Bukhara and Khiva

October 14, 2026 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

Bukhara, possibly my favourite city in Uzbekistan. I can’t quite put my finger on why, perhaps it’s the atmosphere here, the buildings and old town are more concentrated than in Samarkand and it doesn’t feel quite as Disney-fied as Khiva.

We arrived at our hotel, about a 20 minute walk from the old town, in the early afternoon, and after lunch we had a free afternoon until we were meeting in the early evening for an orientation walk and dinner. Because we were staying a little way out from the main sites, I decided to have a chilled afternoon at the hotel, which wasn’t a bad idea considering I was almost 3 weeks into this trip with not a lot of free time so far.

In the evening we were bussed into the old town and had a brief orientation around Labi Hovuz square and a couple of handcraft shops before dinner.

We had a much more thorough city tour the next day which again differed slightly from my previous trip here.

It did start off the same at the Ismail Somani mausoleum, a truly incredible building from the 9th century that has been extremely well preserved. We also visited Bola House mosque before a new inclusion this time, the Ark of Bukhara. The Ark looms over one side of the city, and only about a quarter of the original site has been reconstructed though you can walk through the archeological remains of the remaining site.

I’d planned to go to the Ark anyway this time so was pleased it was included.

We then went to the Kalyan mosque and minaret. The minaret really dominates the old town at about 150 feet tall.

We then traipsed through a carpet workshop where the staff did their best to sell us some very expensive carpets, and finally to a blacksmith’s workshop. Afterwards we had some free time and after a tea and baklava break I went in search of a miniature painting which Bukhara is famous for.

Dinner for one in the evening and a chilled night before a long drive to Khiva the next day.

It’s about 7 hours on the road and includes getting within spitting distance of Turkmenistan, just the other side of the river. So near and yet so far!

The journey was mostly through desert which did change from hard rocks to softer sand and eventually to something more green as we approached Khiva and Urgench.

We rolled into Khiva in the late afternoon and to our accommodation in a converted madrassa in the heart of the old town, ichan kala.

A short orientation walk in the evening before an early dinner at a terrace restaurant with great sunset views. I had the local speciality of shivit oshi, green noodles – definitely a must-try when in Khiva.

The following day we had a tour around the old town, starting at the Kalta Minor minaret, which is an iconic view in Khiva. We also went to the Toshhovli Palace which has lots of beautiful blue tilework, the Juma mosque which has around 200 wooden pillars holding up the building, some dating back centuries, and also to the Masjid-I-Ark where there was a performance ongoing depicting a parade and crowning.

Afterwards we had free time for the rest of the day and I enjoyed wandering around the old town, in some of the shops, and an old caravanserai which had been turned into a market. I bought a blue silk scarf and a suzani cushion cover. Suzani is the traditional embroidery from Uzbekistan which often depicts pomegranates.

Not the style I bought but this was a suzani embroidered cushion in the hotel in Khiva

I said earlier that Khiva is a bit Disney-fied. What I mean by this is that it has been very well preserved and reconstructed, and that most of the old mosques, madrassas and caravanserais have been converted into hotels, restaurants and shops. It’s pretty but somehow lacks some of the authenticity (to me) of Bukhara.

Another rooftop dinner and another cracking sunset before an early start for the flight back to Tashkent. After going back to a restaurant we’d gone to on the first night which served the most delicious ginger and mint tea, we had a brief tour in Tashkent in the afternoon before our final dinner at a Georgian restaurant close to Amir Temur square. It was very interesting to revisit Uzbekistan. Certainly from my point of view, the country in the Stans with the most Silk Road culture. Definitely more touristy than Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, and much more city based. A really fascinating place and I would recommend anyone with even a vague interest in the Silk Road to go.

Now, back to Istanbul airport and, at my 6th visit, I’m actually going to leave it and see what Türkiye is like.

Tashkent, Samarkand and Aidar Kul

October 4, 2026October 4, 2026 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

We crossed the border from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan at Oybek, north of Khojand. It took a while, and there was a reasonably long walk in the midday sun between the 2 border posts. But eventually we were through (no visa needed) and then all crammed into a minibus for the remaining drive to Tashkent.

We arrived in the late afternoon, and this would be the final night for around half the people on this trip. We went out for a farewell dinner to mark the occasion. Those of us continuing then had a free day in Tashkent before we would meet the new people joining us for the Uzbekistan part of the trip.

I’ve been to Uzbekistan before, in 2023. People have asked why I’m doing it again. Firstly I really enjoyed it last time, secondly I wanted to cover as many Stans as possible on this trip (quite gutted that I couldn’t find dates including Turkmenistan which worked for me), and finally I was intrigued to see how tourism was developing here as when I was here before, it felt like it was on the cusp of becoming really popular.

I spent my free day in Tashkent going to some new places (Amir Timur park, Abay bazaar) and some places I went before (Minor Mosque, Chorsu bazaar). One thing that has changed since last time is that you can now pay for the metro by tapping your card at the gate. The fare is still ridiculously cheap though, £0.11 per journey according to my bank account!

