Issue 010 // Winter 2020+

THE HARMONY ISSUE

Meet Vietnam’s ancient ethnic groups
Fall in love with Pico Iyer’s Japan
Explore Earth’s wildest jungle
Win our competition to travel the world!
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22

Introduction
A warm welcome to theredesigned East magazine:
The Harmony Issue.

Beyond retreats
We’ve sought out six unconventional
experiences to benefit your bodyand soul in the new year.

626

Precious Heritage
Photographer Réhahn spent nine
years seeking out Vietnam’s 54
ethnic groups.

The Real Fukushima
We chat with Karin Taira aboutcommunity, samurai spirit and theReal Fukushima project.

1028

Rhythm and blues
After a frankly exhausting time testingout the tropical islands of Asia, we’ve
picked the best of the bunch.

Into Danum Valley
Journey with us to Borneo, and theuntouched jungle of the Danum
Valley Conservation Area.

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32

Meet the monks of Beopjusa Sansa
In South Korea, travellers are invited
to stay with the monks of Beopjusa
temple. So we paid them a visit.

Hiroshima survivor trees
Artist Amanda Chambers tells us
about her latest project, inspired by
Hiroshima’s survivor trees.

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A conversation with Pico Iyer
Renowned travel writer and author
Pico Iyer lends us his thoughts on
Japan, baseball and love.

Competition
We’re on the lookout for
Korea-driven people to take ona special job for us!

GET IN TOUCH:
Subscriptions & general enquiries:
0117 244 3466, east@insideasiatours.com
Inside Travel Group, Electricity House,
Quay Street, Bristol, BS1 4TD
www.insideasiatours.com/magazine

THE TEAM:
Editor: Dan Hackett
Design: Kate Sanderson, Sarah Stagg
Head of Marketing: Tessa Glover
PR & Partnerships Manager: James Mundy
Contributing editors: Claire Allison,
Violet Cloutman, Jeff Krevitt,
Ruth Hubbard, Chris Greener

COPYRIGHT
Designed and produced by
Inside Travel Group Ltd.
PRINT
Printed by Pepper Communications Ltd.

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ABTA No.Y6295

Front cover/Back cover © Réhahn, Right © Unsplash/Nick WoodThe
harmony
issueTokyo, Japan3

What’s in a word?
2020 marks the twentieth anniversary of InsideJapan,
and to celebrate we’ve given our magazine a newlook and feel. After two decades our love for travel
shines just as bright as when we first started out.
What we don’t love is the kind of travel that takes
more than it gives. You know what we mean: thekind that inundates the world’s beautiful places withcrowds and takes advantage of the people it should
benefit most. But it’s important to realise that, when
done properly, travel has immense potential for good.
As Japan marks the 75th anniversary of the end of theSecond World War and looks forward to international
unity in the 2020 Olympics, it’s time to put our values
in focus. Harmony between humanity and nature is at
the foundation of Asia’s Buddhist-influenced cultures,and we want to lead the industry in bringing harmony
back to travel through thoughtfully curated experiences,environmentally sustainable choices, and genuine
personal connections. Positive, empathetic, fun travel tothrill and amaze: in the end, it’s all about balance.

4Four Japaneseconcepts for a more
harmonious 2020
Mottainai 勿体無い

A feeling of regret resulting from a valuable resource going to waste.
Ties into recycling, sensible levels of consumption, and working topreserve the environment.

Ikigai 生き甲斐

Often said to be the Japanese key to happiness.
Roughly translates to ‘reason for being’, and refers to theinnermost value or belief in your life that brings joy and purpose.

Ichigo ichie 一期一会

Translating as ‘one time, one meeting’, this reminds us thateach encounter we have with one another is unique.
Nothing can be repeated, everything must be treasured.

Kizuna 絆

The bonds and connections that hold people together.
Voted as kanji of the year in 2011, after the earthquake and tsunami.

Keen to explore these concepts further?
We’ve put together a tour you’ll love: Path to Happiness. On this trip wemake use of those beautiful, almost untranslatable concepts that pepper
the Japanese language, as a lens through which to explore the country.
For more detail, give us a call on 0117 244 3466.
5

[ VIETNAM ]Precious Heritage  Vietnam is changing - fast. As 2020 arrives, the nation looks to
the future, and the Vietnamese youth flock to cities filled with
opportunity and excitement. Time passes differently out in the
countryside however, where in many small communities, tradition
reigns. As with the advancement of any country, embracing the
new brings with it a sudden urge to preserve heritage and tradition.
It was this notion that motivated photographer Réhahn to spend
the last nine years travelling all over Vietnam, documenting all 54
remaining ethnic groups as part of his ‘Precious Heritage’ project.
The Precious Heritage Museum, founded by Réhahn in Hoội An,
displays the whole range of striking portraits. It’s a must for anyone
visiting the city; a rare insight into the lives of Vietnam’s remotest
people, and a celebration of their inimitable cultures.
Photography by RÉHAHN Words by GRAEME GREEN

W: rehahnphotographer.com IG: instagram.com/rehahn_photography
Precious Heritage Museum in Hoi An is free to visit at 26 Phan Boi Chau, Hoi An

O DuWith virtually no information
available online, it took me
two days to find the O Du;
the smallest ethnic group in
Vietnam. I was lucky enoughto meet the chief who wasinitially reluctant to part with acostume. I later learnt that theƠO Đu only have five complete
original costumes left.

6

“Legend has it,
scholars wrote
the ancientlanguage on
rice cakes, but
the language
disappeared
when they
became hungry
and ate them.”

Ro MamThere are now only 12 of
the Ro Mam’s traditional
costumes left, and I was
honoured to be given one,as well as a pipe and abasket, to showcase at mymuseum. The remaining 11
white costumes are kept
safely by the Ro Mam astreasures, as they know noone makes them anymore.

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La HuThe La Hủu has no written
language and most of them
don’t speak Vietnamese…
legend has it that a groupof scholars once wrote theancient language on ricecakes, but the language
disappeared when thescholars became hungry
and ate them.

