@travellingwiththeateam

After yesterday’s wet weather, we thankfully were greeted this morning with sunny blue skies as we headed down to the coast for a day to visit Kamakura and it’s near neighbour Enoshima.

Kamakura is famed for beautiful temples, scenic beaches, and the iconic Great Buddha statue.

Before kicking off on our tour around the town, we stopped for some late breakfast at a lovely bakery for coffee and fruit bread.

The Japanese love French delicatessen and so the presentation and the quality of the food were second to none. As for the coffee, possibly the best we’ve had since arriving in the country.

After our ‘fuel stop’ we headed to Kokotu-in temple to visit the Great Buddha, Kamakura’s most famous landmark.

This impressive bronze statue stands at over 11m in height and is a must see. You can even step inside the statue to observe its inner structure!

After enjoying a pleasant walk around the temple grounds and the opportunity to soak up the mornings rays, we moved on to our next stop, Hase-dera temple, a short walk away.

The grounds of the temple were magnificent, made even more eye catching by the glorious sunshine we were now basking in.

The temple is known for its wonderful gardens and the 11 headed Kannon statue along with the views over Kamakura and Sagami Bay.

The many Kannon statues all in rows, both large and small.

After our temple visits, we were naturally drawn to the stunning Kamakura beach for a walk and a paddle in the Pacific Ocean. Oddly this is the first beach we’ve visited since we left Bali in late September, having been in city locations ever since. It was so good to be back and to have the pleasure of some sunshine too.

After our beach walk, we stumbled upon Kamakura Music & Food Festival at a park close to the beach. We were entertained by local singers playing classic Beatle tracks, as well as traditional Japanese jazz, folk and rock.

We also came across the local brewery selling some great hoppy IPA which quickly tempted Andy into a purchase.

After a stop for lunch at a local cafe for egg and cheese toasties, a new one on us, but oh so very tasty, we picked up the local tram and journeyed down the coastline to Enoshima.

Once in the town we walked across the bridge linking the mainland to the island and got to see the view we’d been so hoping to witness….Mount Fuji in the distance rising above the clouds.

We then went around the island and took in the various local food stalls selling seafood and sweet treats. One interesting ‘special’ dish was an octopus cracker.

As the afternoon wore on, we decided to take an extended walk passed the trams we used to get to Enoshima and walked to the nearby town of Fujisawa, where we were able to get a direct train back to Yokohama.

Once back in the city, we headed for an early dinner at one of the restaurants close to the station inside a very fancy department store where we feasted on chicken and vegetables.

After another marathon walking day, covering over 14 miles, we had a relaxing evening organising our plans for Monday. We have organised a tour of the local Kirin brewery where we will get the chance to watch the beer being made and have a few samples at the end. Also with another sunny day in store we will be visiting the famous local Chinatown and visit Kanteibyo temple.

Back on the move today with a limited express train back into Tokyo, before changing to a local subway down to the southern city port of Yokohama.

The great thing about travelling in Japan is the reliability of the trains and their regularity. We were able to connect from train to tube almost seamlessly and before we knew it we were dropping off our bags in the port area of Yokohama by midday.

Our original plans had been to explore the waterfront and Minatomirai area, however today was a total wash out with the rain remaining constant from late morning onwards.

We did manage to get to Red Brick Warehouse (Renga Soko) a historic old building now turned into shopping, restaurants and event spaces. We took shelter in one of the coffee shops hoping for the weather to improve, but sadly with no success.

After walking past Cosmo World, a small amusement park, home to the famous Cosmos clock 21, a giant ferris wheel we made the decision to head into central Yokohama and take shelter in one of the large shopping malls.

As we walked through the former dockland area of Yokohama, now home to numerous hotels and convention centres, we came across the Cup Noodles Museum, the history of instant noodles and ramen, and made a booking to revisit in a couple of days when we get the opportunity to make our own chicken ramen.

The next stop, and an interlude from our wet walk into the centre, was a short tour of the Nissan Global Headquarters.

As it turns out Nissan originated in Yokohama and the gallery/exhibition showcased from their early days with Datsun right up to the modern electric cars of today.

The opportunity to look inside each car and talk to the staff about the individual cars was a real pleasure for a petrol head like Andy!

