I love to travel, my dream is to travel the world, since I've never been to Japan I really hope to win a campaign run by Fun! Japan Travel. And when I got an email saying I won this campaign I was very excited and happy like my dream come true to travel to Japan.
This campaign was focused on visiting Okayama, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefecture, to be honest at first I don’t have much information about interesting places in these part of Japan but once I got to these places, it is true that what many people say about Japan, every place has its own attractions. When I got to these places, I was amazed at the natural beauty of these places and enjoyed many experiences in each area.
Okayama Prefecture
The first prefecture I went and explored was Okayama, in Okayama I was taken to Okayama Korakuen Garden. The garden was founded in 1687, located next to Okayama Castle. The view is so beautiful in this garden. Currently there are only plum blossom flowers. I think it’s always best to visit when the cherry blossom flowers are in bloom.
In Okayama we also went to Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, Kurashiki is an old town and one of the historic towns of Okayama. The town is very attractive and well organized with the buildings that have been built for hundreds of years.
We also learned how to make sushi and the culture in Okayama. The most interesting for me is strawberry picking experience at Okayama City South Village and I can eat strawberry as much as possible. Okayama is very popular as the 'Fruit Kingdom' in Japan. This is true because the strawberries here are the most delicious kinds I've ever tasted. Although Malaysia also has a place like this, but the strawberries I eat here are very sweet and taste different than the ones I've tried elsewhere.
Hiroshima Prefecture
Then we continued our journey to Hiroshima prefecture. In Hiroshima we visited Orizuru Tower, Okunoshima Island, Shimada Suisan Oyster Hut, Miyajima and tried out to cook myself the popular Okonomiyaki of Hiroshima. The first place we went was Hiroshima Orizuru Tower, located next to the Atomic Bomb Dome. Orizuru has long been considered to being good fortune, and by folding an origami (the art of paper folding) into the shape of a crane, it is believed by many Japanese that it symbolizes good fortune and peace. At the Roof Observation Deck of this building we can see the whole beautiful and rapidly developing city of Hiroshima City.
My most favorite place and experience is Okunoshima Island or known as Rabbit Island. What’s interesting about this Island is that there are around 900 adorable rabbits living on the island. Feeding the tame rabbits around and not being afraid of people visiting really made me excited. This is something I've never experienced before. Aside from the tame rabbit as an attraction, the serene sea views make the Island more attractive to visit. In addition, here we can bike around the island, with beautiful sea and mountain views around the island making it a very pleasant and enjoyable experience for me. Before I got here, I only knew about Japan's popular cat island, for me Okunoshima Island should also be a must visit when traveling to Hiroshima.
Yamaguchi Prefecture
Then we move to Yamaguchi prefecture, in Yamaguchi we were given the opportunity to stay at the Nishi No Miyabi Tokiwa in Yuda Onsen to experience living in a traditional Japanese home while learning Japanese culture. This is one of the most exciting experiences for me, knowing the unique Japanese culture is very interesting to me. Yamaguchi is also known for its hot springs, and has its own rules and customs for bathing in these hot springs. It's really interesting and unique to me.
Besides that, we also went to Hofu Tenmangu Shrine and Karato Ichiba Market. As all know, Yamaguchi in Japan is famous for its seafood, at Karato Ichiba Market we tried fresh seafood straight from the sea. At Hofu Tenmangu Shrine there are many plum blossom flowers and here we also learned the culture of drinking green tea which is a tradition in Japan. At Yamaguchi I find it interesting to learn Japanese culture and traditions as every country has their own unique cultural diversity. Feeling the experience of the culture and traditions of a nation is something that anyone with a passion for traveling should try.
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