kamicochi, nagano prefecture

Pristine plus!

Kamikochi is a remote valley in the Hida Mountain Range. Although it was logged right up until the 19th century it is now designated a Japanese Cultural Asset and has become a centre for recreational hiking. Private cars are not allowed to enter the area, with access granted only to buses. The journey up there from Matsumoto during November is spellbinding as the bus makes its way through mile upon mile of winding valleys forested in all the shades of autumn. There are many trails to explore, much more than one day’s worth; so, camping is popular for those wishing to take in all the hiking options. Expect crowds of course, particularly around the Kappa Bridge viewpoint, but it's not too bad once away from the rest areas or eateries. On the trails it was quite easy to frame pictures without fellow walkers cluttering things up.

karuizawa, nagano prefecture

Rustling along

Karuizawa is an hour or so by the Shinkansen train from Tokyo. If you are wealthy it is the sort of place that you buy your pied-a-terre, or some huge mansion in sprawling grounds. It is also near to ski country, added to which there is the attraction of the autumn leaves. Wandering along (or rustling along) the back roads in November leading to the main event, the picturesque lakes, the roads are just as photo-worthy. Everyone's front drive looks like it is straight off a film set.

hirosaki castle, aomori prefecture

Sakura wonderland

Hirosaki Castle is an hour or so south of Aomori by train and famed for its Sakura, which appear at the back end of April. To get there you will have to share a busy train carriage and packed bus with other folks who have come just for this. And the this is truly spectacular as you shuffle round the park to gawp at the 360 degree blossom spectacular. For once the hyperbole is justified. After you have paid homage to Hanami with your odd-food-thing on a stick, it is time to face the queues on your way back; a small price to pay for the experience. As for the castle history, it was built between 1603-1611 but destroyed by fire in 1627 and had to wait for the re-build until 1810. Now Hirosaki is a sizeable town in Aomori Prefecture.

the nakasendo trail, gifu

The Samurai Trail

Imagine walking all the way from Kyoto to Tokyo via all sixty-nine post towns, as folks would have done during the Edo Period! There would have been some stories to tell, getting into scrapes and this and that at overnight stops in inns. Not to mention some of the characters you might have met on the trail. My modest effort between Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku in Gifu Prefecture was challenging enough, with new trainers adding a shade of nail-polish to my big toes, possibly called, 'Midnight in Edo'. Great stuff even so - up and down in the shadow of Samurai, (not quite) ready for anything!

takayama inari shrine, aomori

Torii Torii Torii

The 1,000 Torii gates which weave their way up the carefully landscaped hillside offer divine blessings to the rather specialised Gods of Good Harvest, Maritime Safety and Prosperous Business. Worth a visit then! But how to get to this remote shrine from Aomori is quite the challenge. It will encompass 1h 15m on a bus to Goshogawara, another bus for 45m to Jinjairigushi and then a taxi ride. Oh, and several hours gaps between buses if you get your timings wrong. Still, like a smear of lipstick on this sodden day, the shrine can’t fail to impress. Standing there your harvest, maritime and business woes simply disappear. And, hopefully taking your bus woes with them too.

ainokura, gokayama

Gassho-zukuri style

For pretty villages the world over, once World Heritage status has been conferred upon them the floodgates are open. Folks will head over to bask in the ambience from dawn to dusk. Busloads probably! For Ainokura in the Gokayama region of Toyama Prefecture, this must be some burden as the village comprises just twenty houses. There is a village hall, public toilet, a cemetery, a shrine, a post office and plenty of evidence that this is just a normal community - apart from the signs that say, ‘Visitors are allowed only between 08.00-17.00.’ A bit of peace and quiet is not a lot to ask for!

matsumoto Castle, Nagano

Picture perfect

On this particular day (November 2023), the atmosphere near to the castle was serene, as it was pretty much on the streets of the town in general. Was it due to the after-effects of covid, with so many businesses closing down, or is Matsumoto normally a quiet country town? I’m intrigued! Every visitor conversation echoed across the still moat, most of it in the Thai language, as it happens.

Risshaku-ji Temple, yamagata

Just the thousand steps...

The the temple is also known as Yamadera Temple, meaning ‘Mountain Temple’. Indeed, the thousand step climb, taking thirty-plus steady minutes, starts just one hundred metres away from the Yamadera JR Station. Founded in 860, the temple was an outpost of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. The way up is steep as you engage with the seemingly endless stone steps, but there are ‘gates’ or mini-shrines at different points where you can offer a prayer or simply take a breather. Once up at the top you can check out various old beechwood temple buildings as well as the observation deck which has views right across the valley.

