tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76447839500331568242024-02-07T02:05:46.974+00:00Unique Japan ToursWe are an independent travel company offering the very best in travel planning for people and businesses going to Japan. Our services range from Self-Guided & Tailor-Made Japan Tours to a more hassle free and fully led Small Group Japan Tour. Most of our Japan itineraries include the Japan Rail Pass as well as a combination of traditional ryokans and stylish affordable accommodation options.Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-8490245377729590512016-12-06T13:46:00.000+00:002016-12-06T13:46:52.346+00:00<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b><span style="font-size: 22.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Top 5 Reasons to choose Japan for
Winter Holidays<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Winter in Japan has a special magic to it, one you cannot
experience any other time of the year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With far fewer tourists means you can avoid the seasonal
crowds and long queues, so often associated with the cherry blossom or Autumn
leaf changing seasons. Hot springs and speciality dishes from different regions
are best served in the Winter. From December onwards you can see the cities
light up with state of the art Christmas illumination. Take a day trip to the
ski slopes from Tokyo, chill out in the outdoor onsens found all over Japan,
and ride through each place on the high speed bullet trains like a local! Although
you will need to bring your Winter coat, day time is usually pleasant with
crisp fresh blue skies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt;">1,
Ryokan Stays and Onsens</span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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There is nothing more
rewarding than an early morning or late evening dip in the natural hot springs
at any time of the year, but most magical in the Winter. A soak in the healing
mineral waters will make your stiff shoulders. Combined with a stay in a
traditional Japanese ryokan, you have the makings of an unforgettable trip.
Fortunately, similar to ski resorts, you are never too far from one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="color: #00b050; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;"> 2,</span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="color: #00b050; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;"> World Class Ski Resorts</span></u></b></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--> What we love most about skiing in Japan is
that you are never too far from a slope, whether you are in Tokyo or Kyoto, you
can be guaranteed easy access to the big resorts. You can expect top quality
snow (powder at its best) with facilities and service (many English speaking)
that cannot be beaten. Japan’s mountains receive the best snow fall in the
world while temperatures average at between -5 to -10 degrees centigrade.
Compare this to Europe and US, consider this warm. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAlWr-NIGofN3BsIOw0QHp8y0i9KukXAPEuBBWpmlTrD6KnnDJ8vid-Xd-j2KE1SdjXlKtWdodffKsZbASB1HZm1_XOOQwm0tF06A6r1OwA992RIjcVNuctr9rIn4G3IJJxOJ_Wv0ZpU/s1600/snowboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAlWr-NIGofN3BsIOw0QHp8y0i9KukXAPEuBBWpmlTrD6KnnDJ8vid-Xd-j2KE1SdjXlKtWdodffKsZbASB1HZm1_XOOQwm0tF06A6r1OwA992RIjcVNuctr9rIn4G3IJJxOJ_Wv0ZpU/s640/snowboard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--> For any food lover out there, Japan is heaven
with Winter arguably the best time of year to visit. A trip to the local fish
markets, buzzing with activity, is the perfect chance to sample the best
seafood and sushi in the world. From oysters in Hiroshima to giant crabs and
BBQ lamb in Hokkaido, reading menus in Japan is always a treat. Meet the lively
locals at your nearest ‘Izakaya’ (Japanese style pub). Accompanied with warm
‘sake’ (rice wine), sample hearty wholesome ‘Oden’ (slow cooked simmered
vegetables, eggs, tofu, boiled in seasoned broth) and ‘Nabe’(stew cooked and
shared with family and friends at a table) which both come out in force over
the winter months in the home or outside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="color: #ffc000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4</span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="color: #ffc000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, Wildlife and Nature <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--> Fourth on our list for Winter highlights is
getting out of the cities and resort towns to meet the wild snow monkeys in
Nagano or the red crowned cranes in Hokkaido. Although you can access this all
year round, it is not until the harsh Winter weather approaches that you will
find an abundant amount of monkeys bathing in the outdoor onsen, with snow
capped trees and rocks in the background .If you chose Hokkaido as your Winter
destination then we highly recommend venturing to the untouched marshes in
Eastern Hokkaido, home to the symbolic red crowned cranes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><u><b><i><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">5, Sapporo Snow
Festival </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> ( Yuki Matsuri )</span></i></b></u></div>
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If you can manage to
get to Japan in February then a trip to the Snow Festival located in Sapporo,
Hokkaido is a must. Advance booking is essential as this mush anticipated event
gets booked out months beforehand. Besides enjoying the array of painstakingly
sculptured snow creations during the day, the festival stays alive in the evenings with magnificent illumination,
concerts, food stalls, ice bars and much more to expect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-12919817506498229472016-05-26T17:13:00.003+01:002016-06-03T13:14:19.599+01:00Music Festivals: Issue #2<h4>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Festivals in Japan: Summer Festivals:</span><span style="font-size: 26pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Music Festivals: </span><span style="font-size: large;">Issue #2:</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Loudpark, The Labyrinth and Sukiyaki Meets The World</span></span></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 19.5333px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><b>Previously:</b><i> </i></span><a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2016/05/music-festivals-issue-1.html" style="font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">Unique Japan Tours: Music Festivals: Issue #1</a><span style="line-height: 19.5333px; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">...</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether you want to <span style="font-size: large;">rock out,</span> <span style="font-size: large;">rave on</span> or <span style="font-size: large;">relax</span> on a yoga mat, there is a music festival for you. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These festivals are annual events and it is never too early to plan, but do note that some of the more elusive or yet unscheduled festivals are subject to confirmation each year.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> LOUD PARK FESTIVAL</span><span style="color: blue; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span></span></h2>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Festival:</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> One of the biggest music
festivals held annually in Japan is one for the metalheads. This two-day festival has fans returning year
after year, making it more predicatable an event than other festivals in the
genre such as Knotfest Japan or Ozzfest Japan. It has therefore rightfully earned the title
of Japan’s biggest metal festival!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The
Area: </b>It is held annually in <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Saitama City</span> or alternatively
in <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Chiba City</span>,
Japan. Both locations are convenient to
Tokyo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Our
Recommendations for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary:</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Saitama
</b>- This city is less than 30km from the Tokyo metropolis and can easily be
visited as a day or overnight trip.
While in Saitama, music lovers should visit the John Lennon Museum. In fact, Saitama has more than a fair share
of interestingly themed museums which warrant spending a day or two in the vicinity.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">↘ </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How to Book Your
Festival-Based Tour:</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
Go to <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip</a>
and mention <b>‘Loud Park’ </b>in the
comments section.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -18pt;">MINDGAMES PRESENTS: THE LABYRINTH FESTIVAL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 14.65pt;">The Festival:</b> <span style="line-height: 14.65pt;"> Japan’s annual Labyrinth Festival, is very elusive and a little bit exclusive,
but has grown considerably over the last couple of years. Festival-goers from
Japan and afar travel for electronic, trance and techno beats in a </span><span style="line-height: 19.5333px;">forested</span><span style="line-height: 14.65pt;"> retreat at the end of the Japanese Summer.
It has yet to be confirmed for Septmeber 2016 in Yuzawa Japan, so stay
tuned (pun intended)…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 14.65pt;">The Area: </b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Yuzawa is a little more
than an hour by bullet train from Tokyo, yet it feels like another world
entirely. Some 200km away from the metropolis, Yuzawa is nestled in the
fresh air of the </span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">verdant</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Japan Alps. In the
winter, Yuzawa transforms into a ski and snowboard paradise and the home to
many intrernational visitors. All year
round, Yuzawa enjoys natural hot springs for bathing.</span><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Our Recommendations
for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary:</b> </span></div>
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<b>Niigata & Sado Island - </b> Famous as the source of Japan's
purest water, Niigata's rice and sake (rice wine) are widely regarded as the
best in the country. Here you will visit a local sake brewery and samurai house
bringing you back to Japan's feudal days. Spend a night in Niigata enjoying a
more rural city night life at a local izakaya. Just a few hours by ferry will
take you to Sado Island - Japan's sixth largest island. Spend three nights here
meeting the locals, exploring the sights, and taking part in local workshops
like Taiko drumming. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route</b> - From Sado, you
will return to a different port on the mainland and make your way to Tateyama
where you will spend your first night along the Kurobe Alpine Route in a
mountain lodge. Located in Japan's Northern Alps, between Toyama and Nagano
(Omachi Town), this route is traversed by various means of transportation
including mountain buses, cable cars, and ropeways. Along this adventure you
will see not only Japan's most incredible views of wildlife and landscape, but
also the world's highest and most impressive dam, the Kurobe Dam, which stands
at 186 meters tall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">↘ <b>How to Book Your
Festival-Based Tour:</b> <br />
Go to <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip</a>
and mention <b>‘Labyrinth Festival’ </b>in
the comments section.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">♪Self-guided, guided, or semi-guided options
available!</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: normal; text-indent: -24px;">SUKIYAKI MEETS THE WORLD FESTIVAL</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: start;">The Festival:</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Japan's biggest World Music festival takes place over 3 days in Nanto, Toyama in late August.</span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">The 'SUKIYAKI Meets The World' Festival was started in 1991 with the aim to introduce music from Asia, Africa, or Central and South America to the area.</span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;"> Now, the festival welcomes a diverse crowd of performers, exhibiting </span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">artists</span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">, and music fans. </span><span style="line-height: 17.12px;">Workshops, film screenings and a World Food Market go on all weekend and renowned Japanese musicians usually play out on the final night.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext;">The Area:</span> </b>Nanto in Toyama
prefecture is in the centre of Japan on the west coast and is a gateway of the
Sea of Japan. Nestled on three sides by steep mountains and on the fourth by
the sea, this area is famous for preserving an old way of life through its
cultural activities, crafts, architecture and food. It is easily visited from Kanazawa and
Takayama as part of a northern trail itinerary.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Our Recommendations
for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary:</b>
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<strong><span style="line-height: 107%;">Gokayama -</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></span><span style="line-height: 107%;">Nestled away in the
deep gorge of the Sho River Valley, thirty-three<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em>gassho
zukuri</em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(thatched farm
houses) are protected as national treasures in the historic village of
Gokayama. Lush in summer, vibrant in autumn, blanketed in snow during winter
and beautifully coloured by cherry blossom trees in spring, these villages have
maintained all of their four hundred year old charm. WIth our local guide to
accompany you, you will go on a cultural journey like no other. Spend the
morning making soba noodles - a local specialty - to be tried and tested over
lunch. Stop off at a local washi paper making factory and try your hand at this
ancient craft. All of this, plus a traditional dance by a local Toyama farmer,
whilst you drink hot tea and listen to takes of a time gone by.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">↘ <b>How to Book Your
Festival-Based Tour:</b> <br />
Go to <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip</a>
and mention <b>‘Sukiyaki Meets The World
Festival’ </b>in the comments section.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">♪Self-guided, guided, or semi-guided options
available!<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<h4 style="background-color: white; color: #eb2128; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 22px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Issue #3</span><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> coming soon…</span><o:p></o:p></i></h4>
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">[Photo Credits: Official Event Websites & JNTO]</span></i></h4>
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-67085307421148707012016-05-19T18:11:00.001+01:002016-05-20T10:02:04.629+01:00Music Festivals: Issue #1<div class="MsoTitle">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Festivals
in Japan: Summer Festivals:</span><span style="font-size: 26pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Music Festivals: </span><span style="font-size: large;">Issue #1:</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Fuji Rock, Summer Sonic and Greenroom</span></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Festivals are synonymous with summer in Japan, often
involving traditional dancing or spectacular fireworks <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/search/label/Festivals" target="_blank">and other wondrous festivities!</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the last ten plus years, Japan has been also hosting and
creating amazing summer music festivals to rival the best of ‘em.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So what’s going on there? </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Something for everyone, in every scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And why would you travel for it?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, for all the million of reasons for travelling to
Japan in general! <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/02/reflections-on-trip-to-japan.html#more" target="_blank">(And that keep us going back time and time again)...</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PLUS all the popular favourite things international visitors mention about live music shows
and festivals in Japan…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Festival goers tend to be outwardly<b> friendly</b> (so
you will make new bonus Japanese friends easily)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Shows are super-<b>organised</b> and well run (without
being too regimented)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">People tend to <b>respect</b> your personal space in a
crowd (even when they really getting into the music, they probably won’t elbow
you in the face)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Concert goers seem to show politeness and
restraint with <b><strike>cameras and phones</strike></b> (so
you won’t be stuck behind someone and forced to watch your favourite band
through their smartphone screen)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Festivals are often child and family friendly
and have<b> clean </b>campgrounds and facilities.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">There are <b>seriously great bands</b> lining up to
play in Japan (so read on…)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether you want to <span style="font-size: large;">rock out,</span> <span style="font-size: large;">rave on</span> or <span style="font-size: large;">relax</span> on a yoga
mat, there is a music festival for you. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These festivals are annual events and it is never too early
to plan, but do note that some of the more elusive or yet unscheduled festivals
are subject to confirmation each year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><br /></b></span><span class="Heading1Char"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #2e74b5; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>FUJI ROCK </b></span></span></span></span></span></h2>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Festival:</b> Held late July, this is the big one you’ve
probably heard of. Fuji Rock coigned its
name from the first event which was held in 1997 at the base of <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Mount Fuji</span>. Since 1999, however, the festival has been held
at the <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Naeba Ski Resort</span> in the beautiful <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Yuzawa area
of Niigata</span>. It is often referred to as ‘The Cleanest
Music Festival in the World’, and that extends to the campgrounds and public
toilet facilities!<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Area: </b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Yuzawa is a little more
than an hour by bullet train from Tokyo, yet it feels like another world
entirely. Some 200km away from the metropolis, Yuzawa is nestled in the fresh
air of the verdent Japan Alps. In the winter,
Yuzawa transforms into a ski and snowboard paradise and the home to many
intrernational visitors. All year round,
Yuzawa enjoys natural hot springs for bathing.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv_NBBXD9nih9Ak3mncgAsDmWDFBuBofIQx5yQdAUS6aqbwR5MR5dd1CNx3y48UuV-CjmJ9kDK-ZNoH06MXYSgkwDg6JU7Wjn-fyhxbgVQgLFvt5gDMSfX9yOULKDmjFpxhwCAjH-S3c/s1600/Fuji+Rock+Festival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv_NBBXD9nih9Ak3mncgAsDmWDFBuBofIQx5yQdAUS6aqbwR5MR5dd1CNx3y48UuV-CjmJ9kDK-ZNoH06MXYSgkwDg6JU7Wjn-fyhxbgVQgLFvt5gDMSfX9yOULKDmjFpxhwCAjH-S3c/s640/Fuji+Rock+Festival.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8PmgmF2At2_zB8Zk0OPRVEGywxWlX5Fdwn6al8B-A6kB8hqXA4HbrvEnyeWBoKslGcQKEtnuF-DPskuVhUYZlFHqPKnscRdbk0t8YA3jzY17Dp4Mjd7yHop-jEEZcN1vZJsTA6H-FPs/s1600/Fuji+Rock+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8PmgmF2At2_zB8Zk0OPRVEGywxWlX5Fdwn6al8B-A6kB8hqXA4HbrvEnyeWBoKslGcQKEtnuF-DPskuVhUYZlFHqPKnscRdbk0t8YA3jzY17Dp4Mjd7yHop-jEEZcN1vZJsTA6H-FPs/s200/Fuji+Rock+Logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our
Recommendations for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary:</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Niigata & Sado Island -</b> Famous as the source of Japan's
purest water, Niigata's rice and sake (rice wine) are widely regarded as the
best in the country. Here you will visit a local sake brewery and samurai house
bringing you back to Japan's feudal days. Spend a night in Niigata enjoying a
more rural city night life at a local izakaya. Just a few hours by ferry will
take you to Sado Island - Japan's sixth largest island. Spend three nights here
meeting the locals, exploring the sights, and taking part in local workshops
like Taiko drumming.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route -</b> From Sado, you will return to a
different port on the mainland and make your way to Tateyama where you will
spend your first night along the Kurobe Alpine Route in a mountain lodge.
Located in Japan's Northern Alps, between Toyama and Nagano (Omachi Town), this
route is traversed by various means of transportation including mountain buses,
cable cars, and ropeways. Along this adventure you will see not only Japan's
most incredible views of wildlife and landscape, but also the world's highest
and most impressive dam, the Kurobe Dam, which stands at 186 meters tall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">↘ 2016 will be the 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary and has the lineup to celebrate!
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[Update: WILCO has been added to the 2016 lineup!!!]</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">↘ <b>How to Book Your
Festival-Based Tour:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Go to <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip</a>
and mention <b>‘Fuji Rock’ </b>in the
comments section.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">♪Self-guided, guided, or semi-guided options
available!</span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;">SUMMER
SONIC</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Festival:</b>
Held in late August, this is the big one
you may <i>not</i> have heard of! It is held over
two days simultaneously in Osaka (south of Kyoto) and in Chiba (north of
Tokyo), with the headline bands switching from one site on one day to the opposite
site on the other day!<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Area:</b> <span style="line-height: 107%;">T</span><span style="line-height: 107%;">he Osaka site is on a
small island in the bay, conveniently close to the city centre as well as
Universal Studios Japan Theme Park! The
Tokyo (Chiba) site is also a seaside location conveniently close to the metropolis
as well as to the Disney Resort!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Our
Recommendations for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary:</b> <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Osaka</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">:</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> J</span>apan's second city and an extremely vibrant
and lively place to stay. There may not be any real 'tourist' sights but it is
just the life on the streets that makes Osaka such a fascinating city to visit.
Osaka people work hard and play hard and it really shows with the vast number
of restaurants, bars and all round entertainment available. The city aquarium
is world class and you cannot stay in Osaka without taking a ride on one of the
city's several giant big wheels, perhaps the most dramatic of which is perched
on top of the Hep 5 department store in the Umeda district of the city - just
don't look down if you are afraid of heights! Osaka Castle is well worth a
visit despite being a reconstruction as the original was burnt down during the
firebombing at the end of World War Two and you will find a variety of very
interesting museums scattered throughout the city. After dark Osaka really
comes alive, and a walk through the bright lights of the Namba district is a
great way to take in the atmosphere, with some great people-watching
opportunities. With literally thousands of restaurants, bars and entertainment
spots to choose from, Osaka is perfect for a big night out, some hearty local
food and the chance to let your hair down. Osaka really is one of Japan's truly
all action cities and a stay here is a chance to experience what life in modern
day urban Japan is really like.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Tokyo</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">: One quarter of all
Japanese live in Tokyo or the near vicinity and with a population of over 12
million inhabitants, Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world. With its
huge skyscrapers, underpasses, overpasses and crowds of pedestrians, Tokyo may
not seem the most attractive city on the surface, but the city has a vibrant
charm all of its own. The street level detail is what makes Tokyo such an
incredibly interesting place to explore and at every turn you will be met with
an array of sights, sounds and smells to enliven the senses. The city has many
major sights to visit such as Senso-ji Temple in the old downtown area of Asakusa
or the fashion hub of Shibuya from where all new trends are said to emanate.
