Oo another good one! 😀 But tough, haha!
1. Koya-san, near Osaka, is somewhere very special. It’s a mountain full of monasteries and temples, where you can stay, and is an ancient Buddhist heritage site with a vast cemetery. It’s incredibly peaceful and atmospheric, and staying at a temple and joining the services was an incredible experience. I’d love to go back.
2. Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. A traditional Native American pueblo, it’s now not really permanently inhabited, but is open to tourists who want to see the traditional village and buy crafts. As a linguist I was fascinated and delighted to hear people speaking Tiwa language amongst themselves, and the village itself is very interesting, with its mixed traditional and Catholic culture.
3. Hiroshima. Unmissable. A powerful, powerful place.
4. The Grand Canyon. You really don’t appreciate the scale until you’re there, it’s just incredible. Walking down to the bottom is just so unexpectedly peaceful.
5. I wanted to go for some variation for my last one, pick somewhere in Europe or a hidden gem in the UK, but when it comes right down to it, I couldn’t miss Osaka off this list. I’ve never warmed to Tokyo, but I just love walking round the arcades in Umeda and the boutiques in Amemura, doujinshi shopping in Den Den Town, and going to Spa World in the much less salubrious Shin-Imamiya, lol. It might be because I’m from the north of England, or just because I’m a Kanjani fan haha, but Osaka resonates with me and I just love the atmosphere there.
Thanks for asking! Sorry my list only covered two countries, lol. Honourable mentions to Malta and Gozo, Bergamo (as mentioned earlier) and the Black Isle!
suchasinistergame 