Xo Dang
I met A Dip, who is 76 years
old. He is the only artisan in
the village who still makes
traditional bamboo baskets
and the last one to play the
traditional instruments of the
Xo Dang people.

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Brâu
Traditionally, the Brâu wear
heavy jewellery that strains
their ears to create large
and long, hanging earlobes.
Depending on their level ofincome, they use either ivory
or wood. As young people
reach the age of puberty, they
have the four front teeth oftheir upper jaw evenly filed.
It’s considered a coming ofage ritual for them.

Dao Man
The Dao have up to nine
local subgroups. Each has its
own traditional costume; thedifferent features helping todistinguish one subgroup fromanother, like the colour of theirheadscarves and the particular
way of tying it. The women use
indigo to dye their costumes
and the batik technique tocreate beautiful patterns.

9[ FAVOURITES: ISLANDS ]Rhythm and blues
There’s often a stark contrast between expectation and reality
when it comes to island holidays. Increasingly it seems many
resorts are devoid of cultural relevance; they’ve become so welltrodden and warped by heavy tourism that little of what first drew
people there remains. There’s got to be more out there, right?
Worry not; it’s still totally possible to reclaim that sense of serenity.
The world is still full of unspoiled nature, and the rhythms of island
life exist today as they have for centuries. There are still places you
can go to truly connect with tradition and nature to have a freespirited experience - and, if we travel sustainably, there always will be.
You just need to know where to look, and as luck would have it, we do.
Here are some of our favourites.

A small request: we’ve all seen the documentaries on plastics inthe ocean. Spot a bottle bobbling around in the surf? Pop it in thebin, and gain a little good karma.

Con Dao, Vietnam

10Left © istock/Thossaphol, Right © Six Senses

Words by DAN HACKETTCO N DAO, VIE TN AM

Ogasawara

Con Dao

Koh TrongTokyo Prefecture, Japan

Vietnam

Cambodia

Isolated evolution
For those who find their tranquillity insolitude, these islands are about asremote as you can get; 600 miles fromthe mainland, and only accessible via 25hour boat ride. This volcanic archipelagoof subtropical islands is known as“the Galapagos of the East” thanks to its
unspoiled biodiversity. Here you can see
wildlife that exists nowhere else on earth;birds, reptiles, crabs, and fruit bats, all ofwhich evolved here in total isolation.
To take it all in you can try whale
watching, swimming with dolphins,snorkelling, and hiking through thejungle. Out of around 30 islands, only
two are inhabited. For those seeking farflung havens, Ogasawara is a gem.

History hopping
Accessible by propeller plane from
Ho Chi Minh City, the clusters of 16
islands known as Con Dao are mostly
uninhabited. A common pastime issailing between the islands, exploringbreezily. On Con Son, the largest island
at 20 square miles spot sea cows
offshore, eat fresh seafood, and learn
about the island’s complicated past at
an abandoned French prison. Antiquatedarchitecture is a common site aroundthe islands. Con Dao is a history buff’s
dream, and testament to the healing thatthe passage of time allows: old Buddhist
temples sit alongside crumbling machine
gun nests and dilapidated French villas,
now overgrown with vines and flowers.

The inland island
Islands surrounded by ocean are
so 2019. The four-mile island of KohTrong is situated in the middle ofa Cambodian stretch of the river
Mekong and is delightfully car-free;
your transport options are motorcycle
or horse and cart. The pace of life isas slow as you’d imagine, and fromautumn to spring the island is ringed bywhite beaches (in the green season theriver obscures them). Accommodation
ranges from quaint homestays to villas.
Explore picture-perfect local villages,
see endangered freshwater Irrawaddy
dolphins and mud turtles and visit afloating village just off the island.

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YA K U S H I M A , J A PA N
12

Wa Ale Island

Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

Myanmar

Fairy-tale forests

Diver’s paradise

The island of Yakushima is a place of
genuine wonder. In this sub-tropicalclimate, ancient forests cover almost
every inch of land; from narrow beaches
to mountain peaks rising out of the ocean
to staggering heights. It’s hard not tofeel emotional in the presence of treesthat have survived for millennia, or when
watching giant turtles lay their eggs
in summer. Teeming with wildlife andimbued with a palpable mysticism,
it’s no wonder Yakushima was theinspiration for the atmospheric settingof Miyazaki’s seminal animation
Princess Momonoke.

Just off Myanmar’s southern coast,this island deserves to have its picture
beside the dictionary definition of ‘tropicalparadise’. The Wa Ale Island Resort truly
has it all; fall asleep to the sounds ofcrashing waves, watch leatherback turtles
nesting from the comfort of your beachfacing balcony, and explore flourishingmangroves. The resort includes in-housediving and watersport instructors, which is
handy as the Lampi Marine National Parkis close by, featuring some choice diving
sites, and the famed ‘Black Rock’ divelocation is only an hour’s boat ride. There’s
a huge amount of indigenous wildlife too– head out with a guide to learn about the
gentle balance of the island’s ecosystem.

Feeling inspired by all these
lovely shades of blue?
Hop on over to our websites
at insideasiatours.com andinsidejapantours.com or chat to ourlovely travel experts on 0117 244 3466.

Left © istock/gyro, Right © Scott A. Woodward

Yakushima

Wa Ale Island, Myanmar“Don’t suppose you know the way
back to the kayaking school?”13

[ SOUTH KOREA ]Meet the monksof Beopjusa
On seven ancient mountaintops sit seven ancient monasteries.
There is Tongdosa, the beginning of the passage to enlightenment,
and Buseoksa, Temple of the Floating Stone. There is Bongjeongsa,
the phoenix’s landing site, and Seonamsa, home to the Ascending
Immortals. There is Magoksa to the west, once a hideout for thieves,and in the south there is Daeheungsa, with its hall of a thousandlaughing Buddhas. Finally, there is Beopjusa, the Residence of
Dharma, on the slopes of Mount Songnisan.
These sacred temples watch over South Korea and are together known
as the Sansa. They’ve existed for over a thousand years, through the riseand fall of empires, and today each is decorated in its own rich folklore.
While these sites were for centuries nigh-inaccessible to foreigners, aSouth Korean cultural scheme known as ‘Templestay’ now encourages
travellers to come and experience the serenity of life in a mountaintop
temple. Last autumn, in a bid to escape the hubbub of inner-city life,
we did exactly that.
Travel by ANNA TATTERSALL. Words by DAN HACKETT

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T

he temple is just outside thequiet market town of Songnisan.
Arriving by bus in the town
centre, it’s immediately apparent there
are few westerners here; all shop names
and road signs are written in Korean
characters. Ginkgo trees line the streets,
their leaves golden against the clear
sky, and local fruit sellers call out with asmile as you pass their stalls.

