FOODIE DELIGHTS

If you're partial to Japanese food, no trip here would be complete without a visit to a Japanese department store where you'll always find an amazing food hall in the basement. There's a fabulous array of delicious foods, all beautifully presented. It's a great idea for a good value lunch. You'll find everything here from sushi and tempura to tempting cakes and desserts.

The different seasons are really important to the Japanese. When I was last here, it was Cherry Blossom Season and all the packaging was themed to reflect the pink blossoms. This time, it's autumn leaves and the packaging and displays were reflecting the changing colours.

We spend a good hour wandering around this food hall in Takashiyama, getting hungrier by the minute. But we stayed strong and only ended up buying a few packs of Japanese rice crackers!