All in all a stay in Tokyo is to experience one of the world's most vibrant and
interesting cities; a capital hurtling headlong into the future whilst
maintaining its links with the traditions of ancient Japan.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />↘ <b>How to Book Your
Festival-Based Tour:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Go to <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip</a>
and mention ‘<b>Summer Sonic</b>‘ in the
comments section.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br />♪Self-guided, guided, or semi-guided options
available!<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Greenroom
Festival</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Festival:</b>
Held in late May, this festival combines
music, art, film, yoga, surfing, culture and the environment. Also: a kids disco!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix42HFlnGSC-YL8r_441HU7VT1E_kyI2x3QhEhGTCTYTyKosG4b-Ci38CZUUbiIpFm4hfJWqwj-arLYUauuZe329Ggv2y3e5pVsdlWIWiGbUxyMA0dD9pBXyWP2hOH-_4AXNJoE82AiMA/s1600/Greenroom+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix42HFlnGSC-YL8r_441HU7VT1E_kyI2x3QhEhGTCTYTyKosG4b-Ci38CZUUbiIpFm4hfJWqwj-arLYUauuZe329Ggv2y3e5pVsdlWIWiGbUxyMA0dD9pBXyWP2hOH-_4AXNJoE82AiMA/s400/Greenroom+Logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Area:</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.2667px;">In a historical building and by the sea, this festival is in the cool location of Yokohama’s bayside. A short and convenient train journey from Tokyo and other main hubs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Our
Recommendations for your Unique Japan Tours Itinerary:</b> <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Yokohama - </span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Famous for its seafaring
and trade links, this city is also home to a bustling Chinatown. Enjoy a day or two in Yokohama before riding
the rails between… </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Tokyo</i></b> - Ginza,
Shibuya, Shinjuku, Odaiba, Rainbow Bridge, Meiji Jingu, Asakusa Kannnon Temple,
Tsukiji Fish Market, Museums, contemporary art and infrastructure. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Mt
Fuji / Hakone</i></b> - Spectacular views of Mt Fuji, Owakudani, Sounzan,
Hakone Yumoto Town, Hot Springs at your ryokan.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Kyoto</i></b> -
World heritage temples & shrines, geisha walking tour, tea ceremony, zen
gardens, quaint streets, tea houses and traditional atmosphere.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Miyajima
Island & Hiroshima</i></b> - World Heritage site Itsukushima
Shrine (floating shrine), Hiroshima A-Bomb dome & Peace Park. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">↘ <b>How to Book Your
Festival-Based Tour:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Go to <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip</a>
and mention ‘<b>Greenroom Festival</b>’ in
the comments section.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">♪Self-guided, guided, or semi-guided options
available!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Issue #2</span><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> coming soon…</span><o:p></o:p></i></h4>
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;">[Photo Credits: Official Event Websites & JNTO]</span></i></h4>
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-79503707566550808032015-11-05T11:56:00.000+00:002016-05-09T14:30:51.507+01:00JNTO FamTrip 2015: Himeji Castle<div class="MsoNormal">
In late September and early October, Unique Japan Tours joined a familiarization trip organised by the Japan National Tourist Organisation. The purpose of these trips is to introduce new, unique places in Japan to promote trips there. The familiarization trip (or "famtrip") we joined took us from <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/10/2015-okayama-kurashiki.html" target="_blank">Okayama and Kurashiki</a>, down into <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/10/iya-valley-tokushima.html" target="_blank">Tokushima</a>, to <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/10/jnto-famtrip-2015-shodoshima.html" target="_blank">Shodoshima</a> and finally to Himeji.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, we knew most of these places already, and we've sent many of our clients to these places to. But we always want to learn more, look deeper and see what's new and exciting. Today we wrap up our series of blog posts where we're explored the areas we visited, introduced them to you, and shared some of our pictures. Today is part four, where we visit Himeji Castle.<br />
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History</h3>
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First built as a fort in 1333 on top of a hill, Himeji Castle had several different owners throughout history. Many of these owners have rebuilt, renovated and added to the castle significantly, and today Himeji Castle is a network of 83 building, and is one of the finest examples of Japanese castle design. For over 400 years Himeji Castle has survived wars and natural disasters, becoming the largest and most visited castle in Japan. In 1993, Himeji Castle was chosen as Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflecting it enduring appeal and outstanding condition.<br />
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Himeji Castle is sometimes known as Shirasagi-jō, or "White Heron Castle", because the walls of the castle are a white colour, and the shape makes it look like a heron taking flight. But over the years, the castle had built up dirt and grime. The castle was closed to the public for several years, only reopening to the public in March, 2015. The walls and roof of the castle have been restored to the original colours, and it's a sparkling, spectacular sight.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDPDXocVp5VMhGsMXLTXqZ2Q0TTNe-nKhfX2u_clgncE_Y6uhqCkivOuaScd5DBcx3NHosm2NSE_kL4N6xufEGADVtC8UmSvWJq2x_exqY61kYGAzWnNphjJL88_8s4Cl-QUJTAm3eNs/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Gate+Night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDPDXocVp5VMhGsMXLTXqZ2Q0TTNe-nKhfX2u_clgncE_Y6uhqCkivOuaScd5DBcx3NHosm2NSE_kL4N6xufEGADVtC8UmSvWJq2x_exqY61kYGAzWnNphjJL88_8s4Cl-QUJTAm3eNs/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Gate+Night.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Approaching the castle at night...</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hr0ECgOkRvUmAoBuH9eD-FVVJrTj83sXFySfyollIjtPiEfHPrgLZBNAezELMhQXc7fn6IPw0r1r2AWC4C0csTh5QAsu2jZUBuZTo28UHswDz2wTmV6H1oq_mKW4qpPXfEURj0p6i7Y/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hr0ECgOkRvUmAoBuH9eD-FVVJrTj83sXFySfyollIjtPiEfHPrgLZBNAezELMhQXc7fn6IPw0r1r2AWC4C0csTh5QAsu2jZUBuZTo28UHswDz2wTmV6H1oq_mKW4qpPXfEURj0p6i7Y/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Night.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">At night the lit up castle is very imposing</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8Lqs2WgxNhwB5kstM2dSW4wf-vOMO3Oozo1aaYO_tw_X9cQpr8UOOExn9jJllSk03w444MibnTUX19u5l8W_QSRZRPSmhZAtgxEKobdMfBVkwr1bZ-wgg0H6Je75sznDQl7DDC1XpXg/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Full.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8Lqs2WgxNhwB5kstM2dSW4wf-vOMO3Oozo1aaYO_tw_X9cQpr8UOOExn9jJllSk03w444MibnTUX19u5l8W_QSRZRPSmhZAtgxEKobdMfBVkwr1bZ-wgg0H6Je75sznDQl7DDC1XpXg/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Full.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Unfortunately the weather wasn't great.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHEe5Oglt90iFI0xo9mhzgRKMVSoywY40D7RHxWlbe2m-gNZlfElHZkLwDFQykS6riC_pwo6ItbTRSVRQWxwesP9luFfAtzns1wTcvctE8a2c9_3YAn32FlzIPNazJFhJ5jAy_4Q0oVE/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHEe5Oglt90iFI0xo9mhzgRKMVSoywY40D7RHxWlbe2m-gNZlfElHZkLwDFQykS6riC_pwo6ItbTRSVRQWxwesP9luFfAtzns1wTcvctE8a2c9_3YAn32FlzIPNazJFhJ5jAy_4Q0oVE/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The castle is very imposing up close.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYox3LN9GbbJWy4XsKdrACL4bZ6nF3UDL8XEgF5u87miKCC6UbkPW7AQJtrXeDInzW6mmDFgIoxAc1ZYqjrzn0pNwW4GW3UG-5mA0gYfqRG4zqoUiSdPG3RnEYheiM33Zllm9kAv1_mg/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+View+From+Top.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYox3LN9GbbJWy4XsKdrACL4bZ6nF3UDL8XEgF5u87miKCC6UbkPW7AQJtrXeDInzW6mmDFgIoxAc1ZYqjrzn0pNwW4GW3UG-5mA0gYfqRG4zqoUiSdPG3RnEYheiM33Zllm9kAv1_mg/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+View+From+Top.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The view from the top of the castle is incredible.</span></i></td></tr>
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What do you think of the photos? Have you been to Himeji Castle? What did you think? Please share in the comments below.</div>
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If you've never been there, but would love to, why not <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip" target="_blank">contact us</a> and let us know. We'd be more than happy to help you <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip" target="_blank">plan a trip</a> that includes these wonderful destinations</div>
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-23644271569983605042015-10-20T18:46:00.000+01:002015-10-20T18:46:00.314+01:00JNTO FamTrip 2015: Shodoshima<div class="MsoNormal">
In late September and early October, Unique Japan Tours
joined a familiarization trip organised by the Japan National Tourist
Organisation. The purpose of these trips is to introduce new, unique places in
Japan to promote trips there. The familiarization trip (or "famtrip")
we joined took us from Okayama and Kurashiki, down into Tokushima, to
Shodoshima and finally to Himeji.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, we knew most of these places already, and we've
sent many of our clients to these places to. But we always want to learn more,
look deeper and see what's new and exciting. Over the next few blog posts,
we're going to explore the areas we visited, introduce them to you, and share
some of our pictures.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today is part three, where we spent the day on Shodoshima
Island.</div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<h3>
Shodoshima</h3>
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Shodoshima is an island in the Seto Inland Sea, which is
said to be like Mediterranean island, and we agree, it’s very much like being
in Greece! Shodoshima is known for growing olives and the quality of the olive
oil produced there. There are olive groves, and all sorts of olive products
available to buy, from olive oil, to olive oil cosmetics, and ice cream made
from the leaves of the olive oil trees.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gyEXMSjXpxgSicTaN57rBiU01-49dSI-4I9WN6WP7-bJM9grgl0sAPjMVft7SCQEl2ShzO_TcBwvop-Mhd7Yc9cvvdMAtJZz2EFjOK2GjZ6UTJBjSWjXPdVuEcCSKmhPQDDd6vprIPo/s1600/01+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Ferry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gyEXMSjXpxgSicTaN57rBiU01-49dSI-4I9WN6WP7-bJM9grgl0sAPjMVft7SCQEl2ShzO_TcBwvop-Mhd7Yc9cvvdMAtJZz2EFjOK2GjZ6UTJBjSWjXPdVuEcCSKmhPQDDd6vprIPo/s320/01+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Ferry.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">We got on a ferry to get to Shodoshima Island.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOFLHRxrwWPAbmrkMc_NRG3yfRIm0NwiBqH-a8cLfsM-hfaranOA5KUPCyaccdCqFOoqMBvmr9eI-hcUOCOEmcPTUVRvZBM0z3GteaRJlf3_fRFXq380wqgBJoJ7C-6QhpT044q5Zgtc/s1600/02+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive+Grove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOFLHRxrwWPAbmrkMc_NRG3yfRIm0NwiBqH-a8cLfsM-hfaranOA5KUPCyaccdCqFOoqMBvmr9eI-hcUOCOEmcPTUVRvZBM0z3GteaRJlf3_fRFXq380wqgBJoJ7C-6QhpT044q5Zgtc/s320/02+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive+Grove.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Olive tree groves.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkBh4ulNA1-b9t8oum3EekRQ90ORdO16E2R_MiE5UwBJWFwxFIJycn5JABc7_Q6GCFmHu5JqXea-muMsHzsDr8S2S3kwU-Fnm6FMKSmggWE4OdfbfEEAx0d81UGUftvFhtOm2HWaFl1M/s1600/03+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkBh4ulNA1-b9t8oum3EekRQ90ORdO16E2R_MiE5UwBJWFwxFIJycn5JABc7_Q6GCFmHu5JqXea-muMsHzsDr8S2S3kwU-Fnm6FMKSmggWE4OdfbfEEAx0d81UGUftvFhtOm2HWaFl1M/s320/03+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The olives were almost ready to harvest.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEI3yKsnX40fa3vljvVqfIQAgjV16u57MHfJ53GlPQx4sUyVwKjGJyXdag8rKZueqBoXOnUFASJW5ArxqG4zAe2pq3tmq82XdiGsG3IStCl6-xwud6c6pqLMwYHnmUuweFZL5HzJm43Yo/s1600/04+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olives.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEI3yKsnX40fa3vljvVqfIQAgjV16u57MHfJ53GlPQx4sUyVwKjGJyXdag8rKZueqBoXOnUFASJW5ArxqG4zAe2pq3tmq82XdiGsG3IStCl6-xwud6c6pqLMwYHnmUuweFZL5HzJm43Yo/s320/04+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olives.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Plenty of olives ready to make plenty of olive based goods!</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThaHUqzom78Iv30wylW04-vdthTFW1YCa7IW2PIfGtFcgICqVdKZ8rjysFnV0x8rgVhXT8nbPyAoJGbQxJZFudOW_HjFzlEk-c2lGRHRabN3UP40Lv5lS_ukeReEOtCJalGlC1L1xZNM/s1600/06+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Herbs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThaHUqzom78Iv30wylW04-vdthTFW1YCa7IW2PIfGtFcgICqVdKZ8rjysFnV0x8rgVhXT8nbPyAoJGbQxJZFudOW_HjFzlEk-c2lGRHRabN3UP40Lv5lS_ukeReEOtCJalGlC1L1xZNM/s320/06+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Herbs.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">They also grow plenty of herbs on the island.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5cTbUnVCFnbQ0voU-jIjRV16BtIuVuLir4KNCeu0i4Ijwtbe9S5V9-UL92zpDw-PrpNqwmd6kIL0HCaiST7erUq7Esermyo3mQzp27pybePu9kZLd7wYvFCwicjXXkRSGXJiIuXwLkQ/s1600/07+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Greek+Style+Architecture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5cTbUnVCFnbQ0voU-jIjRV16BtIuVuLir4KNCeu0i4Ijwtbe9S5V9-UL92zpDw-PrpNqwmd6kIL0HCaiST7erUq7Esermyo3mQzp27pybePu9kZLd7wYvFCwicjXXkRSGXJiIuXwLkQ/s320/07+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Greek+Style+Architecture.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>The architecture is a bit Greek in style.</i></span></td></tr>
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<h3>
Somen Making</h3>
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Somen is a type of noodle, similar to udon, but whereas udon
is thick and hefty, somen is thinner, a few millimetres. We visited a somen
workshop, where they explained how they make somen, and how the weather on the
day of production influences how much salt is required. They showed us how they
stretch out the noodles and make them as thin as they are. Afterwards we got to
indulge in some nice, chilled somen.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0IbkUUiYMyzjffs5MlvkVOeIPZIj1G81XGiVecwMG5FqXC0rLP7IglYTnhefLYEDoV4JiseLPMc0xLeUijI9K4Duccs1R-8hhk3DZexUB5EZA6QhaLITbmSbhF1KuBMlPT7PbNAkR4A/s1600/08+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Explaining+How+to+Make+Somen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0IbkUUiYMyzjffs5MlvkVOeIPZIj1G81XGiVecwMG5FqXC0rLP7IglYTnhefLYEDoV4JiseLPMc0xLeUijI9K4Duccs1R-8hhk3DZexUB5EZA6QhaLITbmSbhF1KuBMlPT7PbNAkR4A/s320/08+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Explaining+How+to+Make+Somen.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Explaining how to make somen.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lJqTPmMQ8t5F3opflneFKmLKhOSQkv58pXykpLv-Hy_cPJI90kplyBDYDw8cTD6eig3zojXBUi2b8J7HWpucYdydxZLfBTwgj8X0e-d5bgelKawIEsTTSjtu0oAB-8JHRT7nspTNZVE/s1600/10+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Stretching+Somen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lJqTPmMQ8t5F3opflneFKmLKhOSQkv58pXykpLv-Hy_cPJI90kplyBDYDw8cTD6eig3zojXBUi2b8J7HWpucYdydxZLfBTwgj8X0e-d5bgelKawIEsTTSjtu0oAB-8JHRT7nspTNZVE/s320/10+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Stretching+Somen.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">How to stretch out the somen.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-uEVAWzf8vRNvW2l2k56CIow_W_nqXrY6jUbSXyyydd3QNBhzLsR90CQDTZe88rXvOQII5qy69TncGuAy8iyTV1wGu2EXoIn4PnHQTXFrGfON6LU13ws_8FwNQeUGV5ZDKM3fUiLmLk/s1600/11+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Stretching+Somen+Again.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-uEVAWzf8vRNvW2l2k56CIow_W_nqXrY6jUbSXyyydd3QNBhzLsR90CQDTZe88rXvOQII5qy69TncGuAy8iyTV1wGu2EXoIn4PnHQTXFrGfON6LU13ws_8FwNQeUGV5ZDKM3fUiLmLk/s320/11+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Stretching+Somen+Again.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Stretching somen part two!</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroXSlaNCapBuvDYyyEjR8atvxaiFRGzb8xC5YdPcQCEmQz8XhgAEqJ60q-a0sijlAK7vM_Ghogfozbn66t3CuG3U_kOuh-0tshApOR04jr1djU-Cdw7n2VpGMTtD4E_AGuXFxjzxmwC4/s1600/12+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Separating+Somen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjroXSlaNCapBuvDYyyEjR8atvxaiFRGzb8xC5YdPcQCEmQz8XhgAEqJ60q-a0sijlAK7vM_Ghogfozbn66t3CuG3U_kOuh-0tshApOR04jr1djU-Cdw7n2VpGMTtD4E_AGuXFxjzxmwC4/s320/12+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Separating+Somen.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Once the somen is stretched you separate them out.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSMwnYPT7h0Y7OvrI_7D_XiZjT94L9xR2YSvkeV3FT39eyE3taCZktXfpHnJ9nyM9Ow7sVG-BRYHBBoQaunMKwM75sRskEvJRwTsnQgi5N8uY2aiRWxL6Yew5dbmXq7Jo383t1sQ7d1Y/s1600/14+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Separating+Somen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSMwnYPT7h0Y7OvrI_7D_XiZjT94L9xR2YSvkeV3FT39eyE3taCZktXfpHnJ9nyM9Ow7sVG-BRYHBBoQaunMKwM75sRskEvJRwTsnQgi5N8uY2aiRWxL6Yew5dbmXq7Jo383t1sQ7d1Y/s320/14+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Separating+Somen.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">After stretching and separating the noodles are very thin.</span></i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMvfQ1sqsZv0ZRSaA-8OqDFxJPkiepUKts4lPchPerSuVx-1_1XFUrOK6lNxSZZf6vgCBTt3bi0Q7DFj2JpkP6yhueEKpo-FaJwtxjTsU-CRsPucM76GZvSbOyXufqrQ3ZoOREz3M8e4/s1600/15+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Eating+Somen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMvfQ1sqsZv0ZRSaA-8OqDFxJPkiepUKts4lPchPerSuVx-1_1XFUrOK6lNxSZZf6vgCBTt3bi0Q7DFj2JpkP6yhueEKpo-FaJwtxjTsU-CRsPucM76GZvSbOyXufqrQ3ZoOREz3M8e4/s320/15+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Eating+Somen.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">At the end we got to have some delicious cold somen.</span></i></td></tr>
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<h3>
Soy Sauce Museum</h3>
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There’s a number of soy sauce museums on Shodoshima.
Notably, many of them still make soy sauce using the traditional method, which
takes three to five years to brew a single batch! It was so fascinating to hear
about the traditional process and how you go from soy beans and water to the
dark, umami condiment we all know.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfwuvKRtLUhrjH4DDPlT1zVVYxqRU4Nm5Xx_FggmfTwX4C8mT8bbpQ9Z9S5oC6bKcVO8AVFd0TZKcwgLbQE4eML8k024cggpg9UptitA-CJGSsv2nER7mJ9uUSd94vIyMbM4p3RnqW1U/s1600/16+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Mold.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfwuvKRtLUhrjH4DDPlT1zVVYxqRU4Nm5Xx_FggmfTwX4C8mT8bbpQ9Z9S5oC6bKcVO8AVFd0TZKcwgLbQE4eML8k024cggpg9UptitA-CJGSsv2nER7mJ9uUSd94vIyMbM4p3RnqW1U/s320/16+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Mold.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The mold in the rafters is key to the production of the soy sauce.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEa7UolbfaKUPDfm7vuI7XDsNIpM4tLBiiv4sjubEBmCc5tUAA0bmoJ7borQmJ-kc3A868hbcvGoRCjy_Z6e4IuC4vLA80M4LHA-msNS84Q2VnTngSC0QXYCIG6ZbvG3qUkw4b_Vx-vEE/s1600/17+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Pressing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEa7UolbfaKUPDfm7vuI7XDsNIpM4tLBiiv4sjubEBmCc5tUAA0bmoJ7borQmJ-kc3A868hbcvGoRCjy_Z6e4IuC4vLA80M4LHA-msNS84Q2VnTngSC0QXYCIG6ZbvG3qUkw4b_Vx-vEE/s320/17+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Pressing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Look at that giant pressing machine!</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISV8_RTcBpztFAwoPs3Bw_ldE3Tmac97mMlECMD3bXH18LzVNwh9bS6AxVjtJpdObOWo0nAQ_RtDqudvXOK-4iYU8uw2kK3UUIUpxMMWBb5phwj9WLvZy8PCzQWpAc0MIHAvWLFE4QJU/s1600/18+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Fermenting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISV8_RTcBpztFAwoPs3Bw_ldE3Tmac97mMlECMD3bXH18LzVNwh9bS6AxVjtJpdObOWo0nAQ_RtDqudvXOK-4iYU8uw2kK3UUIUpxMMWBb5phwj9WLvZy8PCzQWpAc0MIHAvWLFE4QJU/s320/18+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Fermenting.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">They have three sets of vats fermenting the soy beans.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisANWXzQdUkMOcFbJh_T43pSneJp9dPd4sMVJhZZly7sSsJz8O2RjJlrSoAru5TpW-1bvZyhMEEKz-8J3MP2GgeJek9fWmB3w9oQH1OUDEKbsRMFaPgilIIQActtM1RNM1HJN6UbX6uYA/s1600/19+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Straining+Clothes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisANWXzQdUkMOcFbJh_T43pSneJp9dPd4sMVJhZZly7sSsJz8O2RjJlrSoAru5TpW-1bvZyhMEEKz-8J3MP2GgeJek9fWmB3w9oQH1OUDEKbsRMFaPgilIIQActtM1RNM1HJN6UbX6uYA/s320/19+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Straining+Clothes.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The soy beans will be wrapped in this cloth before being drained.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYi7qVSfj2ycCYOb4xlPKbGMJ3pS-ClfhTrOdD60C-jqHPJ0hzaDCCSaf1dAPa0JOC4RV5Qg_1jlocg6Z4Jaa5czEOBXGUL3uIwXU5Jw31em4IwQQZ6eSxAzyEp65OKhnRG6NlMR1c2I/s1600/20+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Pressing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYi7qVSfj2ycCYOb4xlPKbGMJ3pS-ClfhTrOdD60C-jqHPJ0hzaDCCSaf1dAPa0JOC4RV5Qg_1jlocg6Z4Jaa5czEOBXGUL3uIwXU5Jw31em4IwQQZ6eSxAzyEp65OKhnRG6NlMR1c2I/s320/20+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Pressing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The cloths are pressed to extract the soy sauce from the fermented beans.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiju4U0qzotx92BcrImPE1FgQCX9bexXD3rkOz4ox3V_rJgx8GqyLrTQQEMQF05JwUXSp2TDzIIT4YcHcns_8dWlZ-Z5Amev75SYv3cM-8tc59daHovcEsJw1f0UFsMn7FCGmuloulWws4/s1600/21+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Thanks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiju4U0qzotx92BcrImPE1FgQCX9bexXD3rkOz4ox3V_rJgx8GqyLrTQQEMQF05JwUXSp2TDzIIT4YcHcns_8dWlZ-Z5Amev75SYv3cM-8tc59daHovcEsJw1f0UFsMn7FCGmuloulWws4/s320/21+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Soy+Sauce+Museum+Thanks.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>The factory staff thanked us for visiting.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Kankakei Gorge</h3>
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Kankakei Gorge is thought to be one of Japan’s most
beautiful gorges, especially in November, when the leaves turn red and yellow.