To enter the temple, you pass beneatha stunning iljumun, a one-pillar gate,so-called because the gate’s huge roof
appears to be supported by a lone pillar
when viewed from the side. Iljumun arecommon features of Korean Buddhist
temples and represent purification;
visitors must leave their desires outsidewhen venturing further. It feels a little bit
like stepping back in time.
Soon after, the spartan grounds ofBeopjusa temple open up. A thought
inevitably flashes up: what do they doall day here? Several dozen buildings,
monuments and shrines are spread out
across the bare grounds, the edges of
their multi-coloured roofs curling up
like a genie’s shoes. The focal point isan enormous golden Buddha statue,

30 metres tall, the largest of its kind in
Korea. Its placid eyes watch as you crossthe temple ground to be greeted by arepresentative of the temple; a monkclad in neat grey robes (and a little grey
beanie too; the evenings get chilly). Withbasic English and a wide smile, he gives
his salutations, and the Templestay
experience begins.
Hidden Relics
After arriving and depositing belongingsin the spartan wooden dormitory,
visitors are given a tour of the complex.
It’s a delight following the monks
through the grounds as they pointout relics and treasures; a five-storey
wooden pagoda, an ancient stone
fountain shaped like a lotus flower, anda carving of a five-metre high Buddha
in a rock face, all but hidden by the redleaves of a maple tree. There aredozens of prime locations for a little
sitting and pondering.
One thing becomes increasingly
evident throughout the tour; life here isminimalistic and disciplined, and in thatsense, everything feels very, very simple.
Even after only several hours spent
wandering the grounds, it seems almost

comical to think of how stressful daily life
can be away at home. Yet here, in themountains, all the usual things that nibble
away at one’s calm – bills, politics, social
media – seem charmingly absurd.
Humble Tasks
While roaming the grounds you’ll likely
see monks going about their business;reading sutras and meditating, or
cooking, cleaning and gardening. Those
travellers looking to get pally with
Beopjusa’s robe-clad residents may
struggle; many of the monks speak little
or no English. In no time at all though thequiet begins to feel natural; a welcome
respite from the clamour of lively Koreancities like Seoul and Busan. In thiscalm atmosphere, without distractions,
there’s nowhere to flee from one’s own
thoughts; no mobile phone to leap into
the moment your ponderings go deep. It
feels healthy.
At mealtimes, guests and monks
eat together in the dining hall. Even
though conversational topics arerather limited, there’s something very
wholesome about sitting down to dinewith the monks. The food is nutritious,and though it may not win a Michelin“Beopjusa offers a glimpse into an unfamiliar
world: quiet, contemplative, traditional,
reverent, and above all, simple.”16

star anytime soon, the monks makeexcellent hosts, offering smiles andsecond helpings in equal measure.
Everybody pitches in to wash thedishes after eating; a very grounding– if surreal – experience. You may well
be visiting Beopjusa mid-way througha glamourous tour of South Korea;
you may be leaving for Seoul in just a
day or two, but for a moment, you area functioning part of a mountaintop
temple, scrubbing plates amidst theclatter of a busy kitchen.
After dinner, it’s early to bed. Oncethe sun’s gone down, there’s not a lot
more you can do – it’s lights out in theguest dormitories at 9pm. Even this,which in any other location would be
frustrating, has a certain charm. Life isstraightforward in the mountains. When
you can no longer see, you sleep.
Mountains are Sacred Places
The monks gently rouse the slumbering
guest dorm at 4am: it’s time to wake theearth. Every dusk and every dawn, themonks and guests of Beopjusa gather
in the temple grounds under a blueblack sky, guests wrapped up against
the cold in thick coats, the monks intheir robes. There, by torchlight andin reverent silence, a succession ofhuge drums are beaten, building to adeafening cacophony. Each drum isthought to awaken a different elementof the world: the earth, the sea, the sky
and the underworld. Whatever yourbeliefs, it’s difficult to remain unmoved
in the presence of such faith, discipline
and ancient tradition. It’s thrilling to realise
there is still a little mystery left in the world.
Once the earth is awake, practitionersof Korean Zen Buddhism must bow 108
times - kneeling up, then leaning forward
and pressing their palms and foreheadto the floor. Guests are encouraged totake part in this practise. The number
108 comes from the six senses times
three aspects of time (past, present,
future) times two conditions of the heart(pure or impure) times three possible
attitudes (like, dislike and indifference).
The bows are hard for beginners, andthey’re supposed to be. The focus on
physical activity is meant to fully occupy
your mind and body, cleansing andconnecting them.
A light breakfast follows, then, led by
the monks, it’s time for a 40 minute hikeup through the forest to Su Jeong Bongpeak, winding up through the forest.
The way is littered with great boulders,
into which scripture has been carved
by monks from centuries past. On themountaintop, a meditation session is astunning way to round off the experience.
Sitting with legs crossed and eyes closed
for the next hour or so, the surrounding
forest and the valley below becomesa sensory paradise: the breeze in theautumn leaves, the songs of foreign
birds, the smell of bark and moss, andthe slow warmth that grows as the sun
rises higher in the sky.
Beopjusa offers a glimpse into an
unfamiliar world: contemplative,
traditional, reverent, and above all,simple. When the time comes toleave the temple there’s a sudden
reluctance to leave this gentle place;to pass beneath the iljumun once
more and wade back into the 21st
century. However, even as the usual
flow of life starts once more, in quieter
moments it’s pleasant to picture themonks of Beopjusa still up there on
their mountain, donning their beanies,
bowing on their mats, and waking theearth with their drums.

