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When I think of Japan, many things come to my mind like its rich culture, hard working and intelligent Japanese people, its sweet cartoon films like Doraemon which my children also like, the Japanese kitchen, Sakura trees, Japanese tea gardens or the enchanting scenes of the film “Memoirs of A Geisha”. I strongly suggest this 2005 American film based on the novel of the same name that tells the story of a Japanese girl who is sold by her poor family to a geisha house -an okiya- and that reveals the secrets and sacrifices of the geisha lifestyle. I think this film is a masterpiece not for only its script but also its scenes of Japanese nature. The film takes place in California and in several locations of Kyoto-one of the major cities of Japan home to many Buddhist temples, palaces and gardens which are listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

However, what inspired me to write this post is not this film that I had seen long ago but the photo above that I saw in the January 2020 issue of the ‘Sunday Times Travel’ magazine which seemed so cold but so cosy to me. This wonderful winter photo is taken in ‘Shibuya Crossing‘ which is one of the most important landmarks in Tokyo. It is an intersection point where the area is covered with lights and advertisements and famous for constantly pouring people from all directions. There are many cafes and restaurants facing the intersection. Shibuya Crossing is said to be a representation of modern Japan and a popular location for movies and media in Tokyo which appears in the film ‘Lost in Translation‘ as well -a good film to note that takes place in Tokyo.
Photos below: The Sunday Times Travel, January 2020 issue

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In the article in ‘Sunday Times Travel’, it is stated that although December to March is the quietest and cheapest time to visit Japan, winter has much more to offer. The photos in the magazine act as an evidence of this. You can see the snowcapped Mount Fuji or the pretty towns in the Japanese Alps covered with snow. The Alpine towns mentioned include Takayama which is said to be one of the country’s prettiest towns with its wooden buildings serving as tea houses and breweries; Ogimachi with its ancient ‘gassho-zukuri’ farmhouses; Matsumato with its grand old castle and Sapporo -the capital of Japan’s northern island Hokkaido which hosted the 1972 Olympics and where there is a Snow Festival every year. In Sapporo, you can enjoy the frozen lake Shikotsu, Moerenuma Park and the vast ice sculptures in the annual Snow Festival. The writing also mentions Suskino, Sapporo’s nightlife district of clubs, pubs, shops and restaurants where you can also find ‘jingisukan’- a Mongolian BBQ which is the city’s speciality.
Photos below: The Sunday Times Travel, January 2020 issue

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In winter, Japanese people are said to huddle in smoky bars or enjoy the heated onsen baths. An onsen -the first time I heard in this article- is a Japanese hot spring which is mentioned as a Japanese ritual which is entered nude, men and women segregated. It is not only the Japanese people who enjoy the warm outdoor onsen baths but also the snow monkeys known as Japanese macaques that are said to descend in droves from their mountain habitats to dip in the hot springs mostly at Jigokudani, a conservation park outside Nagano.