NAHA GREAT TUG OF WAR FESTIVAL

    HIGHLIGHTS - work then play

 

 

• Narita 1N to Narita 1N via Naha 4N - Kagoshima 2N - Nagasaki 2N - Fukuoka 2N -                                     Hiroshima 2N (Miyajima 1N) - Kyoto 3N and Tokyo 3N

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• Robosquare

• Robot Restaurant

• Saki Distillery

• Sumo Museum

• Ramen Museum

• Bento Boxes

• Chicken Sashimi

• Kumamoto Castle

• WW II battle sites

• Fugu – the pufferfish

• Purple Yam Kit Kats

• World's largest Tug of War

• Snorkel with Whale Sharks

• Dive with Stingrays

• Imperial Palace - Tokyo

• Gold & Silver Temples - Kyoto

• Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima 

• Statue of the last Samurai

• The World’s Largest Rice Scoop

• The World’s Largest Battleship*

• Miyajima Oysters

• Momiji Manjū - Miyajima treats

• Matcha tea ceremony

• Matcha ice cream

• Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum

• The Largest Bronze Statue in the World

• UNESCO listed Sengan-en

• UNESCO listed Gunakjima

• 17 UNESCO listed sites in Kyoto

• UNESCO listed Itsukushima Shrine

• UNESCO listed  Hiroshima Peace Memorial 

• UNESCO listed National Museum of Western Art

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                               All travel information including hotels etc is at the bottom of this page

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• Spend a night in Narita on the way in and out of the country. Fly to Naha in time for the festival. See details below. Have a look at some of the sights as well.

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• The battle for Okinawa was a crucial and very brutal affair. There are plenty of interesting historical sites to see. There are plenty of outdoor activities available, such as spelunking (caving), diving and hiking etc. Go out snorkeling with Whale Sharks or you may prefer to see the pair they are trying to mate at the Aquarium. Maybe you'd like to swim with graceful stingrays.

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• Learn the secrets of the Blue Zones. Why do these women live longer and healthier than any others on the planet. Part of the reason could be the delicious food you will be eating. They have a thing about purple sweet potatoes and you can even buy Kit Kat's in this flavour.

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• There are some wonderful beaches and you can visit neighbouring islands. The nightlife is pretty good. And there's a whole culture to learn about. Ask the locals how they feel about having 32 US Military bases on their island. 

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• Fly to Kagoshima, the "Naples of Japan" on the island of Kyushu. Take a ferry ride to see the spectacular volcano that sits in the middle of the bay. Or the adventurous could sea kayak over to get the full towering volcano experience. It takes about an hour. It is still active and erupts on an almost daily basis. It only takes a couple of hours to walk up to some of the viewpoints. If you still have some energy you can cycle around the volcano. It takes four hours so you may want to leave it for tomorrow.  

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• Take a stroll and have a cuppa at the UNESCO listed tea gardens that date from 1658. Kagoshima is famous for it's vodka like liquor it produces. You drink it mixed with hot water. The local version of Ramen noodle soup is a great form of comfort food.

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• The Reimeikan is worth visiting to find out how people lived and worked back in the day. Sword enthusiasts can learn about how they were made. The Museum of the Meiji Restoration will educate you about the Samurai and their ways. There are hot springs and hot sand (volcanic) baths. 

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• The train trip to Nagasaki will go through some of the most scenic in the country. Stop off along the way to see Kumamoto Castle which is one of Japan's 3 premier castles. Nagasaki was the second Japanese city that received an atom bomb in 1945. The US had developed two types of bombs. Little Boy which was dropped by Enola Gay on Hiroshima  was a simple design that caused a nuclear explosion. The more complicated Fat Man dropped on Nagasaki by Bockscar triggered a nuclear implosion. Little Boy was the equivalent of 15,000 tons of TNT and Fat Man 21,000 tons of TNT.

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• Hiroshima was the primary target and the weather was good and everything went to plan. Nagasaki was a different story. Kyoto was at the top of the list until Truman was persuaded it had too much cultural significance. Kokura was supposed to get the second bomb until bad weather threw Nagasaki under the bus. It had only been put on the list two weeks before. There were plans for a third bomb and possibly more that were thankfully quashed by Truman. One man amazingly was not only caught in both explosions but he actually managed to survive both. Not sure if that glass is half full or empty.

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• So obviously a visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum will be top of the list. There are several other museums and a park dedicated to the victims as well as the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Hall. Other places of interest include the island of Dejima where all foreign nationals had to live back in the 1600's. For 200 years this was Japan's small window to the rest of the world. It is now an open air museum.

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• For the best street food in a city that's noted for it go to the oldest Chinatown in Japan. Try Castella a special cake inspired by the Portuguese. Nagasak's claim to fame is it's cuisine that was influenced by Western, Chinese and Japanese merchants. There are many specialties that you should try including Turkish Rice which is served with spaghetti. One restaurant has been serving meals since 1642.

