‘Don’t worry about swimwear, you have to be naked for the Onsen hot spring’. And with that, my ‘off the beaten track’ tour around central Japan with a group of strangers began, a little more intimately than I had anticipated.
All horrified, our tour guide explained that in Japan, body positivity is strongly encouraged, the aging body is celebrated, and we should all view ourselves as equal and beautiful. Who can argue with that? Off came the clothes.
And so the tone was set for Inside Japan’s curated tour that intentionally veers off the beaten track.
Exploring one of the most beautiful countries in the world, from the pristine streets of overpopulated cities, to the shacks hidden amongst the mountains that make up 80% of Japan’s landmass, we were met with modesty and humility that made you fall in love with the place and its people over and over again.
Lesser-known Nagoya
We start in Nagoya, Japan’s lesser-known fourth-largest city. Often overlooked by tourists, it is easy to reach from the UK with just a single connection in Helsinki, and a great base from which to explore.
After a late night arrival and a comfortable night on the 32nd floor of Hotel Prince Sky Tower, we woke early to enjoy the sweeping views of the city and a hotel breakfast served by robots, before boarding the first of many trains to head thirty minutes North to Inuyama.
Home to the oldest castle in Japan, a place where 3,000 castles once stood, most were dismantled in the 19th century when Samurai rule came to an end; nearly all the rest were destroyed during World War II.
Now only 12 remain. Standing proud atop a hill overlooking the Kiso River, your reward for the steep climb to the summit is the spectacular view.
Back to Nagoya and the chance to check out the Osu shopping District, 1,700 metres of arcades hosting more than 1200 businesses that sell almost anything you can imagine.
My attention is grabbed by vintage kimonos and decadent street food, from miso-glazed pork sticks to matcha custard donuts.
I stumble upon a shop bursting with beautiful ceramics, think Zara home for a fraction of the price. Japanese homewares are big business on Instagram, with videos of delicate plates and coffee cups racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
Time once again to escape the big city, this time on a longer train to Hida Furukawa, two and a half hours of winding journey along the Nagara River. Endless shades of green roll by, mountainous peaks fading into mist as paddy fields glisten in the sun.
I gaze out the window and adjust my seat for a better view (because of course, train seats swivel in Japan).
This doesn’t feel like getting from A to B, which is the kind of travel I’m used to in the UK. This feels like a highlight of the trip.
Best time to visit Japan
Late March through May, for cherry blossom season (but expect huge crowds).
June and July, for Tokyo’s famous fireworks (during rainy season, it’s also one of the cheapest periods to travel).
September, for hiking through forests that burst into a kaleidoscope of colour in autumn.
Stepping back in time in Hida Furukawa
Disembarking at Hida Furukawa feels like stepping back in time. A stark contrast to the bustling city we’d left behind, here there are canal-lined streets filled with koi carp, dappled in sunlight by thick rows of cherry trees.
An occasional car hums along the almost deserted streets, but a horse and cart wouldn’t look out of place. This is a place famed for its timber and talented carpenters, whose workshops line the alleyways.
We pass an elderly candle maker who beams at us through his open shopfront; I imagine he’s sat in that very spot for the past seventy years, perfecting his craft.
Lunch at Fukuzenji Soba is handmade soba noodles with locally brewed beer. Steam rises from our soups into sunbeams floating through the open windows, and as I perch on my tiny wooden chair, I once again feel as though I’ve walked straight into the Samurai equivalent of the Wild West.
Taking the bullet to Kyoto
Another day, another train ride, this time the one I’ve been waiting for.
The bullet train, 80 miles in half an hour and barely enough time to eat my carefully selected Japanese train snacks, with ears freshly popped we arrive in Kyoto. Japan’s third largest city, and arguably the most beautiful, my expectations are high.
Whether it’s culture and history or a late night fuelled by sake and Karaoke,Kyoto’s got you covered. We kick things off with what our guide describes as ‘a hidden gem’.
Eikan-Do Temple, a gift from a court noble to a Buddhist priest built more than one thousand years ago. Most popular with visitors in autumn when the maple trees put on their finest display, our visit falls in early summer, in the midst of a tropical downpour. And still, we are all blown away.
Nestled high, almost hidden among a thicket of trees, it feels like the kind of construction that inspired a Grand Designs house: indoor-outdoor living, endless curves and beautifully carved wood. If tranquillity was a place, we found it.
Getting to 'lesser known' Japan
Flying from London to Nagoya via Helsinki sounded intimidating at first. Connecting flights, fifteen hours in the air. I’ve done similar before and found myself exhausted with a suspected neck strain from resting my head on… absolutely nothing. Not this time.
Finnair Business Class was an enjoyable experience from start to finish. A glass of Champagne in the lounge and a private pod to myself. A varied menu of delicious food to be paired with a curated selection of wines.
The only ‘problem’ was that I was so comfortable, fed and watered, I couldn’t stay awake long enough to make my way through more than one of the many films on offer.
Flights with Finnair from London Heathrow to Nagoya with a connection in Helsinki start from £800 in economy, £1,561 in premium economy and £2,827 in business.
Our base is The Thousand Kyoto, a minimalist hotel that prides itself on sustainability. Bee hives adorn the roof, and art installations the lobby. Almost too modern for me, it takes an embarrassingly long time to work out the blind is drawn via the in-room iPad.
I wake on the final morning in true Japanese style, to a frantic phone alarm warning an earthquake is imminent. It tells me to stay calm. As I definitely do not stay calm and panic about what to do, the shaking starts and I decide there’s worse ways to go than nestled in the comfort of the high cotton thread count of a luxury hotel bed.
Luckily, this wasn’t my time. To regain the zen that until that point had followed us everywhere, we head to the world-famous Bamboo Forest, truly a sight to behold.
I’ve seen my fair share of nature’s finest displays, trailing through forests and into the depths of far-flung jungles. But the feeling of meandering along a path of bamboo shoots up to 50 metres high, slowly swaying in the wind, will stay with me forever.
Japan has always been on my bucket list, and it remains on my bucket list.
I barely scratched the surface and yet every expectation I had was exceeded. A country full of beauty, history and humility. I fell deeply in love and plan to return again and again and again.
Ella Millward was a guest of Inside Japan. She stayed at Nagoya Prince Sky Tower, Tokyu Stay Hida-Takayama and The Thousand Kyoto.
