“I’ve always had a fascination with Japan, but when I visited in April, it exceeded even my high expectations! My boyfriend and I did the classic blossom pilgrimage which took us on a round trip from Tokyo to Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima and Kanazawa before we headed back to Tokyo. The Japanese sensitivity to design is apparent everywhere you go; from the high speed bullet train which runs across the country, right down to the beautiful ceramics our food was served on.
“If I had to pick a favourite place from my travels it would be the Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. It leads you through varying levels of acers, koi-filled lakes and blossom trees, down to the minimally furnished tea house nestled in the grounds. When we got to the tea house it had just started to rain, and we had almost the whole house to ourselves. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the views of the garden, looking across to the mountains in the distance, it was this perfect fusion of nature and architecture which showcased the real Japanese aesthetic for me. It’s easily the most alluring and peaceful place I’ve ever visited.
“My boyfriend’s inability to sit cross legged on the floor meant our traditional experiences were interspersed with slightly more metropolitan stays – and Tokyo certainly delivered. The towering Park Hyatt Hotel and The National Art Centre were out of this world. I also found myself falling in love with the little shops and houses scattered around the streets, some were so perfect they looked like they’d been superimposed into the landscape!
“No matter where we were, the clean and considered aesthetic was evident in every detail.”
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