My mother, who was born six months before the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, saw the cherry blossoms in full bloom this year on her first trip to Japan.

In a world of bungee-jumping great-grans, no one would claim that this trip was an unprecedented challenge for an 85-year-old; people far older than her have made more strenuous and daring journeys – even without the benefit of my company.