to the Earthquake museum - don't pay admission though, it's not worth seeing. The exterior facade's detail is quite amazing and I personally found the idea very poetic. Kobe city center is not much of an architectural scene - it doesn't have anything but department stores and shopping centers. One thing though is that things tend to be cheaper in Kobe. So maybe this is the best place where you can get a good slice of Japanese consumerism without emptying your wallet. Kobe is also famous for its beef, as you might know. I wouldn't spend more than a day in Kobe.
Then along the Tokaido Shinkensen line you'll find Himeji. This is a must-see, although most tour guides tend to skip it. Its city castle is the best kept one across Japan (especially when compared with the one in Osaka, which is essentially a concrete tower with plaster wall now). There are two Tadao ando buildings in the city - the children museum of Himeji and the museum of literature. i haven't been to the former but the latter is a great museum, if you don't mind the bullshit program (why didn't they just do a library??) The building is immersed in a quite residential neighborhood so it's quite hard to find. You can take a bus from the train station, hop off after the 5th or 6th station (not sure. check!) and walk for 5 minutes in order to get there. I am a bit worried that you might not be able to get there - imagine finding Ernest Cormier's house the first time you're in montreal. But do your best, it's worth a try. The children museum is a little far from city center and you have to figure out which bus to take. Their website would teach you though. One thing that I forgot to tell you is that there are travel aid counters in every big station in Japan and they have english-speakers standing behind the counter most of the time. So that means whenever you get off the train somewhere that might be your first destination. Ask for city maps there. There's another building by Kenzo Tange in the city... I think it's the history museum. you can skip that one cos it's one of those 80s stuff that he did. The whole building smells like rotting carpet because of the poor air-conditioning.... I hope I did a good job in deterring you. By the way, the city government building in Shinjuku, Tokyo was done by Kenzo's office in the 80s as well. That means don't go.
Two of the buildings that I visited in Japan were located in the absolute hinterland of Japan - the Shoji Ueda museum of photography by Shin Takamatsu and Miho Musuem by I.M. Pei. I don't recommend you to go to these places because even I freaked out when I found myself getting off a local train in the middle of a rice paddy. I am not saying that I am a better natvigator than you are - quite the contrary actually. But one advantage that I had was the fact that I could write Chinese characters, and that helped a lot, even though Japanese people would give me that racist face as soon as they realize that I am Chinese. Anyway, Shoji ueda museum of photography is amazing. It's by far the best building Shin Takamatsu has done (that means try to avoid his other stuff). But if you do decide to go, you have to take a train from Osaka to this station called Yonago. That station is not connected by Shinkensen and that means you have to take a local train to get there. Although it was way too long it was quite an experience actually - when you're there you'll understand why Japan is a mountainous country. During the train ride you'll see some amazing landscape and well-manicured rice paddy. And yes, check admission again by calling them (as opposed to just checking it online). Last time I went they were closed for no apparent reasons whatsoever. Imagine how i felt after 4 hours of train ride. Miho museum is not worth going at all. You have to take a two hour bus ride from a train station near Kyoto and pay the most expensive admission fee in order to get in. And it turns out that this place is a little nice hotel atrium built for rich middle-aged housewives to have tea and spend an afternoon. The only cool thing about that museum is its infamous bridge - the one that connects the outside world to the secluded (in fact literally buried) museum complex. In case you make it there, notice the structural lattice of the roof. The detail of that thing is amazing.
Nagoya: i wasn't there last time because the expo was happening. I was trying to avoid the crowd (since it's not like i can get in anyway just by hopping off the train). Architecturally I am not too familiar with the city so i am afraid that you have to do some research on this one by yourself. The only thing i know about this city is its city museum - it was done by Kisho Kurusawa in the 80s. As we all know, Kurusawa's stuff could be quite scary so you definitely want to decide whether you should go and see it or not.