After spending an enjoyable 45mins inside the dry of the Nissan exhibition we returned to the wet outside and carried on our walk to the shopping centre. We were on the look out for Sonny Angel accessories, a request from Amelia for her mobile, but sadly the store we’d been recommended didn’t stock them any longer.

Once inside the shopping mall, we ended up in Nike as Andy was keen to replace his now ripped Adidas runners with a new pair. With the aide of a 15% birthday discount (thanks to Michelle for using her incoming big day to achieve this) we walked away with a shiny new pair and some hefty discount compared to the UK price.

As the rain got heavier outside we made the decision to return by tube to the hotel and put off our Saturday night plans for a meal out for tomorrow. Instead we ‘dinned’ at Familymart, a 7eleven lookalike where we feasted on sushi and chicken katsu curry!

As we retired to the world’s smallest hotel room, a new record for us, measuring just 7ft x 12ft including a bathroom, we made a decision that we’d go out for a full day tomorrow and avoid spending any unnecessary time in our ‘cell’!

As tomorrow is a Sunday we plan to spend the day down on the coast at Kamakura, and combine a bit of culture (temples & shrines) with a trip to the beach and a walk around Enoshima Island.

Today was all about the temples and the shrines of Nikko, although we did start our own walking tour at Shinkyo Bridge, a sacred red bridge which is one of the most iconic landmarks in Nikko.

It’s considered to be one of Japan’s finest bridges and we managed to get some fantastic photos here both on and close by.

The black & red bridge is framed by dense forest surrounded by striking autumnal colours.

The big draw to visiting Nikko is that it combines World Heritage shrines and temples, traditional cuisine and crafts, and lush natural settings all within a compact area. Having visited the Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls yesterday, today we set our sights on Nikko Toshogu Shrine our next stop.

The entry point to Toshogu Shrine is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s the final resting place of Tokugawa leyasu, the founder of the Tomugawa shogunate.

The complex is famous for its intricate wooden carvings and monuments to the monks who helped to establish the shrine.

Another UNESCO site, Rinnoji is the most important temple in Nikko, with its main building housing large golden statues of Buddhas.

Like yesterday we were fortunate to get another mild sunny clear day and for the most part it was warm enough without jackets and even for us to pull out our sunnies!

There were numerous Inari shrines surrounding the Komyoin Buddhist temples acting as ‘protection’. For over 1,000yrs Buddhism & Shinto were unified.

Inari is a Kam (god) of agriculture and is worshipped for success in business and material wealth! Rice was used as a currency until the 19th century and explains its association with financial success. Inari is also known as Dakiniten, that manifests as a goddess riding a fox!

The whole temple complex offered a substantial number of temples, pagodas & lanterns gifted by the wealthy samurai to the ruling classes.

The main buildings of Futarasan-jinga are located close to the Toshogu shrine and are surrounded by many sacred trees. One tree is said to bring luck to a marriage – so we headed straight there to max out on any fortune that could be earned…!!

One pair of trees are joined at the base and are thought to bestow marital happiness and one with three trees at the base thought to grant a happy home life too. We covered all three to gain the maximum fortune for the Ainscough family!

All of these buildings are designated UNESCO world heritage sites and in total this covers 29 cultural properties in the temple complex.

We then took a short woodland walk around the grounds of one of the smaller shrines and took in the holy water that is supposed to help heal people with eye infections as well as being used for making saki. A great combination.

We managed a visit to the mausoleum of one of the key shogun rulers, whose resting place was on a magnificent scale.

Numerous temples and shrines along with lanterns that celebrated the might of the shogun and all he achieved in his lifetime.

After visiting no less than 5 temples and numerous shrines and it was still not yet midday, we decided to take a break from the culture and nature and search out a coffee stop in the old town of Nikko.

After a little googling we searched out the fantastic Nikko Coffee shop.

Our next stop was a visit to the Graves of the Martyrs comprising 24 graves of the Tokugawa, some include those who committed ritual suicide on the death of their lord, a practice known as junshi, in order to serve him in the next life. Loyalty is a hallmark of samurai culture, and junshi is perhaps its most extreme example.

