Japan offers different kinds of passes and cards to make traveling within regions and across the country easier for foreign visitors. One of the options you have when you visit the country is the JR Kansai Wide Area Pass. This allows you to explore Kansai and other areas. I used this pass recently and came up with a list of places you can include in your itinerary.

I wanted to visit another area of Japan during my return trip, so I decided to book tickets to Nagoya, the gateway to Central Japan. I had no clear and definite itinerary in mind because I wanted to be flexible and just add or remove destinations while I'm there. I ended up traveling to Takayama, Shirakawago, Tsumago, Magome and Matsumoto, and exploring Nagoya.

Japan is one of my favorite countries, this is why I keep returning. For my most current trip, I made sure to include Himeji Castle in my itinerary.

Okayama was on my itinerary during my return trip to Kansai, I was unable to go last time because of time constraints. However, this trip I made sure to finally visit the city and its nearby attractions. It was only a day trip, but it gave me a glimpse of what else to expect, if ever I decide to return.

I was eager to explore another side of Japan, since I was arriving from Nagoya, I decided to head to Takayama. I didn't have much of a plan of things to do other than making it a stop to get to Shirakawago, so I kept an open mind and just decide what to do when I got there.

It was rainy and cloudy during the first few days of my trip around central Japan. I was already in Matsumoto and the weather was still bad, but after the first day, the skies cleared and I was able to visit Kamikochi.

The cities of Japan are fascinating; the bustling streets filled with pedestrians in Shibuya, the neon lights of the shopping centers and restaurants of Osaka and the trains that zip through each city like bullets are hallmarks of a developed country. However, that was not what I was looking for on this trip. I headed to the provinces to discover what Japan was like before.

Tsumago Old Town

I've been to a few of the cities in Japan, but have yet to travel to its countryside. So when I returned, I decided I would go somewhere different. Atop of my list was Shirakawago in central Japan.

I wasn't planning on going to Narai, but I had time after a few nights in Matsumoto. It was also on the way back to Nagoya, which was the same direction I was going. After researching online and hearing from a roommate, I decided to visit this old post town.

Matsumoto wasn't initially on my places to visit in Japan, but after hearing good things about it from other travelers and reading online, I decided to go.

Tokyo is a bustling city; towering skyscrapers line the skies, neon lights lead to restaurants and bars and shopping centers light up the night sky in various districts. However, despite its modern facade, there are plenty of open and green spaces to just relax and slow down.

Kyoto wasn't exactly the place I thought it would be, but it didn't disappoint. The city is fast-paced but slow, modern yet has an old soul.

Tokyo, like most of the best cities in Asia I've been to, combines its past and present. Among the skyscrapers, trains and cars are old buildings, temples and shrines that date back to centuries ago. Part of the reason I enjoyed the city so much was the sense of being in two different epochs simultaneously.

I spent around 5 days for my Kyoto-Tokyo trip during autumn in 2015. It was nice to see the changing colors of the trees and the cool weather. I also learned a lot from a country that is decades ahead of the Philippines.