How NOT to get caught in the tourist trap.
Hello again from Tokyo, where the humidity has been stifling (although this week has actually been really pleasant), and the temperatures will soon begin to rise. The rainy season is hanging around for a lot longer than I anticipated, which means it's been really difficult to get out and do things due to terrible weather. It has kept things cool though, which is really nice. I've been busy working a bit of overtime, and I recently visited a traditional Japanese garden in Komagome. I have just booked accommodation in Aomori for Obon in August with a friend, so I'm very excited to finally be heading up to the north of Honshu where it will be a touch cooler hopefully, and there is some beautiful scenery to see too. I also went to a Trick Art Museum in Odaiba, which was actually really cool and provided some great photo opportunities.
Today I wanted to delve into something that doesn't get a lot of coverage, and that is how to avoid getting caught in typical tourist traps, while still experiencing the must-sees of a particular place. This can be applied to travelling anywhere, not just Japan. A tourist trap is defined as "A crowded place that provides entertainment and things to buy for tourists, often at high prices." by the Cambridge Dictionary. A classic example would be somewhere like the Eiffel Tower.
So how do we see these iconic locations, while not getting tangled in the web of over-tourism? Here are my tips.
1) Go to those coveted locations early! The only way you're going to beat the crowds is to go to the location as early as possible. I have done this in Kyoto, when my aunt and I got up at 6 to go to Fushimi-Inari, and it was so worth sacrificing an hour or so of sleep to have the place almost to ourselves. You can see spectacular sunrises if you're really lucky, take your time getting pictures, and not fight against the heaving crowds. It will be well worth your while, especially somewhere like Fushimi-Inari or Arashiyama Bamboo forest. Getting there early also means that the classic junky souvenir stores won't be open yet, so you can avoid being ripped off buying souvenirs you probably don't need.
2) Eat away from the touristy spots. Restaurants close to main tourist attractions will be heftily priced due to location and won't always be worth the money. They are also not always the most authentic, and are obviously targeted towards tourists. See the sights you want to see, and then look elsewhere for food. You can find marvellous restaurants and cafes hidden beyond the border of the area surrounding most tourist attractions. Definitely do your research before blindly choosing a restaurant just because it's convenient.
3) Try and go in the off season. With travel becoming more and more accessible, it can be hard to find any kind of 'off-season' in many places, but choosing times of the year that are not peak travel times (for example Europe in summer) will make your trip more pleasant. I know that for Japan, the off season is usually around June, as it's the rainy season. It may be a bit damp, but you'll be able to get around touristy areas easier because locals aren't usually travelling at this time of year, and plan indoor activities such as museums for days when the weather is looking particularly grim. Oh, and pack a raincoat! Another 'low season' is around mid January or February, when everyone is getting back into the swing of work and school after New Year's, not to mention the fact that it's cold! In New Zealand/Australia though, January is like peak travel season as it's summer holidays for schools, so bear that in mind!
4) If you can book ahead of time for certain attractions, do! It will save time and stress on the day, and you'll avoid the disappointment of discovering that tickets are sold out. This goes for museums, monuments, and anything else that requires tickets. It does leave you slightly less flexible, but will save a tonne of time waiting in the queue.
5) Stay somewhere slightly outside of the main drag. If you're staying right in the centre of a busy touristy area, chances are you'll get pretty sick of seeing tourists everywhere you look, and it may not feel like you are experiencing the culture you travelled to see. If you stay somewhere a bit out of the way, you'll probably have a more local experience, and maybe even mix with the locals at a restaurant or bar. You may have to travel a bit to get to the main sightseeing places, but at the end of the day you can escape to a hopefully quieter and more secluded area.
These are my top five tips to avoid feeling completely overwhelmed in amongst the throngs of people that visit popular tourist destinations each year. I think it's becoming harder and harder to find 'hidden gems' with travel becoming so easily accessible nowadays, and most people do still want to see all the must sees and iconic places. Hopefully these tips are useful for travelling a bit smarter, and having an overall enjoyable experience, no matter where you're travelling to.