With a few hours left of the afternoon we decided to take a relaxing walk along the river to check out the Jiunji Hondo Buddhist temple in the depths of the Nikko National Park.

Here the Jizo Statues, the guardian deity of children, sit dressed by locals in red hats and red capes. Jizo statues can be found throughout Japan often near graveyards or roadsides and are seen as a permanent prayer for the souls of the dead children.

After all that walking and cultural diversity, we decided to have a relaxing evening and headed out for an early dinner at a local Italian restaurant (!) for nourishing pasta.

Tomorrow we return to the bright lights of the city, this time in Yokohama which we plan to use as a base as we explore the city as well as the southern coastline with visits to Kamakura and the island of Enoshima.

We woke this morning to a great view of the Shinjuku CBD skyline from our hotel room.

As our tour with G Adventures has now officially ended, we caught up with our guide Noriko one final time to thank her for making the trip such a memorable and special time and to give her a tip for her time and assistance. Also she was the one who managed to arrange for the return of our lost jackets left at Fukuoka airport to our hotel in Shinjuku!!

We will miss her great organisation skills and her kind generosity. Her final act of helpfulness came in guiding us to a quick and direct service to Nikko.

After a 90 mile train journey we arrived back in the countryside of Nikko and immediately were struck by his natural beauty and its traditional charm and appearance.

Before heading to the lake, we decided to stop for lunch at one of the traditional Japanese locally run restaurants and enjoyed some curried soup and pork katsu alongside a chilled bottle of Kirin lager.

Andy’s curried soup was delicious but very hot, so after a 5min lull to let it cool down he soon got to work and quickly consumed the tasty chicken & veg broth soup.

Michelle went for pork katsu with noodles and vegetables and it proved to be big hit too.

So two large main courses with beers ended up costing only £15, which in this tourist mountain town seemed like a pretty decent outcome and great to experience it with the locals.

The bus up to Lake Chuzenji brought us to the picturesque lake formed by volcanic activity.

The surrounding autumn foliage was particularly stunning with an ever increasing number of redding trees and bushes.

Up from the lake was Kegon Falls, one of Japan’s top three waterfalls, sitting an impressive 97m tall.

We were able to get a great position from an observation platform sitting immediately opposite the falls.

We took the opportunity to walk along the quaint waterfront with its iconic Nikko sign looking out across the glimmering afternoon lake sky.

After yesterday’s cool and wet day in Hakone, it was great to return to a warmer and sunnier countryside.

With today being the last day of October we can definitely start to see the autumn colours becoming more vibrant and pronounced, with beautiful orange and red leaves nestling between an ever reducing green backdrop.

The lake and surrounding mountains and dormant volcano have a welcoming atmosphere and we already feel relaxed and comfortable in this laid back part of Nikko National Park.

Mount Natal, dominates the northern end of the lake and has the characteristic volcanic steep slopes and narrow peaked summit.

After enjoying a stroll around the lake and getting some photos of the beautiful scenery, we found a fantastic cafe on the waterfront called Zen, where we sat in deep comfy armchairs staring out over the lake with coffees in hand.

After our coffee stop we walked back to the bus station where we were greeted by a 150 people queue for the ride back to Nikko bus terminal. Thankfully the 45min wait for a bus soon passed and after queuing its way down the steep mountain road, the bus got us back an hour later by which time it was dark and the temperature had dropped to below 8c degrees, which in shorts and flip flops isn’t ideal.

After our restaurant lunch, we had a more casual 7 Eleven styled dinner and have booked a meal at a nearby restaurant for tomorrow evening.

The plan for day 2 is to visit Toshogu & Futarasan Shrines, as well as Rinno-ji temple, Shinkyo Bridge and anything else we can see in around Nikko old town.

Sadly today was our last day on the Japan Express tour and so we left Hakone early for our final destination of Tokyo.

The route back involved a walk through the greenery of the mountain on our way to the funicular and our route down to the valley.

After the funicular we picked up the ‘romance’ train from Hakone direct to Shinjuku. The name comes from romance seats, two-person seats without separating armrests.

Our journey back proved quick, just over an hour and after dropping off our bags at the hotel we had some free time to go and explore Shibuya and head to the crossing in advance of the Halloween celebrations.

