Japan 2025
Slideshow from our 2025 trip
We decided that on this trip we would visit western Honshu and then do the islands in the Inland Sea. We had a good idea of what we wanted to see so asked AI to plan an itinerary for us, we were quite impressed with the results though we did not stick to its planned route -one of the joys of motor homing is to be able to change your plans as you travel, no hotel bookings ahead.
What we love about Japan and why we are on our 4th visit now is that it is in many ways a completely alien culture - but in a good way.
We recently came across a group of girls dancing and miming at a pop up street food market. It was all short skirts and knee high white socks. We’ve seen it before at Maidreamin’ back in Tokyo in 2011. Perfectly acceptable behaviour here as is the audience - full of grown men showing their appreciation by shouting and singing along. In Europe this would all seem a bit pervy but here it’s fine.
Japan Fact
In some parts of Japan you need to prove you have a parking space before you can buy a car.
In some parts of Japan you need to prove you have a parking space before you can buy a car.
Something we enjoy when in Japan is visiting the night food stalls. Here in Fukuoka there is Nakasu Food Stalls Street where, in the day time, there’s nothing to see but at night it comes alive with mobile food stalls which have been trundled into place. Each one has a tiny counter with stools around three sides and they’re very popular so it’s a job to get a seat, when we visited there were lines of people browsing the menus as they waited for a place. The food varies but it’s all cooked fresh for you, a favourite is yakitori but on our latest visit it was tempura prawns and a bottle of Asahi.
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Following the traditional started in Paris with the Eiffel Tower (330 metres), the Fukuoka Tower was constructed for an Expo back in 1989, it’s 234 metres high but apart from 3 floors it’s merely a shell. The lift takes you to the viewing platform, where, not surprisingly, you get great views and find great photo opportunities. The floor below has a small restaurant and that’s it. It was ¥1000 to get in, about £5. You get a complimentary photo with that - a little bigger than a postage stamp to persuade you to buy something bigger, we bought the fridge magnet.
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Money Changing Machine, Hakata Station, Fukuoka
Spy Book of bank notes. Fortunately she found the page that verified that our quids were ok and went on the change our dosh. So this time we were very surprised to find that the bank would not change money and they suggested that we try the nearby large railway station . So a 20 minute stroll later we were having no luck finding money exchange desk so enquired at the information desk where the helpful young woman guided us to a tiny machine into which we loaded our dollars and our spewed yen. Not sure what the exchange rate was going to be but at least we no longer have dollars.
Iwakuni
We headed to Iwakuni to see a few sights. Using Google maps on the iPad made the journey an easy one and we found free parking beside the river at Iwakani. For a combined ticket costing about £5 we could visit the bridge, take the rope way and visit the castle.
The bridge is a very unusual, perhaps unique design; while its normal to have arches to cater for the heavy rainstorms it’s more unusual for the pedestrian route over the it to be arched too. It was constructed to combat serious flooding which happens from time to time. The present bridge was rebuilt in 1953 and the locals saw no reason to change its original style.
We had been given a flyer for a restaurant but failed to find it but instead we came across a tiny restaurant that did curry - chicken or pork or half and half. It wasn’t a curry that we are accustomed to, not particularly hot but very tasty and the notice said that the owner/chef had home grown a number of the spices.about £6 for a regular plateful and it came with a spoon, no chopsticks.
After lunch we headed back over the humped bridge and took the ropeway up the mountain.not sure why it’s called a ropeway, we would call it a cable car. The car going up counterbalances the one coming down. Great views.
We then headed onward to the castle through a beautiful shaded 10 minute walk surrounded by very tall magnificently straight trees.
We then headed onward to the castle through a beautiful shaded 10 minute walk surrounded by very tall magnificently straight trees.