Anna Tattersall;
Senior Travel Consultant; Japan and South Korea
Travelled to South Korea October 2019
Highlights: Exploring the winding streets of traditional hanok villages, Jeonju’s
quirky street art and watching the evening illuminations at Gyeongju’s Wolji Pond.
Also finishing the trip on a high with Korea’s signature fried chicken and beer inthe bustling Hongdae district of Seoul.
If you are interested in travelling to our new destination, South Korea, give us a call on 0117 244 3466

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日
本
の
物
語

[ JAPAN ]A conversation
with Pico Iyer
Pico Iyer is a much loved essayist and novelist, the son of aphilosopher and religious scholar. Born in England to Indian parents
who relocated to California, he has spent much of his life on themove, and writes often of his delight in living between the cracks,
outside fixed categories. His work has seen him travel the world;
here he talks to us about why he chose to settle down in Japan.
Interview with PICO IYER by JAMES MUNDY

Tell us how you came to live in Japanin my book The Lady and the Monk - Ilearn. Indeed, in forsaking my apartment

I was flying from Hong Kong to New

took residence in a tiny temple alongon Park Avenue for a bare room on the

York and I had a completely unwanted

the eastern hills of Kyoto, and then an

backstreets of Kyoto, lacking even a

20-hour layover at Narita airport, neareven smaller guest-house room nearby,

toilet and telephone and visible bed,

Tokyo. Killing time before my flight, I

knowing that whatever unfolded there

I felt I was leaving an MTV video for a

decided to take a free shuttle-bus into

would be a perfect complement to mywise and seasoned elder who, overthe little town of Narita, and found myself

go-go life in New York city.

fourteen hundred years, had learned
how to live with suffering, with change

18

and with reality.

with wooden houses, all the way up to its

You famously don’t consider yourself tocentral, thousand year-old temple - allhave one home. What keeps bringing

on a late October day of radiant sunshine

you back to Japan?

How do you think Japan has changed

and the first pinch of coming darkness

Japan is the kindest place I’ve met in myover the years?

and cold. Somehow, I was so moved by

45 years of constant travel, as well as

Under the surface, I’m not sure Japaneven this neglected airport town - it felt

the most gracious, the strangest and thehas changed very much at all. Of course,

so familiar in a way I could never explain

most unfathomable. I can never take it

its fashions and trends spin around with- that, by the time I boarded my plane forfor granted or begin to think I’m on top

revolving-door intensity and it reveres the

JFK that afternoon, I’d decided to throwof it, even after 32 years of living there.

moment more furiously than any place I

over my glamourous-seeming job with

Which means that every trip to the local

know. But sometimes I feel Japan shifts

Time magazine in midtown Manhattan

market brings a surprise and I never

every second on the surface so as neverand move to Japan. I remain amazed andimagine I can anticipate or understandto change deep down. Geopolitically, thisdelighted that even a brief layover in an

everything around me. I’ve never been

can make for problems. I feel that Japan

airport town, the equivalent to Queens

somewhere so considerate, whereis ever farther from the wave-length ofor Hounslow, could transform my life inpeople instinctively think of others

the rest of the planet; in terms of English

a morning. When finally I moved full-

before themselves and are so hesitant

proficiency, it famously scores lower thantime to Japan in 1987 - as described

to impose; all qualities that I’d love toevery nation in Asia except for Laos. But© Shaun Dunphy

walking around its narrow streets linedGinkakuji, the Silver Temple

19

Do you have a favourite place in Japan?
And why?
The single most beautiful place I’ve
seen in Japan - or anywhere, perhaps- is the island of Naoshima in the
Inland Sea, and the museum on theneighbouring island of Teshima.
Naoshima and the islands around it are
one of the coolest, most contemporary,
and most cutting-edge collections ofarchitecture and art I’ve ever seen - andyet all of them fundamentally take one
back to the classical Japanese principlesof simplicity, clarity and emptiness. Unlike
any such venture I’ve seen, the Benesseart project has a unity of vision, whichmeans that every installation or canvas
chimes with every other, so that each oneof them deepens all the ones around it
and you end up inside a kind of symphony
far greater than the sum of its parts.
Most of the pieces in the Chichu
Museum, say, on Naoshima, are reallychapels of contemplation. They don’t
just give you something to see; theyteach you how to look.
I would go so far as to say that you canget more of ancient Japan, deep down, in
these super-contemporary settings than
you can find anywhere - other than a 350
year-old ryokan or a very special temple.
I suppose the Naoshima project is aclassic example of how Japan can create
something wildly futuristic - and novel that in truth gives you ancient Japan withstartling clarity and beauty.
Where would you recommend for
visitors to Japan?
When friends visit Japan for the firsttime, I urge them to spend as much time
as possible in Kyoto, the subject of myfirst book on Japan written 30 years ago.
Many visitors are, I think, shocked when
they arrive in Kyoto to be greeted by a
22nd century train station and a crowded
20

city of skyscrapers more modern andfull of commotion than Detroit. The
longer they stay, the more, I suspect,they’ll slip into a subtler and slower
rhythm of a kind that I (and maybe they)
have never found elsewhere and thatmight not be so different from that of
Kyoto in the tenth century.
They’ll never get to the bottom of it or
exhaust it. Not many cities have 1,600
temples within them, and even fewer
have so many silent backstreets that are
no less rich and enchanting. Indeed, I
wouldn’t be surprised if many a visitor
finds as much stillness and beauty in a
serene Kyoto neighbourhood as in any
celebrated temple.

