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Japan Honeymoon

September - October 2017
A 48-day adventure by Kulia's adventures Read more
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  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    Day 33

    Kamikochi

    October 4, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Today it was all about hiking in the Kamikochi river valley. The day started grey but luckily we soon got treated with sun and clear blue skies. Little colourful ponds, forest, Japanese hikers with an average age of over 60 suited up like a pro, the curved and clear river, chubby monkeys... Wowie we got spoiled with this amazing offer!! Then it was time to ease up and walk around in Matsumoto town.Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    1
    Day 34

    Nakasendo route

    October 5, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Also called the Central Mountain route, between Kyoto and Tokyo during the Edo period (1603-1868). This route of 530 km passed by 69 post towns, for travellers to chill out. Today we start at post town Magome and hike part of the historic route up to Tsumago in the Kiso valley. Time seemed to have stopped in these beautiful towns and the route led us through a thickly forested path passing by rivers, small waterfalls, bamboo trees and old watermills. After a refreshing chestnut soft ice cream (they loooove soft ice cream) and a rice lolly pop, we are saying goodbye to the Japanese Alps en route to Nara.Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    Day 35

    Nara

    October 6, 2017 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Here we are... in Nara! A dream come true for me!... except, it is not as I had expected. We have to survive constant rain, wind, crowds of tourists and school kids day trips, biting deers and their poo all day!! But strong as ever the Tikus team made it trough the paths of the Nara park, discovering temple after shrine, after pond, until impressive Todai-ji which hosts the Big Buddhaaa!!!Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    Day 36

    Koya-san: Part I

    October 7, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Located in a 800 meter high valley and surrounded by 8 mountain peaks, Mount Koya is the center of Shingon Buddhism. Kobo Daishi introduced this religion in 805 and started constructing the Dai Garan, a temple complex with shrines and pagodas. His mausoleum including a Buddhist cemetery with more than 200.000 tombstones surrounded by hundreds of years old tall cedar trees attracts tourists and pilrgrims. There is also Kongobu-ji, the headquarters for Shingon Buddhism for more than 4000 temples in Japan and overseas. All very impressive!! Almost half of the 120 temples provide lodgings, Shukubo....Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    1
    Day 37

    Koya-san: Part II

    October 8, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Shubuko... We are staying in temple Daien-in that also provides accommodation. According to Buddhism no killing is allowed, so the menu is vegetarian, Shojin-ryori. But holy moly... this is veggie taken to a new level... Goma-dofu, tofu made out of sesame, and Koya-dofu, freeze-dried tofu back from the old days (I like to call it Spongebob-tofu ;-) a tray with so many different dishes, tastes and experiences, a true veggie feast!! Early bedtime because at 5.50 am sharp, the ceremony will start and is led by the MM, Managing Monk of the temple. Interesting to witness but unfortunately only in Japanese. After breakfast, it is time to hike in this beautiful mountain area and we were treated with sunny weather!! As we knew we would like it so much, we booked 2 nights and the second dinner surprised us another time, also in a fantastic way!Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    Day 38

    Kyoto

    October 9, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We are in Kyoto for 3 days and we already know we won’t be able to see a tenth of what there is to see. So we made a plan to get to discover what will enchant us the most. First stop: Nishiki market! We had a feast tasting different seafood delicacies.
    What we did not plan on is that the first day is like a summer day (close to 30 degrees, full sun) and is a public holiday, i.e. the national celebration of health and sports which translates into the national sport of visiting Kyoto’s must see dressed as a geisha. We think strategically and head to Fushimi Inari-Taisha because it’s less central. Yes that is the site with the vermillon temples and alleys of toris. Except today it is packed with waves of fake geisha’s and (inter)national tourists. We find some peacefulness at Tofuku-ji before meeting again all the fellow tourists at Kiyomezu-Dera, the iconic site, under renovation for some part. That’s not exactly what we had foreseen... but the Tiki team is in for a blast and notices that cycling around Kyoto seems easy.

