"The biggest, best and most amazing trip to Kansai that anyone has ever had!!!

The Japanese love their superlatives. Being a nation that has the tourist-conveyer-belt down to a fine art, they are always careful to point out whether a tourist attraction is either:

1) one of the seven wonders of the world;
2) a world heritage site;
3) a national treasure; or
4) the biggest, oldest or most famous anything in the world that has been deemed vaguely important.

Now, Japan actually has none of the seven wonders of the world, not for want of trying, but hell, don't let that stop them. That said, the Japanese take an enormous amount of pride in their historical buildings, which is why you don't see any "Craig loves Cheryl"'s anywhere. We even had the fortune of staying at a buddhist temple in Koya-San, where our beautifully painted screen doors were of an "unknown age", meaning anywhere from 200-800 years old.

We returned from eight days in Kansai yesterday, up there in the top 5 (as my ANA girls would say) "wondry and heartful" trips I have ever had. We saw a shit-load of world heritage sites and even more big, old and famous things, and are probably the most profoundly tired gaijins in Tokyo. So for now, check out the pictures of Kyoto, Nara and Koya-San... stories to follow...