Sundowner: Autumn/Winter 2019

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FEELING INSPIRED BY THE GAMES? READ ON TO DISCOVER WHERE VISITORS CAN TRY OUT SIX OLYMPIC SPORTS WHILE IN JAPAN KARATE Where to try it: Making its Olympic debut in 2020, there’s nowhere better to try this traditional martial art than in its birthplace Naha, in sub-tropical island chain Okinawa. Here karate isn’t just a martial art, it’s a way of life. There are around 400 dojos (training grounds) and some of them – whether you’re a beginner or budding black belt – hold classes. There’s also the Karate Kaikan, a complex where spectators can watch competition courts. Best for a sporty slumber: With cotton wool-soft sands and palm trees, The Busena Beach Resort feels more like Hawaii than Japan. There’s excellent snorkelling and scuba diving on offer, and a glorious 760-metre private beach. CYCLING Where to try it: Olympic cycling might be all about road races, time trials, and velodromes; but the medal for Japan’s most exciting bike ride goes to the Shimanami Kaido, a 60 kilometrelong network of cycle paths and thrilling over-water bridges which link the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. It’s a great way to experience rural Japan and its varied landscape, which ranges from quaint seaside towns and citrus groves to industrial yards and temples. Best for a sporty slumber: Begin a two-wheeled Shimanami Kaido adventure at Onomichi’s Hotel Cycle, a 28-room boutique crashpad inside hip warehouse-turned-concept-store hub Onomichi U2. There’s an on-site Giant bike store, copies of Rouleur to browse, and hooks on bedroom walls to hang bikes. SURFING Where to try it: In 1920, surf pioneer Duke Kahanamoku asked the IOC to consider including the sport in the Games. Fast forward 100 years and in 2020 wave riding wannabe Olympians will compete for the first time at Chiba’s Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach. The best spot for visitors however, is Kamakura in Kanagawa, a Tokyoite favourite just a half-day trip from the city. Expect kooky surf shops, a huge variety of breaks, and a mellow atmosphere. Best for a sporty slumber: As you can easily head to Kanagawa on a day trip, bed down at Tokyo’s elegant Palace Hotel. There aren’t any waves, but many of the bedrooms have balconies with views of the Imperial Palace’s moats and pretty gardens. OPEN WATER SWIMMING Where to try it: Only an hour from frenetic Tokyo, yet light years away in atmosphere, the Izu Peninsula is a popular seaside escape for busy city residents. All jungly interior, rushing waterfalls, and coastline fringed by white-sand beaches, there are plenty of places to take a dip. Highlights include the 800m-long Shirahama, and snorkellers’ favourite Hirizo. Best for a sporty slumber: Seiryuso, a ryokan on the banks of the Inosawa River in Shizuoka. There’s a 25-metre heated pool to help up the length count, hot springs, manicured gardens to explore, and traditional rooms kitted out with tatami flooring. CANOEING & KAYAKING Where to try it: Taking to the water is a unique way to explore the countryside, and gliding along the glittering ripples of the Kumano-gawa, a river in Wakayama which snakes below cedartopped mountains, is astonishing. The river is part of a series of ancient pilgrimage routes, the Kumano Kodo, and is the world’s only UNESCO World Heritage-listed waterway. Best for a sporty slumber: Kawayu Onsen Fujiya has killer views of the Oto River, a branch of the Kumano-gawa. Here you can dig-your-own onsen – scooping into the river’s gravel bed to allow hot spring water to bubble up. There are also pre-dug basins, shrines nearby, and multi-course Japanese feasts for supper. GOLF Where to try it: While defending champion Justin Rose will tee off at Saitama’s Kasumigaseki Country Club in 2020, the best place for swing practice with mountain views is golf mecca Karuizawa. Just an hour by bullet train from Tokyo, the picturesque highlands are home to numerous courses, some which sit in the shadow of Mount Asama. Best for a sporty slumber: Luxe and leafy Hoshinoya Karuizawa is close to the courses and packs quite the impressive drive of its own – predominantly powered by hydroelectricity and geothermal energy from nearby rivers and hot springs. Plus there’s a steamy onsen, just the thing for post-round muscle soaks. CONTACT ABERCROMBIE & KENT For more information, or to book your next tailor-made luxury holiday to Japan, call our Far East travel specialists on 01242 547 704. 42 | AUTUMN/WINTER <strong>2019</strong>
JAPAN previous page: Himeji castle, cherry blossom, and Mt Fuji; Universe of Water Particles on a Rock Where People Gather, MORI Art Museum: teamLab Borderless clockwise from left: Kayaking on the Tama River, Tokyo; a golf course in Japan; surfing; cycling in Tokyo abercrombiekent.co.uk | 43
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Page 48 and 49: GREAT, WHITE, STARK 48 | AUTUMN/WIN
Page 50 and 51: WHILE I DREAMED OF GETTING TO THE S
Page 52 and 53: KENYA - A&K’S BIRTHPLACE & THE HO
Page 54 and 55: CREDIT: WILDERNESS SAFARIS/TEAGAN C
Page 56 and 57: WHERE APES ARE LORDS OF THE MANOR:
Page 58 and 59: FEED THE Soul WITH EVERYTHING AUSTR
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Page 80 and 81: A&K PHILANTHROPY Delivering the C.U
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Sundowner: Autumn/Winter 2019

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