    So, here we are on our second day, on our bikes heading West to visit Arashiyama bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji. The sites are still quite busy but the road is all ours youpiii! We smoothly make our way to the zen garden of Ryoan-ji and end the visit program of the day at Kinkaku-ji, the famous golden temple, a real beauty!!

    We start our last day early in the Eastern part of town, first at quiet Nanzen-ji, then cycling along the canal of the Philosopher’s path that leads us to Ginkaku-ji and its beautiful garden. We take it easy in the afternoon, cycling around Ponto Cho and getting ready for THE dinner of the trip!!... To be continued...    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    Day 40

    Kyoto - Kaiseki

    October 11, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Haute cuisine in Kyoto is named Kaiseki. Of course the Tiki team wants to experience Kaiseki but we did not plan this ahead. So we gave Ito, our hotel manager, 3 options for one of the 2 days that we still had in Kyoto, lunch or dinner whatever.... Around lunch time we made sure we were in the 7eleven to check our email and ooo yeah, Kaiseki dinner the next day at our preferred option!!

    A small place managed by 2 chefs, 1 waitress and 1 assistant with 1 private room for 4 persons, taken by 2 old businessmen with 2 young beautiful Japanese ladies and 10 bar seats right in front of all the action. The 8 courses, including sake, were all so tasty and different and that in combination with seeing the chefs extremely smoothly (without any stress) in action... Fantastic experience!! Even when one of us dropped the tofu ball (that was as hot as a bitterball) and splashed the bar (and not to mention clothing parts) with some sauce....    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    Day 41

    Onomichi

    October 12, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We slowly make our way to Onomichi, one of the Japanese biking paradise that Kun wanted to discover. So, as chief hotel booker, I have made a reservation in the Cycle Hotel, a former warehouse transformed in a beautiful modern place that is all about bikes, and will be one of the treats of that trip.
    We rent bikes and off we go, direction Ikuchi-jima, one of the islands part of the archipelago linked by impressive suspension bridges. 35km and a couple of hours later, we jump on a ferry back to Onomichi where we get to enjoy some fresh seafood.

    We also passed by the Cat’s Alley. Oo yeah, Japan loves cats, especially kawaii cats. The most famous is the Beckoning Cat that everybody knows from Chinese/Japanese restaurants. Painter Shunji painted 108 round stones as cats and placed them everywhere in this alley and now the shops here are all about cats.    Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    11
    Day 42

    Ikuchi-jima

    October 13, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The Shimanami Kaido cycling route. A 76 km long route that connects Onomichi with Imabari (on Shikoku island) via 6 smaller islands and bridges located in the Seto Inland Sea. Yesterday we already biked a part of the route as rain was predicted for today. But as we had to return because of our booking in the amazing Hotel Cycle, we took the early morning ferry to pick up where we left on. And oooo yeah 90% of the day was rain, rain, rain.... but luckily not hard, it was not windy, the temperature was pleasant, we had some nice views.... in the end really happy we did it and made it although our bums got really sore....Read more

  • TravelerJapan Honeymoon
    1
    Day 43

    Hiroshima

    October 14, 2017 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Our choice to go to Hiroshima was more out of convenience: on our way South, a big city so opportunity for some shopping maybe... We discovered a pleasant modern city with at its heart the peace memorial park, very sober yet so telling.

    The chief hotel booker realized though that there had been a mistake: the guesthouse booked is not in Hiroshima city itself but on Miyajima island... A blessing in disguise! We took the ferry in the evening and were blessed to discover the island at night, almost to ourselves with a magnificent view on Itsukushima-jinja, most commonly known as the floating torii. When you think that the construction dates back to the late 6th century and that for centuries commoners were not allowed to set foot on the island but had to approach by boat through the torii, I feel even more grateful for having seen it in these circumstances.
    We stayed in a fantastic guesthouse, with a tatami style room overlooking the Japanese style garden and the bay further away. As I said, a blessing in disguise!    Read more

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