The series of public holidays occurring in late April and early May here in Japan, beginning with midori no hi (Green Day) and ending with kodomo no hi (Children's Day), is known simply as Golden Week. It's a very busy time for travel all over Japan as workers take a well-earned break and families go on holiday. Sometimes the holidays are spaced nicely around weekends, too, so that just a couple of well chosen days of paid leave can end up getting you a full two weeks off work! May 2002 was such a time and my Mum duly used it to come and see Japan with me. We started in Osaka, spent maybe a week in Iya and driving around Shikoku, and then headed up to the main island of Honshu to see Yamaguchi, Hiroshima and finally Kyoto. A great first holiday in Japan!

World heritage Miyajima at sunset

Japanese hospitality, courtesy of the Sumida family Inside the Akiyoshidou limestone caves with Chisa in Yamaguchi

A nice walk around Hashikura Temple, not far from Iya Ryouanji in Kyoto - time to contemplate at the world's foremost example of a Zen rock garden Just enough time to catch one of Kyoto's oldest festivals, the Aoi Matsuri, before Mum caught the plane. This girl, in her role as an ancient princess, was wearing 12 layers of clothing. No wonder she had to be carried.