{"id":23837,"date":"2019-05-10T12:12:25","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T11:12:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=23837"},"modified":"2025-02-19T14:50:12","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T14:50:12","slug":"a-writers-love-affair-with-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/10\/a-writers-love-affair-with-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Travellers\u2019 Tales: A writer&#8217;s love affair with Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>After becoming interested in Japan as a child, award-winning short story and travel writer Amanda Huggins fell hook, line and sinker for the country as an adult. But what is it about Japan that captured her imagination?<!--more--><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Japan: Where it all began<\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23854\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-510x657.jpeg\" alt=\"Spring in Kanazawa\" width=\"410\" height=\"528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-510x657.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-233x300.jpeg 233w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-768x989.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-795x1024.jpeg 795w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-438x564.jpeg 438w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-1200x1545.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-900x1159.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-720x927.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-1440x1854.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-390x502.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa-780x1004.jpeg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kanazawa.jpeg 1844w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>Whenever I return to Japan it feels like an emotional homecoming, and I\u2019m both relieved and excited to be back. Yet I\u2019ve always struggled to explain or define this strong connection, or to pin down exactly why I love the country so much. Perhaps the words remain elusive because the reasons are more spiritual than tangible.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23855 size-medium-plus-size\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-510x445.jpeg\" alt=\"Cherry blossom in Kobe\" width=\"510\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-510x445.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-300x262.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-768x671.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-1024x894.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-564x492.jpeg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-1200x1048.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-900x786.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-720x629.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-1440x1257.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-390x341.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Kobe-780x681.jpeg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I learnt my first word of Japanese when I was a child. The word &#8211; which I couldn\u2019t pronounce correctly &#8211; was <em>yurushite<\/em>, meaning \u2018I beg your forgiveness\u2019, and it appeared on the box lid of my <em>Sorry!<\/em> game &#8211; a souped-up form of Ludo. The board itself was decorated with elegant Japanese gardens: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-culture\/cherry-blossom\/\">cherry blossom<\/a>, stone lanterns, autumn maple trees, waterfalls and distant mountains. The beautiful board, and the evocative description of Japan as \u2018the land of politeness\u2019, were enough to instil a faint yearning that I didn\u2019t understand, a yearning that was cemented by the amateur production of<em> The Mikado<\/em> that my mother took me to see. The white makeup and scarlet lips, the intricate hair decorations, the beautiful colours and patterns of the kimonos, all seemed magical.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">First trip to Japan<\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23842\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-510x680.jpeg\" alt=\"Shinjuku, Tokyo\" width=\"410\" height=\"547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-510x680.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-423x564.jpeg 423w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-1200x1600.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-900x1200.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-720x960.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-1440x1920.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-390x520.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku-780x1040.jpeg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shinjuku.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>Yet my inaugural arrival in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/tokyo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tokyo<\/a> &#8211; way too many years later &#8211; was confusing and disorienting, and the first couple of days were all about jet-lag, sleepless nights and fighting to master a complicated Japanese toilet that left me in tears of frustration by refusing to flush. However, as soon as I reached the traditional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/experience-japan\/i-sg003-8\/hot-spring-ryokan-stay-\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>ryokan<\/em><\/a> in the mountains, Japan became light and shadow, moss and stone, the sound of a <em>shoji<\/em> screen sliding shut, of tea pouring and of temple bells, the scent of tatami matting and cedar, the exhilarating joy of climbing above the clouds.<\/p>\n<p>I was able to fill notebook after notebook with observations, sketches, and story ideas. And when I moved on to discover the cities and towns, I discovered that neon lights could be as beguiling as the glow of lanterns along cobbled streets, and that Tokyo, post jet-lag, was fascinating and seductive.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Japan as muse<\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23861\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-510x606.jpeg\" alt=\"Neon reflections in the water in Osaka, Japan\" width=\"410\" height=\"488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-510x606.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-252x300.jpeg 252w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-768x913.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-861x1024.jpeg 861w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-474x564.jpeg 474w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-1200x1427.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-900x1070.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-720x856.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-1440x1712.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-390x464.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1-780x927.jpeg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Osaka-Running-Man1.jpeg 1714w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>The everyday sounds of Japanese urban life are a constant cacophony. Street crossings chirp with cuckoo calls, staff call out loud greetings and farewells in caf\u00e9s, shops and bars, J-pop and adverts blare from shop fronts and <em>pachinko<\/em> parlours deafen with the crash and pound of a million silver balls. To outsiders, Tokyo can appear to be a place when quiet contemplation is impossible, and this can go hand in hand with the notion of things never being exactly as they seem, of them being a little off-centre, misunderstood, or lost in translation.<\/p>\n<p>As a writer, I wanted to explore these themes and ideas in my short story collection, <em>Separated From the Sea<\/em>, as well as the formality of traditional culture, and how family relationships are often still anchored by the old rules. Japanese cinema has influenced my writing as well. I particularly admire the domestic dramas made in the 1950s by Yasujiro Ozu. His films are poignant, poetic, and deceptively simple, and I love the elemental humanity of his work. He evokes a strong sense of the melancholy in everyday life, and the films all unfold at a contemplative, considered pace.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-23843 size-medium-plus-size\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-510x383.jpg\" alt=\"Todai-ji Gardens in cherry blossom season, Japan\" width=\"510\" height=\"383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-510x383.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Todai-ji-gardens-780x585.