There is a ropeway which runs the length of the gorge, from a lower station up
to a station near Shodoshima’s highest point. At the top station there are
incredible views, as well as souvenir shops, and, even though we didn’t see
them, the top is also inhabited by monkeys!<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9TsFg6iDkYbaprqi6SH877II58e_r_L5Ss_VSMJKC3SCMPU40TqTJqYs3d1P8eFNC8bLa3TLyzkRLF6gXNvVuCC5iLbilfXK3b7Qv6jA6BKlVbofMt-94qQTRCXjxqui116NDda2bzo/s1600/22+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Kankakei+Gorge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9TsFg6iDkYbaprqi6SH877II58e_r_L5Ss_VSMJKC3SCMPU40TqTJqYs3d1P8eFNC8bLa3TLyzkRLF6gXNvVuCC5iLbilfXK3b7Qv6jA6BKlVbofMt-94qQTRCXjxqui116NDda2bzo/s320/22+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Kankakei+Gorge.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">A view of the gorge from the top of the cable car station.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwNXkAxjI9AD3uG5lxEbDmk9tkAAGX6XL1-j8fgqnC5R63RhoBSgCJwoChtMea_mAlsxSpU4t7k25vLEKz51w-B2lcx5Py5b-u75j8bwZCEKwXQCNRMtMaEihdihyIX0BAbxFtbSfJ_Y/s1600/23+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Kankakei+Gorge+Cable+Car.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwNXkAxjI9AD3uG5lxEbDmk9tkAAGX6XL1-j8fgqnC5R63RhoBSgCJwoChtMea_mAlsxSpU4t7k25vLEKz51w-B2lcx5Py5b-u75j8bwZCEKwXQCNRMtMaEihdihyIX0BAbxFtbSfJ_Y/s320/23+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Kankakei+Gorge+Cable+Car.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">This is the cable car that takes you to the top.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAexBLCENUmbqRUcQ4KUysysrGCXCsTpLO5pVmTwbOkVcxXhmLBZyOYLLPKmxhX2r3gpMhQZ3u_R7oaspLdlIfs2dS8rXQpwxGGKMomQfvDkKbtsAHyxebecmXnxYbQVEQk0YGRzyCzE/s1600/24+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Kankakei+Gorge+Island+View.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAexBLCENUmbqRUcQ4KUysysrGCXCsTpLO5pVmTwbOkVcxXhmLBZyOYLLPKmxhX2r3gpMhQZ3u_R7oaspLdlIfs2dS8rXQpwxGGKMomQfvDkKbtsAHyxebecmXnxYbQVEQk0YGRzyCzE/s320/24+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Kankakei+Gorge+Island+View.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Great view of the island from the top of the mountain.</span></i></td></tr>
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What do you think of the photos? Have you been to Shodoshima? Do you love olives, or the idea of a Mediterranean island in Japan? Please share in the comments below.</div>
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If you've never been there, but would love to, why not <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">contact us</a> and let us know. We'd be more than happy to help you <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">plan a trip</a> that includes these wonderful destinations!</div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-72957702903601462362015-10-16T15:56:00.000+01:002015-10-16T18:35:00.739+01:00JNTO FamTrip 2015: Iya Valley & Tokushima<div class="MsoNormal">
In late September and early October, Unique Japan Tours
joined a familiarization trip organised by the Japan National Tourist
Organisation. The purpose of these trips is to introduce new, unique places in
Japan to promote trips there. The familiarization trip (or "famtrip")
we joined took us from Okayama and Kurashiki, down into Tokushima, to
Shodoshima and finally to Himeji.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, we knew most of these places already, and we've
sent many of our clients to these places to. But we always want to learn more,
look deeper and see what's new and exciting. Over the next few blog posts,
we're going to explore the areas we visited, introduce them to you, and share
some of our pictures.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today is part two, where we’ll talk about the Iya Valley and
Tokushima.</div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<h3>
Iya Valley</h3>
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Located in the western part of Tokushima prefecture, and
almost exactly in the middle of Shikoku Island, the Iya Valley is famous for its
dramatic mountainous slopes, deep rocky gorges and river valleys. Historically
the area was very hard to access, and legend has it the Taira clan retreated
here after being defeated by the Minamoto clan in the 12<sup>th</sup> century.
The Taira clan built a number of vine bridges across the valleys of the area,
but in such a way that they could be destroyed by a single cut if they were
being pursued. We visited one of the remaining vine bridges, or kazurabashi,
and also took a river boat trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTHaD1ZbWrDP1227A3enfYBLPUigmsPGwtjI_5lLs0kz4s5h-FkZ7iG1bn3Gm7XZTE40mNoLTTD3VDyb8gNPb42p-AjSK0nWY2nSVAuGtnDSgqZy4KEwdFyzxq_we008nJNVXZ9knEIE/s1600/01+Unique+Japan+Tours+Seto+Inland+Sea.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTHaD1ZbWrDP1227A3enfYBLPUigmsPGwtjI_5lLs0kz4s5h-FkZ7iG1bn3Gm7XZTE40mNoLTTD3VDyb8gNPb42p-AjSK0nWY2nSVAuGtnDSgqZy4KEwdFyzxq_we008nJNVXZ9knEIE/s320/01+Unique+Japan+Tours+Seto+Inland+Sea.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">You have to cross the Seto Inland Sea to get to Shikoku Island.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDQfOllvIiHu6SRh1ytuYYIVtVd2AqVGV6Mq5L2Le_WY80qEDBsjV-UdnQQv9P5eRoisHc96TAoN7MCemJExexvza6hYFRIWpWKTxlb62arQylB_w_JjlqVxkdEzVPi5c5ewQvo18M2M/s1600/02+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shikoku+Tokushima+Mountain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDQfOllvIiHu6SRh1ytuYYIVtVd2AqVGV6Mq5L2Le_WY80qEDBsjV-UdnQQv9P5eRoisHc96TAoN7MCemJExexvza6hYFRIWpWKTxlb62arQylB_w_JjlqVxkdEzVPi5c5ewQvo18M2M/s320/02+Unique+Japan+Tours+Shikoku+Tokushima+Mountain.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>The rugged mountainous terrain near the Iya Valley.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzl233k1jaePy6-6DVqAVqBRR_rXM5kQbQ2GXq_g4vg4vci5kDgn28St3gZ6-1-e3VPC5cEB-_Nl82kMnRTDROhiPHEHNg0tBnWMH8i91Lash04g3Bhwg4Pe8HN29vsKQ7LdZoffHXzs/s1600/03+Unique+Japan+Tours+Vine+Bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzl233k1jaePy6-6DVqAVqBRR_rXM5kQbQ2GXq_g4vg4vci5kDgn28St3gZ6-1-e3VPC5cEB-_Nl82kMnRTDROhiPHEHNg0tBnWMH8i91Lash04g3Bhwg4Pe8HN29vsKQ7LdZoffHXzs/s320/03+Unique+Japan+Tours+Vine+Bridge.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The vine bridge, or kazarabashi, in the Iya Valley.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideWpY-E-vyCfL_pNS29f-UBB3XYd2hRi5IZt_8PRUSTWErUUge42-mWfOyvIC2oFLzBLMIvH9fKVU4yjUIZBYxZ3rqKOad_dbs7kN4J1EOjebq2LE6jjwjKZdRCFQXcbP9D1-L5GVtdI/s1600/04+Unique+Japan+Tours+Crossing+Vine+Bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideWpY-E-vyCfL_pNS29f-UBB3XYd2hRi5IZt_8PRUSTWErUUge42-mWfOyvIC2oFLzBLMIvH9fKVU4yjUIZBYxZ3rqKOad_dbs7kN4J1EOjebq2LE6jjwjKZdRCFQXcbP9D1-L5GVtdI/s320/04+Unique+Japan+Tours+Crossing+Vine+Bridge.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Crossing the bridge can be a bit heart in the mouth.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAP4JogiJtUbBA0VsMfkrWRrkz-N5MfPOyNm71wkrKMqtufvcFpR8m2ngFjw98H1chfcDcAvzC0HxfW6zs7-9PBbGmh_iAHrVNPoFLnf1WSYM_UvcZJA55yhPVuVueN4cG_cTIH1c32I/s1600/06+Unique+Japan+Tours+Vine+Bridge+Vines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAP4JogiJtUbBA0VsMfkrWRrkz-N5MfPOyNm71wkrKMqtufvcFpR8m2ngFjw98H1chfcDcAvzC0HxfW6zs7-9PBbGmh_iAHrVNPoFLnf1WSYM_UvcZJA55yhPVuVueN4cG_cTIH1c32I/s320/06+Unique+Japan+Tours+Vine+Bridge+Vines.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>The vines holding the kazarabashi together.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAu7Bn1UA0RIuWjWxD58sP_MZ2uJKE0-n_wOcjlcgfF_wKf-NeXGRLfgXpJJ2YF24W4adoJrf1kW7KZjIE6Y45gHVmF7UOKllDvMl2csbmmQXj10qesn-4QmoSqArimNIGURiJpp5xUo/s1600/07+Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAu7Bn1UA0RIuWjWxD58sP_MZ2uJKE0-n_wOcjlcgfF_wKf-NeXGRLfgXpJJ2YF24W4adoJrf1kW7KZjIE6Y45gHVmF7UOKllDvMl2csbmmQXj10qesn-4QmoSqArimNIGURiJpp5xUo/s320/07+Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The Yoshino River boat boarding point.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLrZekwZPkIXYuQCzhYl5fbYjfM6Gi67dVkEnFc9M5HoVtNavAYO0p37_s2O22kzJRB0-KH3ZiGlXrGc_E3cvmb609_A3LSHdWRbLhQ895lhS6Rr4Cs3VUGgUM5o45ALm2G_cggtEEJo/s1600/08+Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+River.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLrZekwZPkIXYuQCzhYl5fbYjfM6Gi67dVkEnFc9M5HoVtNavAYO0p37_s2O22kzJRB0-KH3ZiGlXrGc_E3cvmb609_A3LSHdWRbLhQ895lhS6Rr4Cs3VUGgUM5o45ALm2G_cggtEEJo/s320/08+Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+River.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Cruising down the peaceful river.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXXFIPffvcH5XtiGZsoQol1lvnwJfrIqJrB-TrcLT4LxMo4ndNB8n8Z2kABcqaxoiRtB6WBOFEtvy8oRzyvvHZz_XUsFvoVRXPNLcqL3I40GuXsTAQ8l6rUxWbtHvdPGVXRqqgZ0rj7U/s1600/09+Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Peaceful.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXXFIPffvcH5XtiGZsoQol1lvnwJfrIqJrB-TrcLT4LxMo4ndNB8n8Z2kABcqaxoiRtB6WBOFEtvy8oRzyvvHZz_XUsFvoVRXPNLcqL3I40GuXsTAQ8l6rUxWbtHvdPGVXRqqgZ0rj7U/s320/09+Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Peaceful.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Some beautiful scenery to be seen from the boat.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Indigo Dyeing</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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We stopped off to take part in some cultural activities!
Aizome, or indigo dyeing, is a traditional craft where you dye clothes, jeans,
handkerchiefs and so on with leaves from the Japanese indigo plant. The process
is completely natural, and depending on how elaborate you want to make your
design, can take anywhere from 20 minutes to a number of hours. It was a fun
experience, and we got to take home our own unique, hand dyed handkerchief at
the end.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOo-YaD7faSiwAuYM-lsB7xUa3FI4MLloqQXMsQ_6_McvNPVPMJlJUCtmBorOLxd7LIGjobYM0PwuhGpyhU-1mgtgtUtAvewiG1Z3VhLHYNZgt3-sW4SbrbYUCXPw9Y2PGkBFG8ni1NA/s1600/10+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOo-YaD7faSiwAuYM-lsB7xUa3FI4MLloqQXMsQ_6_McvNPVPMJlJUCtmBorOLxd7LIGjobYM0PwuhGpyhU-1mgtgtUtAvewiG1Z3VhLHYNZgt3-sW4SbrbYUCXPw9Y2PGkBFG8ni1NA/s320/10+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>The experience begins with a beautiful white handkerchief.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJd2phSU2itDvT3RdQZcHSqnynKnw0V7BBCreq5HsiyksmHod6REW7G6SP9p05fCSAu4ovLP0agyBtpTsy9bMp9paJFoHoxzIl52-jl_lcikqimvLEvYMF5zXDmKJoUv0D2ju_9JIbFlQ/s1600/11+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Dip.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJd2phSU2itDvT3RdQZcHSqnynKnw0V7BBCreq5HsiyksmHod6REW7G6SP9p05fCSAu4ovLP0agyBtpTsy9bMp9paJFoHoxzIl52-jl_lcikqimvLEvYMF5zXDmKJoUv0D2ju_9JIbFlQ/s320/11+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Dip.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Dipping the handkerchief in the dye.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBycZzJ1qrUgW416csJyYmaIuvhdgU7T-6TxKkyrJ1_9ImGTudtwMretB1uZL20_j-oUfmiIfArcscvX5KjN4gNhiFv8CeJgS9k3ITxC2-JNLisaZnXvPTlakInKTndA-CzqZizEydjg/s1600/12+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Dip.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBycZzJ1qrUgW416csJyYmaIuvhdgU7T-6TxKkyrJ1_9ImGTudtwMretB1uZL20_j-oUfmiIfArcscvX5KjN4gNhiFv8CeJgS9k3ITxC2-JNLisaZnXvPTlakInKTndA-CzqZizEydjg/s320/12+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Dip.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">You need to let the dye oxidize before dipping in again.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ekSaNya3LueTmeZo_-ZyaQiH46nK7t98Xua7g6yvTEbp4itEVyKC2gXek_j_jOJ5O9MFYNM3X9HUOf8gd0kyY7XzEUbkh5MofY46eHb7JGN1c40nZt4sCUS4RGEOmvmU5CAXaUnZQug/s1600/13+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Rinsing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ekSaNya3LueTmeZo_-ZyaQiH46nK7t98Xua7g6yvTEbp4itEVyKC2gXek_j_jOJ5O9MFYNM3X9HUOf8gd0kyY7XzEUbkh5MofY46eHb7JGN1c40nZt4sCUS4RGEOmvmU5CAXaUnZQug/s320/13+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Rinsing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">After dyeing the cloth it needs to be rinsed.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9UGpLPTkaijEe0Fu4wtlmhB8qczBFUsNixWHkHUwVMziJz9L9onPMciMNYbwcqMRMO_Ko8UThK5n6DekEC6XxQoXokjyVevWbwiT4JnBFi0kMdWzpZG0XoGJi9eKX0BJoHUfYiYRyco/s1600/14+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Rinsing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9UGpLPTkaijEe0Fu4wtlmhB8qczBFUsNixWHkHUwVMziJz9L9onPMciMNYbwcqMRMO_Ko8UThK5n6DekEC6XxQoXokjyVevWbwiT4JnBFi0kMdWzpZG0XoGJi9eKX0BJoHUfYiYRyco/s320/14+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Rinsing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Almost there!</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJy-ToFB8fk0S-fpaCklqxeihZ7j8Aa4Szlm9GF_Ms7GfnkxedijOhBDTzbMYnW0dw5r5-3Hin9IzhfZ3EwohoamrjGsmr9celAq0QXdqsAmduRoTfF8Ytzq_uQIFzgl6YEtPDytTFKk/s1600/15+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Drying.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJy-ToFB8fk0S-fpaCklqxeihZ7j8Aa4Szlm9GF_Ms7GfnkxedijOhBDTzbMYnW0dw5r5-3Hin9IzhfZ3EwohoamrjGsmr9celAq0QXdqsAmduRoTfF8Ytzq_uQIFzgl6YEtPDytTFKk/s320/15+Unique+Japan+Tours+Indigo+Dyeing+Drying.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">We used an iron to dry out the cloth.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Tokushima</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tokushima is the capital city of Tokushima prefecture,
located right on the mouth of the Yoshino River. This city is home to the Awa
Odori Festival, a huge dance festival that takes place once a year. This dance
festival is the second largest dance festial in the world, second only to
Carnival in Brazil. The festival attracts over 13 million visitors between 12<sup>th</sup>
to 15<sup>th</sup> August. But if you can’t make the festival, there’s the Awa
Odori Kaikan, where we went to, to see one of the dance troupe perform. This
was an amazing experience, and you even get to join in. There is also a local chicken
delicacy called Awa Otori, which is a play on the word “O”, which means big and
“tori” which means bird. Make sure to try it!<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGcWgqtNwT6u6JnuPLES6IVqgUAQehaeA66UlWtzX9eriHRNhScwQTPV9dNsA1vcJUq8QYVFwS8GKrj7gA7zAH1O0Pl3z-xG88P9FUkuQq_Zh4k7kQZMIrUnQKqrjIAOxH2_ANRSWO6M/s1600/16+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Music.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGcWgqtNwT6u6JnuPLES6IVqgUAQehaeA66UlWtzX9eriHRNhScwQTPV9dNsA1vcJUq8QYVFwS8GKrj7gA7zAH1O0Pl3z-xG88P9FUkuQq_Zh4k7kQZMIrUnQKqrjIAOxH2_ANRSWO6M/s320/16+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Music.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>These guys will be playing the music for the dancing.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE3bPOqGfgwT_SEVseTneN_dWbGREHT0zXXBFrpt9fNpC_H3lZQWPiLzD5qOOybd0sreeUZn45-oVn20gQBz_xnQLIuAA77QlaeNfQdONvipd5nlIX1Tv5c3xeSFX3HsKacrOvzrLdOU/s1600/17+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Male+Dancers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE3bPOqGfgwT_SEVseTneN_dWbGREHT0zXXBFrpt9fNpC_H3lZQWPiLzD5qOOybd0sreeUZn45-oVn20gQBz_xnQLIuAA77QlaeNfQdONvipd5nlIX1Tv5c3xeSFX3HsKacrOvzrLdOU/s320/17+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Male+Dancers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Male dancers can dance with their hands moving anywhere.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-MHKr1D13LmYe6lpPDiFFo6WYau9DRKXP6NiCdQcJGiioc4NosUCDGbJ1cEDURVKvSnUiHighdgDfQITSYPiQ0KtjTsTXoiTzP1hWnZA28C6tvVZYtNfo6KdSZIRqMvnmy7MiXuhTTM/s1600/18+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Female+Dancers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-MHKr1D13LmYe6lpPDiFFo6WYau9DRKXP6NiCdQcJGiioc4NosUCDGbJ1cEDURVKvSnUiHighdgDfQITSYPiQ0KtjTsTXoiTzP1hWnZA28C6tvVZYtNfo6KdSZIRqMvnmy7MiXuhTTM/s320/18+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Female+Dancers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The lady dancers keep their hands inside shoulder width.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLN4Crc5pLh6LZsnzbM4w1aLOpX8qa0I5H5ERXjDRVAvbeMvVPiNdXPnL_2TzNlCcIlAhA4XVgYgF8i_a-VsZRjbazKqJElgDgPt_Z4ModuhgWOVkHGJJglSWxrGxrSMj8u4v9dvsvtL0/s1600/19+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Female+Dancers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLN4Crc5pLh6LZsnzbM4w1aLOpX8qa0I5H5ERXjDRVAvbeMvVPiNdXPnL_2TzNlCcIlAhA4XVgYgF8i_a-VsZRjbazKqJElgDgPt_Z4ModuhgWOVkHGJJglSWxrGxrSMj8u4v9dvsvtL0/s320/19+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Female+Dancers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The dancers doing their thing.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-8X0tzJLZnJ_wSdbKb72kmC8eswq1olKBtDBfftjvxZ9AXpqN-ShPGiJD1rjnC42NB50xcfTxDyfDeDFqDIsrlPvaDpKxBIvC-EkievfqSa_9LReib7ndBMZj0_3VmIOVj6b5AGkiVU/s1600/20+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Soloists.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-8X0tzJLZnJ_wSdbKb72kmC8eswq1olKBtDBfftjvxZ9AXpqN-ShPGiJD1rjnC42NB50xcfTxDyfDeDFqDIsrlPvaDpKxBIvC-EkievfqSa_9LReib7ndBMZj0_3VmIOVj6b5AGkiVU/s320/20+Unique+Japan+Tours+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Soloists.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Two soloists dance around each other.</span></i></td></tr>
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What do you think of the photos? Have you been to the Iya
Valley or Tokushima? Have you tried Japanese indigo dyeing? What did you think?
