I The red umbrella Venice, Italy

John Holt, Retired accountant Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 @ 19.2mm, 1/800 @ f/4.5, ISO 400 Judges’ comments: “A different take on a typical Venice shot that brings to mind a certain 1970s film but adds its own personality, too. The splash of the umbrella’s colour shines like a beacon amid the grey of the scene in a deceptively clever composition.”

128 wanderlust.co.uk March 2019

ocean in the island’s north-east. The national park on the peninsula feels like the ends of the earth, offering wild hiking under vast skies and past waterfalls tumbling into the chilly Sea of Okhotsk.

VOLCANIC ACTIVITIES

Japan’s landscape is largely the result of untold years of volcanic activity. In Fukushima prefecture, for example, Mount Bandai – now dormant – was responsible for the creation of more than 300 lakes and marshes when it erupted in 1888. Climb to its peak and, if you’re lucky, you might be rewarded with a display of unkai – a ‘sea of clouds’ so wide and thick it looks like a rolling ocean below.

Not far from Mount Bandai is Goshikinuma, a cluster of five unusually vivid lakes that change colour depending on the time of day and season, from cobalt to luminescent green – a phenomenon caused by mineral deposits that leached into the water after Bandai’s last eruption; it’s a great spot for a day hike. For another pretty day walk, follow a circuit around the ‘blue pond’ of Biei, in central Hokkaido – the water as fluorescent as a highlighter pen.

On Japan’s southernmost main island, Kyushu, the geothermal activity is even more dramatic, its volcanoes grumbling and steaming like giant witches’ cauldrons. Visit Mount Aso in Kumamoto, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, or head to Kagoshima prefecture, where Mount Sakurajima smokes constantly, with tiny eruptions most days. You can hike trails on the flanks of both cones.

HOT SPRINGS & SNOWBOARDS

After a walk, there are few things more relaxing than soaking in a natural hot spring pool. Onsen bathing is Japan’s best-loved pastime – and it’s easy to understand why after you’ve spent an hour soaking in the open air, steam lying thick on the warm water.

There are some particularly beautiful onsen resorts on the banks of mirror-smooth Lake Toya in Hokkaido. Here you can admire the dramatic mountains from your al-fresco bath – lovely in spring and summer, but even more impressive after snow.

In fact, some argue that winter is the best time to visit Japan’s northern regions. Aside from enjoying a multitude of ice festivals, there’s great skiing and snowboarding – in Fukushima, try Bandaisan Onsen Hotel by Hoshino Resorts for excellent powder snow. Or head to Zao Onsen ski resort in Yamagata, where you can admire the ‘snow monsters’ – trees that take on curious shapes, sculpted by heavy snowfall and freezing winds. Ride the gondola up to the summit by day, then spend evenings warming up in the snow-fringed hot springs.

GETTING AROUND

Reaching Japan’s remoter regions is a lot easier than you might think, whether you do it on your own or with a group. By plane: You can fly to most cities very cheaply, especially if you’re using a Japan Explorer Pass – a ticket that gives non-residents great discounts with Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA). For example, with the Explorer Pass you can catch a flight from Tokyo to Sapporo in Hokkaido for as little as ¥10,800 (£77). By train: The incredibly efficient Shinkansen (bullet train) will whisk you from Tokyo to most major cities at breathtaking speeds. You can travel from Tokyo to Hakodate, in Hokkaido, in under four hours. Riding the train is also a great way to take in the beautiful countryside. With the pros: Plenty of excellent tour operators offer trips in Japan for those who don’t want to travel solo. Inside Japan Tours (insidejapantours. com) offers a huge range of unique experiences, while Walk Japan (walkjapan. com) opens up the most inaccessible and dramatic areas of the Japanese countryside with guided and self-guided hiking trips.

‘Climb Mount Bandai and, if you’re lucky, you might be rewarded with a display of unkai – a ‘sea of clouds’ so thick it looks like a rolling ocean’