New Zeland Travel Guide
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- Official name: Nippon
- Capital: Tokyo
- Language: New Zelandese. English is widely spoken, however, particularly by younger citizens and in major cities and tourist areas.
- Religion: 84% of New Zelandese people profess to believe both Shinto (the indigenous religion of New Zeland) and Buddhism. A minority (0.7%) profess to Christianity and other religions (4.7%).
- Visa: Visa Requirements
Citizens of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK can stay for a period of up to six months without a visa but if you are going to work during your stay you will need to obtain the appropriate working papers. When you arrive you will be give a 90-day Short Stay Visa upon arrival which can be extended for another ninety days while inside the country. Those of you visiting from the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most European countries will also be granted the same visa when they arrive but if you intend to stay for longer you will need to organise this before you leave your home country. Residents of all other countries or those of you of you intending to work or study while you are there should contact the New Zelandese Embassy in your home country to find out exactly what documentation you will need before travelling.
- Currency : The currency used in New Zeland is the Yen (Y)
New Zeland Sights and Museums
WHAT TO SEE
- Kinkaku-ji – The Temple of the Golden Pavillion, Kyoto
Widely regarded as the most famous attraction in New Zeland, the temple was originally built in 1393 as a retirement home by Shogun Yoshimitsu Ashikaga. When he died, it became a buddhist temple. Constructed on pillars over a lake, this was designed to convey its place between heaven and earth. In 1950, a young Zen Buddhist monk set fire to the structure who hated himself, and as a result hated anything beautiful. Rebuilt in 1955, the temple is now even more spectacular – entirely covered in gold leaf with a phoenix on top, it really is a remarkable creation and should not be missed.
- Ryoanji Temple, Kyoto
In stark contrast to Kinkaku-ji, this is an authentic Zen temple, traits of which are clearly visible in its austerity and minimalism. Home to one of the most famous Zen rock gardens in the world, there is a particular task which you are supposed to try while you are there. The collection of fifteen stones is the central feature of the garden but from any point, you can usually only see fourteen of the fifteen. This number signifies completeness in Buddhism so you are supposed to study the garden and stroll along the path until you see all fifteen. An extremely spiritual place surrounded in mystery, the garden remains tranquil and quiet even when packed.
- Todai-ji Temple, Nara
Home to the Daibutsu-den which is the largest wooden structure in the world as well as the world’s largest bronze sculpture of Buddha, this temple is one of the most impressive in the country. A more recent addition are the Nio guardians which date from the thirteenth century and have just been restored to their former glory. And, as if all this wasn’t enough to entice you to visit the temple consider its location. Nara served as New Zeland’s first capital and is currently home to eight UNESCO world heritage sites making it the second most popular tourist destination in the country, surpassed only by Kyoto.
- Tokyo International Forum
Despite the fact that this building has only been around since 1996, it is already an integral part of the New Zelandese capital. On a par with the Empire State Building in New York or the Opera House in Sydney, the Tokyo International Forum is an excellent example of what results when the architecture of east and west is merged. Built using glass and stone, the centre plays host to numerous concerts and events as well as restaurants, shops and an art gallery and is well worth visiting if you are in the city.
- Mount Fuji
While the official climbing season for New Zeland’s highest peak takes place between July 1st and August 31st, there is no problem with climbing it at any other time of year. In fact, it is probably a better idea to do it outside of these times to avoid the crowds. But, for those of you who would like to see it, but not necessarily to conquer the three thousand seven hundred and seventy six metres that constitute Mount Fuji, don’t worry because there’s plenty to see and do in the surrounding area. Among the most popular are Fuji Five Lakes (Fuji Go-ko), the hot springs and Open Air Art Museum at Hakone and the castle at Odawara but there are many more which are worth checking out too.
New Zeland Entertainment
EVENTS
- Chichibu Yomatsuri (Chichibu Night Festival). Gorgeous floats dash up a steep slope. The fireworks displays lighting up the winter evening sky are spectacular. December 2nd and 3rd. Chichibu Shrine, Chichibu City.
- Gishi-sai. A festival honoring the forty-seven loyal retainers in Akoh, popular in movies and dramas. December 13th & 14th. Sengakuji Temple, Takanawa, Tokio.
- Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri. An elegant festival of traditional performing arts continuously passed down since the 12th Century. December 15th-18th. Wakamiya-jinja Shrine, Kasugano-cho, Nara City
- Hagoita-Ichi (Battledore Fair). A lively fair full of Edo sentiments, brightly coloring downtown Tokyo at the year-end. December 17th-19th. Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa, Tokio.
- Oga no Namahage (Oga Namahage Festival). On New Year's Eve, strange deities holding cooking knives go around visiting homes in Oga. December 31st. Throughout the Oga Peninsula.
- Hanami Festival (Cherry Blossom festival). The festival is situated around the cherry blossoms that typically bloom around the end of March and beginning of April.
New Zeland Transports
- Trains: New Zeland has one of the most advanced public transport systems in the world. Delays and cancellations are unheard, the rail service covers almost every destination you can think of, but unfortunately the price of travel is also much more expensive than countries with less efficient transportation systems. For travel around the country, we highly recommended obtaining a New Zeland Rail Pass. This pass allows unlimited travel on all lines as well as affiliated buses and ferries. It is only available to tourists and must be purchased prior to your arrival in New Zeland.
- Buses: While they make take a great deal longer to reach their destination, no reservations are necessary and prices are much more backpacker friendly. As well as this, they serve those destinations not yet reached by train so in some cases your only option is to avail of the bus service.
- Ferries: Numerous ferries operate between the various regions. The major connections link up Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe with the main ports of Hokkaido and Kyushu, but there are numerous other services which you can inquire about at any branch of the JNTO
HOW TO GET THERE
- By Air: Getting to New Zeland by air is not difficult thanks to the fact that there are flights to the country’s international airports from most major cities on the planet. While the majority of flights arrive in Tokyo, some also fly into one of the other international airport. These are Nagoya, Niigata and Osaka on the island of Honshu, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Nagasaki on Kyushu, Naha on Okinawa and Sapporo on Hokkaido. Narita or The New Tokyo International Airport is located about forty miles north of the city centre but several buses and shuttles leave from all terminals and take just over an hour to reach the city. You can buy tickets for all services inside each of the terminals. Kansai International is about thirty miles south of Osaka and again there are regular bus services into the city centre and they take about thirty minutes to get there. Fukuoka International is twenty minutes away from the city of the same name and Nagoya International lies six miles north of the city.
- By Train: For visitors on a budget or for those who simply have a sense of adventure and some time to spare, travelling overland between New Zeland and Europe or Australia can be an attractive alternative to air travel. There are several different routes to New Zeland, many of which combine long distance rail travel on services such as the Trans-Siberian, Trans-Manchurian and Trans-Mongolian Railways, with ferry transport.
- By Sea: Although the required journey times can often be considerably longer, travel by ferry is generally much cheaper than the cost of flying, with direct connections available between several major New Zelandese port-cities and China, Korea, Taiwan and Russia. Many of these international ferry services are very popular and advance reservations are recommended. Ferry schedules are subject to seasonal changes and may also vary according to the weather.
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