Life in the small town of Takayama is completely different from the hustle and bustle in the big cities we’ve seen so far. People are friendlier and more open, and there’s plenty of space to just chill out and enjoy the scenery. So we wandered around the town aimlessly for a bit before hopping on the reserved express train that took us to our final stop: Nagoya.

The contrast could hardly have been bigger. Nagoya is a typical big city. Loud, densely built-up, not much greenery, a motorway snakes its way right through the city on thick concrete pillars.

The hotel is a contrast too. After the homely ryokan in Takayama, we’re now staying in a comfy but anonymous room in a Western hotel. From there, we’ve got a lovely view of the station and the hotel’s own Wedding Chapel. This reinforced concrete church, a style mix of Gothic and Disneyland, is right in the hotel courtyard. Wedding couples walk down the long open staircase and get their photos taken. The wedding party then heads over to the neighbouring Baroque-style ballroom to celebrate, while the church is already being prepped for the next wedding. An interesting spectacle.

But we’re going to head out again now and hunt down our dinner.