Holiday in Hot Springs (Onsen)
Japan is well-known for its many volcanoes, and consequently there are a lot of hot springs (onsen) all over Japan. Many Japanese people like to spend their holidays in hot springs. Even monkeys like hot springs in Nagano. It is very relaxing to take a bath in hot springs. It is said that they are effective in curing illnesses and injury. Many elders visit hot springs for medical treatment. There are many different kinds of hot springs depending on the amount and kinds of minerals in the water. What''s onsen? It indicates 14 basic kinds of hot springs. Different onsen are effective for different conditions. Some kinds of water can be smelly and very hot.
The way of bathing in a hot spring is the same as that of public baths. The baths are usually separated for women and men. You are supposed to take all your clothes off. Usually people do not wear bathing suits in hot springs in Japan. The Public Bath tells you step by step how to bathe in a public bath.
Many hot springs are inside Japanese inns (Ryokan), and those are for people who are staying in the inns. If you are staying in a ryokan with a hot spring, you can enjoy local food and steak too. There are also hot springs which are open to the public. Roten buro (open air baths), where you can see beautiful nature views are very popular. Soaking up Japan''s Hot Springs by Rachel Farnay shows you various scenes from a visit to a Japanese inn with roten buro. Dave''s Natural and Traditional Hot Springs of Japan is a collection of pictures from hot springs all over Japan.
Japanese Ski Resorts
Skiing is a very popular winter sport in Japan, and there are many ski resorts you can visit. Most of the famous Japanese ski resorts are located in the Chucub region and Hakuba area in Nagano (Chubu region) is one of them. In the 1998 Downhill, Super G, Jumping, Biathlon, and Cross Country competitions were held there.
Skiing in Japan can be costly for you since the accommodations, food, and lift tickets tend to be expensive. However, if you stay at "Minshuku," which is a private guest house, the cost is cheaper. There are many minshuku around any ski resort. It is a good idea to visit the local Kankou Annai-jo (Tourist information center). They usually have a list of minshuku in their areas.
Camping in Japan
As camping has become a popular leisure activity among Japanese people, hundreds of campgrounds have been built all over the country. Campgrounds are called camp-jo in Japan. Also, campgrounds which has RV sites are called auto camp-jo. The price varies site by site, but the average camping fee for a family with a RV is about 5000 yen per night. Most of the auto camp-jo in Japan offer facilities seen in the campgrounds in North America, such as shower rooms, restrooms, sewer, electricity, water, and so on. Some even have hot springs!
If you plan to stay in a campground during the summer (July and August) or on weekends, early reservations are recommended. There are check-out and check-in times in each campground. Make sure to ask the times when you make reservations. Also, during the off season, many campgrounds are closed.
Fun at Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland is the most famous amusement park in Japan. This park is filled with many people throughout the year - there is no off-season here. I think both adults and children enjoy the fun in Tokyo Disneyland. If you''ve been to Disneyland in the United States, it might be a fun experience to compare the differences and similarities between the two parks. Image Mickey Mouse speaking to you in Japanese!
Tokyo Disneyland is located in Urayasu, Chiba. It is right outside of Tokyo. The best way to get there is by taking the JR Keiyo line train from Tokyo to Maihama station. Then it is only a 10 min. walk from Maihama station to Tokyo Disneyland. Tokyo Disneyland''s Official home page tells you more access information.
The general admission ticket cost is 3,670 yen for an adult. If you are planning to use many of the attractions, getting a Passport is a good idea. It costs 5,200 yen for an adult and includes all attractions. There is a Starlight Passport (4,180 yen/an adult) for admission to the park after 5:00 p.m. on certain days. More detailed ticket information from Tokyo Disneyland''s official home page is available. Those tickets are sold in the main entrance of the park, but usually there is a long waiting line. It might save your time if you purchase tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased from travel agencies in Japan. Also, Tokyo
Disney land center is located in Hibiya Mitsui Building in Hibiya station, Tokyo.
Climbing Mt. Fuji
Many Japanese people dream of climbing Mt. Fuji once in their lives. Mt. Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan (3776m - 12290 feet), and Japanese people love the mountain, calling it as Fuji-san. It''s located about 60miles southwest of Tokyo in Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures.
The official climbing season for Mt. Fuji is from July 1 to the end of August. Mt. Fuji Safety Center is open at the 6th Station during the climbing season (0555-24-6223). Although all trails get really crowded, it''s best to climb Mt. Fuji at this time of year. The off season climb is discouraged due to the bad climate. It''s said that about 300,000 people try to climb Mt. Fuji every year and that 30-40% of them are foreign visitors.
John Lennon Museum
Since the John Lennon museum opened on October 9 in 2000, many fans and tourists from the world have visited the museum. It''s located in Saitama prefecture, Japan and is close to Tokyo. John Lennon''s widow, Yoko Ono, approved this museum as the world''s first museum to honor John Lennon. Yoko Ono visited this museum for a special event in June, 2001. It''s a wonderful museum, which is worth a visit.
The museum exhibits more than 100 items, including John Lennon''s guitars, handwritten lyrics, stage costumes, photos, and lots more. Items are displayed in chronological order from John Lennon''s birth to the end of life. In addition to these regular exhibitions, the museum offers special exhibitions.
Question：
1. Do many elderly people go to the hot springs ? (for medical treatment)
2．Which mountain is the tallest one in Japan? (Mt.Fuji)
3. Where are most of the famous ski resorts located? (Chubu and Hokkaido)