That's pretty much what I did in Japan. You made it sound like Harry Potter but it really wasn't like that. I tried to keep a low-profile (by not running into trouble) in Japan but the experience was very fulfilling. The strange thing is that I only realized how much I have seen after I left Japan - though I remember by the point when I left the country I couldn't be more glad that I was leaving (perhaps because I missed my flight back the day before)
Now to answer your questions:
1. cost: hostel rooms range from 4500 JPY to 6000 JPY, depends where and what kind of services you want (if you decide to stay in hotels that's a whole different story). the ones that I chose in Kyoto and Nara are quite cheap (I remember paying 2800 JPY for the one in Nara). The ones in Osaka and Kurashiki are more expensive (6600 JPY and 5000 JPY respectively) but you HAVE TO try that one in Shin-Osaka. It's a good building by itself. Food cost may vary. If I were you I would just save up money for one or two good meals and just eat crap for the rest of the time. a proper lunch/supper cost about 300 jpy to 1000 jpy at a convenient store. I remember that a bowl of beef rice at Yoshinoya costs about 650 jpy. anyway, you get the scale. Transportation is by far the most expensive part of your travel plan. First of all you have to get that train pass from Canada (or Israel, wherever you are now) which costs about 80,000 JPY for 21 days http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en003.html. Plus you'll have to take metro in tokyo sometimes (Tokyo JR is like a doghnut- it doesn't get you to the center of the city. Not that it matters much usually but you'll need to take the metro when you want to get to the MOT and the Tsujuki fish market). Vending machines usually sell stuff at 250 JPY (drinks and what not. Japanese are really big on this drink called Pocari Sweat, which tastes like grapefruit juice but looks really like sweat)... Does it make about 800 dollars a day?
2.Worthwhile older architecture in Tokyo.... no. Don't even try. Well actually there is an old temple around Asakusabashi which is quite famous. I was there when i was 15 and i still remember how it was like - there's a shopping mall in the temple complex. Nuff's said. Tokyo is a relatively new city (it has been rebuilt 3 times, like Zion in the Matrix because of earthquakes) so old buildings in Tokyo is a big fat lie. The only ancient thing left in the city is its city planning structure - the 23 ward system that originates from nipponbashi. This is where Tokyo's infamously messy streetscape is. That said, it is ironic that JR doesn't even get you there. If you want to see old Japan around Tokyo go to Kamakura. Two things that I have forgotten to tell you about Tokyo (actually 3) are HARAJUKU/SHIBUYA and TSUJUKI FISH MARKET. The former is the most chic area of Tokyo. If you want to see how the center of asian trend and fashion looks like that's the place to go. Don't get me wrong, it's not a boutique area (well it is actually) but more like a 'life-style' area. Think St. Dennis or upper St. Laurent in Montreal, only 3 times more diverse and exciting. (look, it's not like i don't love montreal like everyone does, but it's Tokyo...) Try to have dinner at this Japanese/Thai restaurant called Kaffir Lime in Harajuku. you can actually find that place in google map. http://tokyo.metblogs.com/archives/2006/01/thai_food_in_to.phtml. To get there you just have to make a turn on Omotesando near the Christian Dior Store and Todd's, which are going to visit anyway. Shibuya is Harajuku on steroid. I don't know what exactly I should recommend to you but you know, just go there and feel the beat. It wouldn't be a bad idea to spend about 4 to 5 days in Tokyo.
3.no shigeru ban projects. Sorry. He hasn't really done much and I didn't see his stuff when i was there. There's another character in the Japanese architectural scene that I want to introduce to you though - waro kishi. Check out his stuff if you get a chance. Hey did I forget to tell you that Rafael Vinoly has a big establishment in Japan too? You might want to check out the Tokyo internationa forum right next to the Tokyo train station.
4. why didn't i? I don't know, maybe i read some stuff on some guide books and i didn't really like it. One thing about these old buildings is that you don't know whether they were rebuilt in the 50s or not. As long as you know it isn't that there's a big chance that it's a nice building.
