Finding the Magic of Japan: Carol’s OWR Travel Story

A year after visiting Croatia with Other Way Round Travel, Carol decided to go even further afield and join our Japan adventure.

What followed was a journey through ancient temples, neon-lit cities, mountain villages, and unforgettable landscapes that made Japan a place she’ll always hold close to her heart.

Japan was my second trip with OWR.  After a fabulous holiday in Croatia with OWR the year before, which had given me the confidence to go on to book something further afield with OWR. The trip to Japan had caught my eye, I was fascinated to experience the cultural and spiritual side of Japan, which I felt the activities in the itinerary offered a good balance of alongside experiencing the modern side of Japan. I was also excited to see the stunning scenery in the more rural parts, including the chance to see Mount Fuji.

My second trip with OWR was just as well organised and planned as my previous trip. From before the trip and during, communication was excellent which provided a lot of reassurance and meant you could focus on enjoying the trip. We were able to interact with each other via the WhatsApp group before our arrival, and as a group we had already started planning extra activities for when we arrived!

“SPEAKING WITH FELLOW TRAVELLERS ON THE WHATSAPP GROUP ALSO MADE ME EVEN MORE EAGER TO ARRIVE”

This was my first time travelling long haul on my own, therefore I was slightly nervous but also very excited! Speaking with fellow travellers on the WhatsApp group also made me even more eager to arrive. After a smooth flight and smooth transfers from the airport, I arrived at the first hotel in Tokyo with an extra day booked on before arrival to allow some time for jet lag recovery.

I was instantly impressed by how welcoming the hotel staff were and the quality of the hotel. Because of the jet lag, I did not sleep well the first couple of nights, but that did not stop me from starting activities in the day as I was so excited! A few of us who had arrived early for the trip had already booked tickets to go to the Borderless Team Lab, a digital art gallery. Such a mesmerizing and other worldly experience with rooms that were constantly changing artforms, you could easily lose yourself wandering in here! We also enjoyed the prettiest tea and matcha ice cream in a darkened cafe, where the tea lit up on the table before you with colourful flowers blossoming and butterflies which appear to be moving in your cup of tea!

“BEING GUIDED WITH TRAIN ROUTES AND TRANSFERS BY A TOUR GUIDE WHO KNOWS JAPAN INSIDE OUT MEANT YOU COULD RELAX AND FOCUS ON ENJOYING THE TRIPS OUT”

Our tour guide for the trip was Yuki who had already introduced himself to us via the WhatsApp group before our arrival. We met with him on the first night in Tokyo, and we all went for our first Japanese meal together – Sushi! This was the first time I had tried Wasabi, and it is not for the faint hearted, the heat took my breath away!! I did however take more of a liking to Sake once I got used to the taste of the Japanese alcoholic beverage!

The first part of our trip was spent in Tokyo, such a crazy busy city with so much going on! Our tour guide Yuki guided us through all the transport systems, and we were provided with Suica cards to travel together to the planned excursions in the cities. Being guided with train routes and transfers by a tour guide who knows Japan inside out meant you could relax and focus on enjoying the trips out. We explored traditional markets and shrines in the city, we also got to see panoramic views of the city from the Tokyo Skytree – a dizzying 634 metres high up complete with an optional glass floor section inside!!

One of my favourite parts when visiting Tokyo was when we went to Meiju Jingu Shrine in Shibuya. This place made you forget you was in the middle of a city! It felt so calming to be walking amongst the trees after the rush of the subways and the busy markets, the Shrine was beautiful and much larger than I had imagined.

Another favourite part of Tokyo for me had to be the Shinjuku 3-D calico cat on the billboard outside Shinjuku station! As a cat person, I was very excited to see a cat in charge of the place! Not to mention Godzilla also in the background looking as though he was ready to take over Tokyo!  We were given free time to explore the area before meeting up again to return to our hotel.

A fellow traveller and I also wandered to a much quieter and more traditional area – The Golden Gai – a completely different vibe only about 10 minutes from all the neon colours of Shinjuku. It was comprised of tiny traditional bars and restaurants, many of which only appeared to sit up to 5 people for a cosier feel. Here we enjoyed some Japanese wine before heading back to our hotel for the night. By this night, I was straight to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow!

After a few days in Tokyo, we then started to explore the more rural side of Japan by a very comfortable private bus. Being a country girl at heart, it felt so refreshing to go into the countryside, which in Japan is so vast with endless mountains and forests! We made our way to Lake Kawaguchiko with the hope of seeing Mount Fuji. Our guide Yuki told us that Mount Fuji is known to be shy and seeing her can be 50/50 depending on the weather conditions. We were so lucky we got to see her! Still snow topped, she was beautiful in the sunshine and seeing her was an absolute highlight for me from the trip which I will never forget.

