Kyoto, Japan

Prior to the Meiji restoration in 1869, Kyoto was Japan's capital. Going much further back - to the period 710AD to 794AD - the capital was Nara. Me and Sean have been soaking up the scenery in both former capitals, taking day trips from our plush Hyatt Regency hotel in Osaka.

Such city-hopping has been made easy and pleasurable by using the Japan Rail Pass. This pass is only available to foreigners - it has to be purchased outside Japan. For about £160, at current exchange rates, you get unlimited travel on the Japan Rail network (including the bullet trains) for a week. It doesn't include subway travel within the cities, but separate day passes for the subway can be had for less than a fiver. All the trains in Japan are exactly as you'd expect: fast, quiet, totally clean, and punctual to within seconds.

I wonder what it would cost to get unlimited travel on the whole British rail network for a week? It makes me feel dizzy just thinking about it.

Japan is notable for being by far the most racially homogeneous of all big rich countries. Basically, everyone is Japanese and of Japanese descent. Immigration is negligible. (In 2014 they accepted the princely total of eleven asylum seekers. In 2013 it was just six.) The inevitable consequence of this nativism is that you lose the benefits of diversity - as a tourist, you don't have the variety of experiences and surprises (and cuisines) that you get in places like London or New York or Paris. I could add that you also lose the risk of being shot like dogs at the hands of medieval Arab death-cults. But I haven't got room in this blog to get into politics. Anyway, Japan continues to be wonderful and you should all brace yourselves to be lectured at length on this subject when I get home.

Temples and rock pools on the Path of Philosophy, Kyoto.

Five-storied pagoda at Kōfuku-ji, Nara

Nandaimon, the 12th-century Great South Gate of Todaiji Temple, Nara

In Nara Park, the deer are considered messengers from the Shinto gods.
Accordingly they're treated with reverence and allowed to roam freely.
Visitors are allowed to feed them - they're tame, hence the photo.
But if they see the food come from your pocket, they'll follow you and nibble at the pocket.

Todai-ji Temple Central Gate

Todai-ji Temple

Inside Todaiji:
a statue of Les Dawson.