24 FEATURE
japan
“Japan isnʼt as expensive as you think and itʼs
great value right now. We enjoyed a record year of sales and for the fi rst three months of 2014 were up 55% on 2013 levels,” said James Mundy, Marketing Manager for InsideJapan. Hayes & Jarvis’s Japan sales fi nished 26% up last
year, buoyed by demand for twin centres. “Some recent bookings have combined Japan and China touring, but with direct fl ights from Tokyo to Bangkok and Hanoi itʼs also really easy to spend some time relaxing in Thailand or Vietnam after your tour,” commented H&J’s Destination Manager Emma Mitchell.
While summers can be stifl ing, spring sees people
fl ock to view the blossoming cherry trees and, as Mundy says, “The vermilion colours of the autumn leaves are breathtaking... and the temperatures are still rather mild”. The country is a photographer’s dream. Former capital Kyoto, with its temples, rock gardens and Gion geisha district, is a must see, and easily combined with Osaka and Nara, another historic former capital. In Tokyo, districts such as Harajuku offer excellent
‘people watching’ while historic temples cosy up with skyscrapers in neon-tastic neighbourhoods such as Shibuya and Shinjuku. Notable side trips include Hakone, for its Mount Fuji views; Mt Takao, with its walks and temples; and Izu Peninsula for its hot springs (onsen).
Other hot spring hotspots include Nikko, Nagano
prefecture, home to the snow monkeys of Jigokudani Park, and Beppu in Kyushu. The JTB has seen increased interest in Kyushu
since KLM launched its Fukuoka service last year. “With its semi-tropical climate, active volcanos and the fascinating cities of Kumamoto and Nagasaki, the island is defi nitely worth recommending,” said JTB’s Clive Buckingham. From tiny ramen noodle shops and kaiten sushi joints to Michelin-star fi ne dining, eating out is a highlight. Tours of Tokyoʼs bustling Tsukiji fi sh market are popular, as are themed trips such as Intrepid Travelʼs (
intrepidtravel.com) 12-day Japan Real Food Adventure, launched last year. Plus, specialists such as InsideJapan (insidejapantours.
com) tailor all manner of options from Taiko drumming classes to private drinks with a Geisha.
What’s new Tour operators: InsideJapanʼs new 13-night
Classic Japan tour includes stays in ryokan and visits the beautiful Kamikohi national park; Hayes & Jarvis’s (
hayesandjarvis.co.uk) new seven-night private tour, Enchanting Japan, features Hakone for Mount Fuji, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto; and Trafalgar (
trafalgar.co.uk) has launched a family-friendly tour for
Previous page Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto and above: the Naitai Highland Ranch in Hokkaido. Right: Sapporo Susukino Street, Hokkaido. Facing page: Ritsurin Garden, Kagawa
“Include at least one night’s stay at a ryokan, a traditional inn, for a taste of authentic Japanese hospitality. A kaiseki-style dinner is normally served, and onsen (hot spring) facilities are often available”
NEILL PROTHERO, FAR EAST PRODUCT MANAGER, COX & KINGS
�Cruise: Diamond Princess (
princess.com) embarked on its fi rst 2014 sailing from home port Tokyo on April 17 following a £20m refurbishment. With sister ship Sun Princess it will offer an extensive Japan- centric cruise programme. Swan Hellenic (
swanhellenic.com) visits Japan for
the fi rst time this winter on a 22-day cruise, visiting Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Uwajima, Miyajima, Okinawa and Kobe. Attractions: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open at Universal Studios in Osaka late 2014.
2015, backed by activities such as Taiko drumming, Sushi making and visits to Sega Joyopolis. On The Go Tours (
onthegotours.com/Japan), meanwhile, has launched four new tours for independent travellers in Japan and Travelsphere (
Travelsphere.co.uk) has resumed its Land of the Rising Sun tour. Flights: Japan Airlines (
jal.com) switched its Heathrow service to Tokyoʼs expanding Haneda airport on March 30, leaving the Narita-Heathrow service to codeshare partner British Airways (
batraveltrade.com). ANA (
ana.co.jp), which owns the budget domestic carrier Vanilla Air (
vanilla-air.com), launched in December, also switched its Heathrow- Tokyo service to Haneda on March 30. �Hotels: The 360-room Marriott Miyako (marriott.
co.uk) opened in Osaka’s Abeno Harukas building in April; Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills (
tokyo.andaz.hyatt. jp) offi cially opens on June 11; and in Kyoto, a Ritz Carlton (
ritzcarlton.com) opened in February and a Four Seasons (
fourseasons.com) will open next year.
www.sellinglonghaul.com
Tourism talk “Tourism to Japan is going very well with visitors surpassing 10 million for the fi rst time last year, including 191,900 Brits –
up 10.3% year-on-year. For January-February 2014,
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