Tohoku – a little-known treasure trove

May 18, 2012

See two sides of Tohoku with InsideJapan Tours – discover its gems and try volunteering

Tohoku in northern Japan is probably better-known for the tsunami that devastated its coastline than for its inland rural beauty. Yet this largely unexplored region is a place of forest-clad sacred mountains and hot springs; it is dotted with ancient temples and steeped in history. Tohoku is also home to the utterly exquisite Konjikido, a gold-gilded shrine in the Chuson-ji Temple situated in Hiraizumi, a town with a history dating back to 866.

InsideJapan Tours has created a 13-night Tohoku Treasures & Volunteering trip designed to highlight the gems of Tohoku but also to encourage people to help with the tsunami recovery efforts. Imagine if all the seaside towns along coastline from London to Newcastle disappeared overnight:  this is what happened in Tohoku.

Japanese Culinary Coup

January 24, 2012

Masterchef winner and Japanophile, Tim Anderson, teams up with InsideJapan Tours to create a new food and travel experience

Any trip to Japan is a culinary adventure and InsideJapan Tours’ new 13-night Japanese Cookery tour, led by expert guide Liam Chawdhary and Masterchef 2011 winner Tim Anderson, will not disappoint.

In addition to an exploration of cultural landmarks, this tasty tour – with stays in cities, the mountains and on the coast – encourages participants to eat their way across the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, and provides the opportunity to glean a few of the secrets of Tim Anderson’s success.

A Japanese calendar of culture

January 3, 2012

InsideJapan Tours recommends when to go to Japan for new openings, festivals and fun   January: See ancient sites, such as Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion Temple, sparkle with a dusting of snow or head to the Alps to watch snow monkeys bathe in hot spring pools; on Hokkaido, see the graceful Japanese red cranes perform dances as the orange sun sets over the pure white snowfields of Tsurui. 15 January – Nozawa Fire Festival, Nagano This intense celebration of health and growth brings heat to the snowy slopes of Nozawa, the country’s oldest ski resort. Fireworks and bonfires light up the village and the skies above whilst large amounts of sake are consumed by the locals and visitors alike. How to get there: The ‘Alpine Winter Culture’ self-guided adventure heads from Tokyo to the Japanese Alps for a nine-night trip taking in the exciting Fire Festival, visits the ‘Snow monkey’ of Yudanaka, stays in the atmospheric Zenkoji temple and the alpine castle town of Matsumoto. Costs £1,450 pp (two sharing), departs 9 January.