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ations get congested and in most cases, it may be difficult to find an alternative route due to movement exodus here and there. Even though hotel prices and plane tickets insanely skyrocket, many of them do not let this chance pass by without going somewhere.</p><p id="f31f">After the pandemic is over, you may also want to visit Japan in time of their Golden Week, so here is a list of places and convenient ways to spend it.</p><h2 id="5cd0">1. Awaken your inner artist by visiting a gallery in Tokyo.</h2><p id="ca28">Galleries seem unpopular during the travel season making it calm and perfect for art and culture enthusiasts. If you are into photography, many of my students highly recommend Tokyo Photographic Art (TOP) Museum, for it is the only public photography and moving images museum in Japan. Located at <i>Ebisu Garden Place in Meguro-Ku, Tokyo,</i> it has a collection of 33,000 works plus, it has a giant library! If I get a chance, this would be the first in my itinerary. Currently, the museum is temporarily closed due to a state of emergency.</p><figure id="e8a7"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*ZC_ZqPIab-FtZGeY.jpg"><figcaption><a href="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/07/d4/05/f2/tokyo-metropolitan-museum.jpg">Photo by Trip Advisor</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="99f9">2. Enjoy both nature and culture in Ibaraki.</h2><p id="2ffd">One student of mine who lives in Tokyo always makes a plan to go to Ibaraki a few times a year just to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. This place, which is an hour and a half away from the capital, is not for leisure making it less crowded compared to other neighboring places. In Golden week, they have a pottery-making festival at Kasama Geijutsu no Mori Park where you can experience making your own Kasama pottery and eating delicious local cuisines.</p><figure id="fb38"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*ZeJbYGx72yx8hWxp"><figcaption><a href="http://www.ibarakiguide.jp/wp-content/uploads/data/91iq66gNm0izufuK.jpg?1619867233621">Photo by thai.ibarakiguide</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="e90c">3. Road trip to Hakone and Camp at Lake Ashi</h2><p id="df02">Enjoy a three-hour road trip from Tokyo to Hako

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ne and spend more time with nature. This is a perfect spot to set up camp while enjoying the views of Hakone and Lake Ashi that lies at the base of Mt. Hakone. Some of the activities to enjoy include, renting a bicycle and exploring the area, having a barbecue while pitching your tents, and hiking on the fields filled with grass.</p><figure id="7a14"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*abo77Yvih30plo-G.jpg"><figcaption><a href="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-c/1280x250/0a/9a/bb/1d/hakone.jpg">Photo by Trip Advisor</a></figcaption></figure><h1 id="7fee">On the flip side</h1><p id="4dbf">Many Japanese people, however, have different ways to spend the Golden Week, even before the pandemic happened. Though they admit they look forward to this holiday, some families hate the expensive hotel prices and plane and train tickets, therefore, staying home is the most convenient way for them to relax.</p><p id="dfe3">Many families enjoy watching movies, cooking meals, and have a simple family house party. These activities allow them to bond as a family especially that it is rare for them to get together given their hectic schedule.</p><p id="9241">One big advantage for families who choose to stay home is the pleasure of taking their English lessons with their online tutors. This is why I mentioned earlier that it is the busiest week for me. Some of them even take up to six lessons in a day during the whole week. I really admire their passion to learn English.</p><h1 id="6eeb">To end …</h1><p id="9c2f">Golden Week in Japan may not be celebrated this year in the same way Japanese people normally do before the pandemic, but definitely, there are still a lot of people in the country who can find ways to get out and enjoy the moment away from work. Just like any of us would do if we are given a long week free of tasks.</p><p id="4aaa">As listed above, not all places become crowded in the holiday season. You will be surprised to know that there some hidden gems left unexplored that are awaiting travelers like you.</p><p id="d23c">Have you ever been to Japan during the Golden Week? Tell me about your experience and the places you visited.</p><p id="3b15">Thank you for reading.</p></article></body>

3 Ways to spend Golden Week in Japan if you hate Crowd

And is it really Japanese people’s favorite time of the year?

