carp, which leap up out of the water to catch morsels of food. Hitachi Seaside Park: Set on the Pacific coast, this natural public park overflows with blooming seasonal flowers, sand dunes, forests and grasslands (entry £3.10). The most effective way to get around is to hire a bike at the entrance. It’s the best £2.80 you’ll spend, affording three glorious hours to pedal around one of the many cycle tracks at your own pace.


It doesn’t matter what time of year you visit, as the abundant flowers and grasses are frequently replanted, giving you an amazing backdrop to envious Instagram shots. Other attractions include an amusement park, BMX tracks and, if you want to just sit back and take in the views, several cafes and restaurants. Mito: The capital of Ibaraki Prefecture is famous for natto, Japan’s new ‘superfood’ made of stringy fermented soy beans that reduce cholesterol and are good for the heart – no one actually likes them, not even the Japanese. There are many tourist hotspots here, but if it’s real tradition and culture you are after, make sure your visit coincides with a local festival. The otherwise-shy Japanese love to sing, dance and beat a giant drum or two when it comes to their traditional celebrations, and want nothing more than for you to join in. In October, the Yoshida Jinja


Matsuri (harvest festival) takes place, and it’s unlike any you have been to at home. Festival-goers battle it out by smashing their floats into their opponents – the harder they smash, the


happier the gods become – and the winners are blessed with a good harvest. So you can only imagine how lively the atmosphere gets.


 FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE Ryokan: Ryokan are Japanese- style inns that have been around for centuries and were once resting places for traders and samurai travelling between towns. Found throughout Japan, they are now popular with tourists not just as a place to rest your head, but also as a way to experience genuine Japanese hospitality and the best homemade food you’ll taste. Nakamuraya Ryokan is a


120-year-old, family-run ryokan in Iizaka, a small onsen village with the oldest natural communal baths in Fukushima. It has just six rooms, which start at £70 per person per night, including breakfast. Many say the minerals in the onsen (hot spring) keep people looking young, so a two-day stay could knock a few wrinkles off your appearance, though it’s worth noting that bathers with tattoos are banned – a policy designed to keep out Yakuza, the Japanese equivalent of the mafia, who traditionally have many tattoos. These baths are not for prudish Westerners, as you have to bathe naked with the locals, but if you do pluck up the courage it’s a great way to make new friends. Goshikinuma: This little-known, two-mile hiking trail through Bandai-Asahi National Park, at the foot of Mount Bandai,


is breathtaking. It’s home to five volcanic lakes, the hues determined by their unique make-up of minerals, set in a chameleon-like forest that changes its appearance according to the season. This trail is not just for hikers,


but for anyone who appreciates nature at its best, as there are so many incredible views along the way, visitors will spend more time stopping to take photos than walking along the one-hour route. Tsurugajo Castle: An absolute treasure trove for history buffs, the castle was once the seat of local government for powerful warlords who valued Aizu for its strategic location as the gateway to the Tohoku Region.


54travelweekly.co.uk13 December 2018


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80