After planning a trip here in 2020 that got binned due to Covid breaking out, we decided to do the easy but expensive option, and come on a Wendy Wu escorted tour for the next couple of weeks. There are 27 of us, all of a certain age, from the UK and Oz. We’re currently shattered but unpacking after a day or so in the air, A380 Manchester to Dubai, then a 3am flight from Dubai to Oska. More to follow depending on free Wi-Fi. I watched Ferrari, and The Great Dictator (1940) by Chaplin, which blew me away. I also spent time watching the views from the onboard cameras, a wierd one was spooky flames in the desert night from oil wells, and intense industry in China, like a massive Birmingham. Not seen Japan in daylight yet, that starts at the crack of dawn tomorrow. Approach to Dubai, through the window.. The view from our 15th floor hotel room, Osaka:
I was playing drums in a few bands around Japan in 2001.mostly tokyo . The World Cup was there. It was a mad time. Like,Spinal tap Japanese style..
Always wanted to go to Tokyo and get lost on the subway as a challenge , And stay in a capsule hotel, bit like an MRI scanner without the noise .
I’m tempted by Japan… I watched the James May thing on Prime where he was taken to some of the less familiar spots and that was quite interesting
I had a mate who, out of drunken necessity, had to "rest" in a capsule hotel. He reckoned it was like sleeping in a filing cabinet.
I particularly like the fact you can probably put your belongings down on a bench or something Daydream and take in your surroundings without your stuff getting liberated
True. I've walked round Shinjuku alone at 2am; no possibility of being mugged. That would be most impolite.
One of my customers, and husband and daughter have gone to Japan. Maybe they are on your trip. They’re from Sheffield.
A couple of years ago (2014??) we did a guided walking tour in Japan. Takes you along the old Nakasendo trail, which is the path the Samurais walked once a year to pay taxes to the Emporer. Takes you out to the countryside and stay in ryokans with hot tubs, woooden pillow and paper walls. Fantastic. Would do it again
It was a while ago and I cant find the exact tour, but it was very similar to this https://rawtravel.com/walks/the-group-guided-trip-nakasendo-way/ It was a small group guided. There was 10 of us (3 family groups) plus a guide. My son was doing Japanese in final year high school The other 2 families stayed to themselves and we virtually had the guide to our selves. She wanted to practice English and my son wanted to practice Japanese. Self guided would be ok - but having the guide was so much better in my opinion We were very lucky in that we did the tour mid April (pretty sure) and it was smack on cherry blossum season
Finished Osaka today, off to Himaji tomorrow then on to Hiroshima. Just came back from a Japanese meal, some strange things I’d never order but tasty and filling despite there not being a lot of anything. We were delighted to find the cherry blossom out and the partying underneath it in full flow.