Tashkent metro also has some really interestingly decorated stations, built mostly during the Soviet era, so worth jumping off at a few to take a look.

After meeting the new group and going for dinner in the evening (I’m surprised to find I am the youngest person on this section of the trip, certainly not the case last time), we left Tashkent the following morning on a train bound for Samarkand. A reasonably comfortable journey in what looked like a Soviet era carriage, this wasn’t one of the high speed trains so took around 3 hours to get to Samarkand. We did get a free cup of tea though!

We arrived in Samarkand in time for lunch. And then after lunch we had a tour of some of the main sights which lasted for the rest of the afternoon. First up we went to the Gur-I-Amir mausoleum, in a beautifully decorated complex.

Then we headed to the Shah-i-zinda necropolis complex. The buildings here are stunning, and apparently similar in design to those in Iran. It’s a very atmospheric and contemplative place, even among the throngs of tourists.

Next up was the Bibi Khanym mosque, a building which is absolutely enormous, and the photos as usual don’t quite do it justice.

And finally that evening, the Registan. If people think of Samarkand, they are most likely thinking about the Registan, with its 3 enormous madrassas forming 3 sides of a square. Each madrassa has courtyards sitting behind, surrounded by what would have been the students rooms. It’s is a stunningly preserved complex, the decoration and tile work is mesmerising. And being there in the early evening as the sun was setting added to the atmosphere as the colours were constantly changing. As part of our tour we only had a short time in the complex but I’d decided to come back the next day when we had more free time to properly immerse myself in it. I could have sat for hours within the courtyards, admiring the colours, buildings and people watching.

Dinner that night in a restaurant near the Registan and this was really my first tell that tourism has increased in the last 3 years. I haven’t really felt that the sights were much busier, but I’d been to this rooftop restaurant 3 years ago and we’d had no trouble in getting a table on the roof terrace without a booking. This time, no chance. We did manage to get seated inside on the ground floor but all the rooftop tables were fully booked out.

The following day was a free day, the first day fully to myself since I arrived in Kyrgyzstan 2 weeks ago. I had a leisurely breakfast and then wandered to the Jewish quarter, through local neighbourhoods where the locals greeted us with smiling faces and ‘hellos’ and ‘saloms’. The Jewish quarter is quite small and there is only a very small population (in the hundreds) of Jews remaining in Samarkand.

After a tea and baklava break, I headed to the Siyob bazaar for a wander and then looped around the back of the Bibi Khanym mosque before heading back to the hotel for an afternoon rest. In the late afternoon I headed back to the Registan to soak up the atmosphere at my own pace.

The next morning we headed out of the city, firstly to Nurata where Alexander the Great built a fortress up on the hillside. We then continued on to Aidar Kul lake and the beach. In a landlocked country, you’ve got to take what you can get! I’d been here 3 years ago and it definitely looked like a bit of development had happened. There was a boardwalk out to the water, and a hotel and restaurant were operating. I don’t hugely remember this being the case before. But in late September it wasn’t busy.

We made it to our home for the night, at a yurt camp, just as the sun was setting. I think it was the same camp as last time, though it too had undergone some renovations with a more substantial dining building and permanent walkway around the yurts. It was a bit of a shame the sun had dipped down by the time we got there as I remember the sunset being pretty spectacular last time.

We had a local dinner with salads, soup and a meat and veg dish before listening to some Kazakh music. The camp is relatively close to the Kazakhstan border and historically, central Asian peoples are nomadic peoples so it’s not surprising that you have such a mixture of cultures in this area.

A bit of stargazing (with a near-full moon) to end the day before a not-too-bad nights sleep in the yurt. It wasn’t as cold as the one in Kyrgyzstan though it was still fairly fresh in the morning.

After breakfast it was back on the road to my favourite Uzbek city, Bukhara…

Tajikistan

September 25, 2026 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

Almaty airport is gleaming and modern. We were dropped off in plenty of time for our afternoon flight to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. The flight was about an hour and 45 minutes and we departed about 10 minutes early which is almost unheard of!

Tajikistan is the only Stan I am visiting where British citizens need a visa, and it has to be applied for in advance. My advice would be to apply in plenty of time as mine took over 3 weeks to be processed. And be very careful with the dates on the visa as one member of the group ended up having to buy a new visa as they’d got the entry date wrong by a day.

Eventually we were all successfully through and got our bags and were greeted by our new tour guide for Tajikistan. It was evening by now and so we had dinner first before a brief city tour. You might think it’s a bit odd to have a city tour in the evening or after dark but many of Dushanbe’s gleaming sights are lit up at night which adds a certain something. I was surprised by how prosperous the city appears to be, and it had a different vibe to both Bishkek and Almaty.

