How To Spend 14 Days in Japan: A Complete Travel Guide

How To Spend 14 Days in Japan: A Complete Travel Guide

Oh my giddy on what a vlog we have to show you. We flew 14 hours to the biggest city in the world where we joined Riviera Travel’s Grand Japan tour. In this vlog, we search the Gillon district for its elusive residence, stumble into a Shinto wedding at Mei Jingu, surf the Shaboya Scramble, and get gloriously lost in Sinjjuku Neon. We come face to face with Godzilla and very polite deer. Pray at Senoji, tease Mount Fuji. Was she shy? And then board a pirate ship in Lake Ashi because well, I don’t really know. Bullet train slingers to Hashima’s haunting peace park and Miaima’s floating Tory where we encounter thieving alcoholic deer. I got mugged by a deer and now the deer is having a ginonic. Kyoto brings tea ceremonies, golden temples, bamboo cathedrals, foxguarded toy, and cobra beef in cobra so tender it apologizes as you eat it. And just when you think we’re done, snow walls in the Japanese Alps. Well, buckle up and prepare yourself for one huge and incredibly fun ride because Japan is so quirky, so different, so utterly brilliant. We can’t believe we’re here and we can’t wait to show you. Let’s go. [Music] [Music] We begin this vlog in sun-kissed Okinawa, which is Japan’s Hawaii, but with superior vending machines and far less gun crime. And after five fabulous nights here in the sublime Hakalani Spa Hotel. Let us know if you want to see more of this bit, we hopped on a flight to the mainland, Tokyo, where the adventure properly begins. Interestingly for plane nerds like myself, they use 787 Dreamlininers for this short 2-hour hop, such as the rout’s popularity. We’re meeting our fellow travelers for a two-eek Riviera Travel Grand Japan Land Tour, kindly hosted by Riviera. Please see description for full disclosure. So, it’s bags, passports, and best behavior at the ready. Our very first glimpse of Japan’s legendary efficiency hit us at the baggage claim. Every suitcase gliding into view on the belt had been perfectly placed with handles facing outwards like a synchronized swimming team of Samsonides. Wow. So, we’re at international arrivals waiting for the Riviera groups to turn up. There’s 44 of us in total. We arrived about half an hour ago and by some stroke of genius luck, the ANA flight from London has just landed. The rest of the group is due to arrive any minute now. And by the looks of a there’s a professional camera crew there. So, they’re obviously expecting a Japanese celebrity. I thought I’d get myself a a drink. I couldn’t resist this one. It’s got my name on it. Things I do to occupy myself. Go. Immigration conquered. We roll into the hotel New Orani. Our first glimpse of this glittering mega city framed by very polite traffic. Much less of it than we envisioned. The new Otani Hotel, honey. Absolutely colossal. It goes on for miles and miles and miles. It is the size of Tokyo itself. I swear. By the time we reach the room, we’re running on fumes. So, we do the sensible thing. A cold beer and a Trader Vicks burger downstairs. Here’s to our first night. Yes. Riviera Travel Grand Tour in Japan, I think it’s called. So, the burgers arrived. Look at that. That’s the trailer Vick’s burger with the fries. Yeah. And mine is the Wagu burger. We come all the way to Japan and then we’re eating. Yeah, but mine’s a Wagu burger. My first Wagu burger of the trip. Breakfast on day one proper was on the 40th floor. And well, because coffee tastes better with an incredible view. And despite the gray clouds, what a view it was. Well, good morning from the 40th floor of the new Atani Hotel. And we’ve got a view. Look at that. And down there it looks like there’s the swimming pool for the hotel and the Japanese garden. I can actually see the koi carp and the waterfall from Amazing. Look at that. With half an hour to kill after breakfast, we wandered the hotel’s immaculate Japanese gardens, Zero Weeds, Maximum Zen, and discovered the hotel site was even bigger than we thought. This isn’t just a garden. It’s a full botist production. Koi carp, stone bridges, and an actual waterfall. Then it was onto the coach to dodge the relentless Tokyo drizzle. Masa, our endlessly knowledgeable guide, threaded us through Sukiji’s outer market and into our first shrine, the pocket-size Namiyoki Inari. A small but spirited oasis tucked just beside the bustling chaos of the market. Originally built in 1659, its name means protection from waves, and it serves as a spiritual safeguard for the reclaimed land that Sukijichi was built on. Well, the rain graduated from miserable to ridiculous, so we ducked into the indoor market for snacks and shelter. But with regard to snacks, we had plans to try the local popular specialtity. So apparently we got to try an omelette from here cuz that’s world famous. So anyone with a yellow canopy is an omelette stall. This one looks quite nice. Shall we try some? What we got there? Look at that. Give it a go. What do you think? Is it nice? Sweet. Is it? Yeah. Sweet and fishy. That’s weird. Not bad, actually. You like it? Glad we only got one. You don’t like it? Not keen. Let me get