5. One more advice: Talk to people in youth hostel! Try to spend time hanging out with people. I must have told you before but when I was in Osaka I bumped into this guy from India (Chandigarh) who was travelling around on a grant just to see Tadao Ando's stuff. Speaking of which, are you going to Hokkaido to see his stuff too?
well, that's about it... the return of archi-jedi... dude, i don't like that name. Call me Tokyo Ranger. Say hi to Soph for me. So she's in Mexico now? I'll probably ask her to write me what I wrote to you when I'm planning my trip there.
Good luck and have fun! Tell me how it goes.
CKDW
Hi Ori,
Hey how are you? I am really excited by your decision to apply for the japan thing. It'll definitely be a great architectural pilgrimage for you. So here comes my first advice: do it.
there's really a lot that I want to tell you but i don't have a clue about where i should start. Perhaps i should just answer the string of questions that you pose me one by one, before i tried to add my own thing.
I spent a month in Japan to travel across Honshu. Honshu is one of the four major islands of japan. That said, I think you should spend some time in Hokkaido and possibly shikoku, the other two islands. It is generally easy to travel across japan because you can buy a japan rail pass http://www.japanrail.com/ from a foreign country (israel, mexico or canada, depends where you end up before you depart for japan) and plan your itinerary along shinkensen, the rapid train system in japan. you can get it from agencies designated by japan rail. check out the japan rail website for details.
I spent my first three days in tokyo, visited omotesando (where the prada store, the spiral by fumihiko maki, comme des garcon store, tadao ando's mall and furniture showcase store, toyo ito's todd's, SANAA studio's christian dior store, the chanel flagship store and various award winning buildings are. just take a walk around omotesando and hop into any buildings that look good to you) and ikebukuro (where the famous st. mary cathedral by kenzo tange and fumihiko maki's tepia are). The tokyo met is a must-go http://www.mot-art-museum.jp/. This building was designed by Mariko Miyagi, who is not so famous internationally but is critically acclaimed in japan. Visit also the museum of photography. architecturally it's not great but they often have excellent photography exhibitions there. check this website http://www.syabi.com/ google these buildings to check them out. There is also an interesting new development called rappongi hills, where the famous mori tower is. visit the lobby of mori museum. architecturally it's not that good but it is a good architectural phenomenon to look at. it's quite nicely done but it's quite expensive to get beyond the lobby. travelling in tokyo is complicated by its complex railway system. put simply, the city of tokyo is overlayed by two major railway system - the japan rail (tokyo) and the metro. Try your best to take Japan rail all the time because your japan rail pass can access these local trains. Don't worry about the differnet kinds of JR lines when you visit the website because with your japan rail pass you are supposed to be able to take all the trains (confirm with your agent) except one or two of them. If you decide to travel across honshu it's mostly likely that you'll take the Tokaido Shinkensen all the time (you'll know what i mean after some research on JR) Notice that different trains run at different speeds ( i.e. they sometimes skip stations), even though they depart from the same station. It doesn't matter much if you are not travelling too far but if you are going from one city to another your schedule could be delayed for as much as a whole day. I have attached a Tokyo metro map http://www.bento.com/subtop5.html for your information here. as you can see, it looks like a bowl of technicolor spheghetti. But this is the only way to get around really so make sure that you know which station you are going everytime you travel. For a place to stay check out http://www.hihostels.com/openHome.do. I stayed at the youth hostel at Asakusabashi, which is a very interesting area peppered with little restaurants under railway bridges. You'd experience the famous quick noodles stand that westerners fantasize about.
