Foreign – something unfamiliar, something different; this was certainly true of a visit to Japan a few years ago. We saw lots of food on sale in a local market which we had never seen before and which looked very strange to us. Later, dressed in tradional kimonos and seated crosslegged on the floor, we were served a wonderful selection of food at a formal banquet.

 

We travelled to the beautiful northern island of Hokkaido to visit the hot spring village of Norboribetsu-Onsen. Here visitors can enjoy the waters in one of the many spa hotels. It is a sort of ritual, where men and women bathe in separate areas. Once you have undressed and showered, you take a dip in several hot pools, each containing a different water.  It is very therapeutic and strangely refreshing. Above the village is “Hell Valley” where you can see the sulphur pits and geysers gushing up into the air.  The smell is something else……

But the sights and sounds of Japan will stay with me for a very long time