a quick picture of it before you finish it. Spirit and blood sugar restored, we pushed onto Hamaricu Gardens, a tranquil sprawl of moes, manicured lawns, and a tea house that begged for a sit down. Hammeru Gardens is Tokyo’s answer to the question, “What if your local park came with duck hunting blinds, a saltwater moat, and a 300-year-old bonsai that could probably outlive you?” Planted to commemorate the sixth shogun visit in 1709. Welcome to the ultimate Edo period mashup of nature, nobility, and levels of elegance. Originally a feudal lord’s duck hunting ground in the 17th century, Hammeru became the shogun’s detached gardens, which is just a fancy way of saying royal chill out zone. What sets this garden apart from your average greenery is that it’s got a tidal seawater lake right in the middle. Seriously, it rises and falls with the tides of Tokyo Bay. Amid the winding paths and peony beds, you’ll stumble across Nakajima no Aaya. It’s a tea house on an island in the lake. It’s serene, it’s scenic, and yes, very Instagrammable. Now, we’re on the top of the mountain. Apparently, in the old days, before the skyscrapers, we could see Mount Fuji from here. But look at it now. We got to get to the coach somehow. [Laughter] What a wash out. Thank you, Tokyo. Still raining, bento lunch followed near the Imperial Palace. What we got there? Oh, wow. That’s good. What about this? What’s this? Can you get that open? Oo. And we got the bento box. My goodness. Now we managed to do all that with chopsticks. The emergency fork is unused. Look at that. Both of us. A little victory there. We were just about drying off when we embarked on a soggy stroll past magnificent bronze statue of the samurai warrior Kuseninoi Masashid, a 14th century military strategist famed for his unwavering loyalty to Emperor Godiago. Kuseninoi statue is near the famous Nijubashi double bridge standing prettily in front of the Imperial Palace. Imagine this in a beautiful summertime setting, not a soggy gray day at the very end of May. Yes, the rain. It was getting to us a bit, but by now it dawned on us. This tour doesn’t pause even for rain. It’s a high-speed sampler of Japan. Exhausting, exhilarating, and quite frankly, brilliant. Our final stop, Maji Jingu. The rain relented, the forest hushed, and by sheer good fortune, we stumbled upon a Shinto wedding procession gliding past. What an absolute treat. Then we went somewhere just as photogenic, but for a different reason. The Shabuya Scramble Crossing is Tokyo’s answer to organized chaos, a mesmerizing tangle of humanity, where up to 3,000 people cross from all directions every 90 seconds. Located just outside Shabuya station is possibly the only place on Earth where dodging strangers while simultaneously taking selfies, eating 7-Eleven egg sandos, and being filmed for a music video is considered normal. Case in point, just watch this guy. Quite possibly the most famous pedestrian crossing in the world. And somehow, despite the frenzy, nobody bumps into anyone much. We crossed twice, then popped into the station’s viewing floor to admire the ballet from above. From this angle, it’s a hypnotic tangle of legs and lives. Each person on a mission known only to them and their internal GPS. And yet, it works. No traffic jams, no shouting, no hassle, just the world’s most polite stampede. Then we chant upon the Hatchiko statue outside Shabuya station. An unassuming bronze tribute to a very good little dog with an unshakable sense of loyalty. Hiko famously waited every day at the station for his owner to return from work. Even after said owner had tragically died in 1925. For nearly 10 years, Hatchiko showed up tail wagging hoping for a reunion that never came, tugging at the collective heartstrings of the nation. Well, good evening. We’re back and we’ve dried off. It’s been a really wet day. Uh, but we’re now going to head out again because we want to see the bright lights of Tokyo such that gives us that, you know, that cool dystopian Bladeunner look that uh what I’m looking for for the camera. Come along with us. It’s going to be fun. Oh my Giddy on. Look at this. This is Tokyo at night, people. Whoa. This is a big crossing. Godzilla. This is Godzilla Road and can you see Godzilla? Nightfalls and Shinjuku dials Tokyo up to 11. Skyscrapers, smoky izakayas, and alleyways that look like they’ve been lifted straight from a dystopian art house sci-fi movie. Bladeunner vibes, anyone? We drift off Godzilla Street into Golden Guy’s tiny bars. We are now in the Golden Guy district which is a warren of microbars. Many seating no more than four or five people. But the neon signage down here is a lot more rustic and low key. Retro fonts, warm glows, the kind of lighting makes everyone look like a mysterious novelist. Then back to Kabako’s glowing red gate. A riot of neon and unsuttle theater auditioning for your attention. We have a crowd escape plan. We tumble into a pizza area and we refuel spectacularly. Well, how do we end up in a pizza place down there? The famous street. Tell you why. Cuz we’re really hungry. Place is packed and we saw a couple of pizzas being brought out and um you know, you just it turns your like pizza switch on, doesn’t it? And you’re just like, can I tub one of them? And they’re all making them in front of us. They look absolutely wonderful. Brilliant. Apparently, the Japanese are really good for pizzas, aren’t they? They are. Yeah, they’re real pizza. I like pizzas. Pizza nation. Who knew? Yeah. So, we’re just going to uh gather our thoughts, stuff our faces, and then uh figure out the final two things on our list to do. Seen Godzilla, seen King Kong, funnily enough, and we’ve been at all those dusty little smoky bars down the side there. Although, we didn’t stop for a drink because you have to pay to get in and we were hungry. Yeah. So, uh, join us for pizza. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Goodness, they’re enormous. Hungry. That’s why I call pizza. On the way back to the station, we detour through the Omoid Yoko lanterns, yakitori smoke, and nostalgia thick enough to bottle before calling it a night. We’ve seen what we came to see, and it was amazing. Well, good morning. Day two of Tokyo. And we’ve got breakfast with a view this morning, haven’t we? We’re not in the tower. We’re not on floor this morning. But this, I think, trumps a wow. Look at that. A view over the Japanese garden. Isn’t that just a stunner? I didn’t realize they had co at the top here as well. Look at that. Isn’t that gorgeous? Wow. Good morning, Japan. Just a simple man. Pancakes and maple syrup. Our last day in Tokyo. We kicked off the morning heading straight to the bustle of Asakusa, where the Tokyo sky tree looms 634 m into the clouds. But we weren’t going up there today. Asakusa itself is one of the city’s oldest playgrounds once packed with Kabuki theaters, geisha houses, and mischief. Now it’s the beating tourist heart of Tokyo with the Seno Xi Temple, the Kaminarimon, the Thundergate, and the bustling Nakamese shopping street stealing the show. The Kamarimon greets you with its giant red lantern. Impossible to miss and very touchable it seems. [Music] Senoji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, wears her 1300 years with grace despite earthquakes, fires, and a very rude world war. Inside, incense smoke billows and visitors enthusiastically bathed themselves in it. convinced it will cure their ailments. Outside, Nakami Street tempts you with everything from rice crackers to ninja caps that Helen will definitely say I would regret buying. No, I won’t. Helen’s rolling her eyes, but I had to get this hat. It says ninja, and I did check it on Google Translate. They did have ones with samurai on, but I thought ninja was much more me. There’s a lovely chopstick shop here. Must indulge my desire for a decent pair of chopsticks from which to fumble my way through meals, lose half of it in my lap, etc. Look at these. They sell chopsticks like they sell fine cutlery. Amazing. Absolutely adore it. Oh, wow. I like this shop. Look, I just I want to look like a Jedi master. Look at that. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi, wouldn’t I? or someone from the Jedi Council. With my dreams of being a Jedi shattered at Helen’s refusal to let me spend more, we opted for melon pan. A sweet, warm bread that tasted like, well, melan bready heaven. Look at that. Oh, nice. Why are you shaking your head? I hope you don’t want any of this. Is it good? [Music] I better grab it off of him before he eats it on. I get none. Then came a scenic cruise down the Sumida River. Gliding past bridges and futuristic towers, we saw the Asahi Beer Hall and its famous golden flame. Tokyo might call it something far rder. We also passed under the bridge famous for being destroyed by Godzilla in the original 1954 movie. I must say they did a great job of putting it back together again. By the time we reached Ginsa, land of luxury boutiques, flagship stores, and century old crafts, we were ready for our final mission, tracking down the neighborhood Godzilla statue. So, we are in Ginsza, which is the most famous shopping area in all of Japan. It’s four or five blocks of really expensive brands and some not so expensive brands. probably can see Tiffany there. Rolex back there. It’s lovely when it’s Sunday. The roads are closed. It’s all been pedestrianized and the sun is shining. So, this here is the oldest department store in Japan. I’m going to have a look. It’s right opposite the Seikko building which is uh well obviously owned by Seiko. This is Japan’s biggest stationery shop. It’s got floors and floors of stationery. First sighting of a bullet train since we’ve been to Japan. That very cool indeed. Yeah, it’s a long one as well. There it goes. Wow. We walked for a little while longer. My sci-fi geek radar switched to full power and until at last we found it. And while Helen was unapologetically unimpressed, I was approaching a state of nerdgasm. Toho Screen and Stage, which is the studios that produced the first Godzilla movie, which is why there’s a Godzilla here. This is the biggest Godzilla statue in Japan. Now, I like a good scream monster, but Godzilla is far more special than that. It is part of the cultural fabric of Japan because Godzilla is actually a metaphor for the