Then you should do two cities at the peripheries of Tokyo - Yokohama and Kamakura. Yokohama worths only a half day trip because, as far as you are concerned, the International Ferry Terminal is the only thing worth seeing. Kamakura, on the contrary, can easily make a full-day excursion for you. It is an old city populated with temples that are at least 900 years old. People say that visiting temples in Kamakura is like dining out in Tokyo - temples are everywhere. it's just that you don't know which ones are good. Well, I visited the, Kenkoku-ji, Kencho-ji, Yankoku-ji (not sure about the spelling. but it's the one that starts with Y.) and two other temples whose names escaped my memory. What i am sure though, is that one of those temples is right next to the Kamakura station (North). You will be able to pick up a pamphlet there that tells you the five oldest temples in the city. Visit as many as you can for the day. Anyway, it's not worth staying at either of these cities overnight unless if you catch the wrong train and can't make it back to tokyo on time. Plan you trip according to the train schedule though - it helps.
I proceeded to Atami for hotspring but you probably don't want to do that - it wasn't worth it anyway. If you want to have a good hotspring experience you should try hokkaido, where I didn't go last time. After tokyo you can either go north or west - if you go north you'll hit sendai, where the famous Sendai Mediatheque by Toyo Ito is. If you head west I think you should make your stop at Osaka (or actually Shin-Osaka, to be accurate). I stayed at a great hostel at Shin-Osaka. check this out. http://www.hihostels.com/performOpenHostel.do?shop=32356. Osaka itself is a boring city. you'll see beautiful skyscrapers like the yoshimoto tower but that's about it. The old osaka castle is totally not worth going because it's just a remake of the old one that was completely bombed during the second world war. You will, however, be awe-struck by the hustles and bustles at Umeda, where the cool restaurants and bars are. Try not to go to Umeda city, the tallest building in Osaka because it's such an ugly building. plus i remember it was quite expensive to go up there. But if you do decide to go, well, enjoy the view. It's impossible to tell you which one exactly i have been to but explore it yourself. it is extremely exciting. From osaka you should make a day-trip to Himeiji, where the museum of literature, the children's museum by tadao ando are. Speaking of Tadao ando, I think there's actually a book that is published specifically for architectural erasmus like you and I. Buy that book before you head off. Pay a visit to the old himeji castle too - it's absolutely amazing. It's one of those buildings that are so old that you have take off your shoes and wear plastic bags before you go in. The second city that you should spend a day in is Kobe. Kobe city center is, like other japanese cities, densely packed with shopping malls and neon signs and are probably not so interesting for you as a traveller. So visit the Hyogo art museum (ando) and the earthquake memorial next to it (i forgot who did it). These buildings were done after the famous 1994 kobe-awaji-osaka earthquake. and yes, there are some interesting projects at awaji by tadao ando as well that you might want to visit.
It's getting late and I have a class tomorrow. I'll get to Kyoto, Nara, Tottori, Nagoya, shigaraki, okayama and Hiroshima tomorrow. But it sounds like fun to you already, doesn't it?
CKDW
Ori,
so where was i last time? tokyo, kamakura and yokohama right?
okay, i sort of hopped around kyoto, osaka and nara a bit during the time when i was in central honshu. kyoto's wonderful for ancient japanese architecture. don't skip them, like most arch students do as they despise japanese temples as 'a slice of japanese exotica for tourists'. Good architecture always inspires, no matter when it's built. i can actually say that i got more from temples than from 'modern' buildings. By the way i stayed at this nice intimate little hostel that you'd no doubt enjoy too: http://www.hihostels.com/performOpenHostel.do?shop=32001. It's very close to Ryouanji, Nanni-ji and Kinkakuji. Check their bike rental service. you can do all 3 of those temples on a bike.
