The Mystery of Japan

The Rugby World Cup, Olympic Games & Joanna Lumley have all done their bit to make Japan a must-see destination. But what’s it really like? Is it the Geishas hurrying through the old streets of Kyoto or the 634m Tokyo Skytree tower? Is it the wooded misty walks along the Nakasendo Way and the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Path, or the Shinkansen Bullet Train which speeds you through the country? Is it cherry blossom in the spring or Japanese maples in the autumn? Hiroshima or Mount Fuji? It is of course all of these, and more. This holiday has been designed by people who either live or have lived in Japan for many years, love the country, and know it intimately. And you wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that they have a particular affection for Kyoto! 

Japan’s most beautiful sights are often connected to temples, be they Shinto or Buddhist. Here the exquisite works of man and nature combine. It has been said that the Japanese have an almost sacred relationship to nature, be it in the temple gardens or in the countryside – it is noteworthy that 60% of the country is covered in trees and Kyoto especially has a wealth of tranquil green spaces.

Many will want to see Japan in the spring during the ‘hanami’ cherry blossom season, and our two holidays in April aim to catch this time of year. We have one departure in May, when fewer people travel, which includes the unique ‘shiba-zakura’ flowers near Mount Fuji. The Japanese autumn starts later than ours and goes well into November, and one of our departures is designed to catch the autumn colours at their very best. Words sometimes struggle to do justice to the natural wonders of Japan – we suggest you look at our photo gallery and also Google images.

We have a local guide throughout as well as a Ramblers leader. In Kyoto and Tokyo we use public transport so you will move around the cities as a local, not as a tourist… but outside rush hour.  Most dinners are included, but where they are not, follow our Ramblers leader to discover the great variety of Japanese cooking.

When you leave, we hope you will feel that Japan is a little less mysterious to you than it is now, but having had an even more wonderful experience than you ever could have imagined.