Please share in the comments below.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you've never been there, but would love to, why not <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">contact us</a> and
let us know. We'd be more than happy to help you <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip">plan a trip</a> that
includes these wonderful destinations!<o:p></o:p></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-5492507308596041972015-10-13T17:51:00.000+01:002015-10-13T17:51:43.140+01:00JNTO FamTrip 2015: Okayama & KurashikiIn late September and early October, Unique Japan Tours joined a familiarization trip organised by the Japan National Tourist Organisation. The purpose of these trips is to introduce new, unique places in Japan to promote trips there. The familiarization trip (or "famtrip") we joined took us from Okayama and Kurashiki, down into Tokushima, to Shodoshima and finally to Himeji.<br />
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Of course, we knew most of these places already, and we've sent many of our clients to these places to. But we always want to learn more, look deeper and see what's new and exciting. Over the next few blog posts, we're going to explore the areas we visited, introduce them to you, and share some of our pictures.<br />
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First up, Okayama and Kurashiki.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><h4>
Okayama</h4>
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Okayama is known as the sunshine prefecture of Japan, because it has, on average, 270 days of sunshine a year. In Okayama, we visited Korakuen Garden, which was incredibly beautiful. Built during a period of extended peace in Japan, when the feudal lords, or daimyo, didn't have to spend money on maintaining a military presence, so built gardens instead. Here are some pictures, which paint a thousand words:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKy6rUUPEEZeorGge5zORj9VHp3jEe9pg35clMl6RFmZ4sFW7d7uorjQNtNHncZyDSgciTOsp3DrwzGSuap3rC3NiOPSSb3GjXdJY2PZprJpsr5ANUERtvQQAnHv7VB_NnfOQ0O2Polw/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Hill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Hill" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKy6rUUPEEZeorGge5zORj9VHp3jEe9pg35clMl6RFmZ4sFW7d7uorjQNtNHncZyDSgciTOsp3DrwzGSuap3rC3NiOPSSb3GjXdJY2PZprJpsr5ANUERtvQQAnHv7VB_NnfOQ0O2Polw/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Hill.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Hill" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">There's a real sense of peace in the garden.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9A1Ffna1BwJDRaIYHCvYXOFozWowfZeFSwtWYjUWFk7JH6HhQQZIy0clt4-F5MOM5zTlaASBMsiQT5Fxzyr3ZeS9berG-hnSnFIHqfoR2CKQ21-MhM7mQthxn-KoIv_bo9o_4dx-2lQ/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Okayama+Castle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Okayama Castle" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9A1Ffna1BwJDRaIYHCvYXOFozWowfZeFSwtWYjUWFk7JH6HhQQZIy0clt4-F5MOM5zTlaASBMsiQT5Fxzyr3ZeS9berG-hnSnFIHqfoR2CKQ21-MhM7mQthxn-KoIv_bo9o_4dx-2lQ/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Okayama+Castle.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Okayama Castle" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>You can easily see and access Okayama Castle from the garden.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8HX9M4gBE-O1R28Tr_VVak4mVl8AP8Boy1jnPgQnH16JU4ASOZPMylbnOAgGM0RpxXY-yoyVpPxs4PUzbaX8STuHaJCfCnYgBcc11YC898Qb70t0BVFQWkan4yLrrUYuVd2HBrV6Njw/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Stepping+Stones.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Stepping Stones" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8HX9M4gBE-O1R28Tr_VVak4mVl8AP8Boy1jnPgQnH16JU4ASOZPMylbnOAgGM0RpxXY-yoyVpPxs4PUzbaX8STuHaJCfCnYgBcc11YC898Qb70t0BVFQWkan4yLrrUYuVd2HBrV6Njw/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Stepping+Stones.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Stepping Stones" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>A stepping stone bridge in Kenrokuen garden.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Tea House" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrk2uBstKFt9W6x9wSGpbDdC8BKDn0Pg3d85ltAVGhJMfbPWEl9XTDsl16znKwp9IjJnakZ8iSbdOlwUtRKOTHFnMRRwDz1nrkMRj4xyPV-vIXa_ZF8316YnxYrz86OMfcVS_Tg3b3r4/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Tea+House.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Tea House" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>There's even a traditional tea house in Kenrokuen.</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrk2uBstKFt9W6x9wSGpbDdC8BKDn0Pg3d85ltAVGhJMfbPWEl9XTDsl16znKwp9IjJnakZ8iSbdOlwUtRKOTHFnMRRwDz1nrkMRj4xyPV-vIXa_ZF8316YnxYrz86OMfcVS_Tg3b3r4/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Tea+House.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrxaGV1svOqQiNnZvZ2UX0fhZS2SKWReRNes-j-hq9G1FnHjurxHigLSfE4Xau76Jj22bx6fpWGG55DRYB0ZwByDz0l3S_7AcS9PhTcimhgFleJkZI9xmvhM00R_KQNqy75vL-KGbN0c/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Vista.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Vista" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrxaGV1svOqQiNnZvZ2UX0fhZS2SKWReRNes-j-hq9G1FnHjurxHigLSfE4Xau76Jj22bx6fpWGG55DRYB0ZwByDz0l3S_7AcS9PhTcimhgFleJkZI9xmvhM00R_KQNqy75vL-KGbN0c/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Vista.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Vista" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Breathtaking beauty from the top of a hill in the garden.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Q7zde_eFq8OkoQE1TavkZZHFGVIA2DvQOJ3MMe-l_qvXUq3sHrRVnOjfg1utXA6FND7N8eJiRT4qRtDkxkhipxFLab03549hA1NFGMIVBa2lzHbhtznzYLgk2oJp1UvF0heOJPyS7M4/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Water+Feature.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Water Feature" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Q7zde_eFq8OkoQE1TavkZZHFGVIA2DvQOJ3MMe-l_qvXUq3sHrRVnOjfg1utXA6FND7N8eJiRT4qRtDkxkhipxFLab03549hA1NFGMIVBa2lzHbhtznzYLgk2oJp1UvF0heOJPyS7M4/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Water+Feature.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden Water Feature" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>One of the larger water features in the garden.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYrRQWAk2j8P-HQaisXUyvb2ac5KtvWm1yYEzVmxgm5EdjasCVveASQ_aMtqT_-BlxgBphbD5BxPXAQi72EWEiuUJ4h4kQkU2rsSx4ClTON4HOw4wGGGnJdsC4ygY3PUvIdLNRzqEwIc/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYrRQWAk2j8P-HQaisXUyvb2ac5KtvWm1yYEzVmxgm5EdjasCVveASQ_aMtqT_-BlxgBphbD5BxPXAQi72EWEiuUJ4h4kQkU2rsSx4ClTON4HOw4wGGGnJdsC4ygY3PUvIdLNRzqEwIc/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Kenrokuen Garden" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>You can see some of the more modern building in the background. But you'll soon forget you're in a city.</i></span></td></tr>
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We also visited the city center of Okayama. We strolled down the covered shopping street, or shotengai, and learned about the history of Okayama. The Japanese legend of Momotaro is based in Okayama, and there were little statues highlighting this around the town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6pCdvwpbaKOKeNYdkveO0_S8NLRfo0Q_ebejONJdyw2SZBEZW4shrKkXPPsRgvRYh4RNclxk0WSsW0ADC6kBeNzAUYptvmWkAJFnsItxb23lfuBlWyhXX3Wlpe8lv0inE1PDG0pPPzk/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Okayama+Shotengai.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Okayama Shotengai" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6pCdvwpbaKOKeNYdkveO0_S8NLRfo0Q_ebejONJdyw2SZBEZW4shrKkXPPsRgvRYh4RNclxk0WSsW0ADC6kBeNzAUYptvmWkAJFnsItxb23lfuBlWyhXX3Wlpe8lv0inE1PDG0pPPzk/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Okayama+Shotengai.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Okayama Shotengai" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The covered shopping street in Okayama</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJbQmlqy3bdoRjvGHvEAvTHFtc-Yf063PMrnb-T71F9SVlew8AS9pkm_YbmpFc7fqYA9V6InKIVS0FfwnwbtnFISVWaHzDooOYb5p0kh-YXAY4ESYvVPQugZ83da2eD8Nvs5fZvgOc-Y/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Okayama+Shotengai+Momotaro+Statue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJbQmlqy3bdoRjvGHvEAvTHFtc-Yf063PMrnb-T71F9SVlew8AS9pkm_YbmpFc7fqYA9V6InKIVS0FfwnwbtnFISVWaHzDooOYb5p0kh-YXAY4ESYvVPQugZ83da2eD8Nvs5fZvgOc-Y/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Okayama+Shotengai+Momotaro+Statue.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Statue of Momotaro in the Okayama shotengai</span></i></td></tr>
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<h4>
Kurashiki</h4>
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Kurashiki is located just down the road from Okayama, about 20 minutes by train. Kurashiki can be translated to mean "town of storehouses", referring back to it's original purpose as a rice distribution center during the Edo Period. There are several highlights in Kurashiki, like the well preserved canal area. The canals were built to allow boats to transport the rice around. There are also a large number of well preserved storehouses along the canal district. It's peaceful, and at night time it stunningly beautiful. Pictures don't do it justice!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe0iGeeAnAUZPF9kqKMYt-4QeFc5LJfHGeiGYLQHVeCitx5fFeFYy3MYDGIoRgzKvMH_v-oYHMRERxthc7W3X7uOS-ZHjRQyiu_BVeoUnMzaUpvqs01Bbj-OXHBFifc8Syvx2eETTXl8/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Daytime.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe0iGeeAnAUZPF9kqKMYt-4QeFc5LJfHGeiGYLQHVeCitx5fFeFYy3MYDGIoRgzKvMH_v-oYHMRERxthc7W3X7uOS-ZHjRQyiu_BVeoUnMzaUpvqs01Bbj-OXHBFifc8Syvx2eETTXl8/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Daytime.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The Kurashiki canal district is incredibly well preserved</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07OUNj2wb0IiJVM7eCz4PslskO92sbxfQ8Hz7yu2WwpvYOgbi2N0U-5k62aV5iYyhVmnlWzs3dFR9_QbMcyN-dtiBziLue55zIg1NghjZeYQmu-nJ6i4LKgHyEpSJSXxfrOUN2sXLOxY/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Night+Trees.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07OUNj2wb0IiJVM7eCz4PslskO92sbxfQ8Hz7yu2WwpvYOgbi2N0U-5k62aV5iYyhVmnlWzs3dFR9_QbMcyN-dtiBziLue55zIg1NghjZeYQmu-nJ6i4LKgHyEpSJSXxfrOUN2sXLOxY/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Night+Trees.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">At night, it's beautiful</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQT08_65kqtlt0U-WngEClv0XYyD6mMxSbfsbnEQDVxkokraVbqTp3DDbX5GU-CDFr4y1kkygbGRz8ng0ePLKh0hvwrrqyoB2i1D9SpZ8Lb6aWz5C1sHumQ1tBNiVFuwx8oeBytN-B0o/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Night+Street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQT08_65kqtlt0U-WngEClv0XYyD6mMxSbfsbnEQDVxkokraVbqTp3DDbX5GU-CDFr4y1kkygbGRz8ng0ePLKh0hvwrrqyoB2i1D9SpZ8Lb6aWz5C1sHumQ1tBNiVFuwx8oeBytN-B0o/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Night+Street.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The canal is so calm, the buildings reflect perfectly in the water</span></i></td></tr>
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That was day one of the FamTrip, and what a start it was. Stay tuned, as we continue to go into more detail about what the FamTrip involved and we share more pictures of where we went.</div>
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What do you think of the photos? Have you been to Okayama or Kurashiki? What did you think? Please share in the comments below.</div>
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If you've never been there, but would love to, why not <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip" target="_blank">contact us</a> and let us know. We'd be more than happy to help you <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip" target="_blank">plan a trip</a> that includes these wonderful destinations!</div>
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, Japan34.6551456 133.919501934.237571599999995 133.2740549 35.0727196 134.5649489tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-3770161066690576532015-10-07T03:30:00.000+01:002015-10-07T14:12:25.673+01:00JNTO Familiarization Trip 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In late September and early October, Unique Japan Tours joined a familiarization trip organised by the Japan National Tourist Organisation. The purpose of these trips is to introduce new, unique places in Japan to promote trips there. The familiarization trip (or "famtrip") we joined took us from Okayama and Kurashiki, down into Tokushima, to Shodoshima and finally to Himeji. </div>
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Of course, we knew most of these places already, and we've sent many of our clients to these places to. But we always want to learn more, look deeper and see what's new and exciting. Over the next few blog posts, we're going to explore the areas we visited, introduce them to you, and share our pictures.<br />
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Today, we're just going to give a brief overview of the tour. First off, we'd like to extend our sincerest thanks to the JNTO for organizing and inviting us on this FamTrip. It was a lovely trip, we enjoyed it, and most importantly, we learned a lot and can't wait to incorporate it into our tours!<br />
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<h4>
Okayama & Kurashiki</h4>
We visited the beautiful Korakuen garden and Kurashiki historical area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmLu9IGkp9YcVC2Fp151llHyiHHFFyTFPYeEJFlZXXuOcatXBhf6h8M7NpX9Fd68S9GJMFhx_sagdI4e6X917UovyJMHlqQivHPG2YGvAkPtMuD8caz7-UmRVQtb5-Ki-oGSfBNvJ4ys/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Vista.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmLu9IGkp9YcVC2Fp151llHyiHHFFyTFPYeEJFlZXXuOcatXBhf6h8M7NpX9Fd68S9GJMFhx_sagdI4e6X917UovyJMHlqQivHPG2YGvAkPtMuD8caz7-UmRVQtb5-Ki-oGSfBNvJ4ys/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Vista.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Korakuen Garden is stunningly beautiful</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsLdaDnBhjDiYcod5B9sN82EOPO7_vP54tityivdV8xn9DWT-0tHAn178x5AGm40jujOYvoaRvhqGzZ6nMLzNU6qeFLQHx9G-evQEf9ESY0ZmOKF5BwTKSaEZVN34fyGly1FSRTQycmY/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Okayama+Castle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsLdaDnBhjDiYcod5B9sN82EOPO7_vP54tityivdV8xn9DWT-0tHAn178x5AGm40jujOYvoaRvhqGzZ6nMLzNU6qeFLQHx9G-evQEf9ESY0ZmOKF5BwTKSaEZVN34fyGly1FSRTQycmY/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kenrokuen+Garden+Okayama+Castle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Okayama Castle is visible from Korakuen Garden</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQT08_65kqtlt0U-WngEClv0XYyD6mMxSbfsbnEQDVxkokraVbqTp3DDbX5GU-CDFr4y1kkygbGRz8ng0ePLKh0hvwrrqyoB2i1D9SpZ8Lb6aWz5C1sHumQ1tBNiVFuwx8oeBytN-B0o/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Night+Street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQT08_65kqtlt0U-WngEClv0XYyD6mMxSbfsbnEQDVxkokraVbqTp3DDbX5GU-CDFr4y1kkygbGRz8ng0ePLKh0hvwrrqyoB2i1D9SpZ8Lb6aWz5C1sHumQ1tBNiVFuwx8oeBytN-B0o/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kurashiki+Canal+District+Night+Street.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Kurashiki canal district is beautiful at night</span></i></td></tr>
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<h4>
Shikoku</h4>
After staying overnight in Kurashiki, we traveled down into Shikoku. We visited the Iya Valley, and crossed one of the Iya Valley vine bridges, or kazurabashi. We also has a leisurely cruise down the river in the Iya Valley. Then we got to experience indigo dying, and we dyed our own handkerchiefs. Finally, we made our way to Tokushima city, where we visited the Awa Odori Kaikan, and got to see the Awa dancers. The Awa dancers usually only perform once a year at the Awa Odori, which is the second biggest dance festival in the world after Carnival. But recently, the different dance groups have started putting on nightly performances in order to practice throughout the year. This was a particular highlight!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5JVhUotJVFBNBbGiHky-7y8gpyURr1-ulBsSCHx1pvHaYBA1BtgWdV12DvScC0QNQG3Nb3FRFEOBfOGeWI4GkQgmsDK7UVgvN-J2_6TU6dwE6SASFq-Khh-jMnGt8jX1tRiE3QnwWqk/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Kazurabashi+Vine+Bridge+Walking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5JVhUotJVFBNBbGiHky-7y8gpyURr1-ulBsSCHx1pvHaYBA1BtgWdV12DvScC0QNQG3Nb3FRFEOBfOGeWI4GkQgmsDK7UVgvN-J2_6TU6dwE6SASFq-Khh-jMnGt8jX1tRiE3QnwWqk/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Kazurabashi+Vine+Bridge+Walking.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Crossing the Iya Valley vine bridge really sets your heart beating</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdnxmGqfszGU94gsw4WR4D1wO5pFT_I1wxbY3rEMJq4mIQwzjxL9xvsCO7F4MAtS3k_t5EAAMR02u4IIrkzogQ97QVJb_jRNcXC7AkPNCxDLT6lxnrq0Ku745wlwBbuogxjlXT7lZHgE/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Cruise.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdnxmGqfszGU94gsw4WR4D1wO5pFT_I1wxbY3rEMJq4mIQwzjxL9xvsCO7F4MAtS3k_t5EAAMR02u4IIrkzogQ97QVJb_jRNcXC7AkPNCxDLT6lxnrq0Ku745wlwBbuogxjlXT7lZHgE/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Cruise.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Leisurely cruise down the Iya Valley</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzIaPDsUVGUN4TYxxYrn-FWeUoEchgAiXHYZIRw8AK70wUPmE0MU6rxtYRWuu3WK5qhZgfAH9_6r_ItfcMk2hGusR5yd-7-xnn01lsUp0kCeb0FU1iBJYgOP3qVEz3ZrBx8T2NXmGhyw/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Kazurabashi+Vine+Bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzIaPDsUVGUN4TYxxYrn-FWeUoEchgAiXHYZIRw8AK70wUPmE0MU6rxtYRWuu3WK5qhZgfAH9_6r_ItfcMk2hGusR5yd-7-xnn01lsUp0kCeb0FU1iBJYgOP3qVEz3ZrBx8T2NXmGhyw/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Iya+Valley+Kazurabashi+Vine+Bridge.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>The vine bridge spans a big distance</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOeeC3-JRt-8ZhB_5EETSKD7OKGrUkI_MLSZ0fSDlu3GHYI6QydtHKfHyZFO45DNXxuOnJuqski_pQzL5Kfww8mb98dYnITYy7m9oggvNbNZbcilgmDLVpI-vjrMXM7rj7OeRLu-h098/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Tokushima+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Female+Dancers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOeeC3-JRt-8ZhB_5EETSKD7OKGrUkI_MLSZ0fSDlu3GHYI6QydtHKfHyZFO45DNXxuOnJuqski_pQzL5Kfww8mb98dYnITYy7m9oggvNbNZbcilgmDLVpI-vjrMXM7rj7OeRLu-h098/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Tokushima+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Female+Dancers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The lady Awa dancers from the Awa Odori festival</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8JI3Zlsyk7ahkeP9gTQVIL4h6AfZGeXk7UirvTrr31ZGBosOZrqkVx6UH7uh-bmWb_AluZPlQQMBtxA2NyLyfI61X8Quz2Z51AitcyTKpTmrgjq_SnyM9d3Yo-4CuaSTo4mq_QfBX08/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Tokushima+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Male+Dancers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8JI3Zlsyk7ahkeP9gTQVIL4h6AfZGeXk7UirvTrr31ZGBosOZrqkVx6UH7uh-bmWb_AluZPlQQMBtxA2NyLyfI61X8Quz2Z51AitcyTKpTmrgjq_SnyM9d3Yo-4CuaSTo4mq_QfBX08/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Tokushima+Awa+Odori+Kaikan+Male+Dancers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The male Awa dancers </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: #666666;">from the Awa Odori festival</span></i></td></tr>
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<h4>
Shodoshima</h4>
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We explored Shodoshima on day 3. We took a ferry there from Takamatsu. Shodoshima translates as "small bean island", and is like a Mediterranean Island in Japan. They grow plenty of herbs and olives. They even have olive ice cream, and all sorts of olive oil based beauty products. Shodoshima is also home to some of the oldest soy sauce breweries in Japan, and many operate using the traditional methods. A single batch of soy sauce can take up to 5 years to produce! We also experienced making thin, traditional noodles, or somen, and finished off with a spectacular view of the whole island.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bpy-rNu-4YTj9K7RGUSfaUh6TwFwfPqWsgJZ7QsK-lTIQumie_VgkzjkzsGj46B_RS6EmQulKpzVUwwEJrKCkZZYfvbETnAS8JcyYNHLm7EsSkYIEhMXrNR8cfVhU9AID9q2EmT4acA/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive+Tree+Grove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bpy-rNu-4YTj9K7RGUSfaUh6TwFwfPqWsgJZ7QsK-lTIQumie_VgkzjkzsGj46B_RS6EmQulKpzVUwwEJrKCkZZYfvbETnAS8JcyYNHLm7EsSkYIEhMXrNR8cfVhU9AID9q2EmT4acA/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive+Tree+Grove.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Olive tree grove on Shodoshima</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkyzz39JtBxU1QG0gLOKhYqsDpLkSKiJKGKRo5E8ggcod_sUOBn5dFJIVnSys6aM1Wy545PO3wLpkfMHQnZ4anY6GzaWNACEfh_ahnZoDybxps0ylro3CUjtlMj1y4VMApPdXCxAi1pQ/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive+Trees.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkyzz39JtBxU1QG0gLOKhYqsDpLkSKiJKGKRo5E8ggcod_sUOBn5dFJIVnSys6aM1Wy545PO3wLpkfMHQnZ4anY6GzaWNACEfh_ahnZoDybxps0ylro3CUjtlMj1y4VMApPdXCxAi1pQ/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Olive+Trees.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Olives!</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDUhUSHmdEtwFPxR8quzfYfQK-oxy2uvKD-3UUeqBqYjFbejS7S7fVcEGga50tX4JP2D7kJR0QWEYyn5z7zV_8njeqSre4CzDQukOfYWH1r_DgQxiX8zGirnwSCyd22X5v_RW_gJGISs/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Greek+Architecture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDUhUSHmdEtwFPxR8quzfYfQK-oxy2uvKD-3UUeqBqYjFbejS7S7fVcEGga50tX4JP2D7kJR0QWEYyn5z7zV_8njeqSre4CzDQukOfYWH1r_DgQxiX8zGirnwSCyd22X5v_RW_gJGISs/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Greek+Architecture.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Greek style architecture on Shodoshima</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hM_Ar6K8kiUy-IBKF8ESNILRqPSlTCvA0qpZ19_Woai7EZUyS-yA_u42zrscF6EE3No95FxCh-iLn55J3W0j3iWkQ_4m1_KcEVpkX4BbVNrUkbvZm8-S8kp-UzU1-vcOGnUoTdrnI7E/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Somen+Making.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hM_Ar6K8kiUy-IBKF8ESNILRqPSlTCvA0qpZ19_Woai7EZUyS-yA_u42zrscF6EE3No95FxCh-iLn55J3W0j3iWkQ_4m1_KcEVpkX4BbVNrUkbvZm8-S8kp-UzU1-vcOGnUoTdrnI7E/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Somen+Making.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Somen making - stretching the noodles</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHkzF3-IN_BT31fVp13Lmzr8-FIOy5P0SEypllK3_F1ryZTb34BlKZbo3RrNip0mxAIcSZgJO6A-pg806g8oHl1olEEbzKhMHG4FPeA83Nx54iXYxYpZrfS7nuehO4Wsx38Ssvdmzc0o/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Somen+Making+Stretching.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHkzF3-IN_BT31fVp13Lmzr8-FIOy5P0SEypllK3_F1ryZTb34BlKZbo3RrNip0mxAIcSZgJO6A-pg806g8oHl1olEEbzKhMHG4FPeA83Nx54iXYxYpZrfS7nuehO4Wsx38Ssvdmzc0o/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+Somen+Making+Stretching.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Somen making - separating the noodles</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffrdB9RjUbXdL2ipDMMT9qsbRYf7KXL1axgZxDUlq0kDfFwjZeOMHvkpjfmkbwOy7xRSims1OHLPWyfjNWcnnbqMA30BtFTmqh6y-my64SHTmW8Iz87N3Qz6TdoDTeVrI765794N3dwc/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+View+from+Mountain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffrdB9RjUbXdL2ipDMMT9qsbRYf7KXL1axgZxDUlq0kDfFwjZeOMHvkpjfmkbwOy7xRSims1OHLPWyfjNWcnnbqMA30BtFTmqh6y-my64SHTmW8Iz87N3Qz6TdoDTeVrI765794N3dwc/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Shodoshima+View+from+Mountain.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">View from the peak of the island</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<h4>
