And that's Shikoku all done! A flying visit but definitely a part of Japan that I hadn't experienced before. That leaves my last four weeks in Honshu, with over half of that in just two places: Kyoto and Tokyo. The afternoon I arrived in Kobe, my "first" stop on Japan's main island, I had three separate people ask if I lived in Japan after I'd spoken some Japanese. I'm not sure whether to be flattered considering I was tired and more than a little grumpy when they asked, maybe that's the expat vibe? Cherry blossom season is in full bloom and I've sadly been hearing that Kyoto at the minute is thronging with visitors, with some locals uncharitably calling it a "zoo", which bodes ill for my extended visit in a few days. I may look to do very early morning visits to some sights (like I did with Fushimi Inari on my last visit) to try and avoid the most populous times. Thankfully I have my trip to Mount Koya and the Kumano Kodo walking trails separating my time in the big cities.
Apr 1, 2023 • Subscribe
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