日本NipponPlan

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Travel notes for Japan
Guides5 min readOsaka Bay and USJ: how to plan a theme park dayA theme park day at Universal Studios Japan, on Osaka Bay, needs planning. Here is how to choose your base, travel there and check the rules before you go.Guides5 min readOsaka Castle and Honmachi: a calm morningOsaka Castle Park is a calm place for a morning walk, next to the business district of Honmachi. Here is how to plan a relaxed start to your day in Osaka.Guides5 min readRyoan-ji and the quiet temples north-west of the centreRyoan-ji is famous for its stone garden. Here is how to pair it with quieter temples and gardens in north-west Kyoto, and how to slow the visit down.Guides5 min readSeven days in Tokyo and Kyoto with one Shinkansen dayA first-time plan for one week: most nights in Tokyo, most nights in Kyoto, one train day between them, and tips for each part.Guides5 min readShinsaibashi and Amerikamura: fashion and street styleHow to read the fashion of Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura, where to look for vintage and young design, and how to shop in small Osaka stores with confidence.Guides5 min readShinsaibashi: a shopping day in OsakaShinsaibashi is Osaka's covered shopping street and its young fashion district. Here is how to plan a shopping day, eat well and avoid the worst crowds.Guides5 min readShinsaibashi-suji on a rainy day: covered shoppingWhen it rains in Osaka, Shinsaibashi-suji keeps you dry. Here is a route under cover, umbrella manners for shops, and a plan B if the rain turns heavy.Guides5 min readShinsekai for a food evening: kushikatsu mannersHow to enjoy a food evening in Shinsekai: how to order kushikatsu, the dipping rule that Osaka shops ask you to follow, and how to eat respectfully in narrow streets.Guides5 min readShinsekai and Tennoji: old Osaka in one afternoonShinsekai has old-style streets, a famous tower and cheap food. Tennoji adds a park, a temple and a view. Here is how to spend one afternoon in both.Practical5 min readTax-free shopping: check the latest refund rulesVisitors can sometimes get back consumption tax on purchases. The refund process has changed, so learn how to check your eligibility and keep the right papers.Practical5 min readTemple and shrine manners on a first visitShrines and temples are working places of worship. Learn the simple steps for purification, prayer, photos and shoes so you visit with respect.Guides6 min readTen days across Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and OsakaA ten-day first trip through Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka: the order, the nights, the food and the train days that need a check.