“Kyoto feels like apoised, elegant andvery sophisticatedcourtesan who’sknown how to enchantnewcomers for twelve
hundred years”
Unlike its sleepy and unworldly
older brother Nara, Kyoto feels like apoised, elegant and very sophisticatedcourtesan who’s known how to enchantnewcomers for twelve hundred years ormore and can dazzle them still even in
old age, with her latest exquisite designor unexpected flourish of modernity.
What would be the one aspect ofJapanese culture that you would like toexist everywhere?
Thoughtfulness. It’s a cliché, I know, butevery first-time visitor to Japan seems tocome home with variations on the same
story: the woman who went three hours
out of her way to guide the lost foreigner
back to her hotel; the convenience
store worker who ran after two foreign
guests to offer them, free of charge, anumbrella, because it had just started
raining; the person too shy to speak
English who nonetheless travelled all
the way across town to the foreigner’shotel room to hand him the cellphone
he’d forgotten on a train.
What did you least expect to see or
do in Japan?
I was never a huge baseball fan until
I came to Japan; now I advise all myfriends to go to a game while they’revisiting, even if they have little interestin baseball. For one thing, you’ll see avery different side of Japan - boisterous,
loud, very welcoming. If ever you findthe people around you in Japan shy
or distant, go to the baseball stadium(especially, maybe, Koshien, in Osaka),
and you’ll see a very different side of
the country as its passions come out.
Suddenly, old ladies you’ve never met
will offer you their fried octopus, whilelarge men dressed from head to toe as
tigers will enfold you in a bearish hug.
Everything is exotic, from the Yakult
Swallows’ fans waving transparent
umbrellas every time their team hits ahome run to the groups of cheerleaders
guiding the bleachers in dance-steps
as trumpets play “La Cucaracha”. In theballpark even a foreigner becomes partof the team, not an outsider at all.
Beyond the obvious, how does Japan
inspire your writing?
Japan has taught me to cherish silence
more than words, to keep out as muchas possible and to engage the reader
in a conspiracy. Not to try to lecture her,as once I might have done, but rather toengage her in a conversation whereby,as in a haiku or a sumi-e pen-and ink
drawing, it’s she who fills in all the spaces
with her imagination. For the book I
brought out this April, called Autumn
Light, I spent sixteen years taking thingsout. I’d gathered about 8000 pagesof notes, since I annotate every day I
spend in Japan, and I spent most of
those sixteen years trying to deepen a
Japanese sense of focus and resonanceand clarity so as to subtract and subtractand subtract till there was almost nothingleft but a moment or two, and thememory (or ghost) of all that wasn’t there.
Japan has taught me about absence:
how someone you love can be morepresent when you enter her room andsee all her things than when she’s© Inside Travel Group/Tyler Palma

culturally this sense of difference can bea huge blessing; it makes Japan more
distinctive, unlike anywhere else I know.
Maybe that’s another thing I love about
Japan: that it forces me to see thingsin non-binary terms and to look a little
below the surface.

standing two feet in front of you. It’staught me how silence leaves more
space for the imagination than any words,
and how silence brings us together
where words often push us apart. And it’staught me how, when you enter a classic
tatami room with nothing but a scroll anda vase in it, you bring all your attention tothat scroll and vase, and therefore findthe world therein.
How much time do you spend
in Japan?
Unfortunately, my job has been keeping
me away from Japan a lot and I havean 88-year-old mother who lives moreor less alone on a mountaintop in
California, so much of the time I’mthere, keeping her company.
Still, I’ll always long to spend all myhours in Japan. I’ve always felt at homeeverywhere, but last year I was visitinga university in California and a student
asked, “Don’t you ever get homesick?”“Oh no,” I said, “I’m used to travelling.”
and then suddenly I stopped myself andsaid, “actually, I am homesick, deeply
homesick now, for Japan. I never realised
I’d find a home as deep inside me as
Japan has become.”

Pico Iyer travelled to Naoshima with
InsideJapan Tours in 2018. His latest books
on Japan, Autumn Light and A Beginner’s
Guide to Japan, came out in 2019.

“Japan is the kindest place I’ve met in my 45 yearsof constant travel, as well as the most gracious,
the strangest and the most unfathomable.“21

[ FAVOURITES: WELLNESS ]Beyondretreats
Every year, growing numbers of people jet off on retreats to boost theirhealth and happiness. Wellness is about far more than juice cleanses
and folding your legs behind your head atop a mountain, however.
According to mental health charity Mind, there are five main areasof our lives in which we can focus our efforts to improve our overall
wellbeing: connecting with others, staying active, learning new skills,
being present, and giving generously.
If your new year’s resolutions include a focus on travel and wellness,
why not combine them? We’ve scoured Southeast Asia to find thelocations where you can experience adventure, growth and challenge,
together with opportunities to raise awareness, shift perceptions andtruly connect with people keeping their vibrant traditions and uniqueecosystems alive.

Botum Sakor, Cambodia

22

Left © Cardamom Tented Camp, Right © Bho Hoong Bungalows

Words by DAN HACKETT“I told you you’d break it if
you kept waving it around.”.

BHO HOONG, VIETNAM

CardamomTented Camp

Bho Hoongvillage stayDine around fora cause(Botum Sakor, Cambodia)(Vietnam)(Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Exercise
Reaching from the Cardamom
Mountains to the coastal wetlands,
Botum Sakor is one of Asia’s mostpristine wildernesses. Guests staying
at the incredible Cardamom TentedCamp can get stuck into activities
including patrolling and trekking with
Wildlife Alliance forest rangers, setting
up camera traps to monitor local wildlife
and learning survival skills of the forest.
You can also help with finding andrecording wildlife footprints and trails,
cataloguing flora and fauna, exploring
river systems by kayak, and hiking
along the surrounding trails. The camp
works wonders for building a senseof purpose, combined with enjoying
natural beauty and plenty of exercise.