Our first stop was a return to the Harajuku, where we stopped off for lunch and a wander around the fantastic shopping area which in the sunshine was buzzing with people.

Our meandering through the back streets of Harajuku & Shibuya eventually dropped us at the infamous crossing.

Once at Shibuya Crossing it was clear that the authorities wanted to avoid any unwanted Halloween celebrations and partying that has occurred in the area in the past and led to some disturbances. Instead there was a noticeable police presence and signs up all around advising that there would be no street parties or drinking in the area over the next few days.

Andy was keen to try and replace his Adidas running trainers which haven’t held up very well and have split down both sides. We actually went to an Adidas store to see if they could help, but to no avail and instead we went searching for a bargains ABC Mart where the sales have started. Unfortunately the one major problem is that the Japanese have much smaller feet and Andy was looking for US size 11.5, which was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Looks like his Adidas shoes will need to keep going a little while yet!!

This evening we had a walking tour with our guide Noriko with the starting point being a light show at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. This happens each week night and was truly spectacular, beaming a whole range of Japanese themed images onto the front of the building.

After the light show we headed up to the Observation Deck to check out the views across the cities skyline. It’s only when you see Tokyo from on high that you appreciate the scale of the huge metropolis.

From there we made our way to Memory Lane, a place we’d preciously visited on a prior walking tour some weeks back.

Any trip to Shinjuku centre must involve a visit to the 3D cat to marvel at the realism of the technology.

Our tour eventually took us to the Godzilla Head and Golden Gai, where over 200 themed mini bars sit side by side, a throw back to Tokyos postwar American occupation.

Before we knew it, the walking tour ended and as it was almost 10pm and we hadn’t eaten, we decided to walk back with a group of the tour party before saying our goodbyes.

We’ve really enjoyed the last 9 days with Noriko and our other 14 travelling companions and hope to see a few again as we continue our travels to New Zealand & back to Australia.

Tomorrow we return to the countryside with a two night stay in Nikko where we hope to see the castle, plenty of shrines and no doubt a few Onsen too.

This morning we were very lucky to see a ‘shooting star’ as we left Kyoto….well two in fact, in the form of two practising Geisha girls with their manager.

When we asked our Japanese tour guide about how often they are seen in public, we were amazed to hear that these were only the second ones she’d seen in 10yrs!! How lucky were we.

The geisha girls were fully dressed in traditional costumes and their faces were as white as snow.

After leaving Kyoto we started our latest adventure to Hakone, involving numerous trains, a bus, a pirate ship, a cable car and finally a funicular.

Arriving in Hakone we were amazed to see the cleanliness of the station, which was possibly helped by the staff hoovering the platform!

Once in Hakone we made our way to the pirate ship for a trip across Lake Ashino-ko. Sadly the picture below was from an advert and shows the ship in summer time, looking its best.

Our boat trip was a little more autumnal with driving rain and a cool breeze.

We were hopeful of getting a glimpse of Mount Fuji, but as it wasn’t a clear day it was lost somewhere in the mist.

After the pirate ship across the lake, formed after the last eruption some 3,000yrs ago, it was time to ride the cable car up to Mount Hakone and check out the volcano top.

Once at the top, we went in search of the active sulfur vents, hot springs and bubbling pools. We also checked out the famous ‘black eggs’ which are said to add years to your life!

The cable car ride offered panoramic views of the area, but due to the mist it was here one minute gone the next.

Heading back down the mountain we picked up the funicular to our final stop and the hotel stay.

Once at the hotel it was time to dry off and try on the hotel’s fetching slippers. Jenny had brought her own and rocked a pink pair to stand out.

Tonight we were back in hot springs in the hotel’s Onsen, and then dressed to impress with our kimonos for dinner.

Halloween is only a couple of days away and our hotel was preparing for this big event with ghosts and pumpkins around the reception area.

Dinner was a 6 course affair with beef stew as the main course which then cooked in front of us.

It was a real experience to try this selection of dishes all dressed in our fetching kimonos.

Tomorrow is our final day on the Japanese tour and we are heading back to Tokyo for a night, before we go our separate ways and head back out to the country and a two day trip to Nikko.

