Image 1/25

@ Kiso Mountains, Nagano, And Gifu, Japan
Hampton begins his journey through Honshu!
Kiso Mountains, Nagano, And Gifu, Japan
Clear starry skies and mountains covered in snow make a visually stunning picture. The Kiso mountains are located in the prefectures of Nagano and Gifu. This mountain range is also known as the Central Alps; they meet up with the Hida Mountains and the Akaishi Mountains to form a group collectively known as the Japanese Alps.
Mount Komogatake is the most prominent peek at 2,956 m. The famous summit is named in a song called “The Land of Shinano”, the official song of Nagano.

Image 2/25

@ Japanese Park in Autumn

Blue And Copper Egg
The first painted eggs came from Mesopotamia, and because eggs were forbidden food during Lent, people painted eggs while Lent was being observed—after Lent, they would eat the eggs on Easter Day.

Beautifully decorated eggs “pysanka” are associated with Ukraine, and the oldest painted egg that was unearthed in northern Ukraine is dated to the end of the 17th century.

Japanese Park in Autumn
An autumnal scene at the Chubu Sangaku National Park.

Image 3/25

@ Thatched Roofs, Shirakawa-Go
The Aoi Festival celebrated in Kyoto is one of the festivals in Japan with the most elaborate parades. The parades consist of individuals in historical costumes and makeup because they relive the glory days of Kyoto when it was still the capital city of Japan. More than 500 people are included in the parades all dressed in noble and aristocratic style clothing. At the end of the parade, offerings are given to the deities of the Kamo Shrine – an offering by the Emperor to the gods. It is one of the three most popular festivals in Japan.

Image 4/25

@ Rice Terraces Lit at Night
The Shinano River (Shinano-gawa) is the longest and widest river in Japan at 228 miles (367 km). It flows from the Japanese Alps to the Sea of Japan.

Image 5/25

@ Rustic Snow Houses, Shirakawa-Go
Japan suffers from violent earthquakes because the islands are located on three tectonic plates in the Pacific. Japan’s archipelago comprises 108 active volcanoes. These volcanoes are known to bring devastating earthquakes and tsunamis.
Rustic Snow Houses, Shirakawa-Go
Rustic houses in the snow in Shirakawa-Go.

Image 6/25

@ Japan's Alpine Treks
The Shinano River (Shinano-gawa) is the longest and widest river in Japan at 228 miles (367 km). It flows from the Japanese Alps to the Sea of Japan.
Japan's Alpine Treks
The Yatsugatake mountain range was formed from volcanic eruptions over thousands of years. Legend has it that Mt. Fuji was of inferior height but the goddess of Fuji tore down Yatsugatake leaving Fuji as the higher of the two.

Image 7/25

@ Cloudy Peaks in Honshu
"So, Kyoto, the next Japanese phrase is 'Excuse me'. That's sumimasen. It says you don't put any stress on the 'u', so it's pronounced 'smee-ma-sen'.
"Is it like in Britain where if a pet accidentally bumps into you, you both say 'excuse me' or 'sorry'?"
"I'm sure that will be the case here too, Kyoto!"
Cloudy Peaks in Honshu
A windy, cloudy scene in the peaks at a height of 2600m in the Chubu Sangaku National Park in Nagano, Japan.

Image 8/25

@ Autumnal Japanese Landscape
“I don't know how to pronounce half of these place names, Hampton!” said Iolanthe ruefully.
"Never mind," said Hampton. "We'll look them up when we get back to the hotel tonight!"
Autumnal Japanese Landscape
This beautiful misty autumnal scene was photographed in the mountains of the Chubu Sangaku National Park.

Image 9/25

@ Mount Hotaka, Japan
You may have heard of Maglev (“Magnetic Levitation”), and Japan has it covered. Planning to have a route from Tokyo to Nagoya done and dusted by 2027, there are further plans to link the city of Nagoya with Osaka by 2045.
Mount Hotaka, Japan
In Japan, autumn colours start in September at high mountains in Honshu and northern island, Hokkaido. This shot was taken at the Dakezawa Valley of Mt Hotaka (3,190m).

Image 10/25

@ Japanese Alpine Valley
"Japan—the perfect choice for our travels this winter, Hampton!" enthused Rex.
"Yup. Karaoke, kimonos, karate and koi. I can't wait to go shopping"
"Oh! I was thinking more of world famous architecture. Japan has given the world so much!" said Rex.
Hampton unwrapped a Hello Kitty chocolate for himself, popped it in his mouth and offered the packet to Rex. "Sure! You know me, I love a bit of culture. As long as there's a nice gift shop at the end, I'm happy."
Japanese Alpine Valley
This stunning view of snow-covered peaks at sunrise is from the Chubu Sangaku National Park in the Northern Japan Alps. Eighty per cent of Japan is mountainous terrain.

Image 11/25

@ Origami Crane
"Hey, did you know there's a Disneyland on Honshu, Hampton?" queried Hero.
"No kidding? Where is it exactly?"
"Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park located in the Kanto region. Despite its name, it is actually located in the Chiba prefecture and not Tokyo. It's very easy to get to from Tokyo."

