Emily Cole

My son would love it… Hosted by Lauren, the online green tea experience was very different to the tour around Shibuya and Shinjuku. I hadn’t really thought about the different kinds of green tea available, but Lauren explained about the differences and why green tea is different to black tea. It doesn’t matter which sort of green tea you’d like to make on this experience; from watching Lauren brew tea I’d say that brewing sencha (green tea leaves) is probably a lot easier than matcha! I was pretty sure that I’d enjoy the virtual experiences with Arigato Japan as I’d had such a great time on their Asakusa tour, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Try some sake from the town’s seven distilleries, see the famous regional gassho-zukuri houses at Hida No Sato Folk Village, or take a side trip to Shirakawa-go. Today it’s a museum and it’s a wonderful example of a traditional Japanese building. Look around an historic house – Yoshijima Heritage House or Kusakabe Folk Museum Takayama has two heritage houses that are open to visitors – the Yoshijima Heritage House and the Kusakabe Folk Museum. There are actually two K’s Hostels in Takayama, so click here to book K’s House 1, and click here to book K’s House Takayama Oasis.

Tickets cost €25 per adult, €20 per youth (10-17), €12 per child aged 3+ (kids aged 2 and under go free). The Wall Museum tickets cost €10 per adult and €5 for kids aged 8+ (online prices, prices on the door are more expensive). Tickets cost €14/21 per adult for the zoo /and aquarium; €8/10.50 for kids aged 4+; and a family ticket costs €41/51. Tickets cost €2.90 per adult and €1.80 per child aged 6+ for a single journey and €8.60 per adult and €5.50 per child for a day ticket (AB zone prices, other zones are slightly more expensive).

You’ll find traditional markets, specialist food markets, markets that are more like funfairs, and even some left field ideas like the Japanese market. The Christmas Market at the Rotes Rathaus was the biggest Christmas Market in Berlin that we visited. At Rotes Rathaus Christmas Market you’ll find the usual stores selling food, drinks and handicrafts. If you don’t mind going a little further to get your Christmas Market fill, then the market at Spandau is a good choice.