Keen skiers often come for its famous snow slopes, but explore a little further and you’ll find skiing is only one of the many things to do in Hokkaido. When winter has come and gone, there is still a lot to do across the area – whether you’re interested in food, nature, art or beer! We’ve […]
My sister Rebecca is obsessed with Japan. And her frequent visits to the land of the rising sun have given her some pretty sharp tips for visitors. Carmen and I tapped in to these at the family dinner table before our very first visit. “Be very careful with your garbage,” she advised. “The Japanese are […]
If you want a magical taste of Kyoto, cycle to the eastern outskirts of the city and visit Fushimi Inari-taisha. This 1,300 year old shrine is a long-standing testament to the sacred and religious side of Japan. More than 10,000 Torii gates, or red arches, line the pathways leading up the mountain. The smartest thing we did […]
Meditation in Japan, led by a well known guru: “Breathe in. Then breathe out. Make your outward breath longer than the inward. This way, your body’s parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems will balance each other and you will relax.” Rev Taka Kawakami is a Zen Buddhist monk who is a leading advocate for mindfulness. He’s […]