The next morning started with a museum tour and a visit to a mosque before we hit the road and headed to the Fann mountains. Like Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan is over 90% mountains and many people come to hike. It is a stunning drive but some of the driving styles (and overtaking on narrow mountain roads) aren’t what I’m used to!

We were meant to go to Iskander Darya waterfall but the road was closed due to construction, which was a real shame as it’s meant to be a highlight of the trip. Instead we stopped at the Rudaki mausoleum. Rudaki was a poet, and from my observations, the Tajiks are very fond of commemorating their poets either like this or with statues.

We arrived at the guest house in Gazza Village, deep in the Fann mountains where we would be staying the next 2 nights. The contrast between the village and Dushanbe could hardly have been starker. The villagers live simple lives with their livestock and farming, in these remote and stunningly beautiful mountains.

We hiked the next day, about 4km/2 and a bit miles, to Voru Village, a nearby village built into the hillside. As we’re at altitude, and we gained 350m/1100ft on the hike, it was a little strenuous and a good morning workout. Along the way we met many cheerful children who were waving at us and offering us apples from their trees. Everyone we’ve met has been very friendly.

After making our way back down the same 2 and a bit miles, we had a well-deserved lunch of Tajik plov accompanied by the usual tomato and cucumber salad which has been present at almost every meal I’ve had so far in the Stans.

A free afternoon to catch up on a few things, do a bit of reading and rest my tired legs.

The following day we headed north, to the city of Khujand. On the way we stopped at an enormous bust of Lenin, perched atop a very long staircase which we all decided against climbing. We arrived in Khujand in the mid afternoon and had some free time to explore. There is a large fortress in the centre but sadly it was Monday and therefore closed. We did wander around the outside of the fortress (it reminded me of a smaller version of the Ark Citadel in Bukhara) and in a neighbouring park and briefly along the river. In the evening we went to look at the local bazaar before dinner. I do enjoy exploring bazaars and markets in other countries, to see how the locals shop and what they eat.

We visited a museum in Khujand the next morning before struggling to leave the city as the president was in town and the main roads out were all blocked. After driving in circles for a while, the roads eventually opened and we headed north towards the border with Uzbekistan.

A short but fascinating visit to Tajikistan. Full of friendly people and it was interesting to see the contrast between shiny Dushanbe, and the rustic yet beautiful Fann Mountains. Now onwards to Uzbekistan, and to retrace my steps from a previous trip here in 2023…

Kazakhstan

September 20, 2026 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

2 buildings in the middle of nowhere constitute the border post between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Being British means I don’t often have the opportunity to walk between countries, and so when I’ve been on my travels this year crossing land borders, I’ve found it really fascinating. We all got stamped out of Kyrgyzstan and then walked a short distance to the Kazakhstan border to be stamped in (like Kyrgyzstan, no visa needed).

Then we set off on a big coach into Kazakhstan. Our first stop was at Moon Canyon, also known as Yellow Canyon, within Charyn Canyon National Park. Definitely had the feel of a lunar landscape. Our next stop, where we also had a picnic lunch, was at Black Canyon, where you could see the river meandering through the canyon. The landscape so far was softer than Kyrgyzstan.

We arrived at our overnight stop, Saty village, in the mid afternoon. A typical southern Kazakh village, with small holdings, animals, a mosque and surrounded by mountains.

In the afternoon we drove a short distance for a hike to Kaindy Lake, where there are lots of drowned trees standing tall in the lake.

Dinner at the guest house and then an early night for me as a few long days and a slightly unsettled stomach had caught up with me.

I felt a whole heap better the next morning as we set off back to Charyn Canyon National Park, and to Charyn Canyon itself where we had a couple of hours walking along the canyon rim and down some of the spurs. Not on the same scale as the Grand Canyon by any means but nonetheless a pretty spectacular landscape.

We then drove for the rest of the afternoon to Almaty where we would stay for 2 nights for the first time on this Stans trips.

A free evening so I went with another person on the trip to a Kazakh restaurant which had been recommended. Smoked horse meat salad to start (quite like mild beef) and then veal and potatoes for main. All in all, pretty good.

After dinner we walked back through the bustling Arbat Street where there were street musicians playing and plenty of people out enjoying themselves. We finished the night admiring the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Panfilov Park which is lit up at night.

The next day we had a city tour in the morning covering Independence Square, the Green Bazaar and the cathedral.

In the afternoon we went on the metro to a couple of museums. Almaty metro has some very nicely decorated metro stations, like Tashkent, so definitely worth stopping off at a couple for pictures.

That evening we had a farewell dinner at a Georgian restaurant as a couple of our group were finishing in Almaty, and we would get a new tour guide for our next country, Tajikistan.

Kazakhstan is a vast country, the 9th largest in the world by area, and I only saw a very small part in the south but the scenery was beautiful and Almaty was a very pleasant city to wander around.