Image 12/25

@ Serene Japanese Garden Bridge
The Aoi Festival celebrated in Kyoto is one of the festivals in Japan with the most elaborate parades. The parades consist of individuals in historical costumes and makeup because they relive the glory days of Kyoto when it was still the capital city of Japan. More than 500 people are included in the parades all dressed in noble and aristocratic style clothing. At the end of the parade, offerings are given to the deities of the Kamo Shrine – an offering by the Emperor to the gods. It is one of the three most popular festivals in Japan.

Image 13/25

@ Samurai Statuette
Japan suffers from violent earthquakes because the islands are located on three tectonic plates in the Pacific. Japan’s archipelago comprises 108 active volcanoes. These volcanoes are known to bring devastating earthquakes and tsunamis.

Image 14/25

@ Sake Barrels
The Shinano River (Shinano-gawa) is the longest and widest river in Japan at 228 miles (367 km). It flows from the Japanese Alps to the Sea of Japan.

Image 15/25

@ Japanese Sika Deer
Oh look ... you won a pet!

Image 16/25

@ Japanese Red Viburnum
The iconic Mt Fuji, one of the most famous mountains in the world… isn’t a mountain; it’s a volcano. It looks so serene and beautiful, but it’s active and does have the potential to cause immense damage. It last erupted in 1707, when the ash reached as far as modern-day Tokyo.

Image 17/25

@ Mt Azuma, Tohoku
The Shinano River (Shinano-gawa) is the longest and widest river in Japan at 228 miles (367 km). It flows from the Japanese Alps to the Sea of Japan.

Image 18/25

@ Mount Iide, Tohoku
The Aoi Festival celebrated in Kyoto is one of the festivals in Japan with the most elaborate parades. The parades consist of individuals in historical costumes and makeup because they relive the glory days of Kyoto when it was still the capital city of Japan. More than 500 people are included in the parades all dressed in noble and aristocratic style clothing. At the end of the parade, offerings are given to the deities of the Kamo Shrine – an offering by the Emperor to the gods. It is one of the three most popular festivals in Japan.

Image 19/25

@ Yellow Blossoms, Tohoku
The Shinano River (Shinano-gawa) is the longest and widest river in Japan at 228 miles (367 km). It flows from the Japanese Alps to the Sea of Japan.

Image 20/25

@ Hazy Lake, Akita, Tohoku
The Aoi Festival celebrated in Kyoto is one of the festivals in Japan with the most elaborate parades. The parades consist of individuals in historical costumes and makeup because they relive the glory days of Kyoto when it was still the capital city of Japan. More than 500 people are included in the parades all dressed in noble and aristocratic style clothing. At the end of the parade, offerings are given to the deities of the Kamo Shrine – an offering by the Emperor to the gods. It is one of the three most popular festivals in Japan.

Image 21/25

@ Mountain Flowers, Japan
“I don't know how to pronounce half of these place names, Hampton!” said Azure ruefully.
"Never mind," said Hampton. "We'll look them up when we get back to the hotel tonight!"
Mountain Flowers, Japan
Snow still lingers on the mountain passes while flowers announce the start of the warmer weather.

Image 22/25

@ Forest Cascade, Tohoku
You may have heard of Maglev (“Magnetic Levitation”), and Japan has it covered. Planning to have a route from Tokyo to Nagoya done and dusted by 2027, there are further plans to link the city of Nagoya with Osaka by 2045.

Image 23/25

@ Iide Mountains, Tohoku
"Hey, did you know there's a Disneyland on Honshu, Hampton?" queried Safeara.
"No kidding? Where is it exactly?"
"Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park located in the Kanto region. Despite its name, it is actually located in the Chiba prefecture and not Tokyo. It's very easy to get to from Tokyo."

Image 24/25

@ Night Forest, Hachimantai
The iconic Mt Fuji, one of the most famous mountains in the world… isn’t a mountain; it’s a volcano. It looks so serene and beautiful, but it’s active and does have the potential to cause immense damage. It last erupted in 1707, when the ash reached as far as modern-day Tokyo.

Image 25/25

@ Mt Mitsuishi, Tohoku
Hampton has now completed his journey through Honshu! As he prepares to go home, he receives a wonderful gift!
Fox, Looking For A Hill To Sled Down
Ah! Wintertime. This Fox is ready to go out and enjoy the snow that fell during the night. I have a brand new sled; you can guess how I acquired it. I put some wax on the runners as I am told this will make it go fast, and I want to feel the wind in my fur. Are we all ready?

Look, I found a hill. It looks a tiny bit steep, but I can do this. Have I been sledding before? Well, no, this is my first time, but how hard can it be? You sit, see here, the green boards–this is where you sit. You hold onto this rope, and you push off with your feet.

Here we go. Oh my, this is quite fast. Oh! Now I am going much faster; the hill must have become steeper. Why can’t I steer this? I forgot there is a tree on the lower part of the hill. If I just put all my weight to one side, I should be able to…fall over into a pile of snow. Well, that was fun. Should I do it again?


Hampton has enjoyed his journey through Honshu, but it is time to go home now! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also enjoy a journey through Japan!