This morning we returned to Fushimi Inari for an early morning hike at this famous Shinto shrine. This was our second visit having been here previously for a sunset walk with friends about 3 weeks ago.

It’s notoriety stems from the thousands of vermilion torii gates which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings.

The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which sits at 233m and belongs to the shrine grounds.

The temples around the base of Mount Inari have foxes adorned in red capes protecting those who enter.

At the shrine’s entrance stands the Romon Gate, donated in 1589 by the famous leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi.  Behind stands the shrine’s main hall where all visitors are encouraged to pay their respects to the resident deity and make a small offering.

The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donor’s name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate.

The donation amount start at around 400,000 yen for a smaller gate and increases to over one million yen for a larger gate.

Having previously done the hike to the summit and back, we decided to just go for a wander with our new Kiwi friends Michelle B & Jen.

Along the way, there were multiple smaller shrines with stacks of miniature torii gates that were donated by visitors with smaller budgets.

After about a 30-45 minute ascent and a gradual descent we’d seen our fair share of torii gates. Our next stop was a walk to the Gion district and a brief food stop to buy one of the largest apples we’ve ever come across. Fruit in Japan is incredibly tasty and flavourful, but this comes at a cost with a single apple costing almost 330 yen (£1.60).

Our next temple stop was a visit to Sanjusangen-do, home to over a 1,000 Buddhas that sit in rows within a single temple. Unfortunately for religious reasons we weren’t allowed to take any photos of the Buddhas and instead made the most of the temples grounds.

The morning proved to be one of the cooler days we’ve experienced in Japan, with the temperatures having dropped in the last few days to a low of 20c. Hence the jackets and trousers!

Sanjūsangen-dō is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto.

The temple was founded in 1164 by Taira no Kiyomori for the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa.

Having worked up an appetite from the early morning’s activities, we stopped at a vegetarian restaurant and treated ourselves to some ‘home style’ cooking with cheese and guacamole toasties. It’s the first time we’ve both had cheese since we left Australia back in early March.

After walking back to central Kyoto and a wander along one of the many canals we headed to the geisha district and a visit to a museum that documents their history.

Unfortunately it was only when we arrived at the entrance to the geisha museum, that we discovered it was closed for refurbishment…..so instead we went to Maruyama Park and visited Yasaka Shrine and the Daiun-in Temple.

As the day progressed the sunshine thankfully made an entrance and it was sufficiently warm enough for Andy to indulge himself with a milk ice-cream.

The park grounds led up to Otani Sobyo, another Buddhist temple with stunning views looking down on Kyoto from the hillside.

Feeling all templed out, we returned to the walking streets and passed our first Xmas shop of the year.

With our stomachs starting to rumble we made our way to Nishiki market to check out the seafood and also some Sake tasting.

Whilst the market is narrow, it’s lined with over one hundred shops and restaurants and has a great sense of vibrancy and hums with activity.

Some of the shops give out free samples or sell sample dishes and skewers which you have to eat there and then.

With so many choices of foods, we found it hard to decide and eventually found a restaurant outside the market where we were able to sit and take in the views and people watch.

Tomorrow we have another early start with our next stop one bullet train away in Hakone. We really hope to catch a sight of Mount Fuji and also try our hand again at an Onsen (hot spring) and enjoy some more nature.

This morning we said goodbye to Hiroshima and made a return to the beautiful historic city of Kyoto.

Before leaving the city, we treated ourselves to a traditional cream and custard bun from the train station, which is now firmly Andy’s favourite sweet treat. So successful that he went and bought a second helping.

Whilst waiting at the train station, we visited the Mazda car stand, which originates in the city of Hiroshima. The Roadster is still a fantastic classic and a real eye catcher.

It was then time to pick up the latest bullet train for a 1hr 15min journey to Osaka before picking up a local train to Kyoto a short 20min ride away.

Once in Osaka, our local train was the Hello Kitty Haruka, which was dressed to impress and proved an enjoyable journey to Kyoto.

After dropping our luggage at the hotel in Gion, we went out for lunch and a walk along Nishiki Market.