Sanmachi suji, takayama, Gifu

Stepping back in time

The Sanmachi Suji District in Takayama is comprised of three adjoining streets featuring old wooden merchant and artisan houses. The tightly packed buildings, some of which are over 400 years old, conjure up an image of Edo times gone by. The crowds ambling up and down can browse the many gift shops, restaurants and sake breweries. Looking inside the cramped doorways one imagines that there are strict fire regulations, with cooking by gas a complete no-no.

Street Festival, Shibuya

The beat goes on...

There is an annual street music festival in Shibuya, Tokyo, so you can guarantee a bit of heavy drum noise to go with the buzz of the weekend crowd. This particular jazz group were all proper players, and just one drum in sight. There also didn’t seem to be anyone hiding in the chorus, they all seemed capable of standing up and belting out a solo at any time. Add in the chic outfits and you’ve got jazz band smarts from top to bottom. There is a strong instrumental music programme in Japanese high schools, so it is not uncommon for people to say, ‘Oh, I used to play the trumpet a bit at school,’ or whatever, before zipping through some tricky scales at the local fete. 'Mixolydian, you say? Righto!'

Kakunodate, Akita prefecture

Samurai stronghold

Kakunodate is famous for being the former Samurai stronghold in Akita Prefecture, with a whole street of Samurai residences preserved and open to the public. The other claim to fame is the weeping cherry trees which line the streets and are particularly attractive along the riverbank. Alas the trees were not yet in full-weep mode being half-way between bud and blossom on this visit in late April. Heavy rain for the day also dampened spirits rather, but being a Sunday there was a handsome crowd sploshing about. Brave souls were even paying 13,000 yen for an hour in a damp rickshaw - the rickshaw pullers wisely had waterproofing on their kasa or triangular straw hats. (Note: the blossoms bloomed three days later – boo!)

Furano, Hokkaido

Flowers in the rain

What should have been a colourful jaunt around a horticulture farm wasn't quite that - it was tipping it down! Sitting on the tractor trailer with plastic screens pulled down as sheets of rain pelted in sideways, there wasn't much of an urge to get off and explore. Spotting the sunflowers, I asked the driver to wait a minute while I ran up the muddy path to get the angle. The shot was taken balancing an umbrella with the camera shrouded by my coat. There weren't many out on the tractors, most people were huddled in the souvenir shop or slurping down ramen to ward off the cold.

morioka castle, hanami

Sakura delight

Morioka Castle in Iwate Prefecture dates from the early 1600s when it was the seat of power of the Nanbu Clan who ruled over much of Tohoku. The grounds and surrounding Iwate Park were first opened to the public in 1906 and have since become a popular location for enjoying the spring cherry blossoms. ‘Hanami’ is the process of admiring the Sakura full bloom when families gather to picnic under the trees. At the top of the old castle ramparts in late April you can be sure to get the full effect – make sure you take a mat to sit on (and a bottle of wine by the look of it).

Ginzan onsen, yamagata

Welcome to a film-set

Ginzan Onsen is a picturesque town astride the Ginzan River up in the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture. It owes its origins to silver mining centuries ago which also led to the discovery of the hot-water springs. Once the silver had been exhausted, the town made a name for itself as an onsen resort; the current guest houses and onsen date from the 1920s. Now you will be paying top-dollar to stay overnight and take in the gas lantern-lit film setting experience. Without your own car it will likely be a two-hour train and bus trip from the city of Yamagata in the northern Tohoku region. Worth it, no question - you can even warm your feet up in the hot-springs troughs on the bridges.

cosplay, kyoto

The Manga Museum, inside and out

You might think that an older guy approaching a young lady and asking if he can take a photo is marginal creepy. But with cosplay, they want to be photographed. They set out that morning, likely from a non-descript apartment in a dreary suburb, dragging the suitcase along, with the express purpose of being photographed. It doesn’t really matter who is taking the picture, the more the merrier. And suddenly they are a super-hero or some manga heroine, their lives lit up by a ray of sunlight that has arrowed down through the clouds. These splendours were parading about in the garden of the Manga Museum in Kyoto. Who were they supposed to be? No idea, but probably more uplifting than whoever they were all week. I wonder what they are up to now, given that these photos were taken in 2012?