atomic bombings of Japan. Gojira, which was the Japanese name for Godzilla, first emerged in 1954, just 9 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The original film wasn’t just about a giant lizard smashing Tokyo. It was a powerful allegory for nuclear destruction and humanity’s hubris. And apparently the final draft of the original movie is inside the statue. How cool is that? Back on the metro, we discovered that Tokyo’s public transport isn’t the chaotic sudoku puzzle we’d feared. Clean, efficient, cheap. So long as you avoid rush hour, it’s practically a sightseeing tour in itself. After three nights in Tokyo, it’s time to say to the new Otani and head west, hoping to see that elusive Japanese icon, Mount Fuji. Masa kept us entertained with Japanese phrases on route, while the scenery shifted to wide green fields and sleepy villages. Sadly, Fuji hid shily behind clouds, although we did glimpse a shoulder as if to say, “Well, I’m here. I’m just not going to let you see me.” Our first stop was the Kubota Ichiku Art Museum celebrating kimono master Ichiku Kubota who revived the lost art of Sujigahana silk dying. Right, we’re not allowed to film the kimonos apparently. So, um at any point I’ve got to switch off. Well, at the point I get told off, I guess. Uh but this is a fabulous fascinating sort of establishment. There’s a uh a sort of thing there and a another one there. And oh, that sort of thing as well. The building itself is a showpiece. Ancient cypress beams, Raichu limestone, and a gaudy inspired wing. Out back, a tranquil tea room overlooks waterfalls, bamboo groves, and if you’re lucky, monkeys on their morning commute. We weren’t lucky. Isn’t that glorious? Sounds like something out of the hobbit here. Look at the staircase going up. [Music] There’s a path here through the gardens. There’s the uh there’s the museum. It’s fascinating building. There’s lots of doors in here, isn’t there? Try another strange little door to nowhere. Look. Guess it’s a door to the spirit world. What we got in here? It’s like a little cave. Oh, it’s like a It’s like a shrine. Look. [Music] Another stop. We finished the museum. Now we’re at the Nemo shooting spot for Fuji. These are the gardens in the eye of Fuji, which at the moment is covered in dark clouds as you can see. But this is a lovely little spot. Very busy as well. It’s uh Let’s go have an ice cream, shall we? Cuz apparently the ice creams are really good. Lake Kawaguchi bought ice cream experiments. I went classic chocolate vanilla. Helen went full grape. Look at them. There’s Fuji. There’s the famous ice cream. The sun is coming out over here, but it’s still cloudy over there, which is where Fuji is. Fuji still refused to appear in person, but made a starring role in every gift shop souvenir. Almost epidemic proportions of merch. Look at the cute Fuji’s Fuji socks, Fuji other things, bags. Fuji little barrels with Fuji sand written on them. Fuji t-shirts, Fuji bowls, Fuji, whatever they are. Fuji chopsticks. Put your chopsticks on a Fuji. Fuji egg cup. Fuji neck pillow. Fuji hand cream. Fuji soap. Fuji wooden things. Fuji jam, giant cat or Fuji, Fuji number plates, Fuji magnets, Fuji cotton candy, Fuji cookies, Fuji gin, Fuji wine, Fuji whiskey, Fuji in the snow. M, I like that. So much Fuji. Ironically, our best Fuji view came in a supermarket car park where we had stopped for some traditional ramen. And here we are, Fuji. And there it is, right behind the supermarket [Laughter] noodles. Here we are. Lunchtime noodle. This is a kamag. Okay. That is a bucket. Okay. And we put in the soy soy, you know. This is kake, you know. Inside the soup. Okay. This akake amount. Okay. This is my Yeah. Okay. So, please chicken. What are you going to have? Sweet potato. Oh, sweet potato. Nice. Oh, lunch. What was it? That’s amazing, isn’t it? You get 12 1250. So, we got udon. Um, tempora chicken and then grab stick. Oh, that’s amazing. What is that? Yeah. Six. Two bowls of noodles. 1,110 yen. Uh, yes it is. It’s very nice. 6. Very nice. What do you think, Rich? Absolutely delicious. Look at me. Look how thick those meat were. Really good. You had a medium and I had a small. But yeah, really good. There’s plenty enough there for me. Plenty enough. Then came the day’s showstopper. A sightseeing cruise on a pirate ship across Lake Ashie. Look at those. It is the Victory from Portsmouth. The HMS Victory. Yes. A full-on gallion minus Johnny Depp, but with me doing an ill-advised pars impression. [Music] Docking at Hakonei, we checked into our lakeside hotel and we’re off and we’re staying here, which is literally a stones throw away or a pirates’s leg away. The geothermal landscape meant one thing, an onen hot spring. Well, here we are. It’s a lovely view. It doesn’t face Fuji, but it’s still got really nice view on the fourth floor. There’s a lovely sort of front lawn area there. The lake. Beautiful, isn’t it? Very nice. I like the ceiling as well cuz we’re on the fourth floor. It’s a really big vaulted ceiling. So, yeah. We’re only here one night, which is a little bit of a shame cuz it’s actually quite sweet, isn’t it? Well, well, well. Who’s here? Helen’s