That said, the first thing that would impress you when you arrive at kyoto is its new train station (by either kurosawa or yoshio hara, i forgot). Yes, 'postmodern' but it's a solid good building. for some reason 'postmodern aesthetics' are less repulsive in japan than in the states. you'll see what i mean when you visit its atrium. it's lovely. it's easier to travel around in kyoto on a bus - they run until pretty late so you can spend more time enjoying the night life of kyoto (not that you would actively participate in it by partying all the time - in fact you shouldn't. spend your time in little japanese restaurant drinking sake in some obscure back alleys) Bus passes are available at Kyoto train station (actually at the bus station outside). There are a few deals, i forgot what. But the best one I believe is the day pass - but you know me, i must have got the wrong pass anyway. Do the math yourself. By the way, here are a few pieces of advice about eating in japan that you'd no doubt enjoy:
1. print this out. this will help -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_restaurant
2. get food from 7-eleven and other convenient stores. I am not joking. Convenient store food is surprisingly good in japan. this is pretty much the cheapest option. Another good thing about convenient store is that you don't have to tell anyone what you want, which saves a lot of hassle miming a plate of speghetti to a waitor in a restaurant. If you want to reduce your spending to minimal, just refrain from picking anything else but the triangular rice dumplings that are wrapped in glad wrap.
3. noodles stands in train stations are good. major stations have noodle stands usually. unlike in normal countries, there are always machines that sell noodles tickets, which you would hand in to the 'chef'. you'll be able to see little vignette of what you are gonna get if you are lucky. but if not, just repeatedly yell 'soba' or 'udon' to the cook. don't worry. no one understands english and i am absolutely serious.
4. yoshinoya. a fast food restaurant that serves thin slices of beef or pork on rice. fast food style. cheap and tasty and gives you a good amount of carb for the day. check this: http://www.yoshinoyausa.com/ to see what kind of food they are offering.
Kyoto is of course famous for its Ryuanji in the West - the stereotypical japanese zen garden that we have all seen in text books. Ryuanji actually belongs to a cluster of temples in that area (the mountainous west end of hte city). 10 minutes away from Ryuanji is the gorgeous Ninnaji (not sure about spelling. check map. it has the oldest wooden structure in the city and its amazing). Kinkaku-ji (the golden temple) is only 20 minutes away from Ryuanji on foot - but skip it. it's not worth the admission fee just to see that concrete thing (painted gold) floating on water. at the center of the city are the tofuji (two blocks away from the train station, again not sure about spelling). On the east side there's this cluster of temples and gardens that you HAVE TO check out. the first one is Kiyomizu-dera. This is an imperative. Then comes the Daitoku-ji, the temple complex that includes a whole cluster of impressive temples. If I remember correctly, Daiseiin has 5 impressive zen gardens that are connected with a very poetic narrative. note the influence of christianity in these 5 gardens. Other great temples in this complex includes Obaiin, Jukoin and Ryokoin.
As for modern building kyoto sucks. I visited Tadao Ando's ceremic painting garden and it was ridiculous. It's a good building but it hurts you to see a rubbish program like this.
That being said, there are things that you have to avoid. Generally try to refrain going into Shinto shrines. They are not worth it. Dont' be overcome by tourist big names such as Kitano Tenman-gu and Heian Jingu (particularly this one. DO NOT GO IN). Although this one might be good (i didn't go cos i didn't have time, but i thought about it) Fushimi Inari Taisha
before you visit these temples it's good to read a bit about them before you go. wikipedia, of course, is a good source for those things. One thing that I don't know how you would do but it'd best to do anyway is to check if the temples that you are planning to visit are under restoration or not. it gets really frustrating if 3 out of 4 of your favourite temples are under renovation. It happened to me in Nara, which I am going to write about now.
