corneredglobe

Most travelers visiting Japan follow the popular tourist circuit which takes them through Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka and do day trips to popular destinations like Kamakura, Nikko or Nara. While there's nothing wrong with traveling through Japan's most popular sites, this is an amazing country with so much more to offer. After all, Japan is rich in history, natural beauty and culture that's both reserved and enchanting.

Below is my list of places which are off the beaten track you must consider visiting in Japan:

Japan is a quirky, weird and wonderful place.

There's a lot of things about the Japanese culture that amuses, surprises and shocks visitors. Some of the weird things stem from the fact that this is a very reserved culture.

Most of the items on the list are harmless and fun in nature, while others are quite shocking and sad. This is my list of the top things that baffle foreigners when they visit Japan.

I never intended to visit Meoto Iwa, but I was conned into going by the Japanese Tourism office. I like to think that I'm a sophisticated traveler who's not easily scammed. It never occurred to me that I'd be played for a fool by the Japanese, since I consider them to be one of the most honest cultures in the world.

It's like being tricked by the Pope, never saw it coming!

A visit Hiroshima is a moving experience. Historically Hiroshima occupies a dark chapter in our world's history. It's infamously known for being the location of where the first atomic bomb was dropped. The city was decimated and hundreds of thousands of people died. Its painful to be confronted with its history and the scale of damage, death and destruction wrecked on a human population; and yet it still manages to be an uplifting experience.

Kyoto is blessed with having a seemingly endless supply of temples and shrines, and yet it seems all the tourists congregate around the most famous 10 or 15 temples in the city. While it makes sense that everyone would want to see Fushimi Inari or the golden temple (Kinkakuji), it sadly makes visiting those popular sites less pleasant. The congested temple grounds heave under the weight of tourists who swarm these places like a colony of ants.

Rather than following the standard circuit of popular temples, below is a list of quieter shrines you can visit and enjoy without having to fight for your space.

In my travels around the world, Kyoto as a city stands out from almost every other place I've visited. It's a historical and cultural marvel. With 1000's of temples and shrines, stunning zen gardens and restrained natural beauty, you're guaranteed to fall under its alluring spell.

Attempting a 24 hour layover visit to Kyoto (in my opinion) is a crime against traveling. The sheer breadth of what there is to see and do in this incredible place means you'll definitely be missing out on a lot of amazing experiences. I spent 5 days here, and still left wanting to see more.

Below is my attempt at a 48 hour itinerary for Kyoto, listing what I think are the absolute must see attractions

Kyoto is an ethereal city that's packed with over 1600 shrines and temples, countless beautiful Zen gardens and more history than you could possibly hope to absorb in a single visit. This is one of the few places on Earth where having a pre-planned itinerary is mandatory. There's so much to see and do that it would be very easy to get overwhelmed. To make things easier below is my list of the top attractions you must see while in Kyoto.

I couldn't breathe. I felt like the walls were closing in on me. This is not normal. This is not natural. How can people live like this. How can they sustain their spirits and sanity living in such tight quarters.

This capsule had no ventilation and it was hot. I could feel my body burn up as I started to sweat profusely. The lamp inside the capsule was barely emitting any light and only illuminated a small corner of the box. I was sitting in almost complete darkness.

This box isn't like a coffin -- IT IS A COFFIN.

Last year I happened to be in Japan during Halloween. The Japanese are notorious for their love of cosplay and dressing up as their favorite characters. Halloween is a relatively new celebration in Japan, but from the crazy day and night that I spent in Shibuya it's safe to say that they have fully embraced this event.