Stay.com Social City Guides. Tours & Tour Reviews, Travel Guides, Places to see - Ruba.com. The Best Cities in Europe: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards. Seeking Haiku History on the 100-Mile Basho Trail in Japan. On the path of poets. Utter silence, Piercing the stone walls, The cicada’s cry Gathering the rains of May, How swiftly it flows, The Mogami River Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) Many people know that these two haiku are among the most famous by Japan’s legendary poet Matsuo Basho, but probably many of them do not realize that the 17-syllable poems describe stunning natural scenery in Yamagata Prefecture — the former refers to the Yamadera temple in Yamagata City, and the latter describes the breadth of the Mogami River in Kiyokawa City. The Edo-period poet actually stayed in Yamagata for 43 days during his 150-day journey to the Tohoku region in 1689, which culminated in his poetic travelogue “Oku no Hosomichi (The Narrow Road to the Deep North).”
Just as Basho and the disciple that accompanied him, Kawai Sora, did some 300 years ago, our cameraman, Yoshiaki Miura, and I made a journey to Yamagata to share some of the two poets’ experiences. On board, a boatman entertained us. (H. (Y. Transportation. Travelandleisure. Every year, we ask our readers to rate the best cities in the world, and the results continue to surprise us. Not only do newcomers sometimes float to the top, but longtime favorites also continue to reappear — a testament to a destination’s enduring popularity.
This year’s group of winners span the globe, from market-filled Hoi An in Vietnam to Florence, a European culture capital. Of note, however, is what ties these contenders together: Almost all are pedestrian-friendly, possess ample green space, and have a rich history that’s being thoughtfully preserved as the city grows. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated cities on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping, and overall value. For more on your favorite cities around the globe, scroll down.
Lodging: Travel Planning. MISC: Travel Planning. Musée de la Musique Mécanique. Rome 2015. Pilgrims to Rome. Berlin 2014 November. 52 Places to Go in 2017. The 46 Places to Go in 2013. The 45 Places to Go in 2012.