I've been a bit MIA on the blog lately, but am trying to get back into the swing of writing again.
Hope you enjoyed reading this, and I'll be back again with another life in Japan update soon!
From Japan, with love,
Hannah. xx
Today I wanted to delve into something that doesn't get a lot of coverage, and that is how to avoid getting caught in typical tourist traps, while still experiencing the must-sees of a particular place. This can be applied to travelling anywhere, not just Japan. A tourist trap is defined as "A crowded place that provides entertainment and things to buy for tourists, often at high prices." by the Cambridge Dictionary. A classic example would be somewhere like the Eiffel Tower.
So how do we see these iconic locations, while not getting tangled in the web of over-tourism? Here are my tips.
1) Go to those coveted locations early! The only way you're going to beat the crowds is to go to the location as early as possible. I have done this in Kyoto, when my aunt and I got up at 6 to go to Fushimi-Inari, and it was so worth sacrificing an hour or so of sleep to have the place almost to ourselves. You can see spectacular sunrises if you're really lucky, take your time getting pictures, and not fight against the heaving crowds. It will be well worth your while, especially somewhere like Fushimi-Inari or Arashiyama Bamboo forest. Getting there early also means that the classic junky souvenir stores won't be open yet, so you can avoid being ripped off buying souvenirs you probably don't need.
2) Eat away from the touristy spots. Restaurants close to main tourist attractions will be heftily priced due to location and won't always be worth the money. They are also not always the most authentic, and are obviously targeted towards tourists. See the sights you want to see, and then look elsewhere for food. You can find marvellous restaurants and cafes hidden beyond the border of the area surrounding most tourist attractions. Definitely do your research before blindly choosing a restaurant just because it's convenient.
3) Try and go in the off season. With travel becoming more and more accessible, it can be hard to find any kind of 'off-season' in many places, but choosing times of the year that are not peak travel times (for example Europe in summer) will make your trip more pleasant. I know that for Japan, the off season is usually around June, as it's the rainy season. It may be a bit damp, but you'll be able to get around touristy areas easier because locals aren't usually travelling at this time of year, and plan indoor activities such as museums for days when the weather is looking particularly grim. Oh, and pack a raincoat! Another 'low season' is around mid January or February, when everyone is getting back into the swing of work and school after New Year's, not to mention the fact that it's cold! In New Zealand/Australia though, January is like peak travel season as it's summer holidays for schools, so bear that in mind!
4) If you can book ahead of time for certain attractions, do! It will save time and stress on the day, and you'll avoid the disappointment of discovering that tickets are sold out. This goes for museums, monuments, and anything else that requires tickets. It does leave you slightly less flexible, but will save a tonne of time waiting in the queue.
5) Stay somewhere slightly outside of the main drag. If you're staying right in the centre of a busy touristy area, chances are you'll get pretty sick of seeing tourists everywhere you look, and it may not feel like you are experiencing the culture you travelled to see. If you stay somewhere a bit out of the way, you'll probably have a more local experience, and maybe even mix with the locals at a restaurant or bar. You may have to travel a bit to get to the main sightseeing places, but at the end of the day you can escape to a hopefully quieter and more secluded area.
These are my top five tips to avoid feeling completely overwhelmed in amongst the throngs of people that visit popular tourist destinations each year. I think it's becoming harder and harder to find 'hidden gems' with travel becoming so easily accessible nowadays, and most people do still want to see all the must sees and iconic places. Hopefully these tips are useful for travelling a bit smarter, and having an overall enjoyable experience, no matter where you're travelling to.
I've been a bit MIA on the blog lately, but am trying to get back into the swing of writing again.
Hope you enjoyed reading this, and I'll be back again with another life in Japan update soon!
From Japan, with love,
Hannah. xx
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