Next up, Tajikistan…

Kyrgyzstan

September 16, 2026 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

Back to my new favourite airline, Turkish Airlines, for a thankfully uneventful connection through Istanbul to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan. Arriving in a new country where everything is written in the Cyrillic alphabet at 4.30am after the usual lack of sleep on the flight continues to be a good idea… Long and slow-moving queues at passport control (no visa required) meant that my bag was slowly trundling around the baggage carousel waiting for me when I finally got through. I found my transfer and waited for some other people on the G Adventures trip I am doing to arrive.

We eventually got to the hotel at about 6.45am and I could thankfully go to bed for a couple of hours as I’d booked the hotel room for the previous night to make sure I could rest.

I reckon I had about 2 and a half hours sleep before heading out in the late morning with another person on the trip. We got a YandexGo (the Central Asia version of Uber) to Ala-Too square, a wide open space with a massive flagpole guarded by 2 young men. We managed to arrive in time to witness the changing of the guard which was an interesting ceremony where the participants were goose-stepping their way to and from their posts.

We then went into the History Museum which is situated at one end of the square. It was a very interesting museum explaining the history of Kyrgyzstan from the first settlers many centuries ago to its independence from the USSR and more recent history. There was plenty of information in English, alongside Kyrgyz and Russian. We would be in there a good hour or so I think.

After lunch we wandered back to the hotel through several very well maintained parks and squares.

Group meet-up in the evening and our first meal together, hilariously in a branch of the same restaurant we’d gone to at lunch time.

The following morning started with a walking tour of Bishkek, including revisiting some of the places I’d gone the previous day, though this time with more context from our local guide. Bishkek has a lot of parks with statues to all sorts of people from their history.

There are some quite contrasting architectural styles in Bishkek, from some quite beautiful Soviet buildings to some less aesthetic, brutalist buildings from the 1970s.

After we’d finished the walking tour, we headed out of Bishkek to the Burana Tower, essentially half a minaret and some petroglyphs are all that remain from the 9th century city of Balasagun. You can walk up the tower, up a dark, narrow staircase with very deep steps. My quads were still aching several days later.

Lunch was at a Dungan restaurant. The Dungan are Chinese Muslims who fled persecution in the late 1800s and arrived over the Tian Shan mountains into Kyrgyzstan. A delicious spread and some of the best noodles I’ve had anywhere.

We continued in the afternoon to Chon Kemin National Park. Some lovely views of the gorge close to the entrance, rolling mountains and milky blue rivers. We overnighted in a guesthouse in a small village. In the morning we walked up a nearby hill for 360 views of the area, where we could see several villages and neatly farmed fields. The trees starting to turn yellow as summer ends and autumn approaches. A good way to start the day before getting in the minibus and driving for most of the rest of the day, through spectacular scenery, to Song Kul lake.

The road was pretty good for a while and then we turned off to a dirt road which wound its way high into the mountains. Some really impressive views as we climbed higher. We eventually arrived at the yurt camp on the shores of Song Kul lake in the late afternoon after an increasingly bumpy ride. The clouds had come over by now and the wind had got up so we were all grateful to wait for dinner inside the dining yurt where the stove was on and providing some much-needed heat. The lake is at an altitude of over 11,000 feet and the temperature change from the first couple of days was quite stark! For the first time on my travels this year, I’ve actually brought a coat with me (the coat I’d had to buy in Japan!) and I was very glad I had it!

A simple dinner of lentil soup and stuffed dumplings before bedding down for the night in a yurt. The stove had also been burning in our yurt so it was toasty warm. And the beds had a thick duvet and a couple of blankets so despite the cold outside, it was very nice and warm inside. I’d be lying if I said I’d had a good nights sleep. Various animal noises from outside, a drop in temperature overnight and a very narrow bed variously contributed to an unsettled night. But it was a great experience to sleep in a traditional yurt.

The morning sky was beautifully clear and blue and as we waited for breakfast, herds of horses, goats and other animals were making their way to the lake for their morning drink. I’m not quite sure where they all came from as there weren’t these numbers around the previous night.

We set off after breakfast back down the bumpy mountain pass and to lunch in Kochkor. After lunch we continued driving east along the southern shore of Issyk Kul lake, the biggest lake in Kyrgyzstan. It was glistening a beautiful blue against the sky. We stopped in the late afternoon at Fairytale Canyon (Skazka Canyon). So-called because the rock formations are said to resemble buildings from fairytales. I’m not so sure… But a fun hour exploring the rocks before the final leg of the day to our guest house in Tamga. A beautiful guest house with an enormous garden and an abundance of apple trees heavy with ripe apples.

Another local dinner with some of the best mashed potato I have ever had.

The following morning started at a project support by G Adventures which is ensuring the traditional Kyrgyz crafts of felt work, needle work and yurt-making are kept alive. We learned about how the beautiful felt panels which adorn the inside of yurts are traditionally made, and also helped to construct a yurt. They really are quite ingenious dwellings. A lot of G Adventures trips include a stop at a project being supported by its charitable arm and this was one of my favourites.

