Hakone

Having left Kyoto behind, we boarded another Shinkansen to head towards our final stop on this tour, Tokyo. It gave us a chance to glimpse Mt Fuji for the first time and even from the distance we were at, we weren't disappointed! We would have a chance to get nearer to the mountain, first though was a stop in the sleepy mountain town of Hakone. In comparison to our previous mountain retreat, Koya-san, this was a lot quieter and sadly the accomodation not as well maintained as the monastery had been. However, the ryokan (traditional Japanese house) that we stayed in did have its own thermal pools or onsens. This were great and very warm, even if we didn't quite embrace the baths in the traditional way, ie, not completely naked...

After dumping the bags, we headed towards Fuji. As I've said previously, the local transport is fantastic here. So the bus, ferry, cable car and venicular railway we took were all pretty good. The ferry was probably my favourite though, as it was done up to look like a pirate ship. As we drew nearer the mountain, the more impressive she became. I am a bit of a sucker for natural beauty like that, but even the most uninterested person would have been pretty impressed with the landscape, I'm sure.

After numerous photos of the mountain and trying to take a photo of the dog with the backpack on, none of us succeded with the latter, we headed towards the sulphurous gasses emanating from the mountain side. Masa, our, by this point quite weary, guide had promised us a local delicacy. Now myself and the wife, we will eat most things - she enjoyed a mostly still alive sea urchin in New Zealand once; we both ate crickets and tarantula in Cambodia and as I've said, we tucked into a whole (small) octopus in Kyoto - so an egg, hardboiled in a sulphur pit was no bother. It is said to add 7 years to your life, so hopefully, I'll be able to go on more amazing trips like these and write blogs for everyone's enjoyment!

Eggs eaten and pictures taken we headed back for Hakone and another traditional meal. Luckily I enjoy fish, so the sashimi on offer, another Japanese culinary experience ticked off, was very enjoyable. The food was better and more to our tastes than in Koya-san, but that was the only feature that this was better than there, really. We headed for bed after enjoying a few beers with some of the group. I love the way groups like this end up interacting, I have been very fortunate in the past to make some very good friends, two especially, on similar group tours, so hopefully some of us will keep in touch. It all ends tomorrow, as we head towards Tokyo. I wonder how overwhelmed we'll be by the huge, sprawling metropolis, after being in fairly remote and easy to navigate places on this trip. We shall see!

Kyoto

Next stop is the more European flavoured Kyoto. I must say first impressions in the beaming sunlight, are good. Having dumped our bags at the hotel, we headed to Nijo castle. This piece of typically elegant Japanese architecture was built by the fifth Shogun and celebrates the unification and peace of the warring Samurai factions. Again, as I have been throughout, I was impressed with the clean lines of the building and the way it rises out of the beautifully manicured gardens around it. The inside was no less impressive and the night tingle flooring, traditional squeaky wooden floor boards, and ornate sliding paper screens, complete with fantastic artwork, were beautiful.

Strolling in the garden was no less enjoyable and those hard at work to maintain the perfect grass and cherry blossom orchards have done a fantastic job. This was the quintessential Japanese garden. Bonsais, ponds and maples, lovingly tended to and beautiful. The stroll through the grounds gave the perfect chance to unwind and relax from the hectic travelling we have put it. They love their zen gardens here and I am certainly feeling a little more chilled out!

Next we headed to the Fushimi Inari shrine, or the Shrine of 1000 Torii gates. This huge architectural undertaking is a place to ask for successful harvests, Japan was previously reliant on agriculture, and this is where people would come to ask for help to ensure strong yields. We cleansed ourselves traditionally, left hand, right hand, mouth, and asked for luck in something we would like in the future. Watch this space to see if mine comes true!

We then headed to the Gion district, home of the Geisha. We strolled through the traditional streets and some went off for a night tour of the area, spotting two Geishas in the process. The rest of us headed for food and entertainment in the shopping area. After a good feed, slightly different oronyakibuki, we wandered home. It definitely feels more like a European city here, much as Ho Chi Minh did last year. It is a bit surprising, but also quite nice.

Day two saw us using a further mode of transport, the buses. However, the group is a little disjointed this morning as one of us didn't make it back to our hotel last night. A heavy night of drinking ended somewhere and your writer is not sure of the details, needless to say,  she made it back eventually, but missed the two temples, including the stunning Kinkau-ji temple, covered in gold. I do feel a little bit sorry for our guide Masa as he was clearly rattled by losing a group member. He then made a mistake with the bus stop, but I'm sure he'll recover his composure. The first stop was a slightly disappointing Zen garden. It was tranquil and well maintained, but the Japanese woman showing us round rushed us to the gift shop, or so it felt, spoiling the atmosphere a little.

Next was Kinkau-ji. This really was stunning and probably the best of the tour, so far. The sheer size and intricate detail were superb and again the surrounding gardens were great. I was starting to get a little overwhelmed with temples, but this is a fantastic change.