now off the onson. What is an onson, Helen? I don’t know. I’ll tell you when to come back. For the uninitiated, an onson is essentially Japan’s answer to a spa, except the dress code is less fluffy robe and more well, absolutely nothing. Personally, I wasn’t quite ready for a full cheekto-cheek bonding session with the tour group, but Helen wasted no time stripping down to just a smile. And just to clarify before your imagination gallops off, onsons are strictly separated by gender, so no upside down pineapples or risque mingling. Just lots of serenity while letting it all hang out. Literally, it’s a men only and a women only thing, isn’t it? They’re on separate floors, so you can’t even sneak next door. Anyway, off you go and I’ll see you a bit later. Right now, we got the coffee on the go. Tonight is an included meal. That’s normally the way with Riviera travels. Predominantly, I don’t know, you make your own way in the evenings, which is quite nice cuz you explore all the restaurants in the areas, but tonight is an included one. So that’ll be nice. Got happy hour that’s going on now. So we’re going to go down there and fill a booton. Welcome to the Hakonei Hotel on Lake Ashie. Well, we’re down in the bar and we got a free welcome drink because we got here before 6. Honey has been in the onson. Yes. How was that? Drinking very chill. He’s very chill. Very hot in there, wasn’t there? It was really hot in there. Still is. It’s nice to be down here cuz I’m slowly cooling down loud. Oh, there we go. Look. Oh, nice bit of Bombay as well. That’ll do. That will do me nicely. Afterwards, dinner brought the whole group together. An evening of good food, good company, and the kind of relaxed laughter mostly about that happens when you realize you’re halfway across the world living your best life. The next day began with the sort of rain that makes Noah start googling timber merchants. My attention naturally was swiftly diverted from the apocalypse outside to the hotel breakfast buffet’s crowning jewel. A miraculous little pancake spewing machine. Here it come. Simple pleasures for simple minds. Are you? Yes. Be born. Leaving our Hakonei Hotel along with our final thoroughly sob chance of glimpsing Mount Fuji, it was still wetter than a dolphin’s dentures when we reached Mishima Station. Here we waited for the legendary bullet train to Hiroshima, but not before I indulged in a spot of train spotting. The Shinkanzen, the proper name for a bullet train, laughs in the face of train spotters. By the time you see one approaching and raise your camera, it’s already gone. And then it was time for goodbyes. Masa, our endlessly entertaining Tokyo guide, was leaving us. A shame, as his blend of humor and encyclopedic knowledge, had enriched our visit to Tokyo brilliantly. So well organized as the Shink Hansen, they stop precisely where you need to get on by the platform, and they stop for precisely 2 minutes. And if you’re not on board, tough leaves without you. Oo, look at this. [Music] Here we are. Oh, I got that. That’s good. Look at that. I’m not I’m not going to go all the way. Look at that. That’s better. We pressed on, negotiating a change at Cobra and covering over 455 mi at a breezy 180 mph. To a Brit like me, raised on the lurching, judgering crawl of UK intercity trains, the smoothness and speed were nothing short of sorcery. You sit there calmly eating your bento box and all the while traveling at three times the velocity of anything at home. This is actual speed footage captured on board. Ridiculous. Oh, welcome everybody to Hiroshima. Got here on the train. We have covered it’s about 500 miles, closer to six, I think. And now we’re going straight into a walking tour. It’s wallto-wall discovery every day. After a quick pit stop at our hotel, the Ria Royal do send the luggage and frankly any willpower to do more unpacking than absolutely necessary, we set off on foot. A short stroll through the Peace Park brought us face to face with the haunting Jenbaku Dome. Also known as the atomic bomb dome, it’s the skeletal remains of the only building left standing after the world’s first atomic bombing in 1945. Preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it looms over the city as both a ruin and a reminder, a chilling monument to destruction and paradoxically a beacon of peace. From there, we wandered along the river to the Children’s Peace Monument. Just as moving, though in a different key, built to honor the thousands of children who died, it tells the story of Saddako Sasaki. She was 2 years old when the bomb fell near her home. And a decade later, she was diagnosed with leukemia. In hospital, she began folding origami cranes, hoping the legend of a thousand cranes might grant her wish to live. She folded hundreds, possibly more than a thousand, but tragically died aged just 12. Today, her cranes have become an enduring global symbol of hope and remembrance. Directly opposite is the Pond of Peace with its eternal flame burning since 1964. The promise is simple yet staggering. The flame will only be extinguished when all nuclear weapons have been abolished. Given the current state of world affairs, I