We continued on and had a picnic lunch at Jety Oguz, another striking rock formation. The colours here really reminded me of Zion National Park in the US. A very picturesque spot for lunch.

After lunch we continued to our final overnight in Kyrgyzstan, in the city of Karakol which is the 4th largest city in Kyrgyzstan. When we arrived we had a short tour of the 2 main sights in town – the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the Dungan mosque. Both quite striking, and both made out of wood. Our final evening meal in Kyrgyzstan was at a Uyghur restaurant. It’s been very good to have lots of different types of food here in Kyrgyzstan, from traditional Kyrgyz food, to Dungan, Russian and Uyghur.

We made our way northeast the next morning, through a gap in the mountains to the border with Kazakhstan and one of the more unassuming border posts I’ve seen.

Kyrgyzstan is a stunningly beautiful country which I’ve really enjoyed. Now off to my next Stan…

Asahikawa, Furano and Sapporo

May 6, 2026 ~ Cat ~ 1 Comment

Asahikawa is the second largest city in Hokkaido, but doesn’t even get a mention in my Lonely Planet guidebook, which didn’t fill me with the greatest confidence about the city!! We arrived too early to check in so had a wander around the massive Aeon mall that is attached to the JR Station at Asahikawa.

We had a free afternoon after check in. It was cold with a bracing wind, I wandered up and down the main pedestrianised street, past shops, izakayas which were already busy, and a surprising number of statues of women in various states of undress…

We went to a small jingisukan restaurant in the evening. Jingisukan is essentially a do-it-yourself lamb barbecue which originated in Hokkaido, and is a Japanese translation of Genghis Khan.

Lamb barbecue with bean sprouts, greens and other veggies

The following day we started with a visit to an Ainu museum to learn about the indigenous Ainu peoples who have been in Hokkaido for thousands of years. They have only very recently been formally recognised as indigenous peoples in Japan so it was really interesting to hear about how the museum is helping to preserve their culture and educate others on their history and traditions. We had a delicious lunch of salmon, soup, and grape jelly for dessert from our Ainu hosts.

After lunch it was off to another sake museum, and for some more tastings. Still not sure I like sake…

We also visited a wood working centre, which is a key industry in and around Asahikawa. Lots of very cool, and very expensive, furniture designs.

Ramen for dinner that evening, followed by karaoke, which is ubiquitous in Japan. Now, I can’t sing, but there’s something about singing in a booth in Japan with some people I’ve only met a few days ago which makes it pretty enjoyable. Probably because if I make a fool of myself, I’m likely to never see them again anyway!!

The next day we headed out of Asahikawa, to Mount Asahi and the Asahidake Ropeway (cable car). As we headed out of Asahikawa, it started to snow. And as we drove up towards the ropeway station, the snow got heavier and the road got whiter and whiter until you could barely see where the road was. We did take the cable car up the mountain but instead of the glorious vistas, we got heaps of snow, a blizzard and a bit of a white out! I’m actually not sure I’ve ever seen this much snow in person so despite not seeing the views, it was still pretty awesome to be in a bit of a snowstorm.

I was quite cold at this point, and very glad of the coat and thermal trousers I’d bought earlier on in Japan! We went to a small restaurant for lunch, a lovely warming bowl of beef stew, which reminded me of home!

After lunch we visited the Blue Pond, which despite the snow and clouds, was surprisingly blue. We also went to a nearby waterfall at Shirogane, again with some unexpectedly blue colours given the weather.

We then headed to Furano, which is an area known for cheese and wine production. We made our own mascarpone which we then had for dinner at the hotel along with some biscuits, local strawberries and local wine. The hotel we stayed in at Furano had an onsen so later in the evening I squeezed in a final soak on my Japan trip as I suspected the hotel for the final couple of nights in Sapporo wouldn’t have any baths. I’ve really enjoyed the onsens on this trip. An extremely relaxing and peaceful way to spend time.

The next day we headed to Sapporo on the train. The weather was such a contrast to the previous day – lovely blue sky, and very spring-like, though still quite chilly. When we got to Sapporo, we had lunch at a cafe at Hokkaido university and then spent some time in the university museum which was extensive and had lots of interesting exhibits. Not all of it in a language I could understand so Google Translate came in very handy!

We had a free afternoon so I walked around Sapporo – an easy city to navigate due to its grid street pattern. It also has underground walking subways which must be very useful in the depths of winter when it’s very cold. As we walked into the subway for the first time, it did look a little dystopian as it is very quiet, and with everyone walking in an orderly fashion on the left. But I thought it was really ingenious, as it connects directly with all the buildings above at street level, and there are even shops and restaurants at the subway level too. Almost like an underground city.

I used the subway to walk about half an hour downtown towards the Susukino area, stopping along the way at the Clock Tower, the TV Tower, and Nijō Ichiba market. Sapporo is quite a nice city for a wander, though in the late afternoon it was getting increasingly cold so I headed back to the hotel.

