A remarkable journey to Japan

When an ad in ITN for a trip to Japan piqued my interest, I immediately emailed Michie Taylor, who offers guided tours to her native country. She immediately responded, and so began a remarkable and unique journey. 

There were only five travelers on this March 2014 tour plus our enthusiastic leader, whom we called the “Energizer Bunny.” Our group not only saw castles, shrines and temples but traveled off the beaten path to visit artists, stay in ryokans, eat unbelievably fresh sashimi and ride on bullet trains, subways, trolleys, buses and ferries. 

Connecting with culture

We began our trip in the city of Fukuoka on the north end of Kyushu, Japan’s most southern main island, where we stayed at the Nishitetsu Grand Hotel for two nights. The rooms were very small, but we soon realized that this was true of most Japanese hotel rooms. The fantastic buffet breakfast, which included both Western and Japanese cuisine, more than made up for the cramped rooms. 

During our stay in Fukuoka, we attended an authentic tea ceremony and had a hands-on lesson from master calligrapher Bokuden Matsuda. He served us giant, sweet strawberries and gave each of us a signed copy of his book. 

For our next experience, we were dressed in kimonos by a professional kimono dresser — such a treat! The lovely silk garments are so complicated to put on that most women are dressed by the experts, and it does take a long time. We chose our outfits carefully from the large assortment of silks and sashes.

We continued on to the Seifuso Inn near Mt. Aso, an active volcano. There we took off our shoes, enjoyed hot-spring baths and cooked our own food on the charcoal grill built into our table. 

Our group slept in one room on comfortable futons, and the next morning we picked our fresh eggs and bread from baskets that floated by our table in an adjacent moat. 

At the Yusuge Onsen Ryokan, our next accommodation, we ate sashimi (sliced raw fish) that had been swimming in the sea only 20 minutes before and danced to a full moon suspended over the very calm and tranquil Sea of Japan.

City sights

The following days were blurs of activity as we moved quickly from temple to shrine to castle to garden, including visits to the delightful Imari porcelain village and the Korakuen Garden. We also were fortunate to visit the famous Moss Temple in Kyoto, which requires reservations made well in advance. 

Some of our time was spent in large cities, with day trips to Nagasaki, Kakarajima island and the lovely Dazaifu Shinto shrine dedicated to education. 

The Hikiyama Float Exhibition Hall, which was just wonderful, was a favorite of mine. The 14 lacquered papier-mâché constructions on display, some more than 300 years old, are mounted on flatbeds and guided through the streets of Karatsu every fall by a lot of men holding large, long ropes. Since they can weigh up to three tons each and reach a height of more than 20 feet, the colorful floats were impressive, to say the least. 

In Nagasaki we visited Dejima, a faithful reconstruction of the original Dutch fort and trading post that was built on an artificial island in 1636 and was in use for 200-plus years. A sense of history emanated from each tidy street and building. 

Nagasaki had two very special and moving venues. The Atomic Bomb Museum was built at the hypocenter of the impact zone of the atomic bomb that was dropped on that not-to-be-forgotten day in August 1945. It contains many sad reminders of what remained of the once-thriving city. 

The other memorable site was the Peace Memorial Hall. To this day, my experience is very difficult for me to write about; it was profound and deeply moving. Thousands of records of those who survived the bombing and those who did not are carefully stored in great cases. There was also a wall of tears that left no heart untouched. 

A memorable meal

On to a happier note… . At a tiny, 6-seater restaurant with just enough space for our group, the owner served us the largest, most succulent oysters I have ever eaten. We smacked our lips and he served us a second batch. They were slightly warm, incredibly fresh and tasted of the sea. 

The owner was yet another friend of the gregarious Michie. 

This article would not be complete without the mention of our final dinner. We enjoyed 33 courses served in a private dining room by a lovely young lady who gracefully entered on her knees through the sliding shoji screens. 

Each plate held more than one course of bite-sized deliciousness. Add to that good Asahi beer and sake, and it was a truly memorable evening.

The details

The 17-day trip was priced at $4,995 per person, double, including airfare from the US. (Michie’s current trips do not include airfare.) Alas, I paid more, as the airfare from Denver jumped about $400 at the last minute. Most transportation and many meals were also included, along with our Japan Rail Passes, which had to be purchased outside of Japan and activated on arrival.

With the irrepressible Michie leading the way, this trip was far different and much better than I had anticipated. I found her to be completely trustworthy, a meticulous planner, straightforward and honest. She travels to Japan three times a year.

If you want to experience a different view of Japan and eat the most amazing food, visit michietrip.blogspot.com (Big Flats, NY; 607/425-8196) to see a complete description of her trips, including many pictures. Be prepared to eat only Japanese food, and practice your chopstick skills before you leave home.