wouldn’t hold our breath just yet. The Peace Memorial Museum is an unmissable stop. Although enjoyable isn’t the word, it’s one of the most harrowing museums we’ve ever walked through. equal parts gut punch and history lesson with displays that stay lodged in your mind long after you’ve left. [Music] On our way back to the hotel, we stumbled upon the exact hyperenter of the atomic bomb tucked away on a side street behind the park. It’s almost shockingly unceremonious. A small marker that quietly declares, “This is where the world changed forever. By now, we were hungry, and nothing restores the soul quite like curry. Conveniently, Hiroshima Gate Park opposite our hotel delivered. Home to a lively food hall, a surprisingly cheerful cat cafe. Yes. Look at it. There’s cats everywhere. Oh, look at that one, Helen. And one very restorative plate of Japanese curry. Oh, we’ve ended up here, which is the Schmidt kitchen. I guess you can have noodles and burgers and curries and curry here. Look, quite fancy a curry, actually. I fancy all of it. So, we got our curries. H’s got the uh chicken and cheese. Chicken and cheese. I’ve got a beef curry here. Maximum hotness, I think, we uh we went for. So, uh we’re going to put a little bit of that on there. Hope I don’t regret it. Look at that. Wa! Oh yeah. Hey, looks great, doesn’t it? Bonapetit. Cheers to curry night. Cheers. Cheers. Oh, that was really, really nice. And I think the total cost two curries, one ginger ale, and one Corona. How much was it? About £15. About £15. Very tired. If you can nip to the Lawson, maybe get a cheeky ice cream and then head back to the room. Proof if anyone needed that life in Hiroshima has defiantly, beautifully carried on. [Music] Another [Music] Very decent size room. Look at it. It’s enormous. We’ve got two nights here. We’re going to enjoy every second. Hiroshima was one of our favorite places on the cruise that we’ve just done, but we’ve never got any sort of view like this. Look at it. It’s a view over the castle. Wow. After a blissfully deep sleep in our favorite Japanese city, we woke refreshed and ready for a day on Miaima. An island so charming it has two names. Officially, it’s called Itsukushima, but everyone just says Miaima, literally Shrine Island, thanks to its celebrity landmark, the It’s a Kushima Shrine and its gigantic floating Tory gate. Our morning began with a short guided wander through the town before arriving at the shrine itself. A vision of Vmillian lacer and architectural bravado. Built in the sixth century and later pimped up in the 12th by the powerful Tyra clan, it’s dedicated to the three daughters of Suzanu, god of the sea, storms, and bad weather in general. The shrine sits on stilts above the STO inland sea, its long boardwalk stretching elegantly over the tide. At high tide, the great Tory appears to hover miraculously offshore. And at low tide, however, it’s less mystical floating portal and more walk right up and poke the thing. UNESCO unsurprisingly has it on speed dial. With the guided bit done, we set off to explore solo. Naturally, we headed straight to the beach to eyeball the Tory up close. The tide was out, so instead of gazing wisfully at it from afar, we found ourselves shuffling across wet sand like bargain bucket pilgrims. Back in town, we treated ourselves to Miaima’s signature snack. Mommy mangju. And these maple leafshaped cakes are stuffed with red bean paste. Although nowadays you can find fillings ranging from custard to chocolate. Oh, that sounds good. So, we’re going to try some of these. We’ve got red bean, chocolate apple or custard cream. Red bean. Okay. Thank you. Custard. You be Thank you. Thank you. Right. Flaky. What’s that like? The very bean pastry is lovely. Actually a bit more like a cronite, isn’t it? Oh, look at that. So good. In the shadow of the Tory gate and a person taking a picture. Being parched, we then pursued refreshment. Helen, ever the sensible one, went for the locally grown lemonade. I, in a moment of genius, ordered an extremely reasonably priced gin and tonic. Also, I thought my first sip was delightful. Uh, my second was rudely intercepted by one of Mia Jima’s celebrity residents, a deer. Let’s go down to the uh to the water’s edge. I hate to say it. I got mugged by a deer. And now the deer is having a gin tonic. Sorry, the people of Japan. Wasn’t my fault. It just grabbed it off me. Yes, the island’s deer roam about like entitled influences demanding snacks, selfies, and apparently jin. Once considered sacred messengers of the gods, they’re now more like cheeky pickpockets with hooves. Feeding them is strictly discouraged, but try telling them that. My G& disappeared faster than my dignity. With our island adventure wrapped up, we hopped on the ferry and trundled back to the hotel where Riviera had laid on a very respectable buffet lunch. Plates were filled, second helpings were had, and deer destroyed dignity was mostly restored. The afternoon was free and with sunshine that cheerfully lit up this beautiful city, we crossed the road to Hiroshima Castle, also known as Karp Castle, which sounds less regal and a bit more like a sushi restaurant in