Connect
Located in the spectacular Truong Son

Give
One highlight of the foodie scene inSiem Reap is a selection of restaurants
providing training to disadvantaged
Cambodian youth. Rather than sitting
down for dinner at a single restaurant,
spend the evening travelling by tuktuk between a variety of culinarysocial enterprises to enjoy some of thefinest Khmer cuisine while supporting
the education of at-risk youth. Thismutually-beneficial experience isincredibly fulfilling; you can enjoy aculinary journey while helping someof Siem Reap’s best social enterprises,
learning about how the programs arerun, and enjoying some truly mouthwatering cuisine.

mountain range, Bho Hoong offers
an insight into the lives of Vietnam’s
fascinating hilltribes. Guests stay in
traditional stilt bungalows, and canobserve the practices of local people,
partake in crossbow shooting, handicrafts,
and motorcycle touring, and bond with thelocals during the evening’s feasting anddancing. The revenue goes to educational,
health and environmental initiatives, andtourism is kept at a manageable level bylimiting access to the village. The project
brings prosperity to the Co Tu community
without commodifying their culture or
paving the way for a mass influx of tourists.
If you’re hoping for genuine connection
with local people, this is your chance.

23Nam Nernnight-safari

Spiritualawakening(Hoi An, Vietnam)(Nam Et Phou Louey, Laos)(Luang Prabang, Laos)

Learn
Just outside Hoi An, hidden away,
there’s an organic farm. Here you canlisten to inspiring stories about how to
use food for healthy living, and how
they are educating local farmers about
this environmentally-friendly methodof farming. After getting hands-on
picking ingredients for a cooking
class, visitors can learn a few of thesecrets of Vietnamese cooking,creating five traditional dishes. There’s
also the chance to get hands-on
making rice flour with the old stone
grinder, rice paper with copper vessels,
and to invent a personal organic
juice recipe. Once everything is
prepared, sit down to feast on
your delicious creations.

Live in the Moment
This night safari is a boat-based tour
into the heart of the Nam Et-Phou
Louey National Protected Area.
Starting out with Wildlife Conservation
Society guide, those seeking anelectrifying, sensory experience cansail down the Nam Nern River after
dark, into the moonlit forest. In thedepths of the jungle the boats’ engines
are switched off, leaving you to float
gently downstream as your senses
are roused by the rhapsody of
nocturnal wildlife. This is a fantastic
chance to spot some of Laos’s
endangered species, and the proceeds
goes toward wildlife conservationand sustainable employment for
local residents.

Give
Luang Prabang is famous for striking
images of orange-robed monks lined
up receiving alms. The experience isfar from solitary however, with crowds
arriving each day. Break away fromthe tourist trail and experience true
Laotian life by spending a morning
at Ban Chomphet village acrossthe Mekong river, where Buddhist
tradition is strong. Here, you can joinwith locals to prepare offerings forthe morning’s alms ceremony in a
tranquil environment. There are hillside
temples close by too, where you candiscuss Buddhism with the monks,
learn about their way of life, and evenpartake in guided meditation; perfectfor refreshing body and mind.

Left © WCS, Right © Inside Travel Group/Tyler Palma

NAM NER N , L AOS
24

Learn to cook on
an organic farmLuang Prabang, Laos

Need a little more zen in your life?
Pop over to our website at
Insideasiatours.com or speak with ourtravel experts on 0117 244 3466
25

[ JAPAN ]Real Fukushima
On the 11th of March, 2011, the fourth largest earthquake since records began struck off thenorth-east coast of Japan, causing a tsunami with waves up to 40 metres high. Heading inland at
435 miles per hour, the tsunami battered the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, triggeringhydrogen explosions at three reactors. Millions went without power or water, 160,000 people
were evacuated, and 16,000 lost their lives in the earthquake. Overnight, Fukushima went frombeing a name unknown in the western world to one synonymous with catastrophe.
After almost a decade, the exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant has been
reduced, and gradually, residents are returning. The Real Fukushima project was created with theintention of providing visitors with an insight into the disaster area and its efforts to begin anew.
We talked to founder and tour guide Karin Taira about the relief effort, the area’s samurai history,
and the tenacity of the Japanese spirit.

リ
ア
ル
福
島

Interview with KARIN TAIRA by RUTH HUBBARD

Tell us a little about yourself?
After growing up in Tokyo, I studied in the
UK about ten years ago. I was in Bangladesh
working at a small NGO when the disasteroccurred. I felt that I could do nothing forJapan during the hardest time. That’s why I
wanted to do something for Japan when I
returned. Since 2015 I’ve been working forthis region.
How was Real Fukushima founded?
I met Shuzo Sasaki, who was the head of
the regional office of Fukushima Prefecture
Government in 2017. I’d decided to start a tour
project by myself at the time, and he visited
me to work together because he thought
developing a tour for international people
was very important. That’s why we started
Real Fukushima. From there it took two years
to receive my Japanese national government
tour license.
What do you want people to experience?
We want to show what’s really happening
here, without political motivations or bias.
There’s a lot of misleading perceptions ofFukushima Prefecture which come from themedia. There are a lot of fake photos and fakenews articles which tell unbelievable stories:
26

frogs with eight legs due to radiation, things
like that. Fukushima’s case is very importantto learn about. Nuclear accidents are nota local problem, but an international issue.
That’s why we wanted to develop a tour for
people from overseas. When you come tothis area you’ll learn how sad the nuclear
accident was for the local community,
but also you’ll see lots of progress for therecovery as well. We show both sides, I think.
Many people are surprised to see how
well the revitalisation progress is going.
They say they thought Fukushima would
be a devastated no-mans-land. When theycome, they are surprised to learn people
are returning. They see progress. The town
is still quite empty, but the people who havereturned are positive and encourage eachother. Without new jobs it remains difficult foryoung people to settle back, but we will doour best and keep fighting.
Could you tell us some positive stories?
The government has made huge progresswith decontamination and revitalisation, whileat the same time local people have been
doing lots by themselves to create something
new or something small but wonderful.

In addition, the Fukushima prefectural
government has created an initiative to installsolar panels and windmills, and are aiming tohave 100% renewable energy by 2040.
Some local restaurants have returned, andthey offer really good meals! A handful offarmers have returned too, and they’re morepositive towards organic agriculture, because
they are more aware of the effects of pollution.
They have very good quality food here,
but people are still cautious of Fukushima
produce, even though all food is checkedthoroughly and radiation levels are ‘nondetected’. Also, each reopened town has a
new community centre planted by the national
government to encourage people to return.
Then there’s the Olympics. If moreinternational people come and see the current
status of Fukushima then we’ll be very happy.
The Tohoku people are well known for theirsamurai history. What do you think makesthe ‘Tohoku spirit’?
Many people would say resilience. They arevery proud of this region because it has a longsamurai history, some say a thousand years.
One feudal clan called Soma dominated thisregion for 750 years.