Nishiki Market or the “brocade market” is a marketplace rich with history and tradition, it’s renowned as the place to obtain many of Kyoto’s famous foods and goods.

We have been so keen to try chicken katsu curry since arriving in Japan and at long last we found a restaurant specialising in the dish and we were sold.

After lunch and a short walk around the shops, we headed to the subway for a tour around Nijo castle.

Nijō Castle is a flatland castle consisting of two concentric rings of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace and various ancillary buildings and several gardens. We went around the inside of the castle to marvel at the traditional architecture and the minimal appearance.

We then wandered around the gardens, which was a return visit for us having visited with friends Christophe & Barbs a few weeks back when we first arrived in the country.

In the intervening period the temperatures have definitely reduced from the heat of 30c+ to a more moderate 24c enabling us to walk around in comfort.

As the walk around the gardens came to a close it was then time for a glass of sake. We’ve tried it a few times and the one at the castle was by far the best, with a smooth taste and a gentle alcoholic hit at the end.

After all that it was time for a rest and a return to the hotel for an afternoon ‘siesta’ before dinner at a local bar tapas style.

On our way over to the restaurant we walked by a couple of more interesting shops, the first selling cooking knives and the second lanterns. Both were particularly Japanese and all the items on sale were beautifully presented.

After dinner at the tapas restaurant, we went for a walk around the geisha district with our guide, but again we didn’t manage to see any, out and about.

The evening’s walking tour was a pleasant affair and helped to unveil the secrets of the hidden beauty of the enchanting geisha culture.

As we wandered, we were able to enjoy the exquisite traditional architecture as well as the rich history, intriguing facts, and captivating stories accumulated over extensive research and in the enchanting realm of the “flower and willow world.” Our guide helped to dispel the myths and misconceptions that surround these iconic women, who have been the subjects of countless woodblock prints, literary works, and cinematic portrayals throughout the centuries. 

After all that culture, we happily headed back to the hotel around 10.30pm for a good night’s sleep, in readiness for an early start and a walk up to the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine first thing in the morning.

After our first day in Hiroshima visiting the sombre A-Bomb museum, today was all about nature with a trip to Itsukushima, also known as Miyajima, a small island in Hiroshima Bay.

It is known for its forests and ancient temples. Just offshore, the giant, orange Great Torii Gate sits on the edge of the water, partially submerged at high tide.

It marks the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, which was first built in the 12th century. Nearby, the Museum of History and Folklore has cultural artifacts in a 19th-century merchant’s home.

Once on the island we walked along the waterfront and passed the numerous seafood stalls selling oysters and eels.

Across the island are wild deer, seen as sacred in the native Shinto religion because they are considered messengers of the gods. They walk the streets of the city, unafraid of tourists and searching for food. Andy was one of the unsuspecting victims losing one of his sandwiches to a young artful dodger!

This torii at the Itsukushima Shrine acts as a welcoming point for visitors to the island and draws the most attention and ‘selfies’.

Itsukushima has a number of temples, including Toyokuni Shrine below a five-storied pagoda and Daiganji Temple – one of the three most famous Benzaiten temples that Andy hiked to later in the day.

The island is also famous for its hill side cherry blossoms and maple leaf autumn foliage, which was starting to come into its own during our visit.

The peak of the island is Mount Misen, at 535 m, is the highest point on the island. Whilst most people, Michelle included take the Miyajima Ropeway (cable car) to the summit, Andy took the hiking option and walked the 3k to the top by foot up the steep stepped path.

The hiking trail offered stunning views out across the bay and other nearby islands as well as waterfalls and an array of temples and shrines dotted across the island.

From the summit there were stunning 360 degree views across the island, bay and beyond.

The climb to the summit and walk down for Andy was a round trip of a couple of hours and his descent took him to Daishō-in, also called Suishō-ji (Crystal Temple’). It’s a historic Buddhist temple complex with many temples and statues sitting at the base of Mount Misen.

Daishoin Temple, is the oldest temple on Miyajima and is surrounded by maple trees that were starting to turn a stunning red.

Daiganji Temple is dedicated to Benzaiten, goddess of music, art, and water. It is said to be one of the most important temples dedicated to the goddess in Japan. 