Himeji</h4>
<div>
We finished off the trip by visiting Himeji. The castle in Himeji is the best in Japan, it's in it's original state, completely preserved. It's been under cover for the past 7 years, undergoing some restoration and re-enforcing work. It was re-opened earlier in 2015, and it's a spectacular sight to behold either day or night.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU37lMmQCFwPPin8RKroij0zTVKNOX_lzbuA_s8U2kzVKBtn77zoPdHdj4HOw3k_t8MEms4Y1l8BP4juXQp8RI6iaoEyVmuuo07iFwrk4UOv4J2htMJrqATAI8uNDisB09-FMJOIhM1k/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Full.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU37lMmQCFwPPin8RKroij0zTVKNOX_lzbuA_s8U2kzVKBtn77zoPdHdj4HOw3k_t8MEms4Y1l8BP4juXQp8RI6iaoEyVmuuo07iFwrk4UOv4J2htMJrqATAI8uNDisB09-FMJOIhM1k/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Full.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Overcast weather is not good for photos</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH30b1PtsccBBHwBgD4KnmKaNKqpYOdWdKPseYf2CyQO7UFHrs3fJEEDxUZn_QKV2Z4vVqtIza6ISg5BvtkCo1XkTq3IHjV9IfYsYqP95DkENAXzqfsz9gj6Pzf5HaykrZ0KTo7NEr8G0/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+View+From+Top.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH30b1PtsccBBHwBgD4KnmKaNKqpYOdWdKPseYf2CyQO7UFHrs3fJEEDxUZn_QKV2Z4vVqtIza6ISg5BvtkCo1XkTq3IHjV9IfYsYqP95DkENAXzqfsz9gj6Pzf5HaykrZ0KTo7NEr8G0/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+View+From+Top.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>The view from the top of Himeji Castle</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3IbffF8v7tLh11vmK_84Rj4Rq-Zq5GLOCGcqra_T3xhRWK1Riz7xI9u-0o1dWBXkFKzXNAIdIPTFzS_3mSiMsYb0MWXGiIEB6bdOWp39ST0vj98aSKcuMIfe4iRlWAl9yBy79wbiV1s/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3IbffF8v7tLh11vmK_84Rj4Rq-Zq5GLOCGcqra_T3xhRWK1Riz7xI9u-0o1dWBXkFKzXNAIdIPTFzS_3mSiMsYb0MWXGiIEB6bdOWp39ST0vj98aSKcuMIfe4iRlWAl9yBy79wbiV1s/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Night.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">Himeji Castle at night</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMu-jCR0BaIEcUlNf8unrBmIheOePXUz9bSXtZb0XbuwHSmrD5NUAsQMzPef2vGVK4tw5GDXslH-Ln89r5jHt-F2JOLAVNGKuncITyCQ8ks_m2EsSRGv2bvrlLKLgiTdxFW6-PPpVNM3g/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Gate+Night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMu-jCR0BaIEcUlNf8unrBmIheOePXUz9bSXtZb0XbuwHSmrD5NUAsQMzPef2vGVK4tw5GDXslH-Ln89r5jHt-F2JOLAVNGKuncITyCQ8ks_m2EsSRGv2bvrlLKLgiTdxFW6-PPpVNM3g/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Himeji+Castle+Gate+Night.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #666666;">The gate into Himeji Castle at night<br /></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As you can see, we visited many places and took in many incredible sights. In the coming days we'll be posting more pictures and information on the places we visited, so keep an eye out for that!<br />
<div>
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<div>
If you've never been to any of these places, but already know you would love to, why not <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip" target="_blank">contact us</a> and let us know. We'd be more than happy to help you <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Plan-My-Japan-Trip" target="_blank">plan a trip</a> that includes these wonderful destinations!</div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-12062338720570618182015-08-21T15:57:00.001+01:002015-08-21T15:58:51.769+01:00Towns of Japan: Kawayu Onsen<div class="MsoNormal">
The <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/07/japanese-pilgrimage-route-kumano-kodo.html" target="_blank">Kumano Kodo</a> is a religious experience in itself, a
multi-day mountain hike (though you can also go by bus), following in the
footsteps of royalty, visiting some of the most magnificent temples and shrines
on the islands of Japan. Towards the end of the hike, along the Oto River, is a
unique onsen town. We love sending people there, to soak in the most unique of
onsen. What makes it so special? Read on, to learn more about Kawayu Onsen.</div>
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Kawayu Onsen was first recorded in history in 1630.
According to legend, an oracle visited Kobuchi-so Inosue and told him about the
onsen. Due to the steep, mountainous terrain, no one lived there until the
first lodging was built in 1720. From there, the town grew and grew. At one
stage, the town was even exporting its onsen waters to be used in the baths of
the rich and powerful elsewhere in Japan!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWa4jA8659eUqhE7rT4FUOx3tQWnByl6TarNAHQm9ZuZzgSRpJ0FM6H8L6UQaBXUieqh_kTLwtKs7Dd41ar2DlZ3frLDNMRjDKQJaTTq4u_l9SKJElHel7Z1Pg-6of3Ke8AfblrzR4nU/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Kawayu+Onsen+Summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWa4jA8659eUqhE7rT4FUOx3tQWnByl6TarNAHQm9ZuZzgSRpJ0FM6H8L6UQaBXUieqh_kTLwtKs7Dd41ar2DlZ3frLDNMRjDKQJaTTq4u_l9SKJElHel7Z1Pg-6of3Ke8AfblrzR4nU/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Kawayu+Onsen+Summer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer fun in the Oto River at Kawayu Onsen</td></tr>
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As previously mentioned, Kawayu Onsen is located along the
Oto River, and this is what makes the town so unique. Instead of getting into a
bath you go out onto the river and dig into the river bed! Hot water bubbles
up, and you make your own little bath! You can adjust the flow of the hot water
as well as the amount of river water to make a bath the perfect temperature for
you. Of course, if you’ve hiked the Kumano Kodo, you mightn’t feel up to
digging. In that case, just get into any of the pre-dug baths.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Imagine it, after a day of hiking you arrive in Kawayu
Onsen. You make your way down to the river bank. If it’s summer, you dig a
shallow pool and relax in the cool river water. In spring and autumn, make it a
bit deeper, and warmer, as the cool evening envelopes you. In winter, hop in
the Senninburo, a special, winter only bath, about 60cm deep, which legend has
it, can hold 1,000 people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZhDrqM1VkKGQjeHBl6uiVUvBKtTzAs07L6WgIqfd6nhRaMryhpE_1fqm_a4GWcrySUwoujOwA4ssZlo2-AoL-ichLiDay7a3XR24FCh8CedzxGH-JaDFJ9QDzffjZ_4XhHVdZaESACo/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Kawayu+Onsen+Sennin+Buro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZhDrqM1VkKGQjeHBl6uiVUvBKtTzAs07L6WgIqfd6nhRaMryhpE_1fqm_a4GWcrySUwoujOwA4ssZlo2-AoL-ichLiDay7a3XR24FCh8CedzxGH-JaDFJ9QDzffjZ_4XhHVdZaESACo/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Kawayu+Onsen+Sennin+Buro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kawayu Onsen Senninburo in Winter</td></tr>
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The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage and Kawayu Onsen feature on our
<a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Scenic-Samurai-Trails" target="_blank">Scenic Samurai Trails Small Group Tour</a>. This stunning walking tour will lead
you on an adventure through the 'Sacred Mountains of the Kii Peninsula', Mt
Fuji, and the samurai postal route from Tsumago to Magome. With departure dates
coming up in <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Scenic-Samurai-Trails" target="_blank">November</a>, why not check it out on <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Scenic-Samurai-Trails" target="_blank">our homepage.</a> </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-45449902432761934072015-08-12T16:22:00.003+01:002015-08-12T16:22:31.381+01:00Festivals of Japan - The Takayama Festival<div class="MsoNormal">
In <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/08/cities-of-japan-takayama.html">our
last blog post</a> we talked about <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/08/cities-of-japan-takayama.html">Takayama</a>,
one of our favourite cities in Japan. Located high in the Hida Mountains, its
home to one of Japan’s most popular festivals. The Takayama Festival actually
refers to two festivals, the Takayama Spring Festial, or Sanno-sama Festival, and
the Takayama Autumn Festival, or Hachiman Festival. Though separated by 6
months, the events that happen during the festivals are remarkably similar.
Keep reading for more!<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpXDqG9B_ZdetfuESDSm-V44x9Uns4MttqlwUrJwEbY1xl6h-oTAlAVIMa2Y-D-oXQKD4yBTY5bVErW0j9Ehjo4r17YOcJeV2oMvNlIRoh5lvV-SnvelQIOAenLqzygJu7KeceHYt0tE/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Festival+Floats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpXDqG9B_ZdetfuESDSm-V44x9Uns4MttqlwUrJwEbY1xl6h-oTAlAVIMa2Y-D-oXQKD4yBTY5bVErW0j9Ehjo4r17YOcJeV2oMvNlIRoh5lvV-SnvelQIOAenLqzygJu7KeceHYt0tE/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Festival+Floats.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">The Takayama Festival Floats are testaments to the craftsmen of Takayama</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertpaulyoung/149350824/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<h3>
A Little History</h3>
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Before we get into the details of what happens in the
festivals, let’s talk about how they got started. The first mention of the
Takayama Festival was in a letter written in 1692. This letter states that the
Festival has been held for the last 40 years. The accuracy of this letter is
open to debate, but it’s the closest anyone has to a starting date.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But how did the yatai, or beautiful floats, associated with
the festival come about? Long ago, rich artisans and merchants in Takayama were
forbidden from using their wealth to buy bigger houses, richer clothes or other
status symbols of their social standing. Instead, the merchants came together
and formed several small communities, and each community used their pooled
money to build a flat for the community. With Takayama being home to incredibly
talented artisans and carpenters, the merchants began to one up each other,
always looking to build more beautiful, more impressive floats.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLW0QY6JHaBAehgOV9sb9ag3MkCynTiU4AOo00-K01c2vVf4lQ07zM69lwdOMAj2ZtNrdcLG_NUnLgkDByuavT9wwZc8PvJGUYTPVZNG_jbjR7u8tElN-GnBTHYPd7dKQfRDSDTtKHzs4/s1600/149347839_08308f1dae_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLW0QY6JHaBAehgOV9sb9ag3MkCynTiU4AOo00-K01c2vVf4lQ07zM69lwdOMAj2ZtNrdcLG_NUnLgkDByuavT9wwZc8PvJGUYTPVZNG_jbjR7u8tElN-GnBTHYPd7dKQfRDSDTtKHzs4/s320/149347839_08308f1dae_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">A close up of some of the details on a float at the Takayama Festival</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertpaulyoung/149347839/in/photolist-ecrUK-ecugg-ecv9j-ecuNi-ecsUg-ectUk-ecss2-ecudq-ecuU6-ecu87-ecu36-ectbF-ectYs-ectzN-ectNs-rii12K-ectu1-ect3z-ectfQ-ectGP-ecumT-ecs8n-ectnu-ecsNd-ecsZp-ecuxB-ecsH5-ecuGP-ecsdg-ecsnw-ecvj6-ecpMT-ecw14-ecrpS-ecqXy-ecqEQ-ecvWe-ecvDc-ecrwj-ecqT4-ecrnv-ecr6Y-ecrMM-ecrd1-ecqgh-ecqZ5-ecvtx-ecrgo-ecqL6-ecw5k" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<h3>
The Floats</h3>
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The floats of the Takayama Festival are one of the main
attractions. Each festival, both spring and autumn, have about a dozen floats
each. The floats are put on display during the festival, and are decorated with
carvings, dolls, thick, woven curtains, bamboo blinds and lacquerware. Overall,
the floats are elaborately decorated and uniquely beautiful. Every part of the
floats are decorated, not only on the outside, but inside the doors and even
under the roofs! <o:p></o:p></div>
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The colours and beauty of the floats, combined with the
natural beauty of the cherry blossoms in spring, and the autumn golds and reds
of the leaves, reflecting on the surfaces of the many small rivers that
criss-cross Takayama is an unforgettable experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
<h3>
Spring and Autumn</h3>
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The Spring Festival, which happens between April 14<sup>th</sup>
and 15<sup>th</sup> is a celebration of the end of winter. The snows are
melting, the cherry blossoms are coming out, and everyone is looking forward to
the warmer weather ahead.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Autumn Festival, on October 9<sup>th</sup> and 10<sup>th</sup>,
is the sign that the locals should start to get ready for winter. The warm
weather is starting to fade, the leaves are changing colour, and people are
preparing for the snows that will come in a few months.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyR7DI9hFpWqunYBu9BLXLE2ymRCwAPOnsG-kuzSu-QZqdlv-R5tIFnq2m36GE_Yk4hIwmZdK8pmMgJDrmngUNlHewX1H8Zddstat5DqaWwAJxvV3qR2_8bJTl-NcRClU_ijXfj9s1fk/s1600/149346027_3134d30c09_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyR7DI9hFpWqunYBu9BLXLE2ymRCwAPOnsG-kuzSu-QZqdlv-R5tIFnq2m36GE_Yk4hIwmZdK8pmMgJDrmngUNlHewX1H8Zddstat5DqaWwAJxvV3qR2_8bJTl-NcRClU_ijXfj9s1fk/s320/149346027_3134d30c09_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">One of the Karakuri Ningyo doll performs on top of a float</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertpaulyoung/149350824/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></span></td></tr>
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Regardless of which festival you go to the events are mostly
the same. From morning until mid-afternoon, the Festival Floats are displayed
on the streets of Takayama. Some of the floats have complex mechanical dolls
called karakuri ningyo, and they put on a performance in the mid-morning.</div>
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In the early afternoon, there is a parade through the town,
with the portable shrine, or mikoshi, being carried around the town during the
day. Finally, in the evening, the floats are adorned with hundreds of paper
lanterns. This is considered, by many, to be the highlight of the festival.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bui5DD3dKkaJSNMn_fNjhXnEAfc5-uiuI0l2obGFwwCEQl39U-wX_HyqI6u9vfGNGlSE3ac9m2lEVtGo5B_0iaSfQQ5BxIoQ7PpMABoLluEURllLKvMHUeel90rUTl-bq5saGoaQJug/s1600/Takayama+Festival+Special.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bui5DD3dKkaJSNMn_fNjhXnEAfc5-uiuI0l2obGFwwCEQl39U-wX_HyqI6u9vfGNGlSE3ac9m2lEVtGo5B_0iaSfQQ5BxIoQ7PpMABoLluEURllLKvMHUeel90rUTl-bq5saGoaQJug/s320/Takayama+Festival+Special.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Takayama Festival is amazing. So amazing, in fact, that we have arranged <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Takayama-Festival-Tour-Special" target="_blank">a special, 8 night tour</a>, with the Festival at it's <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Takayama-Festival-Tour-Special" target="_blank">heart</a>. This <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Takayama-Festival-Tour-Special" target="_blank">special Autumn tour</a> is a once in a lifetime chance to get the best Takayama has to offer in Autumn. Whether you go during when
the snows are melting in spring, or when the cooler winds of autumn blow, the
Takayama Festival is part of our April and October <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Japan-Discovered">Japan
Discovered</a> small group tours. Alternatively, we can arrange a <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Self~Guided-Tours">self-guided tour</a>
which takes in the Takayama Festival, and any of the other incredible sights in
Japan.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-52586490122921262022015-08-03T09:54:00.001+01:002015-08-03T09:54:15.727+01:00Cities of Japan - TakayamaUnique Japan Tours loves Takayama. It's a beautiful city, located high in the Hida mountains (hence why it's sometimes called Hida-Takayama). After the hustle and bustle of modern Tokyo, Takayama is a welcome reprieve. A merchant city famed for it's timber and carpenters, the city thrived under the direct control of the Shogun during the feudal period of Japan's history. But what is it like now?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_YuuGU9XmaZdDPUqpD6E7uA-6hMTVrBEKGAwq5v1l12NyQ3QY3R9Q6ehMyx4YsHLNXHtscQjMi6zHrxSnHrBnDMxn26qmQls7sOvalOegmWdx38mPEW868bK-E92wFK_88yO5Eh4h5E/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Old+Streets+Flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Old Streets Flowers" border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_YuuGU9XmaZdDPUqpD6E7uA-6hMTVrBEKGAwq5v1l12NyQ3QY3R9Q6ehMyx4YsHLNXHtscQjMi6zHrxSnHrBnDMxn26qmQls7sOvalOegmWdx38mPEW868bK-E92wFK_88yO5Eh4h5E/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Old+Streets+Flowers.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Old Streets Flowers" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">The beautiful streets of Takayamal</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><h3>
Takayama</h3>
Located in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, Takayama is most famous for the Sanno-machi Historic District, as well as one of Japan's most beautiful festivals, where beautifully carved, wooden festival floats are put on display throughout the city. But, if you can't make it to the festival, don't worry, as you can see the floats on display in a museum in the city all year round.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopI6JdvHLctIyKk4M_XMGC7RnEbCR6FsMnu94xSRCVFqF_w4VGpCfc4QdigFNH7P-ha-WVNojzcQnOLS9_TZCBn0s2Exb0tjY1_oLLJBzoUF67SP_bdPRxrJFkwas3hJQlq90U0KHpr0/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Festival+Floats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Festival Floats" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopI6JdvHLctIyKk4M_XMGC7RnEbCR6FsMnu94xSRCVFqF_w4VGpCfc4QdigFNH7P-ha-WVNojzcQnOLS9_TZCBn0s2Exb0tjY1_oLLJBzoUF67SP_bdPRxrJFkwas3hJQlq90U0KHpr0/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Festival+Floats.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Festival Floats" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">The Takayama Festival Floats are testaments to the craftsmen of Takayama</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertpaulyoung/149350824/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></span></td></tr>
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The floats are very representative of Takayama's history. The carpenters of Takayama were renowned as some of the best in all of Japan, and are said to have worked on the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, as well as having helped build many of the temples and shrines in Kyoto and Nara. The skill of the local craftsmen was so well respected and desired, that the city was put under the direct control of the shogun, which brought unprecedented wealth and prosperity to the town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ6QF65idT9yqwkq9bqsqY2cx-tWPD_0Jgz8XoKCWousfER6cEpo6TLVWT5nSxNv8MR6DaqYEX8U7W27b9z64XTOhWWV1bFmTdHGtRgSTqkV4y5Nge25qJi1Srlhlmv4v-be-qGWh-9o/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Festival+Decoration+Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Festival Decoration Night" border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ6QF65idT9yqwkq9bqsqY2cx-tWPD_0Jgz8XoKCWousfER6cEpo6TLVWT5nSxNv8MR6DaqYEX8U7W27b9z64XTOhWWV1bFmTdHGtRgSTqkV4y5Nge25qJi1Srlhlmv4v-be-qGWh-9o/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Festival+Decoration+Night.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Festival Decoration Night" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">The streets of Takayama decorated for a festival</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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Takayama is relatively small, and it's excellent infrastructure makes it easy to explore on foot, or by bike. The atmospheric, well preserved old streets, dating back to the Edo period, are only equaled by Kanazawa. Don't let the small size put you off though, you could spend a number of days exploring the city, exploring the nooks, crannies and ancient shops.<br />
<h3>
Meibutsu</h3>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Meibutsu is a Japanese term for famous products associated with particular regions. - Wikipedia.</span></i></span><br />