The first thing that you should visit in Nara is this Centennial Hall by Arata Isozaki. I think i've told you about it already. check it out on the web. Do NOT miss the orchestra pit. it's the little secret of the building and you'll find yourself awestruck when you see it. try to sneak into the main concert hall as well- you'll appreciate the spatial progression very much. Again, nara is famous for old temples so it's probably not the best place to see modern stuff. There's this ancient temple complex that you cannot miss - i mean literally. As soon as you enter the city it'll just be around you all the time. Totai-ji it is. Dai-butsen-In is the grand hall of this temple complex, in which the Daibutsen (the big buddha statue) is placed. Great structure, notice how the axes mundi completely dominates the city in a very asian way. Saidai-ji is a must see. It's kind of in the southwest of the city as far as i remember. It's a bit of a walk away from the station and it's quite hard to find. it's gonna be a nice walk though, i can assure you. you maybe drawn to visit this cluster: Tōshōdai-ji , Yakushi-ji, and Gangō-ji. Don't even bother about them - toshodai-ji and gango-ji are under restoration and yakushi-ji looks ridiculous after restoration. Skip them all. That means there's nothing much for you to see in Nara and yes, that means you can do a day trip there.
This is getting very long! I'll do chapter three about hiroshima, kobe, himeji, nagoya next time.
CKDW
Ori,
oh I am so sorry..... I've been working on my portfolio this week...
where was I last time, Nara and Kyoto right... I'll try to be concise this time. One thing that I forgot to tell you last time was that you shouldn't completely follow my footsteps - it was, no doubt, ingenuously organized by myself but Japan is a big country. You should be able to do better than that. Awaji Island, for instance, is a must go for you if you have time. That's where Tadao Ando's most famous complex is located. In addition, if you don't mind travelling into the hinterland of Japan please do try to visit Ibaraki, where the Church of Light is. I'll be excited to see pictures from you of those wonderful buildings.
What I would recommend to you is go to Kenzo Tange's official website and pick out a few buildings that he did from the 40s to the 60s. A good bunch of them are located in Okayama and Kurashiki - two cities that are 45 minutes (on Shinkensen of course) away from Osaka. I didn't get to visit those because I didn't have time. Like I said, call to check if you can get in. The former government building of Kurashiki (which is considered one of the master pieces by Kenzo) is transformed into an art museum. So check admission. Another 'Kenzo Tange shrine' is located in Hiroshima - the peace museum (I think Japanese people have this weird habit of turning something humiliating into something nicer than it is) that was built after the second world war. The children museum right next to it is worth going too. It's very A-bomb cute (the atmosphere is so bizarre in that thing... I can't even describe it but all I can say is that there is a sense of uniquely Japanese monstruosity to it. But that has to do with the fact that I found a bunch of deformed kids on field trip last time when I was there). Hiroshima is on the Western tip of Honshu so you might consider it your last stop across Honshu, before you head back to Tokyo. there is a pretty cheap place where you can stay in kurashiki - you might consider spending 2 or 3 days there and have daily excursions to himeji and okayama. http://www.hostelsweb.com/hostelsweb.com/hostel.php?HostelNumber=4586
That means before reaching Hiroshima you should visit Kobe and Himeji first. Kobe is a city of modest size (only 4 million people. Small city in Japanese scale). Nothing interesting really except the Hyogo Art Museum. This one is a must go - it marks Tadao Ando's recent shift to other building materials than concrete (although silk smooth concrete still dominates the composition of the building). The cantilever roofs are quite a spectacle to see. If you are wondering what useless urban planning is feel free to stroll around the shorefront on which the museum is located. The entire shorefront was designed by Tadao and it is completely desserted. You'll be able to find a couple of very interesting dwellings built by homeless people at some obscure corners. You should then proceed to the Earthquake museum - don't pay admission though, it's not worth seeing. The exterior facade's detail is quite amazing and I personally found the idea very poetic. Kobe city center is not much of an architectural scene - it doesn't have anything but department stores and shopping centers. One thing though is that things tend to be cheaper in Kobe. So maybe this is the best place where you can get a good slice of Japanese consumerism without emptying your wallet. Kobe is also famous for its beef, as you might know. I wouldn't spend more than a day in Kobe.