After returning to the torii gate, the tide has started to come in and slowly submerging the base making them appear to be floating.

Gojunoto is a beautiful five-story red pagoda, originally built in 1407. The vivid red pagoda contrasted perfectly with the lush greenery and the sea beyond.

Michelle and a few others went up to the mountain via cable car and got to see a more elevated view of the island with some great views.

Before leaving the island we’d been recommended to try a curried battered oyster, a local delicacy which proved to be one of the best savoury dishes we’ve tried.

After an enjoyable day on the island, we took the 10 min ferry back to the mainland. The port itself is a short walk from Miyajimaguchi Station, and from there it was a 30 min train ride back to Hiroshima Station.

After returning to Hiroshima we decided to visit Hiroshima Castle, sometimes called Carp Castle, that was the residence of the daimyō of the Hiroshima Domain.

The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but was largely destroyed by the atomic bombing on August 6 1945 and then rebuilt in the late 1950’s.

Our visit on a Saturday afternoon coincided with a food and music festival, making it a memorable event.

Seeing the locals at play was great, with their fish and meat steaks in one hand a beer in the other.

After our castle stop off we paid a visit to Hondori Street, a pedestrian arcade that is closed to traffic and lined with shops and is the main walking street.

After another busy day walking around the sights of Hiroshima we returned to our hotel for a brief relax, before heading out in the evening for a ramen with a group from the tour.

Tomorrow we move on to Kyoto via bullet train, a return visit for us, and will be heading straight out to your the Nijo Castle along with the geisha district of Gion.

Back to the early morning starts, with an opportunity to watch the monks pray in the monastery and make an offering of good fortunate for a loved one.

It was then time for a traditional vegetarian monk breakfast, which looked decidedly similar to last nights evening meal…Lots of colour, but lots of uncertainty as to what we were eating and its taste!!

It was then time to start our return back to Osaka, before heading on to Hiroshima by bullet train. We had a little time to enjoy the last hour or so in Koyasan and have a brief walk around the nearby temple and gardens before we boarded a bus back to the funicular.

The views back to the mountainside were spectacular, particularly as the autumn colours are now starting to turn and we were seeing more and more red leaves.

It was another case of multiple forms of transport, bus, funicular, train x 2, subway into Osaka, before a short break for lunch at the main train station and then on to a bullet train for our 1hr 30min ‘flight’ on tracks to Hiroshima.

Whilst we were at Osaka station we had some time to kill and tried a Rikuro’s cheesecake and Imagawayaki. Both are very popular in the city and proved to be delicious.

It was soon time to board the bullet train and head west to Hiroshima.

Whenever we see these modern aerodynamic trains it really feels like you’re boarding a flight, such is the quality of the seating and service, plus they are travel at 300kph!

Before we boarded we decided to treat ourselves to a cappuccino from one of the vending machines which offered a huge range of options, even the type of coffee beans and milk.

Once in Hiroshima we went straight out with the tour group to visit the Peace Memorial and Museum. The first building we came across was the A-Bomb dome, the preserved remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall that survived the Atom Bomb, despite being very close to the epicentre and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nearby we then passed the Children’s Peace Monument statue, inspired by Sadako Sasaki and her thousand cranes, a beautiful tribute to the child victims of the bomb.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum proved to be a moving experience and offered a huge range of exhibits detailing the atomic bomb’s impact.

Hiroshima offers a compelling mix of history, culture and natural beauty and is a spell binding place. The peace park offered a living memorial to the 150,000 who died as a result of the atomic bomb in the city.

Seeing the frame of the Gembaku Dome, the only building to withstand the blast made for a moving sight particularly in the early evening dimming light.

Early evening we went out as a group for some street food at a nearby restaurant where we tried a local delicacy, Okonomiyaki. A savoury pancake with pork, cheese cabbage, bacon and noodles.

And of course we needed something to help it down, so Michelle went for a lemon sour (lemon & vodka) whilst Andy went for a mega beer of Hiroshima Lemon Ale.

After a busy & emotional day of travel and discovery of Hiroshima’s past, we headed back around 10.30pm for a much needed sleep.

Tomorrow we are heading to Miyajima Island, to see the floating torii gates and to climb Mount Misen.