Bucket List: Japan

The Bucket List: Japan

See, hear, touch, taste, and smell the best Japan has to offer.

By Douglas Kurt

Even as a frequent traveler to Japan, I am still amazed at how much detail one notices here. Each sense, each natural connection we have to the world, is fully experienced while in Japan, and one ultimate, bucket-list trip can pinpoint all of the natural senses. Feel the power of the largest athletes in the world and listen to the universe at a sacred temple. See the natural world and why it serves as artistic inspiration, or try tasting an ancient and artistic cuisine. There’s even cause to celebrate a season of sweet smells. Here are my top five bucket-list activities in Japan, each celebrating one of the five glorious senses.

5. Hear The Universe at Itsukushima Shrine:

Open your ears wider; the souls of ancient monks are calling. This may seem like just another of the many temples and shrines found in Japan, but Itsukushima Shrine stands out. Built in the harbor to look like a miracle standing on water, this sacred Shinto site draws the interest of foreigners and Japanese alike. Locals walk to it during low tide to harvest seafood. Foreigners marvel at the failure of the modern world to encroach on this ancient shrine, in no small part because it feels like a pilgrimage to get there. The closest port, Hiroshima, offers ferries to Miyajima island, and once I arrive….

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