We headed back to Gion and some of us went to a traditional tea ceremony, while others went to dress as Geishas. These two activities, along with the cultural show we went to later on, were a great way to see some of the age old Japanese arts. I finally saw a Geisha in the flesh as well, happy days! The tea ceremony was very tranquil, but I'm not sure how long I can sit cross legged on wooden floors for. The cheap Primark plimsoles that have ripped my feet up and my general lack of flexibility, are making it a bit of a struggle!

More western influences on our food today. Although we did enjoy a cracking food market, octopus tastes pretty good and then a Korean lunch. After though the afternoon and evening brought us a chocolate shop and pizza respectively. There is, after all, only so much rice and fried pork a lad can eat though!

The tour is in its twilight now. Just a ryokan, traditional house complete with hot spring, and Tokyo left. These tours pack a lot in and I'll be sad to say bye to most of this group. A few of us are staying on in Tokyo after the tour ends though, wonder what craziness we can find there...!?

Miyajima Island

Today saw us travel to the beautiful Miyajima to see the floating Torii gate. This 50 foot structure is erected in an inland sea and is the gateway to the largest shrine on the island, built by the visionary Samurai shogun Kiyomori. His dedication to driving pirates away from the bay is the reason why so many flock here. His placing the gate just off shore gives the impression, when the tide is in, that the gate is floating in mid air.

I was a little disappointed as we did not get to see the gate in all its floating glory, nevertheless, it is a fantastic piece of architecture and something I was really looking forward to seeing on this trip. Having wandered round the shrine, we next headed up to the second highest point of the island to see the inland sea,  Hiroshima across the bay and Miyajima in all their glory. It was a fantastic cable car journey up, but I am sorry to those of my group I had told there were monkeys at the top. As it turned out, relying on an old guidebook isn't always the best bet. Especially Michael, it was probably the only reason he came up!

We decided to walk back down. Thankfully my map reading skills haven't deserted me too much, and those of us that walked got to experience some beautiful Japanese flora and fauna. The mix of colours in places was lovely and although the steps were a little steep in places, it was good to get a workout in. Having reached the town we wandered to the main strip to find somewhere to eat and hopefully sample the local favourite, momiji manju - maple leaf shaped cakes, with soft fillings. Having eaten those, which were pretty delicious, we slowly made our way back to the ferry. Once back on the mainland, we arranged to meet for dinner. We sampled one of the places across the street and it was a chance to tick something else off the culinary list - sushi. When it eventually came, it was cracking. Sadly the awfully slow service put a little dampner on what had otherwise been a superb day.

Some of us retired to have a nightcap in the hotel bar. It is really nice to be able to have the chance to mix with so many different people on these tours and I have to say, this group has been one of the best I've ever had. Everyone is good fun and the banter, especially with the Aussies on tour, has been great. Kyoto next and the home of the Geisha.  Should be great!

Hiroshima

So the time had finally arrived to try one of Japan's most famous modes of transport - the Bullet train or Shinkansen. These super efficient trains fly between cities, cutting travel times by hours. I was impressed, as I have been throughout, by the quiet efficiency that the trains run by. Always on time, mostly spotlessly clean and incredibly helpful staff. The added part of the Shinkansen, apart from the speed, that impressed me was the respectful nature of the train staff. The ticket conductors and food staff bow on their way into and out of the carriages, this huge respect for their passengers and their work, was lovely.

Having blasted across the countryside, we arrived in the much warmer southern city of Hiroshima. As with our trip to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam last year, this was a reminder of the destructive power man has and the willingness to bring devastation to a people. The humbling walk through the Peace Memorial Park, still bearing the scars in the form of the never rebuilt 'A-Bomb Dome' - formerly a municipal building, but now a shell and constant reminder of what happened that fateful day - was very sombre. The tour around the museum, complete with fragments of clothing, hair and skin of the victims and witness statements of the damage done by the bomb, were a powerfully graphic way to tell the story. The strong message to end all nuclear armaments around the world is one that you cannot ignore when you see what happened to this place. I was struck by how little hatred is fostered towards America, only a plea that it should never happen again.

Having reflected on the past, we went to sample some more of Japan's cracking cuisine. Having tried ramen noodles in Osaka and vegetable tempura in Koya-san, it was now time for some orunyakibuki. This pancake, filled with meat and veg, topped with a fried egg, cooked on a roasting hot metal skillet surface, that you never take the food off, was a fantastic experience. The one thing I love about tours like this is trying the local food, this was my favourite so far! Having finished up, Vicky and I wandered through the streets of the district we were in. The vibrant nightlife was starting and we wished we could have been more of a part of it. However, it is going to be a busy day tomorrow, so we jumped on the tram, another excellent and efficient form of transport and headed for the hotel. I was struck by how many school age children were still out and about,  seemingly still on their way to classes at 8:30 at night. I had read before I came that it isn't unusual for the children to do 12 hour days here. After talking to some of the guys on tour, it seems they do their school work and then go to tutoring. No wonder Britain is starting to slip behind a little academically. Although the merit of working so hard you fall asleep on a western tourist on the tram, as one young Japanese lad did to me, doesn't seem the be all and end all either!