For sunset, we were taken to a luxury rooftop bar where we could sit and enjoys fabulous views of Mount Fuji and the lake, this is where I also discovered Plum wine! A very sweet Japanese beverage which I fully recommend, this truly felt like the life of luxury sipping plum wine with the most beautiful view of the lake and Mount Fuji!

“A HIGHLIGHT FOR ME WAS WHEN WE CAME ACROSS A TRADITIONAL WOODEN TEA HOUSE ALONG THE ROUTE THAT WAS OPEN TO HIKERS TO STOP FOR A BREAK“

The following day, we travelled to the historic town of Tsumago. Before starting our hike along the Nakasendo trail, we had the opportunity to spend some time wandering around the preserved traditional town with stunning views of the rolling hills. This place felt like being in an authentic film set for the Last Samurai, complete with samurai exhibits to see, before heading on our samurai trek! Such a beautiful (albeit hilly!) route with cobblestone paths, tall trees including some bamboo trees and waterfalls along the way.

A highlight for me was when we came across a traditional wooden tea house along the route that was open to hikers to stop for a break. They were so welcoming and provided free green tea to hikers! Such a wonderful place to pause in the middle of the mountains, before we made our way to Magome. We were met with vast mountainous views, and yet another beautiful traditional town where I enjoyed some well-earned matcha ice cream! 

After a couple of refreshing days in the open and vast Japanese countryside, we were heading back for more city vibes, this time to the more traditional city of Kyoto. Here we made a speedy yet smooth arrival by bullet train! I enjoyed the more historic feel to the city of Kyoto. There were so many temples and shrines to be found amongst the market and shopping areas, I found it wonderful to escape into these to have a few moments of calm and silence before stepping back into the hustle of shopping life! In the afternoon whilst we had free time, a few of us found a small café where I indulged in some fluffy Japanese souffle pancakes! 

“WHILST IN KYOTO, WE ALSO GOT TO EXPERIENCE A TRADITIONAAL TEA CEREMONY WITH A MAIKO (GEISHA APPRENTICE)“

Whilst in Kyoto, we also got to experience a traditional tea ceremony with a Maiko (geisha apprentice). This made the simple act of preparing tea a very mesmerizing experience, which felt so relaxed and artful. The Maiko was so elegant, I personally don’t think I would ever manage as a geisha as I am far too clumsy and would most likely spill tea all over myself!  We also had a free day whilst in Kyoto, some people did their own activities independently, others ventured out together.

Having the WhatsApp group was a great way to check in with each other and see if anyone wants to join in any activities. A few of us got up early to see the Bamboo forest (as recommended by Yuki to try to avoid the crowds!) and following this we also made our way to the famous Red Gates at the Fushima Inari Shrine. We learnt that it is believed the colour red wards off evil, hence the colour is found at numerous shrines in Japan.

“OUR TOUR GUIDE YUKI WAS REALLY HELPFUL ON OUR FREE DAY, HE WAS QUICK TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS WE HAD ABOUT TRANSPORT WHILST WE WERE OUT AND SENT US DETAILS OF AN EXACT BUS STOP WHERE WE WERE AND WHICH BUS-LINE WE NEEDED TO CATCH”

Our tour guide Yuki was really helpful on our free day, he was quick to respond to questions we had about transport whilst we were out and sent us details of an exact bus stop where we were and which bus-line we needed to catch!

In the evening, myself and another traveller made our way to a local restaurant close to the hotel – The Soya – where you could cook your own meat and vegetables on a grill provided on your table! It took me by surprise at first cooking my own food with a fiery grill, but it was so much fun, and it was delicious dipping the cooked meat and veg in soy sauce provided!

I also enjoyed some hearty ramen, a warming noodle broth which I enjoyed many times throughout my trip!

From Kyoto, we took a day trip to Hiroshima where we learnt about the horrific history at the peace park and the museum dedicated to the victims. I did not have the words for the horror we learnt about from this World War 2 event. It was a very moving experience which made me feel even more grateful for the freedom and privileges I can enjoy in life.

Despite the horrific history, it is a beautiful place with dedicated memorials and surrounded by a vibrant city that has carried on living. After the heaviness of Hiroshima, we enjoyed a more light-hearted afternoon with a boat trip to the beautiful island of Miyajima. Home to the red floating gate (not actually floating, but when the tide is out it does appear to be afloat!), and home to the most adorable but very cheeky wild deer! Unlike in the UK, these deer are not shy, and they mean business when it comes to stealing food!

As an animal lover, I was thrilled to be surrounded by wild deer, and we enjoyed some very humorous moments whilst trying to eat! We also had the option as an additional activity to go up the mountain in the cable cars, it was so high up there were two sets of cable cars to take us up! 

