Diary Entry Courtesy of our host Jane : Nikki and Laura arrived in Matsue the Wednesday before last and stayed a week. They were on the first leg of their world trip, with Japan being the first stop. After a brief stop in Tokyo, they spent a few days in Kyoto before coming south-west to Matsue. I booked the week off work; had enough time-in-lieu built up without having to use annal leave which made it all the sweeter. Those puddings were worth it! We had a rea...

first night in kyoto is grand..j hoppers hostel is fine..apart from taking the shoes off at the door and the big troughs for brushing your teeth...but the toilet seat is heated and the toilets are western style aswell...not that we've been avoiding the holes in hte ground....you no us we'd try anything once!! first day here we did walking tour of kinkakuji (the golden temple), Ryoanji (rock and sand garden) where we get a english speaking walking tour fro...

Heya Guys, arrived in Tokyo on tuesday morning at 9.00am after traveling for 12 hours!! Eventually located hotel after navigating the train and subway. Unfortunately, the hotel wouldn`t let us check in until 4pm, but luckily they took our rucksacks. We did a little siteseeing in a semiconsious state. Went to the local temple in Asakusa called shen-ji, there`s a huge gate leading into the temple and then a huge bowl of burning ash which you blow on yourself to bri...