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Japanese literature is poetic in a similar way. Sparing and effective use of language, subtlety and nuance, a certain elusiveness, all demand that the stories are read slowly, and that they are re-read and savoured. These are the qualities that draw me back again and again &#8211; both to the literature and to the country itself &#8211; and I\u2019ve had so many wonderful experiences in Japan that I know they will inspire my writing for many years to come.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Small Group Tour to Japan<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23846\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23846\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23846 size-medium-plus-size\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-510x383.jpg\" alt=\"View from Norikura \u00a9 Mark Wharton\" width=\"510\" height=\"383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-510x383.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-Norikura-credit-Mark-Wharton-780x585.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23846\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>View from Norikura \u00a9 Mark Wharton<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I can still remember my first trip clearly, even though it was a dozen years ago now. There\u2019s certainly a lot to be said for travelling with someone who knows Japan well when you\u2019ve never visited before. Our initial trip was an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japan-small-group-tours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Inside Japan Small Group Tour<\/a>, and it was a great start to my love affair with the country &#8211; travelling around on public transport, doing our own thing whenever we wanted to, but still having the security of back-up &#8211; and a guide to show us all the best places!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23845\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23845\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23845\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-510x680.jpeg\" alt=\"View from above Kotohira\" width=\"410\" height=\"547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-510x680.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-423x564.jpeg 423w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-1200x1600.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-900x1200.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-720x960.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-1440x1920.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-390x520.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira-780x1040.jpeg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/View-from-above-Kotohira.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23845\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>View from above Kotohira, Shikoku<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We visited Tsukiji fish market at the crack of dawn and ate the freshest sushi for breakfast, climbed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/norikura\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mount Norikura<\/a> before soaking our weary bones in the <em>onsen<\/em>, sang around a camp fire in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/kamikochi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kamikochi<\/a>, and experienced a drunken team-bonding karaoke evening in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/kyoto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyoto<\/a>! When I\u2019ve planned my subsequent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/self-guided-japan-holidays\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">self-guided itineraries<\/a>, Inside Japan have been invaluable with their help and advice.<\/p>\n<p>Since that first trip we\u2019ve explored much more of Honshu, and spent two weeks on the island of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/rural-shikoku\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shikoku<\/a> &#8211; including an overnight stay in a Buddhist temple, a hotel in Uwajima where they put up a homemade welcome sign in the street with our names on it, and the slightly pretentious (yet undoubtedly fabulous) Benesse House on the island of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/naoshima\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Naoshima<\/a> &#8211; a hotel and art museum in one, designed by Tadao Ando.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve travelled the length of Kyushu, where we enjoyed an unforgettable night out at the Crazy Horse Bar in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/nagasaki\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nagasaki<\/a>, took the ferry to the eerie, abandoned \u2018James Bond\u2019 island of Gunkanjima, watched ash plumes rise from Sakurajima volcano, and drove on narrow mountain roads around the island of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/yakushima\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yakushima<\/a>. And on our recent trip we were mesmerised by the eminently shy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/mount-fuji\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fujisan<\/a> in all its glory.<\/p>\n<p>Yet by far the best thing of all about Japan is the people &#8211; and I\u2019d like to thank them for being so welcoming, and for making every trip so special.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Follow Amanda on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/troutiemcfish?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@troutiemcfish<\/a> or keep up to date with her writing on her <a href=\"https:\/\/troutiemcfishtales.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Start your love affair with Japan in the same way Amanda did &#8211; with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">InsideJapan Tours<\/a>! Whether you see yourself starting your Japan journey on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japan-small-group-tours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Small Group Tour<\/a>, or prefer the independence of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/self-guided-japan-holidays\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">self-guided trip<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/about-us\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">we&#8217;re on hand to help<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23858\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23858\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-23858\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-720x818.jpeg\" alt=\"Amanda Huggins and Mount Fuji \u00a9 Mark Wharton\" width=\"410\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-720x818.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-264x300.jpeg 264w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-768x873.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-901x1024.jpeg 901w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-496x564.jpeg 496w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-1200x1364.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-900x1023.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-1440x1636.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-390x443.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-780x886.jpeg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Me-and-Fujisan-credit-Mark-Wharton-510x579.jpeg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23858\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Amanda Huggins and Mount Fuji \u00a9 Mark Wharton<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F23837\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! After becoming interested in Japan as a child, award-winning short story and travel writer Amanda Huggins fell hook, line and sinker for the country as an adult. But what is it about Japan that captured her imagination? Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2360,2355],"tags":[1691,4255,4258,4261],"class_list":["post-23837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travellers-tales-from-japan","category-first-trip-to-japan","tag-japan-holiday","tag-amanda-huggins","tag-japan-vacation","tag-japan-writing-vacation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23837"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23837\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34730,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23837\/revisions\/34730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}