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There are two main meibutsu to come from Takayama. First, is Hida-gyu, or Hida beef. There are a number of rules regarding what counts as Hida beef a<span style="font-family: inherit;">nd what doesn't, including the amount of time the animal live in Gifu prefecture, in addition to approval from the<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3199996948242px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.3199996948242px;">Hida Beef Brand Promotion Conference (yeah, it's actually a thing). The most important thing about Hida beef is that it's delicious. The meat is so marbled that it just melts in your mouth. If you're on a budget and don't want to splash out on a Hida beef steak, you can always just enjoy a Hida-gyu-man, a steamed bun filled with Hida beef. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0ENc1FjpoZlrZG4I-qXGpmJcohubpwMQ8bsjJ8EbVumzcW_d95dVgybabjdbRdVWD7f5varkhbDlcYd5VnyQ7Vk-bNhoNWhvJSIyPLUit3wAD2h4oi60U3YYGwBUobVQBx_40TtsviU/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Hida+Beef+Man+Bun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Hida Beef Man Bun" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0ENc1FjpoZlrZG4I-qXGpmJcohubpwMQ8bsjJ8EbVumzcW_d95dVgybabjdbRdVWD7f5varkhbDlcYd5VnyQ7Vk-bNhoNWhvJSIyPLUit3wAD2h4oi60U3YYGwBUobVQBx_40TtsviU/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Hida+Beef+Man+Bun.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Hida Beef Man Bun" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">A Hida-gyu-man from the Takayama morning market</span><i style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">Source: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/pSGTGT" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Flickr</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3199996948242px;">The second meibutsu from Takayama is sake, Japanese rice wine. Takayama is a great location for brewing sake, with the locally grown Hida rice combining with the pure mountain water and the cool mountain air, making Takayama sake full bodied and flavourful. There are a number of sake breweries in the Old Town, each with their own types and </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.3199996948242px;">varieties</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3199996948242px;"> of sake. Some of these breweries are </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.3199996948242px;">hundreds</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3199996948242px;"> of years old, they know what they're doing!</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv90FWMts2u5yH2td_tgZTANwxXjARp-xMRo5XoNuNh3j_wl5xVKA1bCswjK8XN83SgjstaYUd1CAGpEOje8FLwqjvTGl1Ng-zGFhp8Duj7plifurrD0DrmqCCbmO6Kn-Vt393S0Q_d8M/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Old+Streets+Sake+Shop+Brewery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Old Streets Sake Shop Brewery" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv90FWMts2u5yH2td_tgZTANwxXjARp-xMRo5XoNuNh3j_wl5xVKA1bCswjK8XN83SgjstaYUd1CAGpEOje8FLwqjvTGl1Ng-zGFhp8Duj7plifurrD0DrmqCCbmO6Kn-Vt393S0Q_d8M/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Takayama+Old+Streets+Sake+Shop+Brewery.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Takayama Old Streets Sake Shop Brewery" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">An old sake shop on the streets of Takayama</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.3199996948242px;">That is Takayama. All of it's amazing points, from the history, to the food and drink, combine to make it a must visit city on the main island of Honshu. Love the sound of it? Takayama is on our <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Japan-Discovered" target="_blank">Japan Discovered</a> small group tour, or can be added to any <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Self~Guided-Tours" target="_blank">self-guided tour</a>. What appeals to you most about Takayama? The food, the sake or the history? Why?</span></span></span>Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-2073388377659044942015-07-24T18:31:00.000+01:002015-07-24T18:31:04.003+01:00Japanese Pilgrimage Route: The Kumano Kodo<div class="MsoNormal">
The Kumano Kodo are a series of pilgrimage trails, located
in the Kansai region of Japan, south of Kyoto and Nara. Kumano is the name of
the area, and “kodo” means the “old ways”, so the name literally translates as
the old ways of Kumano. The trails were, and still are, used by pilgrims
visiting the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano. The Kumano Kodo, as well as
Koya-san and some other surrounding areas, were collectively registered as
UNESCO World Heritage sites in July 2004.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide4UmCpb0yzEaIU1s_u_Yo6wkvat1I8hQa0mclGlkzeQj2X6qkkIyplKwVJfBEItx98imz6oiRCtTWqhm8wNPuRcbs6uUAEhtOx2b-G6SexE3WZdChIhPLcujDdqNZvPXLgbyiHCHIkQ/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Mountains+Clouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo Mountains Clouds" border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide4UmCpb0yzEaIU1s_u_Yo6wkvat1I8hQa0mclGlkzeQj2X6qkkIyplKwVJfBEItx98imz6oiRCtTWqhm8wNPuRcbs6uUAEhtOx2b-G6SexE3WZdChIhPLcujDdqNZvPXLgbyiHCHIkQ/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Mountains+Clouds.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo Mountains Clouds" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">The stunning beauty of the Kumano Kodo</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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The gods have lived in the Kumano area for a long time. For
over a thousand years people from all levels of society, be they Emperors,
aristocrats, samurai or peasant have trekked the Kumano Kodo. The generosity of
the gods in Kumano, and their willingness to accept anybody, led to the spread
of the religion and the development of the pilgrimage routes. There were a
number of different routes in the area, connecting Kumano to not only Kyoto,
but to Nara and Osaka. Though a lot of the routes have been disrupted or
destroyed by more modern transportation development, there still remains a
number of the original routes, dating from the Edo period (start of the 17<sup>th</sup>
century) or before!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1ir1DRvuoskZ8kmelVSy3Tw2-KSxndqpTfhJnH2iCZfmOjdBLkKDcubx2NE5Jtx3VsO2LDfJwS9zSxHjVqHrAns9XE9IG3XmVgANEDt_2OjJWATF1ojkcb21xY8pvKtdDW61SDg93sc/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Hiking+Forest+Beautiful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo Hiking Forest Beautiful" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1ir1DRvuoskZ8kmelVSy3Tw2-KSxndqpTfhJnH2iCZfmOjdBLkKDcubx2NE5Jtx3VsO2LDfJwS9zSxHjVqHrAns9XE9IG3XmVgANEDt_2OjJWATF1ojkcb21xY8pvKtdDW61SDg93sc/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Hiking+Forest+Beautiful.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo Hiking Forest Beautiful" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">Hiking the Kumano Kodo can be a religious experience</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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These days, the area is still visited by pilgrims and
tourists. The area is packed with rivers, waterfalls, streams, and spectacular
views. The area is dotted with symbols, monuments and sites that allow a
visitor to see the unique blend of Japanese Shintoism and Buddhism, which was
imported from both China and the Korean Peninsula. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXs6EdtZh_ilTxQTChvDv7yU9nD4DdJX9Ur6RawQ_Rmpa8vemcq9ScEzlz4jA5pB5Ti9sNTlhoTNelDFLppdIFtatMB54aXq11hyphenhyphenip0aqvbpGmH23sKOA6I6gDJK8VVzUkso5IW389po/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+pilgrimage+route+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route (2)" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXs6EdtZh_ilTxQTChvDv7yU9nD4DdJX9Ur6RawQ_Rmpa8vemcq9ScEzlz4jA5pB5Ti9sNTlhoTNelDFLppdIFtatMB54aXq11hyphenhyphenip0aqvbpGmH23sKOA6I6gDJK8VVzUkso5IW389po/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+pilgrimage+route+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route (2)" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">An ojizosan along the Kumano pilgrimage route</span></td></tr>
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If you’re feeling adventurous, hiking the Kumano Kodo can be
a religious experience on its own. The terrain is mountainous, and the trails
long, sometimes as long as 21km. If you’re not feeling adventurous, don’t let
this discourage you! It’s entirely possible to visit the main shrines of the
Kumano Area without long hikes, with bus connections between the temples a very
viable, and often recommended option! Either way, it's a chance to turn off your electronics and escape to a more zen place! You'll be a different person after visiting the Kumano Kodo.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JWrOlPhfv6Tr10fSF3y8UoGMsA0ILgzM1dBfkuglyAPV0PQg1uxm5MJZnh3hPTB0pRgoG6gfrbadizeQhHFG95En-bUnfEqEY02oianhYFzkfY-icN103JeHiRzAscipFjrJxICJzZU/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Naichi+Waterfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo Naichi Waterfall" border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JWrOlPhfv6Tr10fSF3y8UoGMsA0ILgzM1dBfkuglyAPV0PQg1uxm5MJZnh3hPTB0pRgoG6gfrbadizeQhHFG95En-bUnfEqEY02oianhYFzkfY-icN103JeHiRzAscipFjrJxICJzZU/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kumano+Kodo+Naichi+Waterfall.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Kumano Kodo Naichi Waterfall" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 10.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.5599994659424px;">The Naichi Waterfall in the Kumano Kodo</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" style="color: red; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Kumano Kodo is a once in a lifetime
hike, and a key part of <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Scenic-Samurai-Trails">our
Scenic Samurai Trails Tour</a>. This tour will allow you to walk extensive
parts of the pilgrimage routes. You will be led by local mountain guides who
will accompany you through forest trails and valley gorges on foot, by boat,
and private vehicles, staying overnight in mountain lodges and
traditional minshiku. All of this will combine to make for an
unforgettable, unique trip to Japan.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-60722711798546221342015-07-17T14:52:00.003+01:002015-07-17T14:52:28.629+01:00Samurai Postal Routes: The Nakasendo, Tsumago & Magome<div class="MsoNormal">
In our <a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2015/07/samurai-postal-routes-gokaido-tokaido.html">last
blog post</a> we talked about the Gokaido, the five routes built in the Edo
period of Japan, which connected the capital of Edo, modern Tokyo, with the
outer provinces of the country. We also talked about the Tokaido, one of the
two routes connecting the old capital of Kyoto with the new capital of Tokyo.
The Tokaido was popular among poets and artists, and was the quickest way
between the two cities, but also more dangerous because you needed to cross a
number of rivers. What was an Edo period samurai to do, when he was worried
about the safety of his family? This is where the Nakasendo comes in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlboLGEeub_PaUOwiee5XrdFqO1K0jjKwEp4EyWHu_3ewzuKo_NJsAi0wIEDQO5VTPEa8ftLwx6hG2A9c0gydKP-L-h_awbzlA6cZgOkplCz0yyaszwiInF6vXJ-wQJ6TVKN_aTa3ZUf8/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tour+Tokaido+1825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tour Tokaido 1825" border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlboLGEeub_PaUOwiee5XrdFqO1K0jjKwEp4EyWHu_3ewzuKo_NJsAi0wIEDQO5VTPEa8ftLwx6hG2A9c0gydKP-L-h_awbzlA6cZgOkplCz0yyaszwiInF6vXJ-wQJ6TVKN_aTa3ZUf8/s320/Unique+Japan+Tour+Tokaido+1825.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tour Tokaido 1825" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
The Tokaido in 1825</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tokaido1825.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></i></span></div>
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With a distance of approximately 534km, the Nakasendo ran
the length of Japan from Kyoto to Tokyo, passing though the modern day
prefectures of Saitama, Gunma, Nagano, Gifu and Shiga. The Nakasendo was an
inland route, unlike the Tokaido, which followed the coast. Even though the
Nakasendo is longer, many travellers preferred travelling the Nakasendo, as it
didn’t involve any fording of rivers, thus making it a safer journey.</div>
<a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p><br />
<h3>
Tsumago & Magome </h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Before the Nakasendo officially came into existence in the
17<sup>th</sup> century, there were a number of smaller, postal routes
throughout Japan, connecting towns and villages across a variety of distances.
One such postal route, connecting 11 towns and villages was called the Kisoji.
Even though most of the Nakasendo has been replaced with more modern roads and
railroads, this portion of the route is still intact, between the towns of
Tsumago and Magome.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bM-sjvObajQ/VakHZ847RrI/AAAAAAAAAUs/FrF7WTCaJHc/s1600/m_170085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bM-sjvObajQ/VakHZ847RrI/AAAAAAAAAUs/FrF7WTCaJHc/s320/m_170085.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
A section of the Nakasendo between Magome and Tsumago.</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></div>
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The trail between the two towns is pretty short, clocking in
at 8km, and is remarkably well preserved. Any markings on the road are in both
Japanese and English, making it very friendly for anyone who is visiting. There
is a town at either end of the Kisoji postal route, and you can go from one to
the other in either direction.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46QqJMIJfLdkfqE6lmnoPYEr4BENt8dcAejCCgg2niSL0juMgc6Uv6dfu8e62-AlZRmvgjDOPB0V1Ta-iVemELKCXx4VQQbJioEbShhK3xcFCXUVAs7nL8aqsesy5QOOQXkrclAf7vZs/s1600/IMG_2852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Tsumago Magome Hiking Trail Signs" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46QqJMIJfLdkfqE6lmnoPYEr4BENt8dcAejCCgg2niSL0juMgc6Uv6dfu8e62-AlZRmvgjDOPB0V1Ta-iVemELKCXx4VQQbJioEbShhK3xcFCXUVAs7nL8aqsesy5QOOQXkrclAf7vZs/s320/IMG_2852.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Tsumago Magome Hiking Trail Signs" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking between Tsumago and Magome</td></tr>
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The town of Tsumago is one of the best preserved postal
towns in Japan, and the locals put huge effort into maintaining the town’s historic
feel. The old inns are preserved, looking the same as they would have during
the Edo period, whole traffic isn’t allowed on the main street. In addition all
cables, for both power and telephones have been concealed to add to the
authentic “I’ve stepped back in time” feeling. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Magome is another well preserved town, but whereas Tsumago
is a bit more rugged and authentic, Magome is slightly more modern in its
preservation. Both towns can be visited in a single day, either by bus, or by
hiking the historic postal route. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotGN0O9HDCERgYtN2Us5-g6xevfKUnHdUHvjdMNoqqNiOLffIft-PNYiyFFG9quPe0Dsx0lptd7yzmAOxFouP1qgOb-lwCZB16gzldsFKwe1sesk1Mjjt7rZ4x-8lkAMB8EUvHcHvUp0/s1600/IMG_2847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Tsumago Magome Town" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotGN0O9HDCERgYtN2Us5-g6xevfKUnHdUHvjdMNoqqNiOLffIft-PNYiyFFG9quPe0Dsx0lptd7yzmAOxFouP1qgOb-lwCZB16gzldsFKwe1sesk1Mjjt7rZ4x-8lkAMB8EUvHcHvUp0/s320/IMG_2847.JPG" title="Unique Japan Tours Tsumago Magome Town" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The town of Tsumago</td></tr>
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Does the Nakasendo and the ancient
towns of Tsumago and Magome sound like somewhere you’d like to explore? If so,
you’ll love <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Scenic-Samurai-Trails">our
Scenic Samurai Trails Tour</a>. This tour will give you a taste of what life
was like for someone who would have travelled these roads. You will be led by
local mountain guides who will accompany you through forest trails and valley
gorges on foot, by boat, and private vehicles, staying overnight in mountain
lodges and traditional minshiku. Not only will you travel sections of the
ancient postal routes, but you’ll also experience the incredible Kumano Kodo
pilgrimage, for an unforgettable, once in a lifetime experience.</div>
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<br /></div>
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A trip to the towns of Tsumago and Magome, not to mention the hiking between them, can also be included in any <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Tailor~Made-" target="_blank">tailor made tour</a>!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-13394347836322841312015-07-15T17:18:00.000+01:002015-07-15T17:18:16.335+01:00Samurai Postal Routes: Gokaido and Tokaido<div class="MsoNormal">
In 1601, soon after he came into power, the Shogun Tokugawa
Ieyasu started to build five routes connecting the capital of Edo (modern day
Tokyo), with the other provinces. These routes were essential for the success
of the Sankin-Kotai system, where lords would have to alternate years of living
in Edo with their home provinces. There were five routes, including the Koshu
Kaido, the Oshu Kaido, the Nikko Kaido, and the most important routes, the
Tokaido and Nakasendo, which we’ll explore in more detail.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Even though all the five routes
varied in length, they shared some common features. First of all, they all
started from Nihonbashi in Edo, after which there were markers at every ri
(2.44 miles or 3.93 kilometres) travelled from Nihonbashi. The government
ensured the highways were well maintained, and we often flattened and widened
as necessary. In steeper sections of the path, the government would pave the
road, though they often used ferries to cross rivers rather than build bridges.
The government also planted trees along the route to make sure the travellers
could travel in the shade, and be protected from the elements.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTuxVBnNdMr3vBQFGa9MH3L2Ba-zduTeHl-k_xVQ7MoB1Ef3wNvC7gCeTLfCFetPK24ZVJlygVaWAyGpSSrVzrg39SAEkvitC1o0R6xdnf2d3S1gS4DwhIr9L1rM7iwRmuQPlGQNvi5Y/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Nihonbashi+Starting+Marker+Gokaido.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Nihonbashi Gokaido Stating Point" border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTuxVBnNdMr3vBQFGa9MH3L2Ba-zduTeHl-k_xVQ7MoB1Ef3wNvC7gCeTLfCFetPK24ZVJlygVaWAyGpSSrVzrg39SAEkvitC1o0R6xdnf2d3S1gS4DwhIr9L1rM7iwRmuQPlGQNvi5Y/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Nihonbashi+Starting+Marker+Gokaido.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Nihonbashi Gokaido Stating Point" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gokaido Starting Point in Nihonbashi Tokyo.<br /><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">Source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NihombashiDatum.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<h3 style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
Tokaido</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Tokaido route was the most
important of the routes, and lead from Kyoto to Edo, following the eastern
coast of the country. People usually travelled on this road by foot, tough some
people from the higher social classes might have travelled by litter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdvbORufrILcAxkWxozyydOn4Y2GH0QzJ1zLzFzcAyQ8ufTotNaGxbB3yAVCmxJC691Pj9bQLub8NaW0aFTlKcFcKvBEEYw786s-Zx2XZE_G-__jlSvq45HT0vzBOEr1krj6ROyedhUo/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tour+Tokaido+1825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tour Tokaido 1825" border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdvbORufrILcAxkWxozyydOn4Y2GH0QzJ1zLzFzcAyQ8ufTotNaGxbB3yAVCmxJC691Pj9bQLub8NaW0aFTlKcFcKvBEEYw786s-Zx2XZE_G-__jlSvq45HT0vzBOEr1krj6ROyedhUo/s320/Unique+Japan+Tour+Tokaido+1825.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tour Tokaido 1825" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tokaido in 1825<br /><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tokaido1825.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The original Tokaido has 53
stations between Edo and Tokyo. These stations provided somewhere to stay and
rest for travellers as they travelled, as well as somewhere to buy food. These
stations also worked together to form a kind of courier system, where news and
information could be sent quickly to the capital. There was also a number of
checkpoints whose purpose was mostly to check traveller’s passports and prevent
the trafficking of firearms. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZXloXXm27K2DzqPrz8V-bY9-Ijc7y7Oh4v-ErXfCTJozxtrOoRWRCa879_oSuRxs3czLJpT9W0ca4EJL0UkCIdailDPItRIsHaA2U-41lpowjyi69TWmwroIUjiYEPx51CCgW9BHHlU/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Tokaido+Hoeido+26+Nissaka+26+Station.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Tokaido Hoeido 26 Nissaka 26 Station" border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZXloXXm27K2DzqPrz8V-bY9-Ijc7y7Oh4v-ErXfCTJozxtrOoRWRCa879_oSuRxs3czLJpT9W0ca4EJL0UkCIdailDPItRIsHaA2U-41lpowjyi69TWmwroIUjiYEPx51CCgW9BHHlU/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Tokaido+Hoeido+26+Nissaka+26+Station.png" title="Unique Japan Tours Tokaido Hoeido 26 Nissaka 26 Station" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood block printing of the 26th Station on the Tokaido<br /><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tokaido_Hoeido_26_Nissaka.png" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a></span></td></tr>
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The Tokaido was very popular with
artists and poets for a while. The artist Hiroshige created a series of
woodblock prints depicting all 53 stations of the Tokaido.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Does the Tokaido and the
travelling life of a samurai sound exciting? If so, you’ll love <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Scenic-Samurai-Trails">our
Scenic Samurai Trails Tour</a>. This tour will give you a taste of what these samurai
experienced. You will be led by local mountain guides who will accompany you
through forest trails and valley gorges on foot, by boat, and private vehicles,
staying overnight in mountain lodges and traditional minshiku. Not only
will you travel sections of the ancient postal routes, but you’ll also
experience the incredible Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage, for an unforgettable, once in
a lifetime experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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In our next blog post we’ll be
exploring the Nakasendo, the other Kyoto to Edo highway, and the towns of
Tsumago and Magome, where this ancient trail and many of it’s surrounding
customs still exist.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-40853137478915003682015-07-10T17:00:00.000+01:002015-07-10T17:00:09.817+01:00Cities of Japan - Matsue City<div class="MsoNormal">
Matsue is the capital of Shimane prefecture, located in the
south western Honshu, the main island of Japan. Matsue sits on the banks of the
Ohashi River, which connects the lakes of Lake Shinji and Nakaumi. Matsue is
home to one of the 12 original castles in Japan, having survived wars, fires
and earthquakes. The castle was completed in 1611 and renovated in the 1950s.
