Autumn Colors Of Japan -  November 2025 - Hostess Roundup - Karrie Stephens

Autumn colors of Japan was a fabulous tour with a wonderful bunch of women! We met at Melbourne airport and headed to Tokyo together where we stayed for three nights. Lots of sightseeing with beautiful autumn colours and we visited historic shrines and temples set in the most beautiful gardens and mountains. We had a sushi making lesson in which we excelled! The sushi was very delicious and full of fresh beautiful ingredients. We hope we can do that again when we get back home! At night we went on a traditional Japanese style houseboat, yakatabune for sightseeing along the Sumida river with an endless amount of food, tempura, lots of sashimi, an open bar of sake, plum wine, Suntory whiskey and Asahi beer! We sang some karaoke encouraged by Eriko.

Staying at Mt. Fuji was a definite highlight. We awoke to Mount Fuji fully revealed; spectacular and quite a spiritual experience. We took a swan boat across Lake Kawaguchi in the five lakes district and everywhere we went we could see Mount Fuji that day. An art museum of master kimono designer Kubota Ichiku was really inspiring; so beautiful and amazing gardens also designed by the same artist. The next day was a new experience for Sisterhood when we went and learned about tea Japan’s tea massaging”, preparing Sencha tea followed by a tea ceremony.

Packing it in, we went to a remote Buddhist temple in the mountains in an exquisite location and had a meditation class with an excellent teacher. Another new experience was Mikimoto Pearl Island where we watched the Ama women divers out in the sea, diving for abalone, oysters and maybe even pearls and then we had lunch with some such divers. They grilled an array of fresh seafood on an open fire and then they even sang and danced for us followed by a Q&A. What was interesting to learn was that the Ama only dive in the mornings from 9-10:30 and they take winter off. They wear white clothes in the water which they say magnifies their size two-fold in the eyes of sharks and other potential predators.

We stayed that night in Nagashima and we went to a lightshow in Nabana on Sato which was an amazing illumination featuring Mt Fuji; something like we’d never seen. Making our way to Nara the next day we met lots of wild deer that bowed when we fed them. In Kyoto that night, we had dinner with the geisha and a maiko and a 93-year-old geiko playing the shamisen and singing. Kyoto for three nights was just spectacular; beautiful weather and amazing autumn leaves. We went to Kinkakuji, the golden pavilion. Inspired by the geisha,  the next day we wore kimonos into the Arashiyama bamboo grove where we were very well received. I heard local saying “subarashii”, (how wonderful) and “kawaii”,  (we look so cute!) Lots of smiles from the locals. Nijo castle was on the agenda the next day and with the Nightingale floorboards, the samurai would hear if anyone entered the building as the floorboards squeak. A fabric dyeing workshop that afternoon was great fun, using stencils and paint with a brush and we learned how to fold furoshiki wrapping cloth.

One of the most beautiful places in Japan is Miyajima Island. We spend the next day by shinkansen bullet train to Hiroshima and then ferry to Miyajima where we strolled around and ate fresh oysters for lunch. Yum! We were quickly sobered up by visiting the Peace museum in Hiroshima. “Never again” they say to the atomic bomb! Osaka the next morning, the gourmet heart of Japan. where we explored Shinsaibashi and Namba. Lots of fun amongst the shops and crowds of people; a very happy go lucky vibe in Osaka. After our Japanese banquet farewell dinner, we flew back home to Oz to get ready for Christmas. With so many wonderful memories and new friendships we can’t wait for our next Sisterhood adventure!