We went to an izakaya (a Japanese pub) for dinner. There was an extensive menu of small dishes that we had including yakitori, sushi, ramen and rice. The izakaya was small and full of people, which made for a bustling environment, I’m really glad I experienced one during my trip.

The next day we headed out on the train to the nearby port city of Otaru. Formerly, Otaru was a financial capital of Hokkaido, due to the port and the coal that was exported from here. There are some very impressive buildings here that were all previous banks and financial institutions which grew up around the port. Nowadays, most have been repurposed into shops and eateries. The canal has also been restored and because of the coal history and the redevelopment, it did slightly remind me of Cardiff.

We returned to Sapporo in the afternoon and had our final dinner of the trip that evening. Another jingisukan, this time on a bigger scale at the Sapporo Bier Garten. We rounded off the evening with another karaoke session.

This was the final day of the Intrepid trip, and the following day I had a travel day back to Tokyo in readiness for my flight home the next day. Sapporo New Chitose Airport is about a 40 minute train ride outside of the city, but is very straightforward to get to. There wasn’t heaps to do once through security though…

I was flying to Tokyo’s Haneda airport and needed to get to Narita airport for my flight out the next day. The road distance between the 2 airports is about 55 miles (88km). Whilst it is possible to get trains (with changes) between the 2, I opted for a limousine bus (aka a coach) which leaves regularly from all terminals at Haneda to all terminals at Narita. You can buy a ticket from the machines in the arrivals hall which helpfully have an English language option. Transport in Japan can be a little overwhelming but I was honestly pleasantly surprised by how much was available in English. And the internet, particularly Google Maps and Reddit, were extremely useful tools in helping me figure stuff out when I was on my own.

Overall I’ve really loved Japan, I’m so pleased that I headed north in addition to the more well-trodden route through southern Honshu, and I’m fairly certain I will go back one day.

Noboribetsu and Lake Shikotsu

April 21, 2026 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

Our luggage had been sent from Hakodate to Asahikawa, our destination in 2 days time, so we were operating out of our smaller bags for a couple of days.

We took a train from Hakodate along the coast to Noboribetsu and then a bus to Noboribetsu Onsen which is a small town full of onsen resort hotels. It had a bit of a ski resort feel to it despite there being no skiing in this area.

When we arrived, we walked to Hell Valley, which is a steaming landscape and the source of the hot water for the onsens in this town. The colours really reminded me of Wyoming.

After that we returned to the hotel and I very much enjoyed the onsen. It was late afternoon and pretty quiet so I had a long soak in the various baths. It’s so peaceful and meditative.

We had a buffet dinner which had lots of seafood including as many crab legs as you could eat!!

I ended the day with another soak in the onsen, something I could definitely get used to!

The following day started with a bus, a train and another bus to Lake Shikotsu, the deepest lake in Hokkaido. There were vast mounds of snow still on the ground, having been cleared into piles. The trees had yet to burst into life after a long winter. It had a bit of a desolate feeling as we travelled, especially as it was quiet too.

We had a canoeing excursion on the lake, we were so fortunate that the lake was calm this afternoon. The next day a storm had blown in and it was decidedly choppy!

Canoeing into the serene lake and marvelling at the landscapes, the surrounding mountains with dustings of snow, was just so idyllic.

It was, however, decidedly cold, and I was grateful for the additional clothes I’d bought in Japan – thanks Uniqlo and Muji!!

We stayed at a ryokan on the lake this evening, with another onsen. Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns and have futons and tatami mats in the rooms, and the only bathing and showering facilities are in the onsen. What a good excuse for another long and relaxing soak…

I really enjoyed these couple of days. It felt more off the beaten track than even Aomori or Hakodate, certainly compared to the first half of my Japan travels. It is the off season, so it was very quiet, but that really added to the peaceful ambience. I’ve also discovered that I really like onsens!!

Next, to Asahikawa, the coldest city in Hokkaido…

Aomori and Hakodate

April 17, 2026 ~ Cat ~ 1 Comment

Back to Tokyo for the second part of this trip, and to meet my new group. A very small group this time, just 2 others plus the guide. As the others were both men it meant I got my own room without paying for it – result!!

We joined the Monday morning crush on the Tokyo subway to get to Tokyo station to catch another Shinkansen which will whizz us the near 700km / 435 miles north to Aomori in just over 3 hours.

The scenery changed and we said goodbye to the blossoms as we hurtled north, passing rice fields and, later, snow capped peaks.

A slightly exciting moment as the train came to a sudden halt just outside of a station and all the power went off. There had been an earthquake out to sea and the train stopped for about 15 minutes as the tracks were checked. All was fine and we carried on and still arrived in Aomori by lunchtime.