There is a small museum dedicated to the Irish author Lafcadio Hearn, who lived
in Matsue for a year, located in his former residence. Hearn was the first
Western author to write books about Japan, including Japanese ghost stories,
and there is a small museum next to the house dedicated to him and his works. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcRKvkaTPPdKpPFrXaA_hpKijzfPlGaC7HRnM9IbDdNakBjGADk5yJPX97wYBKzZ7LWRd3O4S1zKjUuPNj7g3zLUoVvpv8ShvEr-K1GCg6TsyJy0EBVJGRW1hVbT6zhOikeiPj07Me-s/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Matsue+City+Shimane+Lafcadio+Hearn+Residence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Matsue City Shimane Lafcadio Hearn Residence" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcRKvkaTPPdKpPFrXaA_hpKijzfPlGaC7HRnM9IbDdNakBjGADk5yJPX97wYBKzZ7LWRd3O4S1zKjUuPNj7g3zLUoVvpv8ShvEr-K1GCg6TsyJy0EBVJGRW1hVbT6zhOikeiPj07Me-s/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Matsue+City+Shimane+Lafcadio+Hearn+Residence.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Matsue City Shimane Lafcadio Hearn Residence" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lafcadio Hearn Residence in Matsue City.<br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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A short distance outside of Matsue, Izumo Taisha is one of
Japan’s oldest and most important shrines. No official record exists of when it
was built, but in documents dating from the 700s, it’s already in existence.
The main god worshipped at Izumo is Okuninushi no Okami, who, according to
Japanese creation myth, was responsible for creating land of Japan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKahb7hWv_K_qULr6Dbj-hg2WPSbPkFS0MvBjMYR0Zk1uI17AFAd6L_2rEqsoNHA12d0JUuZKpb_t5f9hFiO3_MQycCjhAjywGF5pM3riLQi5k5lNbNfYei6HGo4wdsTW28n6P-rAxvoM/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Matsue+City+Shimane+Izuma+Taisha+Shrine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Matsue City Shimane Izuma Taisha Shrine" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKahb7hWv_K_qULr6Dbj-hg2WPSbPkFS0MvBjMYR0Zk1uI17AFAd6L_2rEqsoNHA12d0JUuZKpb_t5f9hFiO3_MQycCjhAjywGF5pM3riLQi5k5lNbNfYei6HGo4wdsTW28n6P-rAxvoM/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Matsue+City+Shimane+Izuma+Taisha+Shrine.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Matsue City Shimane Izuma Taisha Shrine" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Izuma Taisha Shrine in Matsue.<br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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East of Matsue, on Daikonshima Island, is the beautiful
Yuushien garden. Yuushien is a traditional walk-through garden with carp-filled
ponds, streams, and waterfalls and is most famous for its 250 types of peony
flower. In spring, early-flowering peonies are painstakingly transplanted by
hand into the large central pond transforming the heart of the garden into one
gigantic garland of cascading colours. In autumn, Yuushien holds magical
evening illuminations that turn the streams and ponds into reflecting pools
that capture and magnify the vibrant colours of Japan's spectacular autumn
foliage. On this evening you will be one of the lucky few who visit these
amazing illuminations. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNEhJYwWrLmyIfgqbgcLzr3PE26Sz2w3P5AYqJw-pVwtXGhrOo-DwMRalzsRNkw05I6dZhs_KuqwjzPFRXcOurnxCmT9b72FVZsl7-N6BxP6d6wcunkj5yRUHia9UfC2nbX6P_rIG3vc/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Matsue+City+Shimane+Yuushien++Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Matsue City Shimane Yuushien Garden" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNEhJYwWrLmyIfgqbgcLzr3PE26Sz2w3P5AYqJw-pVwtXGhrOo-DwMRalzsRNkw05I6dZhs_KuqwjzPFRXcOurnxCmT9b72FVZsl7-N6BxP6d6wcunkj5yRUHia9UfC2nbX6P_rIG3vc/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Matsue+City+Shimane+Yuushien++Garden.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Matsue City Shimane Yuushien Garden" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yuushien Garden in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture<br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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Matsue city is one of the stops on our new <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Gardens-of-Japan">Gardens
of Japan Small Group Tour</a>. You will visit gardens in Tokyo, Kamakura,
Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Shimane that best exemplify the three main types of
Japanese gardens: tea gardens, sand & stone gardens, and promenade
gardens. These include Kenrokuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and
the Adachi Art Museum Garden which has been crowned the best Japanese landscape
garden for twelve years running by the Journal of Japanese Gardens.</div>
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If you’re in Ireland, and want to learn more about Lafcadio
Hearn, the recently opened <a href="http://lafcadiohearngardens.com/">Lafcadio
Hearn Gardens</a> in Tramore, Co. Waterford are well worth a visit. <a href="http://lafcadiohearngardens.com/">Click here for more information</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-39051625289724559472015-07-08T17:00:00.000+01:002015-07-08T17:00:14.507+01:00Gardens of Japan - Kenrokuen Garden<div class="MsoNormal">
Kenrokuen Garden is a magnificent garden located in
Kanazawa. Renowned throughout Japan as one of the country’s Three Great
Gardens, Kenrokuen means “Garden Combining Six Features”, referring to the
spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, broad views and abundant
water throughout the garden.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqvgKG-yfqsQqTQIWN8IYE4mf_OzysT4LBYUaCriXMY9wCQd4zkCmnQIxEw-X3ZvX-98HVQ45bTOJYWLAiNjNQ23ICQPCuA8ggMiy7KKs6ttWPd34KrD2ddW6MuuVPcRsBlDDvnzOmQU/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kanazawa+Kenrokuen+Garden+Teahouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kanazawa Kenrokuen Garden Teahouse" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqvgKG-yfqsQqTQIWN8IYE4mf_OzysT4LBYUaCriXMY9wCQd4zkCmnQIxEw-X3ZvX-98HVQ45bTOJYWLAiNjNQ23ICQPCuA8ggMiy7KKs6ttWPd34KrD2ddW6MuuVPcRsBlDDvnzOmQU/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kanazawa+Kenrokuen+Garden+Teahouse.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Kanazawa Kenrokuen Garden Teahouse" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea house seen from across a lake in Kenrokuen Garden.<br /><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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The garden is a work of art. It took over 170 years to
build, and the 105,000 square meter garden is full of hidden nooks to explore
and discover. Kenrokuen is also home to Japan’s oldest fountain, not to mention
a 300 year old tea house, and the Kotjo-toro lantern, emblem of the city of
Kanazawa and the garden.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9lc6kGibY2kAFtch5A8XW1n4Df2ykA6A3x8CFi_UuPnNNJAhndulvQL3NkGQ6ltD4Vf3a5LXeq0tcOdiLDfiFnrkJN7mrkZLCQSyYp3OteouXLIunKge4JkMgvFPdehyq9AmgnlKX_g/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kanazawa+Kenrokuen+Garden+River.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kanazawa Kenrokuen Garden River" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9lc6kGibY2kAFtch5A8XW1n4Df2ykA6A3x8CFi_UuPnNNJAhndulvQL3NkGQ6ltD4Vf3a5LXeq0tcOdiLDfiFnrkJN7mrkZLCQSyYp3OteouXLIunKge4JkMgvFPdehyq9AmgnlKX_g/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kanazawa+Kenrokuen+Garden+River.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Kanazawa Kenrokuen Garden River" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful stream flows through Kenrokuen Garden<br /><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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Kenrokuen is designed for strolling round. Some of the
walking trails lead to higher ground, from where you can see the whole garden.
With a huge variety of plants and trees, the garden is designed to look
beautiful regardless of season. Even winter has something unique and beautiful
to offer, as the trees in the garden are protected by yuki-tsuri, ropes which
are used to support the trees, and prevent the branches breaking under the
weight of winter snow. These ropes create beautiful geometric patterns, which
make the journey worthwhile!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0jm_MODq-iV7zXRuMHk6fXuVAW5fjXBXDJXYeyNNUU1BX4_MP8xBA_0Oe0QVsPz5C7BJgIyZcgOpeM3EBWgqXLMZ4msdkBj8oeGAYVPC5W4J4nQylq_9TrlnRw1LjGOJB-g-dYLbXmc/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kanazawa+Kenrokuen+Garden+Winter+Yuki+Tsuri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Kanazawa Kenrokuen Garden Winter Yuki Tsuri" border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0jm_MODq-iV7zXRuMHk6fXuVAW5fjXBXDJXYeyNNUU1BX4_MP8xBA_0Oe0QVsPz5C7BJgIyZcgOpeM3EBWgqXLMZ4msdkBj8oeGAYVPC5W4J4nQylq_9TrlnRw1LjGOJB-g-dYLbXmc/s320/Unique+Japan+Tours+Kanazawa+Kenrokuen+Garden+Winter+Yuki+Tsuri.jpg" title="Unique Japan Tours Kanazawa Kenrokuen Garden Winter Yuki Tsuri" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenrokuen Garden in winter with yuki-tsuri<br /><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Source: <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank">JNTO</a></i></span></td></tr>
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Are you interested in Kenrokuen Garden, and other gardens in
Japan?</div>
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Unique Japan Tours have launched a new <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Gardens-of-Japan">Gardens
of Japan Small Group Tour</a>. <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Gardens-of-Japan">Gardens
of Japan</a> is once in a lifetime tour taking you to the finest Japanese
Gardens. Our tour is created in such a way that you will experience not only
the incredible beauty of these gardens but also the stunning natural landscapes
that inform their design. Our award-winning Japanese Garden Expert will
accompany you throughout explaining the concepts and execution of the different
styles of Japanese Gardens. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For more information, please check our homepage: <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Gardens-of-Japan">http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Gardens-of-Japan</a>
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-76136800836495752252015-04-28T15:01:00.000+01:002015-04-28T15:01:08.856+01:00Autumn Foods in JapanAutumn is one of our favourite seasons to eat in Japan. <i>Sanma</i>, the long, sleek fish (pacific saury in English), grilled with salt. The crisp skin cracks under the pressure from your chop stick, and you come away with this delicious, moist, dark piece of fish meat that tastes right in every way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3yu2EmlgkTR525mJnDUZVSSGGTZgz5lxfLhWWHvZfbPFEuh5Mk8h8qGzi1YgsdxuOco3IDT_GLp0gDZ9AKJgTUPEKfmqMfWwEi0uszMV_t_RskNY0OqueQkkN-QTqyHBkG6PW7PWhTU/s1600/Sanma+Japanese+Fish+Unique+Japan+Tours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3yu2EmlgkTR525mJnDUZVSSGGTZgz5lxfLhWWHvZfbPFEuh5Mk8h8qGzi1YgsdxuOco3IDT_GLp0gDZ9AKJgTUPEKfmqMfWwEi0uszMV_t_RskNY0OqueQkkN-QTqyHBkG6PW7PWhTU/s1600/Sanma+Japanese+Fish+Unique+Japan+Tours.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Grilled </span><i style="font-size: small;">sanma, </i><span style="font-size: x-small;">an Autumn delicacy.</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: https://flic.kr/p/71XHGi </span></span></td></tr>
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Fruit harvests are also abundant in autumn. Japanese apples and pears are juicy and crisp, and persimmons are also starting to appear on trees and in the shops. The waxy skin of the persimmon hides a soft, orange flesh, similar to a peach or ripe pear, but tasting like neither.<br />
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Japanese sweet potato, <i>satsumaimo</i>, is another autumn favourite. Slow roasted over hot stones, the soft, baked potato texture, combined with the golden yellow flesh just demands a dab of butter. Don’t forget to pick up some roasted chestnuts while you’re out and about from the plentiful street stalls you will come across on our Japan Discovered Tour.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz-rriA4rJlimDKMJCD5eQnuPAiyPGNXzG8Fu4kosGx-_0hyBdhDeeb4TbG7m5ZAOGQeo7TES1vZBv2sNNIo5kEt_Iyx0SLyMEUVmvmMnVLfg7a3edo7r4-9NKHXGvUNWDSexAQPqP4Q/s1600/Daigakuimo+satsumaimo+Japanese+sweet+potato+autumn+food+Unique+Japan+Tours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz-rriA4rJlimDKMJCD5eQnuPAiyPGNXzG8Fu4kosGx-_0hyBdhDeeb4TbG7m5ZAOGQeo7TES1vZBv2sNNIo5kEt_Iyx0SLyMEUVmvmMnVLfg7a3edo7r4-9NKHXGvUNWDSexAQPqP4Q/s1600/Daigakuimo+satsumaimo+Japanese+sweet+potato+autumn+food+Unique+Japan+Tours.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Daigakuimo, fried Japanese sweet potato coated with sugar.<br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">https://flic.kr/p/gHYCmc</span></span></td></tr>
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<i>Shinmai </i>(new rice) is the first crop of rice to be harvested in the year and is said to have subtle taste and texture differences. Some say this rice is moister, a little plumper and sweeter than regular rice.<br />
Finally, autumn is the season for <i>matutake</i>. <i>Matsutake </i>is one of the most sought after mushrooms in the world, due to its unique spicy aroma and flavour. Highly prized in both Japanese and Chinese cuisine, one kilo of <i>matsutake </i>can cost up to €1,800 for the early season, highest grade mushrooms.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvWhoFXVY-sIdm1WxRPEdw_zrj5_Z08ue-WixFW_SRZGNs9Me7yAEs2CMHMQklwgZ2H_tVG8Hd0npcXbo9_gB_nTizUZAMmRLFAuFgfWbbZiS9OffLqywtLDBP-vf1MnIz1FqCKe7H0Q/s1600/Matsutake+Japaese+Mushroom+Unique+Japan+Tours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvWhoFXVY-sIdm1WxRPEdw_zrj5_Z08ue-WixFW_SRZGNs9Me7yAEs2CMHMQklwgZ2H_tVG8Hd0npcXbo9_gB_nTizUZAMmRLFAuFgfWbbZiS9OffLqywtLDBP-vf1MnIz1FqCKe7H0Q/s1600/Matsutake+Japaese+Mushroom+Unique+Japan+Tours.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Matsutake mushrooms on sale in Kanazawa.<br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: https://flic.kr/p/aGVHcg</span></span></td></tr>
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To experience this world class cuisine during one of the best times to see Japan, join our October 28th Japan Discovered Small Group Tour, or, if small groups are not for you, contact us for a tailor made self guided adventure.<br />
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-67404246185641750182015-04-26T15:00:00.000+01:002015-04-27T09:06:34.703+01:00New Japan Discovered Autumn DateUnique Japan Tours have just launched a New Autumn date for their most popular Small Group Tour to Japan (<a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Japan-Discovered" target="_blank">Japan Discovered</a>), starting on October 28th. This will be the perfect time to see some of the best Japan has to offer, including Osaka, Koyasan, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Gokayama, Takayama, Matsumoto, Snow monkey park in the hills of Nagano before ending up in the metropolitan capital Tokyo, during this much sought after Autumn Season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXffNOg_jl_ScaSrgn8mm42qzWsFVrBeWZLUESZiOHITrBpW-larPqNjIYk6r3qLEHzL38fBSDM9nNsTyDMeM8YzYTILb7Aabyysu8GniJlvZSFtpbAxBi6qp-2Ypq4RMTrU-AZx_mJSk/s1600/15768584916_174f6df28f_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXffNOg_jl_ScaSrgn8mm42qzWsFVrBeWZLUESZiOHITrBpW-larPqNjIYk6r3qLEHzL38fBSDM9nNsTyDMeM8YzYTILb7Aabyysu8GniJlvZSFtpbAxBi6qp-2Ypq4RMTrU-AZx_mJSk/s1600/15768584916_174f6df28f_z.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">See more Autumn leaves like these!</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">https://flic.kr/p/q2q7VJ</span></span></td></tr>
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Spend your days sightseeing with our experienced and friendly tour leader, meeting local people as you go along, and spending time soaking up the warm, but not unpleasant weather, before heading back to your accommodation, a soak in the hot spring, before sitting down to your dinner of grilled sanma, with a bowl of shimai, maybe some matsutake soup followed up with some local seasonal fruit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNuvycmyucFqjrqjUsK8DXfIKUwwwe0DZpl7vBBgLlwqd7GlbOciFRN3eZICQnmLrc96M9FWhDGWr-0e6tMMW1vytBxFnOib4BOdNpq1UVx7xmiwTY6lMgjlV3oAnuCmnY22XLdAr99E/s1600/3914208780_9e4685ec95_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNuvycmyucFqjrqjUsK8DXfIKUwwwe0DZpl7vBBgLlwqd7GlbOciFRN3eZICQnmLrc96M9FWhDGWr-0e6tMMW1vytBxFnOib4BOdNpq1UVx7xmiwTY6lMgjlV3oAnuCmnY22XLdAr99E/s1600/3914208780_9e4685ec95_z.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">Matsutake rice with miso soup. Autumn goodness!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">Source: https://flic.kr/p/6XTkUh</span></div>
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Read more from our <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Japan-Discovered/Tour-Dossier" target="_blank">Japan Discovered Tour Dossier</a>, to get a glimpse of what to expect while joining this once in a lifetime trip to Japan.<br />
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If you are not keen on joining a small group tour, or your budget is limited, then perhaps a Self-Guided Trip is more suitable for you. Eitherway, we would be happy to quote and send you a sample itinerary to ensure you get the very best out of your time in Japan. <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Home/Contact-Us" target="_blank">Contact one of our talented Japan Travel Specialists today. </a><br />
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Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-64406798947319786812015-04-23T17:56:00.000+01:002015-04-23T17:56:52.635+01:00Autumn in Japan<div class="MsoNormal">
After the heat of the summer months, autumn offers a welcome respite to the Japanese. There are a few popular axioms,<i> shokuyoku no aki</i>,<i> dokusho no aki</i> and finally <i>supotsu no aki</i>. They basically mean autumn is for eating, reading and exercise respectively.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;">Autumn leaves at Nanzen-ji Kyoto.</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: https://flic.kr/p/dyVJ1W</span></span></td></tr>
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Why would you go to Japan in autumn? There’s a laundry list of reasons, and like spring and its cherry blossoms, one of the main reasons involves trees, beautiful nature and stunning colours.</div>
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Koyo (aka Momiji)</h3>
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The kanji, or Chinese characters, 紅葉 can be read two different ways, either as <i>momiji</i>, or more frequently as <i>kouyo</i>. It can be translated as "red leaves", "maple tree", "fall colors" or "leaves changing colors". Most commonly it refers to going out and spending time among the red, yellow and orange colours of the trees leaves as nature winds its way from summer to winter. Unlike the cherry blossoms, which bloom in the warmer south first, the <i>kouyo </i>starts in the north and starts to move south across the country in October.</div>
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There are a number of remarkable places to view <i>kouyo</i>. Some of our favourites include:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beautiful Autumn leaves in Kyoto.</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: https://flic.kr/p/asYPMg</span></span></td></tr>
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Takayama: </h4>
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A wonderful mountain town in the Japanese Alps, with perfectly preserved Edo period architecture. Walking these old world streets while surrounded by mountains coated in red and yellow coloured trees is an unforgettable experience.</div>
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Koya-san: </h4>
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Mt Koya (usually called Koya-san) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the center of Shingon Buddhism. It is a spiritual, peaceful town. The cool autumn temperatures makes this a perfect time to experience a stay in a temple lodge while admiring the abundance of red and yellow autumn leaves.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;">Autumn in Koya-san.</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: https://flic.kr/p/8TRT3D</span></span></td></tr>
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Of course, not everywhere is bathed in red and yellow leaves at the same time. Towns and cities at higher altitudes often experience <i>kouyo </i>well before the lower cities due to their colder temperatures. Timing the viewing of <i>kouyo </i>can be tricky, but Unique Japan Tours have been known to time it pretty well!<a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Home/Contact-Us" target="_blank"> Contact our team of talented Japan Travel Specialists to get your trip started! </a></div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-56627177966674870892015-03-20T15:50:00.001+00:002015-03-20T15:50:33.412+00:00Friday Roundup: March 20, 2015<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Welcome to the third edition of the Unique Japan Tours Friday Round Up. The purpose of this post is to collect in one place the best things we've shared on social media during the week. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Follow us on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">,</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/UniqueJapanTours" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">, </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/108447911543130510200/108447911543130510200/posts" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Google+</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> and </span><a href="https://instagram.com/uniquejapantours/" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> to get great Japan content from around the web we think is worth reading!</span></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This week's postings have mostly been concerned about two things: cherry blossoms and the opening of the new <i>shinkansen</i> line between Tokyo and Kanazawa. This has included articles about the <i>shinkansen </i>itself or talking about Kanazawa.</span></span></span>
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Kanazawa, Japan: The bullet train is opening up the country's Edo heritage <a href="http://t.co/sZc5JoF6Je">http://t.co/sZc5JoF6Je</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/japan?src=hash">#japan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kanazawa?src=hash">#kanazawa</a> <a href="http://t.co/G0IOThYxRc">pic.twitter.com/G0IOThYxRc</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/576817623280807936">March 14, 2015</a></blockquote>
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New Japan bullet train links Tokyo with ancient Kanazawa - Hokuriku Shinkansen: <a href="http://t.co/viRP1BsmIi">http://t.co/viRP1BsmIi</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/577858234863718400">March 17, 2015</a></blockquote>
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We also shared some great articles with lots of pictures, old and new, of cherry blossoms from around Japan.<br />
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Some great cherry blossom pictures here: 10 Incredible Phenomena You Have to See in Spring <a href="http://t.co/wOkZ5xyRlZ">http://t.co/wOkZ5xyRlZ</a> <a href="http://t.co/GFIrAAPJcC">pic.twitter.com/GFIrAAPJcC</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/578582979871526914">March 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Photos: Japan’s Cherry Blossoms in Years Gone By <a href="http://t.co/PIr6wGspE4">http://t.co/PIr6wGspE4</a> <a href="http://t.co/G6TL0DWsu9">pic.twitter.com/G6TL0DWsu9</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/578629610428055552">March 19, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Of course, we got in on the action of posting cherry blossom pictures too. This is one of our favourite pictures of Matsumoto castle, bathed in cherry blossoms.<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/0cLEnnPm3S/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_top">One of my favourite pictures of Japan. This is Matsumoto castle surrounded by cherry blossoms. I'm jealous of our March and April Japan Discovered small group tours as they'll be there for the sakura season. #Matsumoto #CherryBlossom #Sakura #Castle #JapanDiscovered #Castle #japon #nihon #nippon #travel #tours #trip #vacation #Japan #JapanTrip #JapanTravel #JapanTours #TravelPhoto #TravelPhotography #Instatravel #Travelgram #worlderlust</a></div>
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A photo posted by Unique Japan Tours (@uniquejapantours) on <time datetime="2015-03-20T06:55:00+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 19, 2015 at 11:55pm PDT</time></div>
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So, there you go, the highlights from our social media posts this week. Which one is your favourite? Have anything we could share next week? Let us know in the comments below.Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-89554945764932999932015-03-13T17:30:00.000+00:002015-03-13T17:30:00.687+00:00Friday Roundup: March 13, 2015<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Welcome to the second edition of the Unique Japan Tours Friday Round Up. The purpose of this post is to collect in one place the best things we've shared on social media during the week. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Follow us on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">,</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/UniqueJapanTours" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">, </span><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/108447911543130510200/108447911543130510200/posts" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Google+</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> and </span><a href="https://instagram.com/uniquejapantours/" style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> to get great Japan content from around the web we think is worth reading!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This week marked the anniversary of the March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. I was in Japan at the time, and even though I was far from the epicenter, I was still rattled, shocked and I'll never forget that day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">The BBC posted an article about Japan marking the anniversary.</span></span><br />
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Japan marks tsunami anniversary <a href="http://t.co/ChWM6oKG6c">http://t.co/ChWM6oKG6c</a> <a href="http://t.co/YBo2deRl4Q">pic.twitter.com/YBo2deRl4Q</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/576066130147672064">March 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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But it's not all gloomy, as there are plenty of shoots of recovery in Tohoku, as these two article show.<br />
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Japan fisherman in post-tsunami town sees hope in 'dream oysters' <a href="http://t.co/fmhcBHLwZg">http://t.co/fmhcBHLwZg</a> <a href="http://t.co/OuF1OSuu0o">pic.twitter.com/OuF1OSuu0o</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/575683868457615360">March 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Areas affected by the 2011 tsunami are slowly recovering. Soy sauce makes 'miracle' comeback in tsunami-wrecked Japan <a href="http://t.co/e84hXMHTRR">http://t.co/e84hXMHTRR</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/575321503291539456">March 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
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In other Japan related news, there was a Fire Walking Festival in Japan last week, and there's a pretty cool video about it.
