Japan: Return to the Origin

In the Land of the Rising Sun during the Golden Week--a series of four holidays in the same week, starting from April 29 to May 5--the Japanese celebrate the ephemeral beauty of the cherry blossoms and the arrival of spring. As this is a very important and popular period of the year, the modern Japanese get in touch with their glorious past brimming with history, following in the footsteps of their ancestors. From the picturesque Okazaki Castle and its wonderful "Sakura" cherry trees to the mountainous Nagano Prefecture to Hida no Sato Folk Museum, and then, back to historical Kyoto, this is a unique way to return to one's roots, in a country still governed by the code of honour and the rich Zen philosophy.