Not Another Shrine Tour: 10 Weird & Wonderful Experiences Living in Japan

Not Another Shrine Tour: 10 Weird & Wonderful Experiences Living in Japan

Good day. I’m Les and I’m Mani. And we’re an Aussie couple who moved to Japan nearly 10 years ago. After almost a decade of unforgettable moments, we’re counting down our top 10 wild, weird, and wonderful experiences living in Japan. So, stick around to the end for a bonus experience and the one disaster we definitely didn’t see coming. Some of this footage was taken on our phones back in the early days, so it’s not crystal clear, but our memories are. So, let’s kick things off with number 10. Japanese baseball. Now, we aren’t baseball fans, and we can’t tell you who’s at the top of the league, but we haven’t let that stop us from going to a few games. It really is an experience, and we often spend more time watching what’s happening in the stadium than actually watching the game. There are beer girls running up and down the aisles, on field antics from mascots and dancers, and fans cheering on their team with individual chance for each player. And then there’s us just clapping, cheering, joining in with the chance. Sometimes for the wrong team, but just enjoying the awesome crowd energy. So if you ever get the chance, we recommend getting yourself to a game. Number nine, bungee jumping. Now, this is something you can do pretty much anywhere, but we decide to do it in Japan. What says adrenaline racing activities more than the peaceful Japanese countryside? Well, the piece was certainly broken that day by your laugh scream all the way down. Number eight, Awaji Island Monkeys. When we saw the sign for the Awaji Monkey Center, or is it Monier? We weren’t prepared for what would be waiting for us at the top of the hill. There were Japanese macaks everywhere with about 350 monkeys calling the center home. They roam freely, coming and going as they please, just living their best life with a million dollar view most of us only dream of. We’ve been a handful of times. You know, it’s like aquariums. You can just sit there for hours watching them go about their day. Plus, some of these monkeys have better catching skills than some cricket players we’ve seen. The monkeys tend to stay in the mountains during winter, but come down to the center in early spring. Definitely worth a stop if you’re on a Y Island. We’ve seen them just wandering around the side of the road outside the center as well. Number seven, walking the Nakasendo way. This is on the list because I just love the feeling of stepping back in time, walking the same cobble streets that samurai and Japanese lords would have walked hundreds of years ago. The Nakasendo Way, which literally translates as central mountain route, is an historic inland trail that connected Edeto, which is modernday Tokyo to Kyoto during the Edeto period. Spanning around 540 km, it was one of five major highways of the time with 69 post towns dotting its path. Nowadays, the towns along the Nakasen Way showcase traditional wooden houses, souvenir shops, restaurants, tea houses, and museums. Number six, Sapuro Snow Festival. Now, funny story with this one. We decided to go in January of 2020. Does that date ring a bell for any of you? After we booked our flights and accommodation, there was this thing called CO that had people just a little worried. But being the early days, we thought nothing of it and instead went to the first major outbreak location in Japan for the weekend. Thankfully, we didn’t catch CO at that time and had an amazing 36 hours in Sapodor. In fact, wearing a mask in -12° had its advantages, mainly a warm lower face. The sculptures were simply amazing. All the snow related activities were fantastic, and we even enjoyed a four-wheel drive snow driving experience. But top tip, if you can avoid it, I would recommend not going during a pandemic outbreak. Number five, Mount Hotaka. I’ve actually done the Mount Hucka Rope three times. It’s just that spectacular on a clear day. Walking through the pine forest covered in snow, it’s a real winter wonderland. Something I was not prepared for was how walking through the forest would affect me physically. I mean, I keep relatively fit, but trudging through that snow in full winter apparel had me wheezing like a 16-year-old asthmatic Chihuahua. We’ll put it down to a combination of Michelin man aesthetic and the 2,100 meter elevation. Number four, Yabu Sam Festival. As if hitting a target with a Japanese bow and arrow isn’t difficult enough, let’s try it from horseback. Well, not us, but these guys do. This festival happens yearly in autumn near Kyoto. And it was just fantastic to see the skill and ability of these riders. These ponies are a Japanese breed called Kiso, and they are native to Honu, Japan. Unfortunately, they are critically endangered, but one of the participants in the event breeds these ponies to keep them from extinction. We went in November, but there are other Yabusame events around May as well. Number three, cherry blossom season. Of course, cherry