Certainly a change in temperature here compared to my first week or so in Japan. And indeed to the last 5 months of my travels. I was very glad for the coat I’d bought when I got to Tokyo. In Aomori it was cold enough for me to buy some thermal lined trousers, a hat and some gloves, which I would be extremely grateful for in a few days time…

The northern part of Honshu, and Hokkaido, has amazing seafood, and for lunch we went to Aomori Nokkedon, a fish market where you can create your own rice bowl lunch by buying some tickets and exchanging them at the various stalls as you go round the market. Some of the freshest sashimi I’ve ever had, absolutely delicious.

In the afternoon we went to the Sannai Maruyama archeological site, which preserves how the Jōmon peoples lived in this area 5000-6000 years ago. It’s still being excavated and it was very interesting to see what has been found and how these people lived.

That evening we had more seafood for dinner, and there was some live music at the restaurant, using a traditional Japanese shamisen – a 3-stringed instrument. There was also a chap in traditional costume who got us all up dancing in a line around the restaurant, surprisingly exhausting!!

The next day we headed to nearby Hirosaki on the train for the day. We started at an indigo-dyeing workshop, which is one of the traditional crafts in this area. The place we went to had these great big vats of indigo dye stewing away. I opted for tie-dye and I was much happier with my attempts here than at the previous tie-dyeing in Thailand.

We then went to the Tsugaru-han Neputa museum which contains these enormous lanterns which are used every August in the Nebuta Matsuri festival, which must be a lot of fun. The lanterns are beautifully decorated but I couldn’t get over how big they were!

After a warming bowl of soba noodles in a cafe for lunch, we then had a brief wander around the outside of Hirosaki Castle, which is under renovation for the next 8 years (I think!). As part of the renovations, they’ve actually moved the castle from its original position whilst the ground is being reinforced. Pretty surreal to think this building has been moved!

We also had a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, kneeling on the tatami mats, and being very calm and precise in making the tea and drinking it. A very serene experience.

Back to Aomori in the late afternoon, and a yakitori dinner.

The next morning was my final Shinkansen of this trip as we made the 1 hour journey under the sea from Honshu to Hokkaido and to the current northern terminus of the Shinkansen at Hakodate. Work is ongoing to extend to Sapporo in the next few years, at which point it will probably be faster to take the train from Sapporo to Tokyo rather than fly, by the time you’ve factored in hanging around at an airport, which is a bit mad really.

We were in Hakodate by mid morning and dropped our bags at the hotel. We took a tram to Goryokaku Tower and went to the observation deck where you get great views over the city, and of Goryokaku fort directly below. The fort is in a star-shaped design and apparently influenced by European designs. In a couple of weeks, the cherry blossoms will be bursting forth, outlining the fort in beautiful pink blossoms.

We had some free time after lunch and I wandered around part of the historic port of Hakodate, to the red brick warehouses which now house an assortment of shops and restaurants. As we were on the coast, it was quite breezy, and the architecture here is very European, it made me feel quite at home!

In the evening after dinner we went to the Hakodate Ropeway (cable car) and timed it perfectly to get to the top in time for sunset. We, and hundreds of others, then hung around for about half an hour for it to get properly dark as you then get great views of Hakodate lit up at night. After getting our photos we then tried to beat the rush back down in the cable cars and called it a night.

I’m already really glad I decided to come north on this trip. It’s a lot quieter than the traditional tourist route though southern Honshu, but has spectacular scenery and great food. Next up, a couple of days in onsen territory…

Hiroshima and Osaka

April 15, 2026 ~ Cat ~ Leave a comment

Back on a Shinkansen the next day towards Hiroshima. We arrived at lunchtime and made use again of the amazing facilities at the station. Most of the stations we’ve been to have large shopping malls/department stores attached to them with food courts and restaurants. I ended up having dessert for lunch. A strawberry sandwich cake with delicious fresh strawberries and strawberry sorbet. Absolutely no regrets.

In the afternoon we hopped on a local train to Saijo, which is famous for its sake brewing. There are several sake breweries (distilleries?) in this town, and most are open for tastings. As I mentioned in my Kyoto post, I’m not entirely sure I like sake, but I’m continuing to try it!!

Back to Hiroshima and to check in to the hotel before dinner. Hiroshima is famous for its okonomiyaki – the cabbage pancakes which I had at the home stay in Kawane. We went to what seemed to be an okonomiyaki centre where lots of separate vendors were serving okonomiyaki which is cooked right in front of you. It’s a great spectacle to watch your dinner being cooked. I was a bit worried about the large size of the okonomiyaki but I managed to polish it all off with a couple of beers.

After dinner we walked back to the hotel via the peace park and the A-Dome, which is lit up at night. The atomic bomb went off directly above the building now known as the A-Dome, which ended up preserving the structure of this building when everything else in the vicinity was destroyed.

We started the next day with a visit to the Peace Memorial Museum, a must-do in Hiroshima. We learned about the devastating impacts of the bomb on Hiroshima, and on the people who survived the initial blast who subsequently became ill, in some cases years afterwards. It was a very sobering visit.

