Matsumoto Castle

One of the most photographed in Japan, this moated castle dates back over 400 years, and is the centrepiece of this city, where, more recently, the Suzuki method of music and violin teaching originated. The azaleas are still in blossom as we move into the rainy season. Today we had lunch with James and Yukari in a traditional Japanese tea house, set in a beautifully manicured garden, where, by a remarkable coincidence, we bumped into Midori - a former student whom I taught here 19 years ago when I looked after James's English language school whilst he was back in the UK undergoing knee surgery.