a theme park. It was built in the late 1500s by feudal lord Mori Terumoto. The original was obliterated in 1945, but the postwar rebuild of the 1950s now doubles as a museum. Inside you’ll find samurai armor, castle town history, and enough cultural nuggets to justify the climb to the top where sweeping views of the modern city reward your effort. Surrounded by a moat and cherry blossoms, it’s as photogenic as it is poignant. A place where resilience and heritage meet. Next, we wandered into the beating heart of Hiroshima, Honduri Street. This half km covered arcade is chalk full of cafes, boutiques, isakayas, and enough neon to power Las Vegas. Evening brought us to our culinary main event, Hiroshima’s pride and joy, okonomiyaki. Think pancake, but bigger, layered, stuffed, grilled, and taken very, very seriously. Here we are. Uh we’ve been recommended this place uh for uh uh well, cabbage pancakes. It’s like a It’s like a hawker, isn’t it? Yeah. Let’s go and have a look, shall we? Our hunt ended on the second floor of a slightly chaotic four-story building where a cheery chef in a tiny cubicle restaurant prepared our dinner on a sizzling hot plate while we perched elbow-to- elbow with other tourists. So, here we are. Let’s have a look at the menu. There is a lot going on on Hiroshima style okonomiyaki is layered. Typically includes a thin creplike batter at the bottom. A generous heap of shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, pork slices, a layer of yaki soba or udon noodles. Now you’ve gone for the yaki soba and I’ve gone for the udon, haven’t you? Topped with an egg and sweet savory okon nomi yaki sauce similar to worcora sauce but thicker and sweeter. Cooked on a hot plate, often in front of you at an aomiyaki restaurant. Served in a stack such as theatrical as it is tasty. There you go. That’s what you get in. Our only cutlery, a decorator’s pallet knife, which made us look less like diners and more like amateur plasterers. Luckily, the chef gave us a quick masterass and soon we were scooping up mouthfuls of this sizzling, saucy local specialtity. Delicious, messy, and utterly unforgettable. This is something you simply must do when you visit Hiroshima. Wow, Helen, I am stuffed. And my tongue is slightly burned. That was really good. Felt like I had a proper piece of Hiroshima there. Before leaving this remarkable city, we decided to walk back to the Peace Memorial Park and the Peace Clock. Every day at 8:15 a.m., the exact moment the atomic bomb detonated, the clock chimes as a reminder of the horrors of nuclear weapons. Sitting quietly among locals and tourists as the sound rippled across the city was profoundly moving. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hiroshima had completely stolen our heart, so leaving was tinged with sadness. We’ll definitely be back. But Kyoto was calling a 4-hour coach ride away. No Shinkansen today, sadly. Right. Got busy. Such a cool driver. That’s Mickey. as his uh co-driver and uh Miffy is the one handing out drinks and I don’t know what that is. Slightly disturbing. On route we made a detour to Okyama to visit the celebrated Coruan Gardens. There we are. We’re at the Okyama Coruan Garden. Dating back to 1700, Coruan is ranked among Japan’s top three gardens. a patchwork of tranquil lakes, bamboo groves, bridges, shrines, and tea houses. From within its grounds, you can even glimpse the black walled Okyama Castle rising in the distance. Though sadly, there wasn’t time to explore this. [Music] fascinatingly is also home to a crane aviary. One featuring the red crowned crane or tancho as it’s poetically known in Japan. With their snow white feathers, inky black necks and wings, and that unmistakable red patch on their head that makes them look like they’re wearing half a cherry tomato, these are amongst the rarest cranes on Earth. In the wild, they’re found only in eastern Hokkaido. And well, here obviously. Their elegant appearance and elusive nature have earned them a near mythical status in Japanese culture, representing longevity, fidelity, and good fortune, and showing up on everything from wedding kimonos to carefully folded origami. Finally, we indulged ourselves in the local specialtity, peach ice cream, before pressing on. So, we’re heading to the little shop that sells ice cream. Apparently, this region is really famous for its peaches. There it is. The famous peach ice cream that’s melting rapidly. So, licky licky licky. Oh, there she is. Arriving in Kyoto by late afternoon, we checked into the Kyoto Century Hotel. Well, we’ve arrived at Kyoto, which is the uh old capital. Look at this lovely room. It’s actually a really nice room. It’s smaller. We were warned that this is unusual. The sink is outside the bathroom. And uh the bathroom is here. Oh, it’s a shower. Oh, that’s quite nice. I like that. Oh, it’s lovely. I’m really pleased with that. Lovely little room. Welcome to Kyoto. Once our luggage arrived, curiosity got the better of us, and we wandered across the road to Kyoto station. But this was no mere train station. This was an architectural fever dream. 