I am not Japanese and I do not reside in Japan either. However, in my eight years of having conversations with my Japanese students, they have been telling me that Golden Week is one of the holidays they look forward to most because it is one of the longest holidays for them.

Golden Week is a sequence of Japan’s national holidays that happen from around the last week of April to the first week of May. This time of the year is their opportunity to unwind and travel for many days especially for company workers and businessmen. This year’s golden week started on Thursday, 29th of April up to the 5th or 6th of May. It was supposedly the perfect week for them to escape if the third State of Emergency has not been declared in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo, and Kyoto prefectures. Apparently, there is a fourth wave of coronavirus in Japan right now that resulted in the declaration. Still, they can spend a week-long holiday and as for me? It is the busiest week for teaching!

There are 4 national holidays within the Golden Week.

April 29 is Showa Day or the birthday of former Emperor Showa.
May 3 is Constitution Day when the new postwar constitution was executed in 1947 this day.
May 4 is Greenery or Nature Day that is dedicated to the environment and nature.
May 5 is Children’s Day especially dedicated to boys. There is a different holiday for girls too but it does not fall on any day within the Golden Week.

That being the case, most roads that lead to popular holiday destinations get congested and in most cases, it may be difficult to find an alternative route due to movement exodus here and there. Even though hotel prices and plane tickets insanely skyrocket, many of them do not let this chance pass by without going somewhere.

After the pandemic is over, you may also want to visit Japan in time of their Golden Week, so here is a list of places and convenient ways to spend it.

1. Awaken your inner artist by visiting a gallery in Tokyo.

Galleries seem unpopular during the travel season making it calm and perfect for art and culture enthusiasts. If you are into photography, many of my students highly recommend Tokyo Photographic Art (TOP) Museum, for it is the only public photography and moving images museum in Japan. Located at Ebisu Garden Place in Meguro-Ku, Tokyo, it has a collection of 33,000 works plus, it has a giant library! If I get a chance, this would be the first in my itinerary. Currently, the museum is temporarily closed due to a state of emergency.

2. Enjoy both nature and culture in Ibaraki.

One student of mine who lives in Tokyo always makes a plan to go to Ibaraki a few times a year just to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. This place, which is an hour and a half away from the capital, is not for leisure making it less crowded compared to other neighboring places. In Golden week, they have a pottery-making festival at Kasama Geijutsu no Mori Park where you can experience making your own Kasama pottery and eating delicious local cuisines.

3. Road trip to Hakone and Camp at Lake Ashi

Enjoy a three-hour road trip from Tokyo to Hakone and spend more time with nature. This is a perfect spot to set up camp while enjoying the views of Hakone and Lake Ashi that lies at the base of Mt. Hakone. Some of the activities to enjoy include, renting a bicycle and exploring the area, having a barbecue while pitching your tents, and hiking on the fields filled with grass.

On the flip side

Many Japanese people, however, have different ways to spend the Golden Week, even before the pandemic happened. Though they admit they look forward to this holiday, some families hate the expensive hotel prices and plane and train tickets, therefore, staying home is the most convenient way for them to relax.

Many families enjoy watching movies, cooking meals, and have a simple family house party. These activities allow them to bond as a family especially that it is rare for them to get together given their hectic schedule.

One big advantage for families who choose to stay home is the pleasure of taking their English lessons with their online tutors. This is why I mentioned earlier that it is the busiest week for me. Some of them even take up to six lessons in a day during the whole week. I really admire their passion to learn English.

To end …

Golden Week in Japan may not be celebrated this year in the same way Japanese people normally do before the pandemic, but definitely, there are still a lot of people in the country who can find ways to get out and enjoy the moment away from work. Just like any of us would do if we are given a long week free of tasks.

As listed above, not all places become crowded in the holiday season. You will be surprised to know that there some hidden gems left unexplored that are awaiting travelers like you.

Have you ever been to Japan during the Golden Week? Tell me about your experience and the places you visited.

Thank you for reading.