RtG Islands of Japan 25 Brochure (web) - Flipbook - Page 9
Heading west we are quickly
in the heartland of the current
World Rally Championship event,
Rally Japan, and we make full
use of the demanding roads and
test venues available to us. We
plan to take lunch at the Toyota
Museum. Then after bypassing
the city of Nagoya, we have a pair
of splendid private track tests
near Suzuka, before heading
west for a couple of regularities
that lead us to the city of Nara.
A short walk from our hotel is
Nara-koen, a large grassy park
home to a massive, towering
effigy of Buddha and hundreds
of very tame deer, very keen to
eat biscuits sold by opportunistic
vendors! Next morning Kyoto
is only a short drive away and
we will have that afternoon and
a full rest day to explore this
amazing historic city.
Western Honshu
& Shikoko
Days 21 to 25:
Kyoto to Hiroshima
We leave Kyoto to the northwest
heading back to the Sea of
Japan and into a very different
landscape. Tranquil, wooded
valleys lead us to the sleepy coast,
rarely troubled by foreigners.
Our base is Miyazu, famous for
its Amanohashidate (Bridge to
Heaven) sandbar considered to
be one of Japan’s most beautiful
sights. From there we head to
appears to float above the water.
On the rest day a visit to the
Peace Memorial Park and Museum
in the city centre is strongly
recommended.
Kyushu
Kurashiki and its astonishing old
town, with our hotel nestling in
its centre. Restored warehouses
line the willow-edged canal, and
the adjoining lanes are full of old
wooden houses hosting interesting
shops and galleries. Definitely a
place not to be missed.
A stunning bridge system
runs south from Kurashiki onto
the island of Shikoku, renowned
for its natural beauty and 88
sacred temples. The spectacular
Iya Valley with its staggeringly
steep gorges crossed by vine
footbridges is the perfect location
for sightseeing and, of course,
some challenging regularity
sections before our overnight halt
in the Kochi area. Day 24 sees us
island hopping on another series
of spectacular bridges back onto
Honshu for the venue of our
final rest day, Hiroshima. Our
hotel is just south of the city in
the Setonaikai National Park and
many of the rooms provide a view
of the Seto Inland Sea and the
Torii Gate shrine that at high tide
Days 26 to 28:
Hiroshima to Fukuoka
On Day 26 we plan to take a
ferry (or even two) to our final
Japanese Island, Kyushu. It
is described as arguably the
warmest and most beautiful of
them all, with active volcanic
peaks, rocky, lush, near tropical
coastlines and many hot springs.
We will spend a night on the east
coast before heading north to
the centre of the island. Asosan is the world’s third largest
volcanic crater at 128 kilometres
in circumference, and there are
towns, villages and farms within
it. The penultimate night will be
spent near the crater’s edge.
Finally, our destination
arrives. Fukuoka is described as
friendly and fun, both excellent
ingredients for the arrival of a
Marathon event such as ours.
After the finish arch, champagne
spraying, and prizegiving dinner
at our ocean side hotel, tales will
be told long into the night of
our four-week adventure in this
amazing land.
We hope you can join us!
Route details are subject to change.
