Trip report: Sam & Fern’s Hiking Honeymoon

Sam and Fern travelled with us in May 2016 on a romantic honeymoon, covering Japan’s urban highlights along with a healthy dose of scenic countryside. I had the chance to briefly catch up with them after their trip.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! First of all, how was your time in Japan? 

It was amazing! The best thing we’ve ever done. To experience the culture and meet the people really was even better than we’d hoped.

Many of our clients book their honeymoons through us. What do you think makes Japan such an attractive destination to honeymooners? From a romantic standpoint, did the country meet your expectations?

The Japanese people seem to really appreciate marriage. Everywhere we went people seemed genuinely thrilled for us that we were on our honeymoon. Combine this with Japan’s beautiful scenery and romantic ryokan, and it really is a fantastic place for a honeymoon. We’re so happy we chose to go there.

Did you feel that two weeks was enough time to get a good overview of the country and its people?

Two weeks was the perfect amount of time for us. Of course there is much more of the country to see, however we certainly feel like we got a really good taste of the country, its culture and people. We packed so much in we were exhausted (in a good way) at the end of the two weeks, and of course we can always go back!

Your itinerary followed the so-called ‘Golden Route’ (Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, and Hiroshima), with few additional days venturing off the beaten track. Did any particular location really blow you away?

Visiting Tsumago and Magome, the old post towns, really gave us a feel for traditional Japanese lifestyle. Walking the cobbled streets and staying in the ryokan was certainly one of the highlights for us.

What was your favourite meal in Japan?

We had so many delicious meals while we were in Japan. This breakfast in Hakone was definitely one of the highlights, however:

Sam and Fern’s breakfast at the Aura Tachibana, Hakone.

Any other standout moments you’d like to share?

Climbing to the top of Mt. Misen on Miyajima Island was really a highlight for us. The views of the sea and the mountains looking back towards Hiroshima is something that we will never forget.