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• There are several interesting walking tours available including an island with ghostly relics from a Korean mining community. It was once the most densely populated area on earth. For spectacular views of the bay head to Glover Garden where there is the house of the man who was reputed to be the inspiration for the opera Madame Butterfly. There are statues of the main characters and great coffee and cake nearby. Head out to the beach and the hot springs. 

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• Being a port city it has a lively nightlife. Head to the Crazy Horse where the owner will take your photo and put it up on the wall. 

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• Fukuoka is the largest city on the island. It is famous for it's Ramen stalls. Head up Fukuoka Tower to take in the best views of the city. Catch the sunset, have a meal then check out the city lights. Take a ferry out to the off shore islands where you can swim and hike. The scenery on the boat ride is spectacular. Robosquare will give you an insight into the robot world. 

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• There are numerous day trips you can take from Fukuoka. Visit the "Venice of Kyushu" and go for  canal tour and try the local eel specialty. Not too far away is the incredible Recling Buddha that is the largest bronze statue in the world. Cat lovers would like Cat Island, dog lovers probably not. Or maybe the Island of Flowers for a short excursion. Perhaps the Cafe of Otters or Hedgehogs. How about a simulated earthquake and typhoon. Head to the beach boardwalk for beers and oysters. 

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• Just to complete the fun stay at the Robot Hotel. If you've got a medical bent then visit Sanatorium Cafe. Have a drink at the Barber Shop. Get a haircut too if you like. Eat in a Yatai an unique Fukuokan experience for intimate dining. For the adventurous try the Chicken Sashimi or Fugu - deadly pufferfish.

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• Hiroshima like Nagasaki is a vibrant city full of life and the only indication of what happened here is the Genbaku dome or Atom bomb dome that was directly under the blast. All of the memorials, museum, peace park and  eternal flame etc are next to each other. It is a brilliant museum where you will learn many interesting facts about the event. It is chilling to think of yourself being there on that beautiful sunny morning when death was on it's way. The other memorials are very moving as well.

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• Courageous and vilified Australian journalist Wilfred Burchett was the first to go in and give a first hand account about what really happened. His book Shadows of Hiroshima will take you there.

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• On a lighter note but still in WWII you can walk through a decommissioned submarine and learn about the world's largest battleship*. Which unfortunately was sunk shortly after being deployed so you will be looking at a scale model.

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• Try to catch a game of baseball if the Hiroshima Toyo Carp are in town. They first played in 1950 and their fans are believed to be the most passionate in Japan. Carp or Koi are highly respected for two of their qualities. Their perserverance for swimming upstream and they also symbolise faithfulness and marriage. Also based in Hiroshima is the Mazda Car Corporation where you can visit the fascinating factory and museum where they have many examples of cars old and futuristic. A trip to Hiroshima Castle is another option.

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• One of the favourite things to do here is a day trip to beautifully scenic Miyajima Island. Lucky you is going to spend the night out here in a Japanese style hotel. It's a great spot, fun and very relaxing. Things to keep you occupied include visiting the famous Miyajima oysters that have been farmed here for 450 years, the Miyajima Brewery, the UNESCO listed floating Tori Gate, the friendly wild deer that wander about the village, Momiji Manju the very famous little stuffed maple leaf shaped cakes that are THE local specialty (it's fun to watch the machines making them) there are a variety of flavours and they are very popular souvenirs, see then seven wonders (including the eternal flame) atop Mt Misen,  Omotesando Shopping Street is where you will find the world's largest rice scoop as well as many souvenirs and another famous local specialty - fish paste skewers with various flavours, temples, pagodas, hikes and way to much to do on an overnighter. Grab some oysters and some beers and put your feet up. And eat lots of cake. 

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• Next stop the old capital from 794 to 1868 and home of the Geisha, Kyoto. It is a magical city and fells more like a small town. You'll be a little early for the autumn colours but the weather will be perfect anyway. There are many famous temples (the Golden Kinkakuji Temple) and shrines here, Zen rock gardens, bamboo forests, a castle, the amazing Tori Gates in their thousands that form a bright orange walking tunnel, sacred tea ceremonies, the Kyoto Tower and head up to the hot springs on top of Mt. Kurama. 

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• Go for a wander through the Nishiki Market or along the Philosopher's Path which is truly spectacular during Cherry Blossom season. Another area good for walking is the entertainment district of Gion. This is where the Maiko and Geiko live so there is a good chance of seeing them. Kyoto is the best and most prestigious place to experience Geisha. It is not really for foreigners unless you have some pretty influential friends. It is also an area for artists and kabuki shows. There are hundreds of tea houses, cafes, food stalls and bars.

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• For a feed go to Pontocho by the Kamo River. There are restaurants to suit all budgets and some of the most fun are the tiny places that only have enough room for the chef and a few customers. Kyoto is a good place to do a cooking course if you're interested.

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