A holiday in Japan opens us to one of Asia’s most fascinating and vibrant countries. The crowning glory of the Pacific rim of fire, Japan is a destination like no other and few travel spots cast a spell on travellers the way Japan does. A land of contrasts; where the breakneck speed of Tokyo becomes a distant memory sitting under a cherry blossom tree in Kyoto; where ancient farmers plough their fields by ox-power as the Shinkansen bullet train roars past at 300kph.
This is the land of the Rising Sun; a land where an Imperial past lives in perfect harmony with unprecedented modernity.
First stop: Tokyo. Orient yourself with breathtaking views of this mega-metropolis from the 250m observatory deck of Tokyo Tower. You’ll pick out some outstanding sites to visit, like the Imperial palace, the Asukusa Kannon Temple and Meiji Shinto shrine. Of course no self-respecting visitor would consider leaving Tokyo before making a plunge into Tokyo’s pounding retail and entertainment heart; Ginza.
Head for Nagoya to inspect the impressive Noritake Museum, and check out the amazing views of Mt Fuji at Hakone, on the way through. For a quieter view of Japan consider exploring the ancient towns of the Kiso Valley and the 16thC castle of Matsumoto Jo. Cross the Japanese Alps to Takayama where the 16th century lives on, in the geisha districts and the Old Town. Hop on the Bullet train and speed to Hiroshima to explore the Peace Park and the magnificent shrines on the Inland Sea.
Don’t forget the achingly beautiful city of Kyoto; Japan’s capital for more than a thousand years, today it’s home to a huge array of temples, shrines and tea houses scattered among the ancient alley ways. Take time out to indulge in a bath house ritual and indulge in some quality souvenir shopping in the geisha quarter.
With four main islands you’ll need a lot of time to absorb all that makes up the Japanese way of life, but the effort will reward with history, culture and cuisine of remarkable depth.
Japan fun facts
More than 70 percent of the country is mountains and hills
The Japanese poetry form ‘Haiku’ comprises of only 3 lines
Japanese enjoy slurping while eating; it means that the food is delicious
Bali - Private Villa
Friday 5th December 2008
Travel Counsellor: Lucy Fenwick
My family travel to Bali every year. We have taken family and friends from all over the world to join us. These 2 privately owned villas, are something that need to be seen to be believed.
I have inspected a lot of properties in many destinations over the years and Wilsana "takes the cake"!
My parents and Nanna were very apprehensive about going to Bali, in light of recent events, and all doubts disappeared the moment Nyoman opened the gates! The gardens are so well maintained, we felt we should tip-toe on the grass. The pool was deliciously inviting. We only went to the beach once on our first stay. The bale by the pool was so ideally positioned, we were comfortable with the kids swimming as we could watch them from the sidelines. The CD player in the bale allowed relaxation likened to that of our backyard summer BBQ's.
The space inside Wilsana 1 was enough for all of us to be very comfortable (6 adults + 3 children). The DVD player(projected onto a wall in the theatre room) kept... view full story
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