Rising Sun Tour April 2025

Following in the footsteps of their forebears in 1992!, Escort Master Carol-sama and Ando-san ventured to Nippon after the Japanese Kanji characters for "Japan". We toured the largest, central and most populous island of Honshu, specifically
- Osaka’s renowned vibrant street food scene,
- Hiroshima’s UNESCO heritage listed Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome,
- Miyajima’s 'floating' giant Torri Gate and deers,
- Bennese Naoshima Art Island,
- the Nakahechi Trail, the sacred Imperial Route of the Kumano Kudo - 68 kms,
- Tokyo (formerly Edo) capital of Japan with a metropolitan population of c. 37 million compared to Australia's total of c. 27 million (2025)
- Hakone, the mountain retreat with its hot springs, traditional ryokan inns and art museums, and
- Kyoto, considered the cultural capital of Japan, embodying the concept of Ukiyo or 'the floating world'.

'Let's rocket!' said Astro Boy, for Zen 'satori' (enlightenment). 'Kanpai' (Cheers!)

The truth is, like many Australians my age, I grew up in the shadow of the Japan of my parent’s generation. Japan is now the world’s fourth biggest economy, Australia’s most important security partner in Asia and has a female Prime Minister.Les mer