Japan fact
Over 23% of the population are over 70. In UK that figure is 13%
Over 23% of the population are over 70. In UK that figure is 13%
The tickets to cross the bridge are ¥970 (about £5) each but for that you also get to go up the cable car to Iwakuni castle. Good views from the gondola and a nice stroll through the woods to the castle (noting the warnings to avoid the local Pit Vipers). Typically of every castle we have visited in Japan there were lots of swords on display, plus the usual Samurai costumes. A lot of steep steps inside the castle so fairly knackering.
Matsuyama
Coming into the street after a relaxing hour in an onsen in the Hojo district of Matsuyama we became aware of crowds gathering further down the road so decided we had to investigate. We were in a small port and the crowds were gathered on either side of a canal . It was clear that there had been activities earlier in the day as there were lots of fancy costumes on display so we decided they were waiting for something big.
So the first thing we saw was a large shrine being carried by a number of men. They marched along the nearby canal but suddenly we were aware that the shrine was in the water.At first we thought there had been an accident but we watched them haul the shrine out of the water and then carry the shrine further down the road only to see them chuck the thing in the water and retrieve it many times more. So the event is to thank the Shinto Gods for the harvest and then to purify the shrine by dropping it in the water multiple times.
Apparently it’s the Hōjō Festival and only happens in this area ( between 10th - 13th October) so we feel very fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time. It was obviously a very big event as there were a number of TV crews in attendance.
We we intended to visit nearby Matsuyama Castle but- despite several bold U-turns in the town centre - we failed to find any surface parking. We cannot do the underground/multi-storey stuff because we are 3m high. We then switched attention to the Dogo Onsen which is reputed to be the oldest in Japan. The blurb says it dates back 3,000 years but the current building is only 1894. We tried to book a private Onsen but they were all reserved, probably very popular with western tourists uncomfortable with the public baths.
Finding the parking at the Onsen was also very tricky. Sheila went walkabout for 20 minutes - and up a very steep hill - to find a good parking spot. Getting out a few hours later also proved tricky - the ticket machine would not accept our ticket and we had to get the help of the feller in the queue behind us. He got on the emergency phone and chatted for several minutes before telling me to move the motorhome forward a couple of feet. That triggered the machine and it accepted our ¥600 and released us. All part of the adventure, but easier for me sitting in the motorhome than for Sheila soliciting for help in a foreign language in roasting temperatures.
While we were wandering around the shops we were intercepted by a couple of young women with a camera and microphone from a local TV station who did a fifteen-minute interview, asking us about our travels in Japan. They seemed very impressed by the fact that this was our fourth visit and that we were so old. They then asked how long we had been married (it's been a long time) they were very impressed and wanted to know our secret. After talking it over Sheila told them it was because Gilroy did as he was told. Much mirth- probably not many Japanese marriages like this.We were surprised that it has taken the local media so long to catch up with Sheila - she is so often their target. There were lots of TV cameras at the Hōjō Festival yesterday and I half expected one of them to head for Sheila.
Finding the parking at the Onsen was also very tricky. Sheila went walkabout for 20 minutes - and up a very steep hill - to find a good parking spot. Getting out a few hours later also proved tricky - the ticket machine would not accept our ticket and we had to get the help of the feller in the queue behind us. He got on the emergency phone and chatted for several minutes before telling me to move the motorhome forward a couple of feet. That triggered the machine and it accepted our ¥600 and released us. All part of the adventure, but easier for me sitting in the motorhome than for Sheila soliciting for help in a foreign language in roasting temperatures.
While we were wandering around the shops we were intercepted by a couple of young women with a camera and microphone from a local TV station who did a fifteen-minute interview, asking us about our travels in Japan. They seemed very impressed by the fact that this was our fourth visit and that we were so old. They then asked how long we had been married (it's been a long time) they were very impressed and wanted to know our secret. After talking it over Sheila told them it was because Gilroy did as he was told. Much mirth- probably not many Japanese marriages like this.We were surprised that it has taken the local media so long to catch up with Sheila - she is so often their target. There were lots of TV cameras at the Hōjō Festival yesterday and I half expected one of them to head for Sheila.
