Koyo - Autumn Leaves in Japan
Japan is one of my “special” destinations. I fell in love with this country a long time ago when I lived there for a year. I always recommend it as a “must-visit” place to my clients, especially during the Spring and Autumn seasons because the vibrant autumn colours of the place fill the air with magic. The feedback I have had from my clients is always amazing, so I booked a trip to discover more.
On arriving at Haneda Airport, Tokyo I was greeted by the first snowfall of the year. It was incredibly beautiful to see the white snow settling on the ground all around me, in fact, it was the first November snowfall in over 39 years and I got to enjoy it. Now that is something small to celebrate!
My fourteen-day trip took me to some incredibly beautiful places and I covered nearly the whole length of Japan. I travelled on the impressively fast, high-speed Bullet train. There was so much to take in and learn each day and the Japanese people were very friendly.
I took a ferry from Lake Ashi and a short ride up the ropeway to the Mt. Komagatake where I could see Mt Fuji and I was lucky enough to touch and enjoy some more snow. I managed to get a few selfies in before the mist starting coming down. It was magical - something I had only seen in photographs but here I was, standing in the snow and enjoying every minute of it.
If you have never done it before, I recommend a Japanese bath known as an Onsen. I could not resist and went for a roof-top bath at the Hida Hotel in Takayama to enjoy the view of the city. It was so beautiful to have the cold rain drops falling on my head, whilst being submerged in the hot spring onsen. What a fabulous experience!
I joined a tour around the thatched roof village in Shirakawa-go. The autumn colours and quaint little village buildings were such a contrast against the foggy mist. It was as if time had stopped.
Another day I grabbed a ferry from Hiroshima to Miyajima where I visited the Itsukushima Shrine, which is a unique architectural structure, extending over the sea. We later went to visit a traditional food market and tasted the local food and beer.
In Tokyo, we visited some traditional Japanese gardens where we were treated to a Tea ceremony - a unique culture experience instructed by a Tea Master. The experience was fun, but the tea, not so much - an acquired taste I guess! It is something I recommend that you try though. Unlike me, you may enjoy the tea.
As we were leaving, I got to see a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony being performed this is a wonderful celebration and I was so lucky to be able to witness this.
Finally, I’ve seen it all. At the end of my stay in Japan, I went to the Tokyo Tourism Centre, where I met my nemesis… a talking robot tour guide. What can I say only in Japan and just another fun experience!
It was sad to depart from Japan, but before the last Autumn leaves in fell, I decided that this was not the last time I would visit Japan and will return sometime soon.
My recommendations:
- Enjoy fast internet on the bullet train – and catch a selfie and upload it on the way
- Join the Mt Fuji and Hakone Tours
- Get out and about to see the beautiful colours of Autumn in Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Miyajima
- Visit Miyajima and the Itsukushima Shrine
- Try the local dishes and the locally brewed beer or sake - every city has its own special brew and traditional food
- If you’re not scared of heights, then you could enjoy a dinner at the Tokyo Skytree
- Meet your robot tour guide in Tokyo
Want to find out more… I’m only a call away