© Everett Kennedy Brown

Traditional armour of
the Sōma samurai.

The Soma clan – weren’t they famousfor horseback riding?
Yes. Each summer in Soma City we havea historic horse samurai festival, where
hundreds of local people become realsamurai. They wear armour and ride on
horses, and they have races and ceremonies
at traditional shrines.
What do you think the future holds?
The government are focussing on renewableenergy and robotics, because for thedecommissioning of the power plant theyneed more high-tech robots. Human access islimited because the reactors have such highlevels of radiation. Before this disaster thebiggest industry here was nuclear. Thousandsof people worked at the nuclear power plant,
but now we need alternative industries tocreate jobs for this region. While it will bea long way to see the outcome, we are all
hopeful for the future of Fukushima.
In 2020 the Olympic torch relay begins inFukushima, in what was once the exclusionzone. Will you be attending?
Of course!

27

[ BORNEO ]

Into
Danum
ValleyUnsurprisingly, getting to the heart of a 135-million-year-old rainforest, cut off from all
human influence and habitation, isn’t the easiest thing to do. But it’s not impossible.
Borneo’s Danum Valley may only accept a limited number of visitors at a time, but
those lucky few find themselves in one of the most biodiverse places on earth.
Welcome to one of Earth’s last true wildernesses.
Starting out from the coastal town of Lahad Datu, hop into a 4x4 and head west ten miles.
Make a right at the rusting signposts and leave the highway behind; from here on out,
the traffic thins as the trees thicken. You’ll know you’ve reached the ‘front door’ of Danum
Valley Conservation Area when, after half an hour, the road becomes a dirt track. From
here it’s another two hours to reach your bed for the night. If you see monstrous grey
shapes shifting beyond the treeline, don’t worry. That’ll just be the elephants.
Travel by CLAIRE ALLISON. Words by DAN HACKETT

Untouched nature
The Danum Valley Conservation Area
is home to a breath-taking variety ofnature and is one of the world’s mostpristine ecosystems. The 438km² valley
has over 15,000 varieties of plant, andis teeming with rare animal life. Visitand you can expect to spend your days
enjoying nature from treetop walkways,
hiking, swimming beneath waterfalls,
and – if you’re lucky – catching a
glimpse of some spectacular andelusive creatures.
The jungle is home to Asia’s highest
concentration of orangutans and pygmy
elephants, and eagle-eyed trekkers
may spot monitor lizards and sun bears

28

padding through the undergrowth.
Each day, dawn is heralded by thehowls of gibbons, and come nightfall– 6pm sharp - the chirping of cicadas
indicates the hour just as effectively as
any timepiece. Once darkness has fallen,
clouded leopards prowl in search ofunsuspecting mousedeer, and all sortsof fluttering beasties rise from the forest
floor. This one’s for the adventurers only.
Wild things
Danum Valley isn’t a place you go totick animal sightings off a list; this is
somewhere you go to experience one of
the earth’s truly wild places. This is realrainforest, which means every wondrous
thing you see here is pure chance.

Observing nature in this unobtrusive
way ensures the survival of theseunique animals and the harmonious
ecosystem they live in.
The Danum Valley Conservation Area
is truly unique. While much of Borneo’s
rainforest has been cut down in recent
years, Danum Valley has remained
untouched: no hunting, no logging,and negligible human impact on theecosystem. Environments like this are
incredibly precious, and the opportunity
to visit and support the local
conservation effort is a great honour.
If you’re keen to answer the call of
the wild, here’s everything youneed to know.

© istock/zodebala“Welcome toone of Earth’s
last true
wildernesses.”29

“Observing nature in this unobtrusive
way ensures the survival of these uniqueanimals existing in their fragile ecosystem”

Stay
The place to stay in Danum Valley is the luxurious Borneo Rainforest
Lodge; a wooden stilted lodge with genuine ‘wow’ factor. It’s not cheap;
every stay is a two-night minimum all-inclusive package, includingtransfers, guided jungle trekking and activities. But rest assured, from themoment you step down from the vehicle, you’re in for a treat. The lodge
prides itself on customer service. It’s all the little touches: the cold drink
and warm welcome from your jungle guide upon your arrival, and the
binoculars waiting in your room. Meals are buffet style; an assortment of
Asian and Western dishes, with certain dishes made to order.
Top tip: Premium Deluxe rooms are nice. We’re talking 97m², floor-toceiling windows offering uninterrupted views of the rainforest, and, thepièce de résistance, a semi-alfresco shower opening out to a private
plunge pool. The perfect setting for a tipple from the fully stocked bar,set to the cacophony of cicadas.

Activities
Naturally, much of your time will be spent trekking in the jungle. A typicalthree day/two night stay will include a guided morning hike through theforest surrounding the lodge up to a viewpoint, where - after taking amoment to brush away the unavoidable beads of perspiration - you’ll geta real perspective of the sheer scale of the landscape you’re immersed in.
There’s a 26m high rainforest canopy walkway to traverse during the day,and after dark you’ll take part in either a night drive or a night walk.
Optional activities include tubing down the Danum river, wild swimming in
the Elephant pools or easing those tired muscles at the on-site spa.
Top tip: Leech socks are highly recommended - they’re much cheaper tobuy in Borneo than back home!

If you’re looking to extend your Borneo adventure, there are some great
spots nearby. Due to the scale of Danum Valley, wildlife sightings aren’t
always guaranteed. Double your chances by combining a Danum Valley
stay with a few days on the Kinabatangan River; another wildlife hot spota couple of hours north. Or to guarantee at least one picture of Borneo’s
star attraction, include a night in Sepilok and a visit to the Orangutan
Rehabilitation Centre. Top off your Borneo escape with a few nights ofpure indulgence at Gaya Island Resort, a five-star eco-luxe resort off thecoast of Kota Kinabalu, home to tangled mangroves, a beach, and villas
with views of Mount Kinabalu.
30© Inside Travel Group/Claire Alison/Charlotte Bower

Combine with…

Meet the locals:Danum Valley is home to…
• Orangutans• Clouded leopards• Sun bears• Pygmy Elephants• Macaques• Frogs• Snakes• Tarantulas• Monitor lizards• And over 270 species of bird!

