Our trip to Japan in November was a first visit for me and a return visit for Philip who went with his family as a young boy. We chose November as a perfect time to experience the renowned autumn foliage.

A stopover in Cairns in tropical north Queensland proved an ideal destination to break the journey, to relax and explore this beautiful area.

Traditional Japanese guest houses (ryokans) were our choice of accommodation and a two-week Japan Rail Pass, purchased before we left for around $500 each proved excellent value. The trains are superb, we could freely show the pass, use almost any Japan Rail train and it was a relaxed and comfortable way to reach our chosen destinations.

We spent 3 nights in Tokyo, exploring areas in that vicinity, 3 nights in Nikko, a World Heritage site just 2 hours by Bullet Train (Shinkansen) from Tokyo, 3 nights in Takayama in the mountains to the north and an area of interest, and 5 nights in Kyoto.... the galleries are as follows.

See my blog post. Hidden Away in Hida