A British newspaper reported today that Japan is now the world’s fastest-growing tourist destination, with 28.7 million foreign visitors in 2017. That figure is more than quadruple the number of tourists there were when I first got to Japan. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, they feel different these days. The article says that Kyoto has lost the spiritual ambience, and I can empathise with that sentiment. While the buildings are still gorgeous and the food better-than-average, you don’t get that feeling of bathing in culture and tradition like you used to. To be honest, that’s one of the reasons I love Shikoku in general, and the Seto Inland Sea in particular. There is something magical about the quiet beauty, the humble splendour of the views, the landscapes, the people, and the food. While I know that metropoles can be exciting, I wouldn’t trade waking up with a cup of coffee to this sunrise. This is what I think of when I think of Japan…and that beings a smile to my face each and every time.
For more information about a tour that will enable you to see this view, click here. For more pictures of this stunning part of Japan, click here. We hope you can make it over this way while it’s still off the beaten path.
To read the article mentioned at the beginning of the post, click here.