blossoms had to make the list. Love the blossoms. Every year for 2 weeks in spring, we are just as mesmerized by the country turning pink and white as the first time we saw the blossoms. It’s not just the flowers that make this time special, but it’s the hanami parties where friends and families get together on the picnic sheets to enjoy food and drinks under the gorgeous blossoms. Coming from Australia, where drinking in public areas is not just frowned upon, but could end up in a fine or being thrown in the slammer. I always feel like I’m doing something just a little bit naughty. Having an alcoholic beverage under the Sakura trees. And you don’t even have to go far to find a great spot. Some of the best blossoms we’ve seen are in the park just 2 minutes walk from our house. Number two, wearing real samurai armor. This totally happened by chance when we were out exploring and making a video. Walking into Tatsino Castle, we came across a group having their usual Sunday archery meetup. For a measly 500 yen, the price of a coffee from Starbucks, we got to have a class in Kudo, Japanese archery. And then I got the full samurai experience being dressed in the museum’s samurai armor complete with weaponry. We’ll put the link for the full video in the description below. It was a dream come true. Before we hit number one, we need to give a special mention to the people of Japan. We have met so many amazing people here and are lucky to have got to know a few really well. Japanese people are generally kind, helpful, considerate, and humble. And we’ve only had a handful of negative experiences in our 10 years living here. But that leads us to our worst experience, dealing with medical problems when you don’t understand the language. Well, of course, we have enough Japanese to get through our regular daily interactions, but a trip to a medical center comes with a whole new vocabulary list, as well as the stress of trying to understand and explain your situation when you’re not feeling your best. Anyway, we’ve both had our fair share of medical issues while being here. And in 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic, I had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance due to severe vertigo. But the doctors, nurses, and staff at most of the medical clinics and hospitals we’ve been to have been amazing, doing all they can to help us and provide immediate and excellent medical treatment. All at an unbelievably low cost. If you want some figures, leave a comment and we’ll let you know. And finally, the number one experience, participating in a Moshi festival. Back when I had working knees, I was invited to spend a whole day carrying a one ton shrine through the streets of our neighborhood. Why? Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. It was a proud moment seeing Les be part of such an amazing community event, but I was terrified that the headlines on social media the next day were going to be foreigners heart attack during Makosi Festival. It was so physically demanding and every few years people die during these festivals. Yeah, it was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done. It went from 10:00 in the morning to 9:30 at night. And this was pushing it up a hill, throwing it up in the air, driving it, pushing it up and down the road. It was just crazy. And actually, two guys fell off the Makosi float when we ran into a gutter and had to be taken to hospital. Well, what a night. So, there you have it. our top 10 experiences during our time in Japan. If you’ve stuck around to this point, we’d love to hear from you. Which was your favorite moment? What would you like to experience living in Japan? And if you like today’s episode, hit that subscribe button so you won’t miss a moment of our life as expats living and working in Japan. Thanks for watching. Catch you next time. Bye for now. [Music]

After nearly 10 years living in Japan, these are the 10 experiences we’ll never forget!

Traditional festivals, snowy adventures, monkeys, cherry blossoms, and unexpected moments, there’s a bit of everything as we’re counting down the most unforgettable things we’ve done since moving here.

If you’re thinking of visiting Japan, moving here, or just curious about what everyday life can look like beyond the tourist spots, we hope this gives you a unique glimpse into the real Japan.

What’s your most memorable experience in Japan? What would you most like to do living in Japan? Let us know in the comments!

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:29 #10 – Baseball Game
01:08 #9 – Bungy Jumping
01:31 #8 – Awaji Island Monkeys
02:19 #7 – Walking the Nakasendo Way
03:01 #6 – Sapporo Snow Festival
03:01 #5 – Mount Hotaka
04:26 #4 – Yabusame Festival
05:01 #3 – Cherry Blossoms
05:51 #2 – Wearing Samurai Armour
06:26 Special Mention
06:46 Worst Experience
07:38 #1 – Participating in a Mikoshi Festival

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Watch next:
Wearing Samurai Armour: https://youtu.be/lbTirQZzsbo

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