Soaking in rooftop onsens, encountering snow at Mount Fuji and dining at 13-seat tonkatsu restaurants are just some of the highlights these Qantas Frequent Flyers experienced in Japan.
“In Kyoto, a matcha ceremony with a geisha showed how even preparing tea is a lifelong discipline.” – Christtian Junior Pinto, Gold Frequent Flyer
“My partner and I flew to Tokyo in autumn, just as the leaves were turning amber. We spent three weeks in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone and Nara. It was his first time in Japan, but not mine.
Cyashitsu Ryokan Asakusa, a traditional inn in Tokyo, is my favourite accommodation ever. We were welcomed with tea and homemade biscuits, slept on tatami mats and soaked in a rooftop onsen with a view of Tokyo Tower. The staff felt like family and we didn’t want to leave. After we returned home, they even sent us a handwritten New Year postcard.
Our daily caffeine crawl led us to gems such as the cosy Coffee Swamp in Shinjuku, which serves pour-over coffee to a soundtrack of vintage vinyl tunes. Coffee is taken very seriously in Tokyo, with artisan techniques, high-quality beans and extensive tasting notes appearing on menus.
I love Japan’s hyper-specialisation, such as the 13-seat Katsukami Ginza, which only serves various cuts of pork called tonkatsu; and Asakusa Hirayama, so famous for house-made soba noodles that it’s been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand award. In Osaka, we waited in line to try duck ramen at Moeyo Mensuke – it was worth it – and in Kyoto, a matcha ceremony with a geisha showed how even preparing tea is a lifelong discipline.
Christtian flew from Sydney to Tokyo
“Our highlight was a stunning cloud-free day at Mount Fuji, where Emma saw snow for the first time.” – Sheila Higgins, Bronze Frequent Flyer
“I took my granddaughter, Emma, to Japan for her first overseas trip as a 21st birthday gift. We joined a tour beginning in Tokyo and visited the Imperial Palace and the serene Tokai-ji Temple in Shinagawa where, as a sign of respect, we walked on gravel to announce our presence to the spirits.
We were entertained by classic Japanese activities including pachinko games and karaoke. Even visiting the local 7-Eleven was a novelty. We loved the strawberry sandwiches made with soft white bread, fresh strawberries and cream. Emma surprised me the whole way – trying new foods, chatting in Japanese and mastering catching trains to Tokyo Disneyland.
We explored mostly on foot. One day we clocked 30,000 steps; my smartwatch thought I’d gone mad!
Osaka had a New York type of energy – the Dotonbori district is like Times Square on steroids – and Kyoto was so traditional, with geishas, the Golden Pagoda and Zen gardens that felt like outdoor museums.
Our highlight was a stunning cloud-free day at Mount Fuji. I took photos from a boat ride on Lake Kawaguchiko, which resembled something from a postcard. We also visited the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station on the Yoshida Trail, 2,300 metres above sea level, where Emma saw snow for the first time. She’s already heading back to Japan in November.”
Sheila flew from Brisbane to Tokyo
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AloJapan.com