“THE VIEWS HERE OF HIROSHIMA BAY AND THE JAPANESE ISLANDS WERE MAGNIFICENT”

The views here of Hiroshima Bay and the Japanese islands were magnificent, I also saw a few birds of prey swooping around the area. I could have happily stayed there all day to enjoy the vast views. 

On the Sunday, we took our very comfortable private bus into the mountains to the village of Koyasan, which would be our home for the night in a very serene Buddhist Temple. As a spiritual person, I was really looking forward to experiencing this part of the trip. On arrival in Koyasan, we started with a more leisurely walk through the Okunoin graveyard, Japan’s largest graveyard on Mount Koya. After a week of more energetic walking around, it felt nice to walk at a steadier pace in such serene surroundings. We also came across a female statue covered in make-up, and our guide informed us that it is believed if you put some make-up on this statue, you will be blessed with beauty, us women in the group were lining up for this! The temples were beautiful where prayers and chants could be heard, along with candles and incense burning.  

In the afternoon, we were introduced to our rooms in the Buddhist Temple. These were simple but very elegant and traditional with the sliding doors and beautiful views of the temple garden. We slept in futon beds on the floor, some of us had been anticipating not having a good night sleep, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the futon beds to be very comfy and cosy! 

As we had free time in the afternoon, our guide Yuki also offered to teach us how to make paper crane birds. This was after we had been inspired by the paper crane birds at the memorial in Hiroshima, these paper crane birds were believed to bring good fortune and grant a person’s wishes. A few of us took part in this, although I needed help from Yuki with fixing my paper crane, as mine was looking more like a dinosaur! I found it so relaxing to spend the rest of the afternoon sat reading a book whilst enjoying the tranquil garden scenery in the quiet surroundings.

“THE BUDDHIST MONK SPOKE IN BOTH JAPANESE AND ENGLISH TO EXPLAIN WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING AND TO WISH US ALL BLESSINGS”

Some of the other travellers opted to explore more of the local village in the evening to see it lit up at night, and there were also local convenience stores close by for those who struggled more with the traditional vegan Japanese meal!

We had a mixture of vegetables, tofu, ramen and rice, plus there was something that I mistook as being a sweet dessert which turned out to be filled with wasabi!! In the morning, we had the option to get up early to attend the morning prayer session. I am not normally a morning person, but given how far I had travelled, I knew I wanted to make the effort to experience this and had already had so many early mornings anyway! It was a beautiful ceremony and wonderful way to start bringing what had been an amazing week to a close as we entered our last day in Japan.

The Buddhist Monk spoke in both Japanese and English to explain what would be happening and to wish us all blessings. We all had the opportunity to go up to kneel at the alter for individual prayers and blessings to be spoken over us. The experience felt very calming and relaxed, and it was a lovely gentle insight into the spiritual side of Japanese culture.

“FOR ME THE WHOLE TRIP WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE, ONE I WILL NEVER FORGET, JAPAN WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART WITH MEMORIES THAT MAKE ME SMILE”

Our final day seemed to come around so quickly! We had all been made aware the night before of our pickup times from our final hotel to the airport, so we could relax on our last day. Our final city was Osaka, another colourful and vibrant city (especially at night!). We spent the first part of our day exploring Osaka Castle, which held great views of the city from the top of the building where you could also see the mountains in the distance. I was also impressed by the amount of greenery there appeared to be in the surrounding city amongst all the tall buildings. We had our final meal that night – savoury Japanese pancakes!!

And of course, I had to indulge in some Plum wine followed by some Sake for my last night in Japan. The neon lights in the Dontonbori District looked even more vibrant and mesmerizing after my Sake!

For me the whole trip was an amazing experience, one I will never forget, Japan will always have a place in my heart with memories that make me smile! From the breathtaking scenery, the quirky cities, the charm of the smiling locals who were so polite and would bow out of respect, and of course the delicious food (except for me the mind-blowing wasabi!!). Shared with a lovely group of people from across the world who were also travelling solo, we enjoyed some wonderful moments and many humorous moments along the way!

I would fully recommend Japan and would love to go back myself again in the future! Travelling with Other Way Round Travel also provided so much reassurance with everything being planned, having a friendly and helpful guide who knew his way around Japan (I would have been so nervous navigating all those train systems on my own!).

The locals also really appreciated when you spoke a few words in Japanese – a simple hello (Konnichiwa) and thank you (arigato, or arigato gozaimasu if you really want to impress!) went a long way when interacting with the locals. With a flight bag full of Pokemon gifts (including a Pikachu for myself!), I was fortunate enough to enjoy one last view of Mount Fuji from the aeroplane window on my way home, a perfect conclusion to an epic holiday!