Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Japan is one of the most fascinating countries in the world. The land of the rising sun mixes ancient history and traditions with the newest technology. It is a place where people hold the past and the future in equal esteem. You can learn to craft origami and visit modern art installations; visit a peaceful shrine or Japanese garden and have dinner at a crazy robot restaurant; experience a traditional tea ceremony with a Geisha and sing to your hearts content at a karaoke bar. Smart toilets with numerous functions are the norm. You will find vending machines on streets even in the tiniest villages that sell hot and cold drinks, ice cream, hot ramen dishes, eggs and even disposable cameras, tights and umbrellas.
Japanese culture is very different and this is why we love it so much. The people are very polite, orderly, mannerly and friendly. It is very safe and very clean. Japan is home to the largest city on the planet, a vast metropolitan area of 37 million people. Public transport may seem daunting at first but it is so convenient and easy to use.
We chose to visit Japan in Spring, during the famous Sakura (cherry blossom) season. It is so eagerly awaited that it is tracked by the meteorological office, with a dedicated forecast on the national news. Hanami is the traditional custom of cherry blossom viewing. As soon as the flowers open on the trees, family and friends gather beneath them for picnics in parks across the country. As a rule of thumb, the best time to visit Japan is late spring or early autumn as the temperatures are mild with little rainfall. On our 2-week trip, we visited Kyoto & Arashiyama with its bamboo forest, Hiroshima and Miyajima Island, Takayama and Lake Kawaguchiko, stopping off enroute to visit Matsumoto Castle, finishing in Tokyo. If you are short on time, you could concentrate on Kyoto and Tokyo, taking a bullet train between the 2.
I am a seasoned traveller and I am glad that I had prebooked a tailor-made package. I had researched everything about Japan and had bought a guidebook to take with me, but I was glad to have our itinerary pre-organised and to be met on arrival at the airport. We stayed in fantastic accommodation, a traditional machiya townhouse in Kyoto, hotels with futons and tatami mats for beds plus private onsens and modern spacious hotels. We had a private walking tour with a local in Kyoto and also in Tokyo. I found this great, as we not only got to learn more about the area and local life in Japan, we visited some of the main sights with our guide, but we also used public transport as part of these tours and were confident to then travel around the cities ourselves over the following days.
In Kyoto we visited Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kinkaku-ji (golden pavilion), Ryoan-ji temple and zen garden, Kiyomizu Dera (temple with fantastic views and traditional streets), the traditional Geisha area of Gion, Pontocho with its local restaurants and nightlife, plus Kyoto samurai school. We also visited Arashiyama with its scenic train, river boat, bamboo forest and temples.
In Hiroshima we visited the peace memorial park and museum, atomic bomb dome and also took the boat to Miyajima Island with its free roaming deer, Itsukushima Jinga (red Grand Torii Gate in the sea) and the cable car to the top of Mount Misen.
In Takayama, a beautifully preserved old mountain town in the Japanese alps, we stayed in a traditional onsen ryokan and visited Takayama Jinja museum, the local market and Hida folk village with its thatched farmhouses. My husband tried the famous Hida beef, a wagyu beef from Japanese black cattle, which are given individualised care and even massages!
We stopped off for a couple of hours to visit Matsumoto Castle, also known as Crow Castle due to its black exterior. It is one of the grandest castles in Japan, built in the 16th century with a moat. It is a 15-minute walk from Matsumoto train station.
Next stop was Lake Kawaguchiko and Fuji-San. It is a hot-spring resort town with views of Mount Fuji. We enjoyed a kaiseki meal (multi course Japanese dinner with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients), took the hop-on hop-off bus to explore the area and a speedboat on the lake.
Our final stop was the bustling city of Tokyo. There is so much to see and do here. We visited Shibuya crossing, the Tokyo sky tree, Senso-ji temple, Ueno Park with its cherry blossoms, a sumo stable, Tsukiji fish market, miraikan museum with its robots and giant moving Gundam. We also visited the Neon area of Shinjuku with its giant Godzilla statue peering over the buildings, the infamous robot restaurant and Golden Gai with its narrow alleys and bars. Whilst the people in Japan are very polite, this does not apply on the subway at rush hour! Very entertaining. Shinjuku currently holds the Guinness World Record for busiest train station. There are 12 train lines, 36 platforms and over 200 exits.
If you are looking to visit somewhere very different and Japan is on your bucket list, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
NOTE: For a tailor-made itinerary with tours included, you do need to book as far ahead as possible! There is huge demand for this destination and tour companies book up months in advance. However, if booking close to departure, don't fret, I can also help with booking just the essentials - flights, transfers and accommodation. I am always available to offer advice on what to see and do.