Uchiko
This wasn’t on our itinerary, we hadn’t heard of this place until we checked Google maps and asked Google what was of interest in the locality. We are very glad we did as it’s a charming little place.
Walk down the preserved historic district called Yōkaichi & Gokoku, a winding road with 600 meters of traditional houses and gardens from the Edo, Meiji, and Taisho periods (roughly from 1600–1930) . You can visit the museum of commerce with a number of tableaux from probably the 1890s.
However the route that Google maps chose for us led to us driving our motorhome down one of the very narrow streets with historic buildings on either side. As our van was 3metres high this meant that we were just the right height to clip the low roofs and when we found another vehicle coming the other way, it added to a fun 15 minutes negotiating our way down the road under the beady eye of one of the local home owners. I´m afraid it was all too stressful to stop and take photos of our predicament.
Despite it being such an interesting place the heat and the humidity got to us and I must confess that we didn’t see all that this delightful little town had to offer and instead opted to find a supermarket where we could cruise the aisles and cool down - it took a while.
Walk down the preserved historic district called Yōkaichi & Gokoku, a winding road with 600 meters of traditional houses and gardens from the Edo, Meiji, and Taisho periods (roughly from 1600–1930) . You can visit the museum of commerce with a number of tableaux from probably the 1890s.
However the route that Google maps chose for us led to us driving our motorhome down one of the very narrow streets with historic buildings on either side. As our van was 3metres high this meant that we were just the right height to clip the low roofs and when we found another vehicle coming the other way, it added to a fun 15 minutes negotiating our way down the road under the beady eye of one of the local home owners. I´m afraid it was all too stressful to stop and take photos of our predicament.
Despite it being such an interesting place the heat and the humidity got to us and I must confess that we didn’t see all that this delightful little town had to offer and instead opted to find a supermarket where we could cruise the aisles and cool down - it took a while.
Ritsurin Gardens, Matsuyama
A long way down some bendy roads and we got to Ritsurin Garden in Matsuyama by 10am and the helpful gate man told us which slot to park in. It is one of those where the barrier comes up in front of your rear tyres so you cannot escape until you have paid. Our fee was ¥800 (£4) for about 3 hours. The entry fee was ¥800 each (cheaper for oldies, but only if you are Japanese) and the gardens were a delight. Beautifully maintained lawns, coiffed trees, raked gravel, voracious koi in neat lakes, and a nice waterfall. Not huge but a decent walk in the moderate heat.
We bought some fish food - it felt like Energen Rolls from the sixties but the Koi went into a feeding frenzy and even the turtles were doing their best to grab a bit.
We had lunch in the restaurant in the Garden. A one-bowl serving of pork and noodle curry for me, and a multi bowl centred round salmon for Sheila. A touch pricey by local standards at ¥2,900 (almost £15). To date we have been eating in the restaurants in the road stations which are much cheaper.
Japan Fact
There4 are 125 million Japanese but population falling as the growth rate is negative at -0.44%
There4 are 125 million Japanese but population falling as the growth rate is negative at -0.44%
Takamatsu
Shikoku Village museum is located in Takamatsu (free parking and ¥1,000 each for entry) where they have gathered locally historical buildings. It was well done and very interesting. There were several film sequences with English subtitles which helped enormously. There were buildings devoted to soy sauce production, sugar making and paper making. These were small scale family operations, where the workshop was part of the house. A couple of the films used old people who had been kids in the original building, or involved in the work that was done there.
After paying our entrance fee we discovered that there was the easy way to get into the museum or the hard way by way of a vine bridge. More of a challenge than one we had done earlier in the trip as the spacing was more uneven, anyway some of us enjoyed the challenge more than others.
