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Dazaifu in 1 Day
Dazaifu, the former Capital of Kyushu, is known for its shrine, which is said to bring visitors good luck, and is also home to an excellent museum. Situated just 10 miles south east of Fukuoka, it is a very popular day trip destination. How to get to Dazaifu It is possible to get to Dazaifu…
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Beppu in 2 Days
The city of Beppu, which is situated on a bay in the north east corner of the Japanese island of Kyushu, is famed for its geothermal activity. Steam belches forth from vents all over town – a particularly wonderful sight on a cold winter’s day. In addition, there are numerous hot springs across the area,…
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Nagasaki in 1 Day
We spent a day in the Japanese city of Nagasaki, on the island of Kyushu. This historic port city has played a prominent role in foreign trade for many centuries. However, on 9 August 1945, it became famous for another thing as Nagasaki became the second Japanese city to be destroyed by an American atomic…
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Fukuoka in 1 Day
Fukuoka is the largest city on Kyushu, Japan’s third biggest island and the closest city to mainland Asia. It is joined to the main island of Honshu by a tunnel and a bridge. Fukuoka is made up of two former towns: the castle town of Fukuoka and the merchant town of Hakata. The two towns…
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Hiroshima in 2 Days
When planning our trip to Japan, Hiroshima was at the top of my bucket list. ‘Dark Tourism’ might not be for everyone, but having studied history at university, I am always fascinated to visit places where things happened which shape the world we live in today. Even if those things were terrible like in Auschwitz…
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Matsuyama in 1 day
Today, we are taking a train which hugs the northern coast of the island of Shikoku for 100 miles then heads south, still along the coast, to the island’s largest town, Matsuyama. The city is famous for its hot springs, namely the 19th Century Dogo Onsen Honkan. We have established that the old man doesn’t…
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Takamatsu in 1 Day
Japan consists of four larger islands plus over 6000 smaller islands. We spent most of our trip on the main island, Honshu. Today, we are travelling to the country’s fourth largest island, Shikoku. According to my guide book, the island is “synonymous with natural beauty and the pursuit of spiritual perfection”. Shikoko is also renowned…
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Okayama in 1 Day (including Himeji Castle)
Today, we travel 125 miles west from Kyoto to Okayama. Technically, this can be done on the bullet train in under an hour. However, along the route lies one of Japan’s top tourist attractions; Himeji Castle. So, we will be taking two trains and stopping en route to explore Himeji and its famous castle. Okayama…
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Osaka in 1 Day
Osaka, Japan’s third largest city, is only 30 miles from the ancient capital of Kyoto. So, it makes sense, to me at least, to base yourself in one city and visit the other. We opted to make Kyoto our base and do a day trip to Osaka. How to get to Osaka Osaka can be…
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Nara in 1 Day
We spent one day in Nara, visiting from our base in nearby Kyoto. Nara, Japan’s first permanent capital, is famous for its temple containing a large Buddha statue. And its park full of friendly deer. This charming city is just 26 miles south of Kyoto, thus a popular day trip. How to get to Nara…
Jane's Midlife Journey 