Essential Info:
Fly to: Lahad Datu Airport
Transfer time: 2hrs 30 mins
drive; mostly on unsealed roads.
Weather: Hot and humid,
average temp: 25-30 °C
Best time to travel: During
the dry season from the end of
March until early October theweather is milder, with lessrain and a higher chance ofseeing wildlife.

Claire Allison;Marketing Campaigns & Events Co-ordinator
Travelled to Malaysia and Borneo October 2019
Highlights: Spotting a kingfisher on a night safari inDanum Valley and arriving at the summit of Mount
Kinabalu in time for sunrise.
If you are interested in travelling to our new destination,
Borneo, give us a call on 0117 244 3466

31

[ JAPAN ]Hiroshima’s
survivor trees
This year marks 75 years since the end of the Second World War,and Hiroshima is prosperous once more. While almost the entire
city was levelled on the 6th of August, 1945, against all odds 170
trees survived the atomic blast. Over the ensuing years, the City ofHiroshima, arborists, and citizen volunteers have lovingly tended
these miraculous trees, known as hibakujumoku. In many ways,
these trees mirror the compassion of Hiroshima’s citizens, theirhardiness, and their hope for the future.
Amanda Chambers is a British artist whose work focuses on
our relationship with the past, particularly moments of socio-politicalimportance. Her work features low tech, hand-crafted designs,
aiming to bring the historical subject and the viewer closer together.
Here, Amanda tells us about her time in Japan creating a series ofworks inspired by the hibakujumoku.
Words by AMANDA CHAMBERS

It was a little daunting dealing with sucha well-known incident - how can one
begin to say something new? But I think
we return to these momentous events
because they still have traction, and as
the world appears still very unstablein both political and environmental
terms, the story of the hibakujumoku isparticularly relevant.
The themes of survival, hope andresilience were at the heart of this project.
I felt it was particularly Japanese toallow nature to tell us something about
ourselves. But I also felt that it was theJapanese people I was honouring withthis work. My contact with Japan haschanged my outlook on life, so I hoped
32

the project mirrored the human storyof survival and resilience shown in theaftermath of the bombing. In visual terms,
the project was highly experimental. A
lot of the finished works were fragile andimpermanent, and this was an importantconnection to ‘Wabi-Sabi’ – the Japanese
aesthetic philosophy that inspires my work.
The process was also unpredictable,
and I enjoy this aspect of surprise whena work is encouraged to take on a life ofits own. A good example was firing the
Tsubaki (Camellia) husks. I was using anelectric kiln and had no idea what theeffect would be. But on slowly opening
the lid, I saw the husks had reduced toash and had formed what looked like theCamellia (Tsubaki) buds fired on clay

Wood kiln firing October 2018

© Amanda Chambersv

symbol for radiation. Using a wood kiln
was also essential to the project. It wasa deliberate and symbolic act to bring
actual fibres from the Hiroshima trees
back to the flames - to commemorate
the conditions they had endured.
Several pieces survived the process –one covered in straw emerged with aghost like swirl of ash – reminding meof the river in Hiroshima. Another simple
sculpture of tree stumps survived themost volatile area of the kiln – the fire box– and made it into the final show.
Although my work often deals withconflict and loss there is an underlying
message of hope. The survivors in

Bamboo ash on clay

Hiroshima, who looked up at the green
shoots from the blackened trees, needed
to see hope somewhere. Today, projects
like Green Legacy Hiroshima who nurture
seeds from the Survivor Trees andsend them around the world, provide a
positive message in a growing climate ofuncertainty. I believe art can also rise to
the challenges we face and provide botha commentary and a spirit of optimism.
Nature is universal. It has theextraordinary potential to connect us
despite our cultural differences. It has somuch to tell us, so much we still don’t
know. It’s not too late to start listening.
W: amandachambers.co.uk
33

We’re Hiring!**sort of

Apply here: www.insideasiatours.com/dream-job

Korea-minded people wanted for a ‘job’ in travel...
Okay we’ll be honest: We can’t pay you,
you won’t be joining us in our lovely
new Bristol office, there’s a ton of
overtime, the commute is 5000 miles,
and it’s not technically a job. But hearus out; you’re gonna love it.
We’re looking for three pioneering
individuals willing to embark on a
personalised tour of one of our new Asian
destinations (China, South Korea, Malaysia
and Borneo) and report back on theiradventures. Your flights, hotels, guides,
transfers and experiences are on us,
and each successful applicant can bringa plus one. Didn’t we say you’d love it?

If you’re chosen, you’ll work with us tobuild your own dream itinerary, then jet
off and report back on the sights, sounds
and stories that the continent flings
your way. You’ll stay in accommodation
ranging from traditional to ultra-modern,visit world famous sights as well as
secret treasures, and sniff out the besteateries and watering holes. You’ll trek
through jungles, lounge on beaches, andcareen through the streets of megacities.
To succeed you must be a cultural
sponge, a dab hand at telling tales, andwilling to help us smooth out any kinks
in our operation. We want to be barraged

with photos of you grinning before pretty
landmarks; inundated with videos of you
snacking on local delicacies. Let us knowwhat works, what doesn’t, and help us
stay the very best tour operator this sideof the Milky Way.
And that’s it.
All you need to do is visit the
webpage below, follow the steps, andwe’ll be in touch shortly. You get a freetrip, we figure out how to improve.
There’s no devious catch, no monkey’s
paw switcheroo. Give us a hand andwe’ll give you a holiday.

Apply here: www.insideasiatours.com/dream-job

35

Next edition: ‘Pioneers‘ Summer 2020
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