Japan

I had been to Tokyo before, but it was Sonia’s first visit. We stayed in Ueno, which felt more residential and quieter than Roppongi, where I had stayed previously. Tokyo had changed: there were many more tourists, but the city was also easier to navigate. The major attractions were packed, so we took advantage of our jet lag and went early or late. In any case, much of Tokyo’s charm lies in the unexpected neighborhood shrine and the excellent food almost everywhere.

Hakone was our first stop in Japan outside Tokyo and our first mountain scenery of the trip. Seeing Mount Fuji from the cable car as we climbed into the mountains was one of the highlights of our eleven weeks in Asia.

Takayama brought us into the Japanese Alps, with old timber streets, local food and a much smaller scale than Tokyo. We stayed at a wonderful ryokan. The family who ran it spoke no English, and we spoke no Japanese, but kindness and real hospitality came through anyway. The food was excellent, and sleeping on futons laid over tatami was surprisingly comfortable.

From Kiso-Fukushima, we walked part of the old Nakasendō route: stone paths, post towns, waterwheels and green valleys. It was described to us as Japan’s version of the Camino de Santiago. ChatGPT had told us that the seven-mile walk would be easy, mostly downhill and memorable. Memorable, yes. Easy and mostly downhill? Not exactly. Some stretches climbed, and parts of the descent were slippery. Other travelers our age had apparently been given the same optimistic advice. Sonia and I finished it, but I was a bit messed up afterward and had to rest for several days. One prediction was accurate: we will not forget it.

In Kyoto, we spent our days moving among temples, gardens and neighborhoods. Rain made some outings less convenient, but it also made the moss and gardens look their best. Sonia recovered from the Nakasendō right away and explored more on her own; the Philosopher’s Path was one of her favorite walks.

We left the train at Himeji specifically to see the White Heron Castle. The climb kept going, but so did we, all the way to the top.

We visited Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Museum and then crossed to Miyajima. The two places made for a serious and memorable end to our time in Japan: one centered on the city’s history, the other on the shrine, shoreline and changing view of the torii gate.