As a traveler you are always in the constant search for that one and only destination to make you happy, excited and relax.Therefor as you step into the magic land of Japan, keep in mind one thing – it is a place like none you will ever encounter and it is the doing of its people: kind, determined and bonded by traditions.
As everyone will tell you the best time to plan your trip here is in autumn or spring, especially since you will have the chance to catch those amazing cherry trees in blossom ( starting in mid-March for northern Japan and reaching Kyoto and Tokyo by early April). But, since we are in December and I really love snowy scenery now is the time to enjoy winter in Japan. In the mountains will be plenty of snow, making Japan an incredible ski and snowboarding destination. And as I saved the best for last – here is my first reason to plan a trip in winter: the amazing Japanese onsen (hot springs). There is nothing that compares to sitting in a mountain hot spring and relax while watching snow falling upon you. You can ask anyone around and the answer will be the same: it’s one experience that you’d better not miss.
I know the cold might convince you that a journey here is less than appealing but just wait a second. Winter in Japan offers you many wonders and I am going to tell you about few of them that will change your mind. So…
Discover Japan in winter months. Here is why:
1.Let’s start with skiing and snowboarding. We all love outdoor sports and will do anything to have that perfect slope. As Japan receives abundant snowfall throughout its many mountainous regions, slopes can be found all around the country. Best places to be: the northern island of Hokkaido and Nagano Prefecture in the Japanese Alps. Altghough Hokkaido’s Niseko resort is the most famous of Japan’s ski areas make sure not to miss Rusutsu, Furano and Tomamu. Also take a tour at Hakuba, Shiga Kogen and Nozawa Onsen.
2.Go enjoy an authentic onsen as it is one of the quintessential Japanese experiences. I started at the beginning with this as there is no better way to imagine spending a cold day J than sitting back and soaking into a hot spring. To better spoil yourself book your accommodation to a traditional ryokan (Japanese-style inn) and your trip will be unforgettable. At the onsen ryokan, step into healing mineral waters, enjoy the beauty of nature and relax while drinking green tea in a tatami-lined room. What can be more perfect than this?
3.Take out your camera and photograph the adorable snow monkeys in the Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen-koen). Yes you can visit it throughout the year but there is no time like winter to enjoy these incredible creatures. They will rest in the hot springs, playing around while covered in snow. One of the bonuses is that the road for the park will take you trough Nagano – home of the impressive Zenko-ji Temple.
4.It is all about safety, people and food. Throughout Japan people will great you in English as the language is 
spoken in all major cities so it will be easy to find your hotel, book the reservation for trains or local buses and get directions to the main tourist attractions. Also do not be afraid to carry cash on you as Japan is an extremely safe country. Most important, the people here are honest and also, when it comes to getting around – from hotels to restaurants – nobody expects tipping of any kind. The local currency is the Yen but you can pay without problems by credit card ( or just go and exchange your money at the banks, larger hotels and some duty-free shops). But let’s just get back to basics: food. There is nothing more emblematic as local and seasonal food and a good way to keep warm is by trying local specialties such as soup curry, miso ramen, sake and Japanese-style tapas. And if you like to mingle with locals just sit at the traditional Izakaya ( local pub/restaurant) while savouring karaage (fried chicken), yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) or tsukemono (Japanese pickles). Better yet, just take a look here and enjoy a 3 minutes video-clip on Japanese flavored cuisine 🙂 .
Now, as Japanese people are highly mannered and polite there are a few local rules that would be best to apprehend before going there. Bowing is the customary greeting and they will expect you to behave formally and politely. Do not be surprised if when addressing you they will use the honorific suffix san as required when addressing adults. Also keep in mind that if you are invited to a Japanese home or restaurant it is customary to remove shoes and exchange them for indoor slippers.
For further details on what it means to be a traveler to Japan just take a look to the video here. Also further information you can find by accessing the official site of Japan. All the best 元気で (げんきで – genki de.
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