27 May 2023

Shimmering Blue Waters at Juniko 12 Lakes

Heritage Adventurer's expedition team commonly claims that it can control everything except the weather, leaving that to the guests. For this voyage the guests have done a great job so far, and deserve special credit for having the nicest weather of the voyage coincide with the two longest outdoor excursions so far.

The day started with a walk through the old growth beech forest at Juniko 12 Lakes Reserve. This park is on the border of the oldest UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan dedicated to natural landscapes. The most famous features are the lakes - actually more like 33 than 12 - that are a shimmering blue due to the clarity of the water. However, it is the forest that steals the show. The easy trail passes magnificent trees in a mossy, ferny woodland with dappled sunlight and multiple shades of green.

Lunch was a picnic, Japanese style. The bento box delivery truck met the guests at a roadside park and passed out tasty parcels with sandwiches, salad, chicken wings and more. No one was able to eat the whole thing.

An afternoon tea of sweet and savoury treats was available soon after boarding . Then John celebrated Buddha's Birthday with his talk on Buddhism in Japan.

A Quizzical experience showed how much attention had been paid to previous talks and tours - and provided many laughs. Dinner was delicious as always and another day had passed much too quickly.

Image by (c) T.Todd