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Cool video about Japan's Fire-Walking Festival which happened last week. <a href="http://t.co/jxXjCvuH09">http://t.co/jxXjCvuH09</a> <a href="http://t.co/79uR6V1umo">pic.twitter.com/79uR6V1umo</a><br />
— Unique Japan Tours (@toursofjapan) <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan/status/575575912852406274">March 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Lastly, we would like to thank the Irish Wedding Diary for this shout out on Instagram. We've talked about how we feel<a href="http://blog.uniquejapantours.com/2014/12/reasons-to-honeymoon-in-japan.html" target="_blank"> Japan is a great honeymoon destination</a>, and they agree!
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/0EB3LqHk1d/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_top">We are big fans of Japan here at IWD and think it would be an amazing honeymoon destination. Our good friends @uniquejapantours would love to hear from anyone who thinks the same. This is Lake Kawaguchi with Mount Fuji in the background, what stunning scenery. #iwd #IrishWeddingDiary #honeymoonjapan #uniquejapantours #honeymoon #mountfuji #lakekawaguchi #weddingtravel</a></div>
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A photo posted by Irish Wedding Diary (@irishweddingdiary) on <time datetime="2015-03-10T21:52:45+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 10, 2015 at 2:52pm PDT</time></div>
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<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-89088116926626436422015-03-06T17:02:00.002+00:002015-03-06T17:02:51.201+00:00Friday Roundup: March 6, 2015Welcome to the first edition of the Unique Japan Tours Friday Round Up. The purpose of this post is to collect in one place the best things we've shared on social media during the week. Social media? Yeah, we use <a href="https://twitter.com/toursofjapan" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UniqueJapanTours" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/108447911543130510200/108447911543130510200/posts" target="_blank">Google+</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/uniquejapantours/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. Follow us on any one of those platforms to get great Japan content from around the web we think is worth reading!<br />
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<li><a href="http://on-historic-routes.com/2015/01/27/kumano-kodo/?utm_content=buffer6cbc2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank"><b>Kumano Kodo: Japan's Historical Pilgrimage Route.</b></a></li>
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The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail on the Kii Peninsula is a beautiful hike through an untouched area of Japan. This trail forms the center piece of our <a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours/Scenic-Samurai-Trails" target="_blank">Scenic Samurai Trails</a> walking tour, but it can be added to any tour. This article provides some history and an overview of the Kumano Kodo.<br />
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<li><a href="http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150304p2a00m0na011000c.html?utm_content=buffer1336a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank"><b>English Speaking Taxi Service to Trial in Osaka.</b></a></li>
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Osaka is a great city, full of neon, fun and delicious food. But it's not as tourist friendly as neighboring cities Kyoto and Nara. This trial of English speaking taxis in Osaka is great to hear, and hopefully more people will explore this fantastic city.<br />
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<li><a href="http://time.com/3556449/japanese-whisky-best-in-world/?utm_content=buffer5fd7b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank"><b>5 Things to Know About Japanese Whiskey.</b></a></li>
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The 2003 movie Lost In Translation first brought Japanese whiskey to the masses, and since then it's gone strength to strength. Now, it's gaining international, and critical, recognition. This article explores five things you should know about Japanese whiskey.<br />
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<li><a href="http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/03/02/so-hungry-you-can-eat-a-horse-this-rest-stop-will-satisfy-you-figuratively-and-literally/?utm_content=buffer64466&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank"><b>Horse Donburi in Akita Prefecture.</b></a></li>
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There was scandal in 2013 in Europe when horse meat was found to be mixed into a number of beef products. But in Japan, horse is a delicacy, eaten in many places. Here, a journalist makes a special trip to Akita prefecture to try a horse donburi; horse meat served on top of a bowl of rice.<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/11446269/The-Japanese-island-where-cats-outnumber-humans.html?utm_content=bufferaee07&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank"><b>The Telegraph Visits Japan's Cat Island.</b></a></li>
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Japan has a few places filled to the brim with cute, fluffy animals, like the bunny island or the fox village. Here, the Telegraph newspaper visits another adorable island, this one full of cats!<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.espn.co.uk/2015-rugby-world-cup/rugby/story/258163.html?utm_campaign=buffer;utm_content=buffera5641;utm_medium=social;utm_source=twitter.com" target="_blank"><b>2019 Rugby World Cup Venues in Japan Announced.</b></a></li>
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With the 2015 Rugby World Cup just around the corner, our minds are turning toward the 2019 Rugby World Cup, being hosted in Japan. During the week, the venues for the 2019 Japan Rugby World Cup were announced. We can't wait.<br />
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Finally, one of our favourite photos from our Instagram account this week. The beautiful beaches at Amami Oshima make it the perfect honeymoon destination!<br />
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Thanks for reading our roundup! What did you think of the articles we shared? Have you been to any of the places, or would you like to visit any of the places? Let us know in the comments below!<br />
<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-57039074692228624912015-02-18T13:07:00.002+00:002015-02-18T13:22:34.155+00:00Reflections on a trip to Japan Recently, one of our staff here at Unique Japan Tours, returned to Japan for his first trip since moving home. He spent two weeks there, and we've asked him to share some of his thoughts on his trip. Thoughts about Japan, life there and the country in general. So, without further ado, here is Patrick, sharing his reflections on Japan.<br />
<a name='more'></a> Just to start off, I want to clarify that this is not my first trip to Japan, and it won't be my last. I lived there between 2008 and 2013 and while there I had am incredible time. The purpose of this trip was to see my wife's family. So, while we didn't do much of the traditional sightseeing you might expect on a trip to Japan, I feel can still reflect on the time there and chat about what makes Japan so special.<br />
<h3>
<b>The Food.</b></h3>
Everybody love Japanese food, or what they think of as Japanese food. Sushi is usually the first thing that springs to mind, and though it was my first meal off the plane, sushi is something that Japanese people don't eat everyday. There's a whole variety of food that a lot of people don't know about: things like oyakodon (chicken and egg served on a bowl of rice) or tonkatsu (deep friend pork cutlet). Even the rice is amazing. But what I think might surprise some people the most is how much fried food there is; karaage is a type of deep friend chicken that is both delicious and cheap, tempura is of course deep fried, as is the previously mentioned tonkatsu. As a matter of fact, there is a whole range of katsu that is deep fried, be it chicken, shrimp, beef or pork.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxBzs4oQrQD9rodcttPJsljv41zM0nqrX6CIsAEMCe5fN_2brjae2N_vAGkrJpdnDFq8g3sS3gUyXZlS0xhLYYC0j8rznnX161pBthsNvUVH70G6qOFI2aDTXz0JUdoTUPRerYNpcL0A/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Hakata+Ramen+Egg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxBzs4oQrQD9rodcttPJsljv41zM0nqrX6CIsAEMCe5fN_2brjae2N_vAGkrJpdnDFq8g3sS3gUyXZlS0xhLYYC0j8rznnX161pBthsNvUVH70G6qOFI2aDTXz0JUdoTUPRerYNpcL0A/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Hakata+Ramen+Egg.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Let's not forget ramen, with the perfectly prepared egg!</i></td></tr>
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But the best part of this food, is that everything is made with care and attention. From Yoshinoya, where you get a beef bowl for about 300yen, to a high class sushi restaurant, the Japanese make sure that everything is made with care and attention, and tastes amazing. One of my first meals was a chain tonkatsu restaurant with a friend. Nothing special you might think, but the meal I was served was delicious, carefully cooked, perfectly crisp, and like a flavor explosion in my mouth. It's easy to forget that care and attention when you've not been to Japan before, or not been in a while.<br />
<h3>
The People.</h3>
Which brings me onto the Japanese people themselves. They are polite and kind, smiling and friendly. From the staff in restaurants (even if they are getting minimum wage) to strangers in the streets, to my parents in law to their neighbors, everyone is unfailingly polite and friendly. I'm sure many of the staff, especially on minimum wage, are gritting their teeth, and dislike their jobs as much as anyone does, but they don't let it phase them. They smile, they're polite, they're great at their jobs. One thing I did notice was the lack of small talk; in Ireland you can chat a little to the staff in shops, ask them about their day, the weather and maybe have a little banter. It doesn't really happen in Japan, but when the service is so good, you don't miss it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8jjWtGMkO9AY7FOl4ZMceHkqolPuk72A9h3bBL4lSrGQJfoWZzgS_hJcK8vmH2Vm8eeauIv83PEFnbAWvBqC5z10em5yKC-sad18OlZVF3Cl2Gd0iDHmPhCdWCaVhaNzQhXEinNqMX4/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Temple+Zen+Garden.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8jjWtGMkO9AY7FOl4ZMceHkqolPuk72A9h3bBL4lSrGQJfoWZzgS_hJcK8vmH2Vm8eeauIv83PEFnbAWvBqC5z10em5yKC-sad18OlZVF3Cl2Gd0iDHmPhCdWCaVhaNzQhXEinNqMX4/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Temple+Zen+Garden.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Zen Garden in the middle of a city; no wonder the Japanese are so peaceful and polite!</i></td></tr>
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I will add this though; I had forgotten that sometimes you stick out. I'm 6'1" and blond. I stick out in a country where the average man is 5'8" and dark haired. This can range from a prolonged stare in the street, to kids openly pointing at you as they whisper "<i>gaijin</i>" (foreigner) to themselves. This can make you feel uncomfortable, or special, depending on how you choose to take it. Personally, I felt special. (^_^)<br />
<h3>
The Transport.</h3>
I'm sure everyone reading this blog knows about the legendary efficiency of the Japanese public transport system. Let me reassure you, whenever someone sings the praises of the Japanese transport infrastructure, don't dismiss them. They are telling the truth! It's stunning. Trains leave and arrive on time every few minutes. Buses arrive exactly when they're scheduled to. The vehicles are clean, and while you might have to stand sometimes, I've never been pushed onto a train like you often seen in YouTube videos, even when I lived and worked there. Never. I'm wondering if this is an outdated urban legend. <br />
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I'm going to touch on another aspect of people in Japan, but in relation to transport. If you've ever gotten on a bus in Dublin, you've probably been pushed aside by an older lady, and probably hit with her walking stick, as she makes her way to the front of an already disorganised crowd all waiting to get on the bus. This doesn't happen over in Japan, where people will, the majority of the time, queue in an orderly fashion and board the train in order, after everyone disembarks. In addition, their politeness extends to riding the trains too. No one talks on their phone, most people are silent and not overly loud. Music seldom bleeds from the earphones of the people around you. Overall, it makes public transport more relaxing, enjoyable and less of a rushed, stressed experience, which it can often be in Dublin.<br />
<h3>
The Beauty.</h3>
Japan is a truly beautiful country. There's two types of beauty. First, the beauty of the cities. In Tokyo, it's the beauty of the lights at night, especially if you have a good vantage point. In my case, it was Osaka, a bustling neon paradise. When I lived there I became a bit desensitised to the man made beauty that surrounded me. But visiting it, seeing it with fresh eyes, I was blown away. The same goes for any of the older cities, be that Kyoto, Takayama or even smaller towns like Tsumago and Magome. Towards the end of my time living in Japan I very much came to the opinion that if you've seen one temple, you've seen them all. I had become cynical. The beauty of these reverential structures, the tradition and history oozing from every nail, joint and piece of wood instills a sense of peace and quiet awe.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Oy65d8xmhgxHgmbAdllqs8oHpqVD36uMXJCku87XxbNW6QcaKbX-iTeaFhhSE3OzfX6_MKau3mqG4g_A9gt8AwNlV1p8Pd78krPJjtoOLdgTy0ccPnZtOFsCcJlVgXIUG_KXKVSRzAw/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Osaka+Back+Streets.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Oy65d8xmhgxHgmbAdllqs8oHpqVD36uMXJCku87XxbNW6QcaKbX-iTeaFhhSE3OzfX6_MKau3mqG4g_A9gt8AwNlV1p8Pd78krPJjtoOLdgTy0ccPnZtOFsCcJlVgXIUG_KXKVSRzAw/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Osaka+Back+Streets.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Even in the middle of big cities you can find small, peaceful streets like this.</i></td></tr>
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Then there is the natural beauty of rural Japan. It could be the neatly organised squares of rice paddy, or other fields of vegetables, interspersed with the occasional cottage or copse of wood. It could be the wide, lazy rivers, cutting deep valleys into the mountains, a path the road you're on follows, taking your breath away and revealing another stunning landscape just around a corner. Or it could be the mountains themselves, steep, wooded giants, knifing toward the sky, appearing to rise suddenly from the flat land that surrounds it. Shrouded in mist, these mountains look like something taken from a fantasy movie.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNGuTVi1kKMLRTfTWZfao8fljRRPQ2vow0kN0W9cm-dsRGM2XsPeBDc7AQ2Yt3F9VVW7kJqL4mQNFYRtK9sgncFG95D698O-nJbsGb2V2E_xHpJU9ftXAzWAgGIZbNk82gQiKKZfZqho/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Osaka+Lights.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNGuTVi1kKMLRTfTWZfao8fljRRPQ2vow0kN0W9cm-dsRGM2XsPeBDc7AQ2Yt3F9VVW7kJqL4mQNFYRtK9sgncFG95D698O-nJbsGb2V2E_xHpJU9ftXAzWAgGIZbNk82gQiKKZfZqho/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Osaka+Lights.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Token picture of big city lights.</i></td></tr>
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<h3>
The Conclusion.</h3>
This post has already gone on long enough. There's a few more points that I would love to cover, but I've already taken too much of your time. I would have loved to talk about <i>meibutsu</i>, the respect everyone shows, and the value of travelling off the beaten path.<br />
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I think though, that I can wrap up here and just say I love Japan. It's an amazing country. I lived there for 5 years and it still surprises me, makes me happy and brings joy to my life. I don't think I'll ever get tired of visiting there, and I expect every time I visit, I'll learn something new.<br />
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We'd like to thank Patrick for taking the time to write out these reflections. If you're interest has been piqued, and you would like to visit Japan, send us <a href="mailto:info@uniquejapantours.com" target="_blank">an email </a>and let us know. If you'd like a bit more information, why not check out our<a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Small-Group-Tours" target="_blank"> small group tours</a>, our<a href="http://www.uniquejapantours.com/Self~Guided-Tours" target="_blank"> tailor made, self guided tours</a> or <a href="http://uniquejapantours.com/Home/Japan-Brochure" target="_blank">order a brochure</a>. </div>
Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-12102920548505115382015-02-03T13:55:00.002+00:002015-02-03T16:43:52.247+00:00Interactive Tokyo Map: The Best Tokyo Sightseeing Spots Tokyo is the capital of Japan and one of the largest metropolises in the world. If you're visiting Japan, you're likely to fly into this magnificent city. We often recommend to our clients that they spend a few days in Tokyo, and explore the city as much as possible. There's so many places to go that it's hard to figure out where is best to go though.<br />
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Today, we're delighted to share with you this map of Tokyo. In conjunction with <a href="http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/flights-air-france/flights-asia/flight-to-tokyo.htm" target="_blank">Air France</a>, we've made this interactive map which shows some of our favourite Tokyo locations, as well as some pictures and brief descriptions.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="600px" scrolling="no" seamless="" src=" http://dbdapps.co.uk/appgenmapstool_airfrance/content/best-tokyo-sightseeing-spots?map=airfrance" style="border: solid 1px #cccccc;" width="100%"></iframe>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Thank you to <a href="http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/flights-air-france/flights-asia/flight-to-tokyo.htm" target="_blank">Air France</a> for this interactive map. Air France provide some of the best value flights to Tokyo.</span></i></span> </div>
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If you would like to see a full screen version of this map, please <a href="http://dbdapps.co.uk/appgenmapstool_airfrance/content/best-tokyo-sightseeing-spots?map=airfrance" target="_blank">click here.</a><br />
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What do you think? Did we miss anything or would you add anywhere to this list? Let us know in the comments below.Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644783950033156824.post-57132040787174408012015-01-17T02:01:00.004+00:002015-01-17T02:01:55.297+00:00Sue in Japan: Follow our clientWe love sharing stories of our clients with you. Usually, these stories take the form of a testimonial, sent to us after the tour is completed. But this time we have something different for you! <br />
<a name='more'></a>One of our clients, Sue, came by the office today to pick up her travel pack. The travel pack is something we prepare for all our clients, and it contains all sorts of useful travel information for your trip to Japan, including access maps and what trains to take.<br />
<br />Sue was kind enough to pose for a photo for us, and promised to keep us updated with pictures of her trip as she goes. To follow Sue on her journey through Japan, keep an eye on our <a href="http://www.instagram.com/uniquejapantours" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/toursofjapan" target="_blank">Twitter</a> pages!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdzpbsi_K5G9SkoqtzFYthTZEWCyo4FmHXrYeajtJfxfkrXEYHjI1qXpy30Y5xyS7w_UDP7cBureNgP72yenhtfvig-Aaj7pEd8mvuXlxHORC1-jthc0fu3Hg1auOLgDikO2mg5lgzEg/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Sue+Sheep+Tour+Travel+Pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unique Japan Tours Client Customer Sue Sheep Travel Pack" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdzpbsi_K5G9SkoqtzFYthTZEWCyo4FmHXrYeajtJfxfkrXEYHjI1qXpy30Y5xyS7w_UDP7cBureNgP72yenhtfvig-Aaj7pEd8mvuXlxHORC1-jthc0fu3Hg1auOLgDikO2mg5lgzEg/s1600/Unique+Japan+Tours+Sue+Sheep+Tour+Travel+Pack.jpg" height="320" title="Unique Japan Tours Client Customer Sue Sheep Travel Pack" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sue with her travel pack.</i></td></tr>
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<br />Unique Japan Tourshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05050828460452399631noreply@blogger.com0