Out of Tokyo

Shibu Onsen and Jigokudani Yaen-Koen Monkey Park –   The journey from Tokyo station takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes to Shibu Onsen. Book into a traditional Ryokan and stay a couple of nights or longer and see some of the attractions that Shibu Onsen, has to offer. Located in Nagano Prefecture in the Honshu mainland of Japan, is a hot spring resort that has a history as long as 1,300 years. Cobblestone lanes are surrounded by traditional wooden ryokan ‘Japanese inns’, which makes this quaint old town attractive to many visitors. You will feel the atmosphere of a Japanese onsen village while strolling on these streets in your yukata ‘light cotton kimono’ and Ghetta, wooden clogs. Take a Nagano Shinkansen train from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station. From Nagano Station to Yudanaka is a further 50 minutes on the Nagano Electric Railway Limited Express. The final leg of the journey is via a bus, bound for Kanbayashi. Get off the bus at Shibu Onsen Iriguchi or Shibu Onsen Wago-bashi Teiryujo bus stop and either meet your hosts if pre-booked or walk the short distance to your accommodation. Of course, the Snow monkey Park is the main attraction, but the town has a lot to see and offers a wealth of history. You need to wear the traditional attire whilst walking around and also immerse yourself in any or all of the public onsens. Do adhere to the correct etiquette and be aware that nudity is not an option, but a requirement in the onsen. Men and women have separate onsens. This venue is one which should not be missed if visiting Japan.

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Akita and Northtime Bikeway Ride This is a long trip from Shinjuku, on the Shinkansen. It takes about 8.5 hours, so it is necessary to pre-book accommodation and maybe the bike ride. It is self guided, so our daughter put together a short clip for the company. Not for everyone, but it was very interesting to discover the charms of Akita Prefecture’s cycling routes. We found it easier to negotiate the Shinkansen from Omiya, rather than Tokyo station on our trek north.


Nagoya Castle

Nagoya Castle was one of the largest castles in the country, and the castle town around it ultimately grew to become Japan’s fourth largest city.       Info
Most castle buildings were destroyed in the air raids of 1945, including the castle keep and the palace buildings. The current ferro-concrete reconstruction of the castle keep dates from 1959 and – before its closure in May 2018 – contained a modern museum with exhibits about the castle’s history. The park surrounding the castle keep features two circles of moats and impressive walls with corner turrets. It becomes an attractive hanami spot during the cherry blossom season which usually peaks in late March or early April.
Most castle buildings were destroyed in the air raids of 1945, including the castle keep and the palace buildings. The current ferro-concrete reconstruction of the castle keep dates from 1959 and – before its closure in May 2018 – contained a modern museum with exhibits about the castle’s history. The park surrounding the castle keep features two circles of moats and impressive walls with corner turrets. It becomes an attractive hanami spot during the cherry blossom season which usually peaks in late March or early April.


Osaka and Mukogowa Gorge Walk   is one to experience if you want to get out of the crowds and bustle of the cities. We really enjoyed our hike on this little known trail and it only took just over half a day from the time we left Osaka until the time we returned.

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Early morning view of Mt Fuji

Hakone and Lake Ashi   You really need a couple of days to explore and see some of what this area has to offer. We stayed in a little Air BnB and also spent one night in the Prince Hotel, on the shores of Lake Ashi. The best option we found was to use our JR rail pass and also bought a Hakone Free Pass to get around on the ferries, buses and ropeway.

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Kyoto Tower

Kyoto  Wow, there is so much to do and see in and around Kyoto. We spent a week there and only scratched the surface. Like Tokyo/Shinjuku, a lot of train rides and bus rides of varying duration, takes you to some must see places.

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Looking out from the top of Miyajama Island

Hiroshima and Miyajama Island    Everyone knows about Hiroshima and it is a very moving experience to visit the Peace Park and museum. The Childrens memorial is especially an emotional place, if you let your imagination dwell on the horrific casualties of war.

A JR ferry ride to Miyajama Island is not to be missed, so make sure you get on the earliest one, as the place gets inundated with tourists in no time. Hike up the mountain to the top and then catch the cable car to the peak and back down. The deer are very voracious and I saw them knock into people to get food and also rip papers out of pockets and bags, so keep your important documents well covered.
Travelling from Shinjuku to Tokyo station, use your JR pass if you have one and from you can use your JR Pass to take the Tokaido Shinkansen line’s Hikari bullet train to Shin-Osaka Station, Shin-Kobe Station or Himeji Station. Once in one of these stations, you can transfer to the Sanyo Shinkansen (Sakura train) and arrive in Hiroshima at Hiroshima Station. This trip takes approximately five hours to complete and costs around $Aud300 each way, so it is a no brainer to buy a JR pass before you leave for your Japan trip.

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Miles and miles of cherry blossoms

Mount Yoshinoyama    During the cherry blossom season from late March to early May (March 23 and May 6, 2019), shuttle buses operate between Yoshino Station and the Naka Senbon area near Chikurin-in Temple. The buses depart 2-4 times per hour and cost 360 yen one way. From the Naka Senbon area near Chikurin-in Temple, mini buses operate further to the Oku Senbon area of Yoshinoyama (15 minutes, 400 yen one way, 1-2 buses/hour).

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                                  Queen Elizabeth cruise liner docked at Okinawa

We arrived at Okinawa aboard the Cunard QE, after a 12 day cruise which also stopped in Rabaul on the way. I woke early and looked out the balcony door, to see the city lights of Okinawa.

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