12 stories of escalators, a roof garden, a skywalk, and even LED lit staircases that look like they’ve been nicked straight from a sci-fi film. Oh, and hundreds of shops and restaurants. This is a railway station. [Music] Look how far down that is. That’s That’s just insane. We eventually settled at a cozy tonkatu restaurant. The crispy pork cutlets more than worth the hunt. Well, I’ve just been brought some things. This looks good, doesn’t it? Oh, what’s this? Oh, here we go. Right, here we go. Thank you. First, grind the sesame. Right, we better get grinding, Helen, if you know what I mean. Wow, that really releases that sesame smell. Oh, it’s gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Put the sauce in the mortar. Oh, look at that. Look at the cutters in this sauce. So, Helen’s got pork cutlet and shrimp. It’s big. I got the bad boy there. The biggest pork cutlery you can get. I’ll have some of that. So, here we are. The complete set. Look at that. Oh my. And there you have it. All for about 34 35. Gosh, that was amazing. Wow. Look at this. You might think I just go around saying wow all the time. Well, this is our lives. Our lives are just full of wow. They really are. I can’t express wow enough because that’s the only thing I can say in certain circumstances. Right, we’re at the bottom of the first lot of escalators and we just want to have a look at the LEDs here. Everyone’s filming the LEDs, so I thought I’d turn around and have a look. And here they are. Oh my, look at that. It is beautiful and mesmerizing. It’s all I can say. I’m going to have to snap myself out of this trance because we’re going to go back up again and do the skywalk which is that there. Should we do that next? Let’s go. There’s also a ball here that Helen was talking to. Oh, he’s following me around. Oh, following me around. How? Oh, found you now. Best friend. I know. This is funny. Oh, he loves you. Yeah, I think he does. Uh oh, it’s Japanese. Yeah. Wow. Look at the sky tower as well. Wow. It’s another Wow moment. So, we’re heading to the sky way. This is pretty high up over the side. Wow. Here’s a little viewing platform. Oh, look at that. Wow. Wow. That’s a lovely view. And so ended the first week of our Riviera Travel, Grand Japan tour, and the beginning of our four night stay in Kyoto. We hope you stick around for part two because it promises even more. a traditional tea ceremony, riding the famous garden train, geisha hunting, bowing politely to deer, feasting on the most pampered cows on earth in Cobra, and venturing into the Japanese Alps to experience the Kobi Alpine route. And of course, so much more. It’s going to be amazing. See you there.

🌏 Join us as we explore Japan by land in an unforgettable travel guide featuring Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Hakone, Kanazawa, and the Japanese Alps, combined with a luxury Grand Japan voyage on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth (coming soon). From bullet trains and onsens to tea ceremonies, castles, shrines, sake tasting, and samurai history, this is Japan like you’ve never seen it before.

We travelled with Riviera Travel on their Grand Japan Land Tour, experiencing the best of Tokyo’s neon streets, Kyoto’s temples, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Nara’s bowing deer, the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and much more.

Expect day-by-day vlogs, travel guides, destination highlights, and plenty of humour along the way. Whether you’re planning your own Japan trip, cruise holiday, or cultural tour, or simply love luxury travel content, you’ll find inspiration here.

✨ Featured highlights:
• Tokyo Skytree, Shibuya Crossing & Shinjuku nightlife
• Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion, Gion geisha district & Fushimi Inari Shrine
• Hiroshima & Miyajima’s floating torii gate
• Hakone hot springs & Mt. Fuji views
• Kanazawa gardens, Toyama rice paper & the Alpine Route

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:20 Tokyo
13:37 Tokyo 2
19:48 Hakone
29:01 Shinkansen to Hiroshima
35:35 Hiroshima
43:16 Kyoto

VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE:
We were invited on this tour as guests of Riviera Travel UK (RT). We received no fees or remuneration for producing media during and after this voyage from RT. Any resulting videos have been produced without influence or expectation from RT and we had complete editorial and artistic freedom. RT had no prior preview of this content and are watching for the first time along with you. All our videos contain our personal and unbiased opinion. Please ask us if you want to know more or visit www.asa.org.uk for more information on blogger/vlogger disclosure requirements. Thank you and we hope you enjoy the content as much as we did creating it. Rich and Helen x

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
Join us on FaceBook: search for ‘Visit With Us’ but also our cruise group ‘Visit With Us Cruise Chat’
Follow us on Instagram & Threads: visitwith.us
Read our beautifully clean, picture rich blogs: www.visitwithus.co.uk
Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @visitwithus
Follow us on Tiktok: @visitwithus
Follow us on Bluesky: @visitwithus.bsky.social