Finally, I also went to Nagasaki and specifically Dejima, the tiny man-made island near the harbour there. It was built in the shape of the Shogun's fan and was the only place the Dutch traders were allowed to stay from 1641 to 1853. They couldn't so much as set foot on the mainland, which must have been extremely frustrating for them. After having been lost for years due to landfill all around it, the Dejima site has recently been excavated and some of the original buildings reproduced in order to show visitors what it used to be like. It was wonderful to see it, having read so much about it, and I can thoroughly recommend a visit if you are ever in Nagasaki.

In fact, any part of Japan is worth visiting, it's simply a wonderful country!