Part 4. Tokyo, Kamakura & Hakone – neon to nature
In this our fourth and last part of our tour around Honshu, we investigate the capital and its environs – a kaleidoscope of smoke and mirrors. We’ve encircled Honshu, the main island, in our tour of Japan. As you’ll see from the map below we’ve finally returned to Tokyo to investigate the city itself and some of the more notable locations that surround it – from views of iconic Mount Fuji, to boiling hot...
Part 3. Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima – between heaven & hell
In this third part of our Japan tour, Southwest Honshu immerses us in samurai, senslessness, spirituality – and sake. We’ve previously travelled from Tokyo across Honshu to Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go and Kaga Onsen, before heading south to Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. In this article we take you to the far southwest of Honshu to Hiroshima and Miyajima, via Himeji, as you can trace on the map below. We’ve chosen to make our way...
Part 2. Osaka, Kyoto & Nara – a spectrum of ancient and modern Japan
In this second part of our tour of Honshu, Japan, we experience the extreme contrasts of sculpted modern architecture and rampant consumerism with simple aesthetics and spiritual reward. Travel with us to Osaka, Kyoto & Nara. In our first article we explored the lesser known west coast of Honshu. Now we head back to the southern side, to the cities of Osaka and Kyoto along with the ancient capital of Nara, as you can see on the...
Part 1. Kanazawa and Culture – history alive in western Honshu, Japan
In this first of a series about the main island of Honshu in Japan, we share with you our travels throughout this diverse island to bring you colour, culture, cuisine and history to entice you to explore this amazing country for yourself. We’ll end our tour in Tokyo but before that show you highlights of travel through the Kanazawa region, Osaka, Kyoto & Nara, Hiroshima & Miyajima and the Himeji area, Hakone and...
Ryokan – a novel experience in Kyoto
Seeking a novel experience in Japan… Whilst you might not judge a book by its cover, the book itself might open a whole new world for you. Before ever going to Japan we had by coincidence read ‘Shogun’ by James Clavell. If you don’t know, it’s a somewhat stylised ‘faction’ book about the struggle for power, through battle and intrigue in the time of the feudal Emperors; as seen through the eyes of the English sailor John...
