Things to do in Japan

Getting into hot water in a Yudanaka inn

The best places to stay nourish your body and your soul, and that’s certainly the case at Biyu no Yado…

By Malcolm Holcroft

Japan Travel Expert for Alfred&

The best places to stay nourish your body and your soul, and that’s certainly the case at Biyu no Yado in the hot-spring mountain resort of Yudanaka Onsen. It’s a traditional-style ryokan, set in a comfortable modern building, with a reputation for its excellent Japanese breakfasts and kaiseki dinners plus a host of indoor and outdoor pools filled with natural hot-spring mineral water that’s supposed to have all sorts of health benefits.

It’s on the road leading up from the station, so you get spectacular views of the surrounding mountain scenery, but if you want to explore a bit further it’s a little over a mile on foot to the entrance of Jigokudani Yaen Koen, where you can see the famous ‘snow monkeys’ wallowing in their own thermal pool – the only macaques in the world that behave like this. It’s definitely worth the trip, and you don’t even have to walk there if you don’t want to as the hotel will drop you off and pick you up. That said, if you do decide to stretch your legs, your evening soak in one of the two outdoor pools followed by a multi-course meal of exquisite seasonal, regional dishes will be all the more satisfying.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Deep Japan
by Malcolm Holcroft

Length14 Days

Price range£9,415 - £10,430pp

Alfred & Malcolm Holcroft

Seasoned Far East traveller Malcolm Holcroft is fascinated by Japan’s distinctive culture, its full-on neon-lit megacities and its less intense corners. Among the latter, he fell for Nara, the history-laden former capital where ancient temples and shrines are dotted around a deer park – and where they make some of the best sake in the country.

Alfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Malcolm, who's travelled extensively in Japan. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the tea devotee who'll introduce you to the ceremony surrounding Japan's national drink, the noodle guru who'll teach you how to make the perfect bowl of soba and the ryokan owner who'll tutor you in the relaxing art of the onsen.

Malcolm Holcroft

Asia Travel Expert for Alfred&

Malcolm has always been fascinated with the far east, especially China and has visited five times so far. While he loves exploring the big cities, he also loves getting off the beaten track immersing himself in the local culture. He admits there can be challenges when it comes to things like language but relishes in how beautiful and untouched China still is, in our modern globalised world. One of his favourite activities is people watching in the public parks and he can quickly become absorbed as he observes how differently the people go about their day to day lives. This is a country that will at times throw you out of your comfort zone but will also teach you so much if you let it.
Takeaki Shibuya

Experience coordinator for Destination Asia, Alfred&'s partners in Japan

After 14 years of experience travelling in more than 70 countries as a tour conductor and planner, Takeaki has come home to Japan, which he truly believes is the most unique place in the world to explore. His unusual experiences are a source of creation which draws out the esoteric and the hidden of Japan.
Ms Makishima

Nakai-san at Gion Yoshi-Ima

A long-time employee at Gion Yoshi-Ima and resident of Kyoto, Ms Makishima embodies the Japanese spirit of hospitality: a welcoming character, dedication to her work, and joy in the everyday. Care and devotion is given to her guests and she is always on hand to attend to needs or offer advice to adventurous travellers.
Fabien Fleury

Wine educator, oenophile and guide

Tokyo-based Fabien was born in Saintes, near Cognac, in the south-west of France. As a boy, he used to help his grandfather take care of his vineyard, which instilled in him a love of the whole process of wine-making. Fabien has been giving tasting seminars to wine lovers between Europe and Japan for 10 years and enjoys sharing his expertise on tours of Japan’s wine-making Yamanashi area outside Tokyo.
Ms Akira

Member of the hospitality team at Oyado Koto no Yume

Ms Akira is part of the hospitality team at Koto no Yume, a ryokan in the traditional town of Takayama. Living in a city steeped in culture, she enjoys helping guests to get to know a little more of the traditional arts and crafts, as well as the beautiful sites of Takayama.
Satoshi Inuki

Japanese literature enthusiast & one of Alfred&’s guides in Japan

Satoshi is originally from a small town in Hyogo prefecture. In his early 20s he lived in Edinburgh where he met many people from all over the world who asked him questions about Japan. This prompted him to study more about his own country’s culture, history and traditions. He moved to Kyoto around 10 years ago and became a licensed guide in 2011, since when he has come to know every inch of both his new home town and destinations such as Hiroshima, Okayama and Naoshima to the west.