Our Travel Club group spent two unforgettable weeks in Japan, organizing our trip ourselves and carefully planning every step. We do not use travel agencies on principle, which allows us to significantly reduce costs - 3-4 times cheaper than standard tours - and gives us complete freedom of choice. Thanks to this approach, we were able to immerse ourselves in the life of Japan, avoiding crowded tourist places and seeing the country in its true form.
Our travel route covered many cities and regions, such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya and Kawaguchiko. One of the most significant events was climbing the sacred Mount Fuji. This experience was full of challenges - the weather did not spare us: strong winds, rain and snow made the path difficult, but the feeling of triumph when we reached the top was simply indescribable. The view from above was stunning, and the feeling of overcoming ourselves and nature will remain with us for life.
Another highlight was visiting the Takayama Float Festival. This is one of the oldest events held in Japan for several centuries. The festival is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and we were able to see this celebration of tradition and art with our own eyes. Huge platforms decorated with complex mechanisms and karakuri dolls slowly moved along the streets of the old city, immersing us in the atmosphere of the distant past.
We especially enjoyed communicating with the locals. We watched their daily life with interest, visited local markets and small neighborhoods, trying to understand how the Japanese live. We were invited to a traditional tea ceremony, and in one of the restaurants in Kyoto we witnessed a geisha performance, which allowed us to deeply understand the culture of this ancient country.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the seedy areas of Tokyo, which also left an unforgettable impression. They revealed to us a different side of Japan - bright, energetic, full of contrasts and amazing discoveries. All of this together made our trip truly unique.
When we return, we plan to create a video of our trip and share the most interesting moments with other members of the Travel Club. Join our Russian Canadian Travel Club group on Facebook, where you can follow our adventures and perhaps take part in one of our future trips.