Teatro Nacional

Teatro Nacional, San José’s

On the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura resides the Teatro Nacional, San José’s most revered building. Constructed in 1897, it features a columned neoclassical facade flanked by statues of Beethoven and famous 17th-century Spanish dramatist Calderón de la Barca. The lavish marble lobby and auditorium are lined with paintings depicting various facets of 19th-century life.

History - San José’s

When construction began in the late 19th century, the President of Costa Rica was determined to create a lavish and impressive building that was worthy of the moniker ‘National Theater’. However, the population of Costa Rica was quite low – San Jose alone had only around 20,000 residents – and cost was a major consideration. President José Joaquín Rodríguez Zeledón’s solution to this problem was to place a tax on coffee, the main export of the country at the time. The construction was fraught with problems until an Italian engineer was brought in to oversee the entire project and guide it to success.

The theater’s most famous painting is Alegoría al café y el banano, an idyllic canvas showing coffee and banana harvests. The painting was produced in Italy and shipped to Costa Rica for installation in the theater, and the image was reproduced on the old ₡5 note (now out of circulation). It seems clear that the painter never witnessed a banana harvest because of the way the man in the center is awkwardly grasping a bunch (actual banana workers hoist the stems onto their shoulders).

Performances and Tours

Costa Rica’s most important theater stages plays, dance, opera, classical concerts, Latin American music and other major events. The main season runs from March to November, but there are performances throughout the year. The hourly tours here are fantastic – guests are regaled with stories of the art, architecture and people behind Costa Rica’s crown jewel of the performing arts. The best part is a peek into otherwise off-limits areas, such as the Smoking Room, which features famous paintings, lavish antique furnishings and ornate gold trim. Tours are offered every hour on the hour in Spanish and English, to a maximum of 30 people. Children under 12 are free. 

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Alma de Cafe

One of the most beautiful cafes in the city, this spot evokes early 20th-century Vienna. It’s a perfect place to sip a cappuccino, enjoy a crepe or quiche and take in the lovely ceiling frescoes and rotating art exhibitions. The coffee concoctions – such as the chocolate alma de cafe, spiked with cinnamon and clove – are an excellent midday indulgence. Once you’re finished soaking up all the culture within the theater, you can easily join one of the city walking tours that start from the cafe.

Mt.Fuji

Mt Fuji
Fuji-san is among Japan’s most revered and timeless attractions, the inspiration for generations of poets and the focus of countless artworks.

Mt Fuji

Why you should go
Hundreds of thousands of people climb it every year, continuing a centuries-old tradition of pilgrimages up the sacred volcano (which, despite its last eruption occurring in 1707, is still considered active). Whether or not you don the hiking boots to climb its busy slopes, taking some time to gaze upon the perfectly symmetrical cone of the country’s highest peak is an essential Japan experience.

MUST EXPLORE

The old adage about those who climb Fuji once being wise and a second time a fool remains as valid as ever. The hike is not the most scenic in the world, with barren landscapes and a summit that is often shrouded in cloud (obscuring views). Still, the sense of achievement and significance that comes with reaching the top of this sacred peak draws around 300,000 people during the annual climbing season, which runs from 1 July to 31 August – though in recent years this has often been extended to 10 September.

Fuji is divided into 10 concentric ‘stations’ from base (first station) to summit (10th), but most climbers start halfway up at various fifth station points, reachable by road. The most popular climbing route is the Yoshida Trail, because buses run directly from Shinjuku Station to the trailhead at the Fuji Subaru Line Fifth Station (sometimes called the Kawaguchi-ko Fifth Station or just Mt Fuji Fifth Station) and because it has the most huts (with food, water and toilets).

For the Yoshida Trail, allow five to six hours to reach the top and about three hours to descend, plus 1½ hours for circling the crater at the top. The other three routes up the mountain are the Subashiri, Gotemba and Fujinomiya trails; the steepest, Gotemba, is the most convenient to reach for travellers coming from Kansai-area destinations such as Kyoto and Osaka.

Trails below the fifth stations are now used mainly as short hiking routes, but you might consider the challenging but rewarding 19km hike from base to summit on the historic Old Yoshidaguchi Trail, which starts at Fuji Sengen-jinja in the town of Fuji-Yoshida and joins up with the Yoshida Trail.

Trails to the summit are busy throughout the official trekking season. To avoid the worst of the crush head up on a weekday, or start earlier during the day to avoid the afternoon rush and spend a night in a mountain hut (arriving at the summit for dawn, which can offer great views if there’s no cloud!).

Authorities strongly caution against climbing outside the regular season, when the weather is highly unpredictable and first-aid stations on the mountain are closed. Despite this, many people do climb out of season, as it’s the best time to avoid the crowds. During this time, climbers generally head off at dawn, and return early afternoon – however, mountain huts on the Yoshida Trail stay open later into September when weather conditions may still be good; a few open the last week of June, when snow still blankets the upper stations. It’s highly advised that off-season climbers register with the local police department for safety reasons; fill out the form at the Kawaguchi-ko or Fuji-Yoshida Tourist Information Centers. 

If you plan to hike, go slowly and take regular breaks to avoid altitude sickness. Hiking poles are a good idea to help avoid knee pain (especially during the descent).

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Hotels and restaurants

From the Fifth Stations up, dozens of mountain huts offer hikers simple hot meals in addition to a place to sleep. Most huts allow you to rest inside as long as you order something.

Conditions in mountain huts are spartan (a blanket on the floor sandwiched between other climbers), but reservations are recommended and are essential on weekends. It’s also important to let huts know if you decide to cancel at the last minute; be prepared to pay to cover the cost of your no-show. Good choice mountain huts include Fujisan HotelHigashi Fuji Lodge and Taishikan

Camping on the mountain is not permitted, other than at the designated campsite near the Fuji Subaru Line Fifth Station (aka Kawaguchi-ko Fifth Station).

Permits

Permits are not required to climb Mt Fuji.


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