When you see posters announcing that a restaurant has started serving hiyashi chuka, you know that summer has arrived. Hiyashi means cold and chuka means Chinese, and hiyashi chuka is a chilled Chinese-style noodle dish. It consists of wheat noodles that have been boiled and then cooled in cold water, topped with thin stirips of …
Staying at Art Biotope GARDEN MIZUNIWA in Tochigi
Located 30 minutes drive from Nasu-Shiobara Station, Art Biotope Garden Mizuniwa is one of the prettiest gardens boasting the beautiful residence, a greenery and pale blue ponds. This is a place for architecture enthusiasts to spend time to see how architects can design new gardens. The architect of this artbiotpe is Ishigami Junya. I had …
What to see & do in Iwate
Tono is known as a folktale village and is located in the middle of Iwate Prefecture in an area which has beautifully preserved traditional culture. My friend who grew up in Tono proudly recommended visiting his hometown. But upon our visit I quickly came to learn that there is much more to see in Iwate …
Hiking the APPI Walk in Iwate
For a long time I’ve had my sights set on returning to APPI ski resort, as we have spent several New Year holidays here skiing. After experiencing the powder snow at APPI ski resort, I was excited to spend my third visit here in summer. Here you will find the ultimate guide to hiking APPI …
A Morioka City Guide
There are endless adventures on offer when visiting Iwate Prefecture. From a changeable railway journey through Sanriku Rias Coast to an epic discovery of old Japanese culture in Morioka city. As the gateway to so many fantastic locations in the northernmost part of Japan, Morioka is an impressive city with many great places to discover. …
Cheking Inn: Zushi and Hayama
Zushi and Hayama are popular summer destinations thanks to their rich sailing culture and history. These incredible marinas are located on the west side of the Miura Peninsula, next to the Kamakura area. From Tokyo it is around 1 hour to reach the Zushi Station by train. Despite being a popular area for tourists and …
How to spend one day in Hakone
If you’re visiting Tokyo and looking for an escape to the countryside, you cannot go past a train trip to Hakone, the hot spring resort town where my parents used to take us to spend a very short summer vacation every year. It takes only one and a half hours by train from Tokyo. Pola …
JAXA visits
When visiting Japan, there are endless aerospace exploration adventures to be had at JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) facilities. From an epic discovery of aerospace with professionals to a picturesque journey throughout the vast site. There are 18 JAXA facilities in Japan but not all of them are known equally. If you’re looking for a …
Blue Impulse Aerobatic Flight
Blue Impulse is an air squadron belonging to Japan Air-Self Defense Force and one of their missions is to give recognition to why Japan has a Self Defence Force and gain public understanding by showing off their skills and abilities. Without a doubt, Blue Impulse has the highest flying skills for the most beautiful acrobatic …
Your First Time Guide to Kamakura
Just a one-hour journey South from Tokyo by train, the small city of Kamakura is often considered one of the crowning jewels in the offerings for a weekend getaway. Kamakura is a popular summer destination thanks to its rich sailing culture and history as a beach resort. Another reason I love Kamakura is because of …