One day we went to the Mare Grassia Onsen and had a wash and a good soak. Lots of different pools in there in various temperatures (including boiling and freezing), some in the open air, one with salt water, and some with powerful pumps to bash water jets at you. ¥550 each (about £3) but you had to buy your own soap. And this time we both remembered our towels, one of us had previously forgotten his and had to dry himself on his tee shirt.
When we got to the Onsen there were a group of young people at the front doing what we reckon was a religious ceremony - a couple of lads on drums, young girls playing flutes and a dragon rearing up in front of a pretend priest. Another group were outside when we left, manipulating a large cart filled with huge cushions. They blocked the way out for a while, and then we met another big group who were pulling a different cart. We remember that it was about this time of the year a few years ago that we encountered a big religious ceremony in a town as we passed through.
When we got to the Onsen there were a group of young people at the front doing what we reckon was a religious ceremony - a couple of lads on drums, young girls playing flutes and a dragon rearing up in front of a pretend priest. Another group were outside when we left, manipulating a large cart filled with huge cushions. They blocked the way out for a while, and then we met another big group who were pulling a different cart. We remember that it was about this time of the year a few years ago that we encountered a big religious ceremony in a town as we passed through.
That same weekend there seemed to be another ceremony at every turn.All very entertaining and involving all ages.
Shodoshima
We needed to take the ferry to Shodoshima (Shodo Island). Getting a ticket was a bit of an adventure because they wanted the vehicle documents. With the help of a young lady - who spoke very good English - we established that all they needed was the vehicle length, presumably to get the price right. We are 4.99m, so got the car price plus two people of ¥7,030 (a touch over £35) one way for the one-hour trip to Ikeda port. Everything very Japanese - quiet, clean, efficient and left bang on time.
modelling an air conditioned jacket while controlling the loading of the ferry.
While waiting to board the ferry we noticed that the man in charge of loading had an unusual jacket, so we checked it out - an air conditioned jacket. Cool! Literally!
On board our ferry
Once on the island we headed uphill via the usual bendy roads to the Kankakei Gorge Ropeway. This is the local term for a cable car and for ¥2,350 (£12) return each you get a ten-minute trip down through the gorge. Dramatic carved scenery, with the port and the sea in the background. There isn’t much at the bottom so we just come back up again.
Back at the top (more than 2,000 feet) we went for something different and bought a burger and chips. Worth a try, but we won’t do it again. The burger contained what was described as a croquette which had a lot of vegetables in there (presumably with the meat but we couldn’t detect any) and unidentifiable sauces.
Selfie spot
It was cool - verging on cold - at the top. A delightful change.
There were several lookout places at the top and lots of people doing selfies and using that device which props up your iPhone for the right shot.
There were also warnings about what to do if confronted by monkeys or bears. Back away slowly it said, do not attempt to feed. We saw neither.
There were several lookout places at the top and lots of people doing selfies and using that device which props up your iPhone for the right shot.
There were also warnings about what to do if confronted by monkeys or bears. Back away slowly it said, do not attempt to feed. We saw neither.
On the way back down to there was a section of the road with an 18% gradient and three “turn outs”. This is the local terminology for the steep run-offs to slow down runaway vehicles.
Soy Sauce Factory
While on Shodoshima (Shodo Island) we visited a soy sauce museum where they charge you ¥500 (£2.50) to enter but you are given a small bottle of Soy Sauce. The factory itself is huge but the museum is in the old part with the original machinery and a fabulous wooden interior. We already knew quite a lot about the old production methods from the films at the Shikoku Village museum a few days back, but it was still interesting to see the old equipment.
In the gift shop you could buy Soy Sauce flavour ice cream. It was good but didn’t really taste of Soy Sauce, which was probably a good thing.
There was also a tasting of the different sorts of Soy Sauce made at the factory. What surprised us was the huge differences in taste, and we bought three small bottles (¥330 each) of our favourite and managed to get them home with us too
Interior of the old soy sauce factory
Blog Japan 25
We kept a blog during our trip which you can read here Japan 25 blog
