Naoshima

On a fairly murky, but humid Japanese summer day, we jumped on a ferry and popped over to Naoshima - the art island! The island is covered with statues and art installations - this pumpkin chap is particular popular.

Okayama

As we had to cancel our hiking trip, we planned a spontaneous getaway to Okayama! I don't think it's a very popular destination, but we loved it! The town had a great vibe and we got to see an awesome castle and beautiful garden.

Koyasan - a night in a temple

Only about an hour or so from central Osaka, Koyasan is a small temple town on the top of a mountain, and the centre of Shingon Buddhism. Temples are everywhere you turn, and we even spent the night in one... It was an incredible experience.

Fuji Five Lakes: Lake Kawaguchi

There's Fuji-san himself peeking out from behind the clouds! We made a real holiday out of our Fuji climb, and spent about 5 days relaxing by Lake Kawaguchi. Our hotel was gorgeous and had a stunning view of the lake, and when he wanted to be seen, Mount Fuji.