Late deals
WHEN in Japan, I suggest wearing good-quality socks because you’ll be taking your shoes off – a lot.
It’s the custom to keep floors superclean as locals eat and sleep so much closer to the ground than we do.
So I was mortified after a morning walking on the beach to see a pink toenail poking through my cheap socks when I removed my shoes for lunch on the first day.
From blushing to flushing – who knew how complicated it could be to use the lavatory here? Everywhere you go, from cafes to five-star hotels, you get computerised bidet loos which, depending on the button you push, will warm up the seat, wash your nether regions, deodorise and more.
These quirks and more make Japan onXeXoXfXtXheXmxxoxsxtxfaxscinating places in the worlXdxtxoxvisit.
I decided to shun the main hubs and head to the island of Kyushu, Japan’s third largest. After a two-hour flight from Tokyo, we landed in the very modern city of Fukuoka.
Its harbour has been the scene of many battles, including the landing point for the Mongol invasion in the 13th century and ancient Japanese and modern traditions sit side by side.
During a tour around the north of the island, we stopped to watch the craftsmanship that goes into making famous Samurai swords at Shiro Kunimitsu and how the skills have been adapted to create the precision kitchen knives the company is known for today.
Making tea is an art in Japan, as we learned at the Ureshino Tea Exchange. The water must be “soft” and the temperature should be no more than 70C, otherwise the taste becomes bitter.
Kyushu is a hub for arts and crafts, too. We tried our hand at painting a porcelain plate at the Arita Pottery Gallery. I also decorated a fan with pieces of Nao rice paper, which we had seen being made earlier.
The island is home to a beach with BY JACQUI THAKE “singing sand”. Apparently, in certain conditions, Itoshima’s Anego no Hama beach makes a squeaking, whistling sound, but sadly it suffered stage fright the day I was there.
Further along the coast at Futamigaura beach, we saw the sacred Married Couple Rocks – two large boulders linked by a rope of rice straw that is replaced several times a year at special ceremonies.
There was plenty of new food to try and we pushed the boat out at three Michelin star restaurant Sagano in Fukuoka, where we feasted on a traditional kaiseki (multi-course) menu.
Later during my trip, I enjoyed a soak in the hot springs in my outdoor tub at the Onyado Chikurintei hotel in Takeo.
It’s custom to bow and nod heads rather than shaking hands. After my wonderful week, it’s Japan that should take a bow. ■ Flying from Glasgow on February 24, four nights B&B at the 4* D8 Hotel, Budapest, Hungary, from £289pp. ■ Flying from Glasgow on February 24&28, seven nights all-inclusive at 4* Beatriz Costa & Spa, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote, from £489pp. ■ Flying from Edinburgh on March 4, seven nights all-inclusive at the Labranda Playa Bonita, Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria, from £489pp. ■ For these deals and more, visit www. stewarttravel.co.uk, your nearest Stewart Travel store or call 0800 091 2757.