Koya-san

Having left Osaka, we travelled to the mountain town of Koya-san to stay in a traditional monastery. Having left the bright lights of the city behind, the fresh air and rustic nature of this part of Japan was a nice change. Forgive my naviety in the previous post, I was just not certain how much information there was going to be in English. Although most Japanese don't speak it, the announcements and English signage make moving around this magnificent country a real joy.

Anyway, having arrived in Koya-san, I was surprised by how much there was in the town. Having expected it to be a few temples and monasteries,  the huge infrastructure, was a little surprising. Our monastery was superb, if a little cold. The monks were very welcoming and couldn't do enough for you. The existence of wi-fi and TVs in the rooms took away a little from the traditional feel of the place, but I guess they are the expectations of the modern traveller.

We dumped our gear and headed for the first temple, Kongobuji. This beautiful temple told the story of the founder of the town, Kobo Daishi. Having cleansed ourselves in the traditional way, we entered and had a walk through the building. In every room there were superb paper screens depicting the events that led to the creation of the town and this temple. The elegant gardens of the place, as with everything so far, were beautifully manicured and there was a lovely air of relaxation and reflection to the area. The beautiful cherry blossoms, although late in the season, were fantastic and added a gentle beauty to the stunning scenery.

Next was Konpon Daito. This huge pagoda stood formidably high and had in its vicinity some equally lovely and superbly maintained, smaller buildings. The main building housed four Buddhas, all incarnations of Kobo Daishi.

We ate a traditional vegetarian meal, which was a little out of our Western tastes. While this sounds like a very narrow minded view, the food was not at all like anything any of us had experienced before and sadly, very few trays were finished. After dinner, our guide, Masa, taught us how to fold origami cranes. I'm sad to say, mine was dreadful! A career in this age old art is obviously not beckoning. There was then a chance to walk through the town's cemetery, home to some 200,000 tombs. This was a really well constructed tour and our monk guide was incredibly knowledgeable. We visited the tomb of Kobo Daishi, although it is believed he is still meditating some 1200 years after he started.

We finished our time in the mountains by watching a traditional morning prayer.  I have always been blown away by the dedication Buddhist monks have and this was no different. Despite it being a chilly 6:30 a.m. start, it was a privilege to watch them go through their morning rituals.

We headed back down the mountain and back to Osaka via the increasingly impressively efficient train system. We board a Shinkansen (Bullet train) next. This is something I've been looking forward to for a long time!

Osaka

Here we go again then. Another trip, another blog for you all to enjoy! This latest effort will document Vicky and I's journey through the islands that make up Japan. Starting in its third largest city, Osaka.

After travelling for the best part of 17 hours, our trip into downtown Osaka was made in darkness, so it wasn't easy to make out what this vibrant city had to offer. However, after a restful sleep, we ventured out to see what was what. Although it is mostly business and industry that Osaka has, it has some hidden gems for tourists too.

We first visited the Osaka castle. A fantastic remodel of a centuries old castle, it was a beautiful fortress set in magnificant and perfectly manicured gardens. I am always impressed by how clean the workers keep their tourist attractions on this side of the world, I think we could learn a bit from their dedication to presenting things in the best possible way. After wandering through the gardens, we had another crack at the subway system. Having used systems like this all over the world, I have to say, the Japanese really make the whole experience fairly easy. English language options on ticket machines, English on signs and announcements and they are always very happy to help. An old Japanese couple that saw we were struggling with the ticket price were very kind and helped us as best as their broken English and my two words of Japanese would allow! The trains, once you work out where you need to go, are superb. Quick, clean and efficient. If only all train travel could be that way!

Next was a trip to one of the tallest structures in Osaka, the Umeda Sky Building, on top of which, is the Floating Garden Observatory. I always feel these towers are excellent as they allow you such an extensive view of the place you're visiting.  Fantastic panoramic photos of all parts of Osaka done,  we did a bit of window shopping. This ranged from beautiful designer shops, to a tiny pet shop in the middle of an amusement arcade! Very strange to see tiny kittens and puppies for sale,  while kids tried to win stuffed teddies in the next shop!!

We meet our group tonight. Hopefully we all get along well and can enjoy this next couple of weeks. I have wanted to tick Japan 'off my list' for a while now, so far I have not been disappointed. The sights, including the stunning blossoms, that we have seen, the public transport we've used and the people have been great so far, I can't wait for more of the same :)