Then along the Tokaido Shinkensen line you'll find Himeji. This is a must-see, although most tour guides tend to skip it. Its city castle is the best kept one across Japan (especially when compared with the one in Osaka, which is essentially a concrete tower with plaster wall now). There are two Tadao ando buildings in the city - the children museum of Himeji and the museum of literature. i haven't been to the former but the latter is a great museum, if you don't mind the bullshit program (why didn't they just do a library??) The building is immersed in a quite residential neighborhood so it's quite hard to find. You can take a bus from the train station, hop off after the 5th or 6th station (not sure. check!) and walk for 5 minutes in order to get there. I am a bit worried that you might not be able to get there - imagine finding Ernest Cormier's house the first time you're in montreal. But do your best, it's worth a try. The children museum is a little far from city center and you have to figure out which bus to take. Their website would teach you though. One thing that I forgot to tell you is that there are travel aid counters in every big station in Japan and they have english-speakers standing behind the counter most of the time. So that means whenever you get off the train somewhere that might be your first destination. Ask for city maps there. There's another building by Kenzo Tange in the city... I think it's the history museum. you can skip that one cos it's one of those 80s stuff that he did. The whole building smells like rotting carpet because of the poor air-conditioning.... I hope I did a good job in deterring you. By the way, the city government building in Shinjuku, Tokyo was done by Kenzo's office in the 80s as well. That means don't go.
Two of the buildings that I visited in Japan were located in the absolute hinterland of Japan - the Shoji Ueda museum of photography by Shin Takamatsu and Miho Musuem by I.M. Pei. I don't recommend you to go to these places because even I freaked out when I found myself getting off a local train in the middle of a rice paddy. I am not saying that I am a better natvigator than you are - quite the contrary actually. But one advantage that I had was the fact that I could write Chinese characters, and that helped a lot, even though Japanese people would give me that racist face as soon as they realize that I am Chinese. Anyway, Shoji ueda museum of photography is amazing. It's by far the best building Shin Takamatsu has done (that means try to avoid his other stuff). But if you do decide to go, you have to take a train from Osaka to this station called Yonago. That station is not connected by Shinkensen and that means you have to take a local train to get there. Although it was way too long it was quite an experience actually - when you're there you'll understand why Japan is a mountainous country. During the train ride you'll see some amazing landscape and well-manicured rice paddy. And yes, check admission again by calling them (as opposed to just checking it online). Last time I went they were closed for no apparent reasons whatsoever. Imagine how i felt after 4 hours of train ride. Miho museum is not worth going at all. You have to take a two hour bus ride from a train station near Kyoto and pay the most expensive admission fee in order to get in. And it turns out that this place is a little nice hotel atrium built for rich middle-aged housewives to have tea and spend an afternoon. The only cool thing about that museum is its infamous bridge - the one that connects the outside world to the secluded (in fact literally buried) museum complex. In case you make it there, notice the structural lattice of the roof. The detail of that thing is amazing.
Nagoya: i wasn't there last time because the expo was happening. I was trying to avoid the crowd (since it's not like i can get in anyway just by hopping off the train). Architecturally I am not too familiar with the city so i am afraid that you have to do some research on this one by yourself. The only thing i know about this city is its city museum - it was done by Kisho Kurusawa in the 80s. As we all know, Kurusawa's stuff could be quite scary so you definitely want to decide whether you should go and see it or not.