We then took a train and a ferry to the nearby island of Miyajima, which had a ‘floating’ torii gate (certainly when the tide is in). The sun was out and it looked idyllic. Deer roam around the town and were stealing food so we opted for an indoor lunch – deep-fried oysters which were really good.

After some time wandering around the town and the souvenir shops in the afternoon, we got back on the ferry and train back to Hiroshima. A few drinks in a pub definitely catering to tourist groups, and then a delicious bowl of ramen to round off the day.

Another day, another Shinkansen. This time to Osaka. Again we arrived before lunchtime, and after dropping our bags at the hotel, we headed out in the rain to the Dotombori area. This area has restaurants and bars with slightly outlandish facades, it reminded me a bit of downtown Las Vegas. Gyosa for lunch out of the rain, and then a walk through Kuromon Market which has loads of street food stalls. Japanese street food etiquette is a little different to elsewhere as you don’t eat and walk at the same time, you buy your food and stand by the vendor to eat it and then dispose of any waste in their bin.

We also went into a gaming arcade and had a quick go at Mario Kart which was a lot of fun!

This evening in Osaka was the final night of the first part of my Japan trip. We had a lovely group dinner at a small restaurant and had a Japanese tasting menu – a kaiseki. So much food!! And it was all delicious.

We rounded off the night with karaoke – has to be done in Japan!

Next is was back to Tokyo to meet the much smaller group for the second part of my Japan adventure.

Kyoto

April 12, 2026 ~ Cat ~ 1 Comment

A bus and 4 trains from Kawane and we arrived into Kyoto at lunchtime. The train station in Kyoto is absolutely massive, like an airport really, and it has quite a spectacular roof. We went for lunch at a shopping centre attached to the station where there was a ramen floor with lots of small restaurants, holding probably no more than a dozen people each. You ordered from a screen and waited your turn to be seated.

Rainy views of Kyoto and Kyoto tower from Kyoto station skyway

After refuelling we headed to the hotel and had some free time. It was, sadly, raining but I couldn’t just sit in the room so my roommate and I went for a little walk to nearby Nijō-jō Castle. Inside there are these incredible paintings of trees and animals, including leopards which the artists had never seen in real life and were drawing based only on hides. They also have ‘nightingale corridors’ which sound like nightingales as the floorboards creak as you walk along, which was to deter intruders. Really cool. Unfortunately we hadn’t quite given ourselves enough time before both the castle closed and we were meeting up with the rest of the group for a walk through Nishiki Market on our way to dinner.

Our leader on this tour is a bit of a foodie and is taking us to lots of different places to try as many different types of Japanese food as possible, which I am extremely grateful for. Tonight we went Gyukatsu Kyoto, for breaded katsu beef steak (gyukatsu), which you can then cook to your own liking on the table in front of you.

After dinner it had just about stopped raining and we walked past more cherry blossom-lined streets, into the Gion district which is where Geiko and Meiko’s (geishas) work. However, due to tourists being too intrusive, you no longer see them wandering around the streets so we didn’t see any in person. The evening finished with a drink on a rooftop bar with great views over the city.

The next day was a reasonably early start (sadly still in the rain, the poncho came in handy) to take the train out to Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine. This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the god of rice, and has hundreds of scarlet red/orange torii gates which look so picturesque. The writing on them looks really cool as well, though apparently it is just the names of people and companies who have sponsored each of the torii gates!! It’s a good idea to get there early as it was very busy despite the rain. The torii gates create a long walkway up the hill and the further up you get, the fewer people you encounter.

We went to a sake museum after this, to escape the rain and learn about how sake is made. We also had a tasting afterwards of 3 different sakes. I’ve actually never had sake before, and if I’m honest, I’m not entirely sure I like it. I preferred the more fruity ones, there was quite nice melon-y flavoured one, but I think I’ll stick to wine given the choice!

After lunch in a food hall in the basement of Kyoto tower, we had a free afternoon. It was still raining, and whilst most of the group retreated back to the hotel, I went to visit Sanjusangen dō, temple containing 1000 Buddhas. It’s really quite the sight as you walk into the main hall where all the Buddhas are lined up in neat rows, the length of the room. No photos inside but outside in the gardens, the blossoms are out so armed with my poncho and brolly, I wandered though the gardens for some photos.

On the way back, I made a pit stop in Nishiki market for some candied strawberries. It’s strawberry season here and these strawberries were so sweet even after cracking the sugar-coating. Delicious!

That evening for dinner I had eel, cooked over charcoal. This was my first time eating eel and I’d imagined it would have a texture similar to squid, but it was much more like a white fish in texture. I really enjoyed it. The restaurant, like most I’ve been to in Japan, is very small, often sitting at counters, and maybe holding slightly too over a dozen people in total.

This was our last evening in Kyoto – an all too brief visit as there is so much to do and see here. I already feel like I will come back here one day to see more. Kyoto is a big and busy city but I really liked it.

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