Twice the population of the UK, five times the numbers of cities over 200,000 and more people by square metre… but Japan is free of COVID-19.
Britain’s rates meanwhile have hit 40,000 (and climbing), although they have rolled out a ‘game changer’ new track and trace system which has been beset by technological problems on its first day.
So where are we in Travel? Well our providers are only trying to batter down Home Secretary Priti Patel’s door to get her to fall in line with the rest of Europe and bin the 14-day quarantine rules for travellers.
But back to Japan.
And before all this COVID business broke out they were only planning for the Olympics which will now take place next year while eggchasers are waiting anxiously to see whether they have a game to go back to.
Rugby is scrumthing else in Japan
They have to work out how to scrum, maul and ruck at a social distance.
The great modern inventors, the Japanese, will probably work it out and you can rely on them too to have all the infrastructure and planning sorted out for the Rugby World Cup on their soil in 2023.
All of which plodding around the subject like a sumo wrestler brings me onto our holiday providers’ plans for 2021.
Which brings me to my friends at Wendy Wu who are flagging up their 13-day fully-inclusive Classic Group Tour from £5390pp.
It’s all part of their Worldwide Sale 2021 with a saving of £500pp on tour.
Which includes an ascent up Mount Fuji as the high point (sorry) of a cultural trawl across the Land of the Rising Sun.
Tokyo highs
You’ll also get to see Matsumoto Castle and Kyoto’s Shrines… and Tokyo, one of the world’s great cities, of course.
And you’ll get the chance to learn some authentic Japanese skills. They don’t say anything about sumo wrestling but what about Washi paper making, Miso seasoning and best of all Gold Leaf making.
The dates fall between late September 2021 and the end of that year so things will be back to ‘the new normal’ by then which has to be better than ‘the new normal’ that we have just now.
Visit https://www.wendywutours.co.uk/japan/tours/discover-japan.htm and https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/.
And we love Japan for many things, not least its eccentricities. So check this out. Cocktail Hour around the world, Countdown to Japan: Monkeys, Teddy Bears’ window to the world and How the seasons pass.