That's pretty much what I did in Japan. You made it sound like Harry Potter but it really wasn't like that. I tried to keep a low-profile (by not running into trouble) in Japan but the experience was very fulfilling. The strange thing is that I only realized how much I have seen after I left Japan - though I remember by the point when I left the country I couldn't be more glad that I was leaving (perhaps because I missed my flight back the day before)
Now to answer your questions:
1. cost: hostel rooms range from 4500 JPY to 6000 JPY, depends where and what kind of services you want (if you decide to stay in hotels that's a whole different story). the ones that I chose in Kyoto and Nara are quite cheap (I remember paying 2800 JPY for the one in Nara). The ones in Osaka and Kurashiki are more expensive (6600 JPY and 5000 JPY respectively) but you HAVE TO try that one in Shin-Osaka. It's a good building by itself. Food cost may vary. If I were you I would just save up money for one or two good meals and just eat crap for the rest of the time. a proper lunch/supper cost about 300 jpy to 1000 jpy at a convenient store. I remember that a bowl of beef rice at Yoshinoya costs about 650 jpy. anyway, you get the scale. Transportation is by far the most expensive part of your travel plan. First of all you have to get that train pass from Canada (or Israel, wherever you are now) which costs about 80,000 JPY for 21 days http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en003.html. Plus you'll have to take metro in tokyo sometimes (Tokyo JR is like a doghnut- it doesn't get you to the center of the city. Not that it matters much usually but you'll need to take the metro when you want to get to the MOT and the Tsujuki fish market). Vending machines usually sell stuff at 250 JPY (drinks and what not. Japanese are really big on this drink called Pocari Sweat, which tastes like grapefruit juice but looks really like sweat)... Does it make about 800 dollars a day?
2.Worthwhile older architecture in Tokyo.... no. Don't even try. Well actually there is an old temple around Asakusabashi which is quite famous. I was there when i was 15 and i still remember how it was like - there's a shopping mall in the temple complex. Nuff's said. Tokyo is a relatively new city (it has been rebuilt 3 times, like Zion in the Matrix because of earthquakes) so old buildings in Tokyo is a big fat lie. The only ancient thing left in the city is its city planning structure - the 23 ward system that originates from nipponbashi. This is where Tokyo's infamously messy streetscape is. That said, it is ironic that JR doesn't even get you there. If you want to see old Japan around Tokyo go to Kamakura. Two things that I have forgotten to tell you about Tokyo (actually 3) are HARAJUKU/SHIBUYA and TSUJUKI FISH MARKET. The former is the most chic area of Tokyo. If you want to see how the center of asian trend and fashion looks like that's the place to go. Don't get me wrong, it's not a boutique area (well it is actually) but more like a 'life-style' area. Think St. Dennis or upper St. Laurent in Montreal, only 3 times more diverse and exciting. (look, it's not like i don't love montreal like everyone does, but it's Tokyo...) Try to have dinner at this Japanese/Thai restaurant called Kaffir Lime in Harajuku. you can actually find that place in google map. http://tokyo.metblogs.com/archives/2006/01/thai_food_in_to.phtml. To get there you just have to make a turn on Omotesando near the Christian Dior Store and Todd's, which are going to visit anyway. Shibuya is Harajuku on steroid. I don't know what exactly I should recommend to you but you know, just go there and feel the beat. It wouldn't be a bad idea to spend about 4 to 5 days in Tokyo.
3.no shigeru ban projects. Sorry. He hasn't really done much and I didn't see his stuff when i was there. There's another character in the Japanese architectural scene that I want to introduce to you though - waro kishi. Check out his stuff if you get a chance. Hey did I forget to tell you that Rafael Vinoly has a big establishment in Japan too? You might want to check out the Tokyo internationa forum right next to the Tokyo train station.
4. why didn't i? I don't know, maybe i read some stuff on some guide books and i didn't really like it. One thing about these old buildings is that you don't know whether they were rebuilt in the 50s or not. As long as you know it isn't that there's a big chance that it's a nice building.
5. One more advice: Talk to people in youth hostel! Try to spend time hanging out with people. I must have told you before but when I was in Osaka I bumped into this guy from India (Chandigarh) who was travelling around on a grant just to see Tadao Ando's stuff. Speaking of which, are you going to Hokkaido to see his stuff too?
well, that's about it... the return of archi-jedi... dude, i don't like that name. Call me Tokyo Ranger. Say hi to Soph for me. So she's in Mexico now? I'll probably ask her to write me what I wrote to you when I'm planning my trip there.
Good luck and have fun! Tell me how it goes.
CKDW
posted by ckdw at 3:35 PM
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