Sake & mama-chari samurai

A weekend visiting old storehouses doesn’t sound that interesting, but when the storehouses contain sake breweries with tasting opportunities, things look a whole lot brighter.  It also helps that the storehouses are traditional old structures with a lot of character.  Aizu Wakamatsu and neighbouring Kitakata, north of Tokyo in Fukushima Prefecture, have lots of old kura (storehouses), samurai… Continue reading Sake & mama-chari samurai

Fuji-san & the cosmos

The cosmos were blooming on the shores of Kawaguchi-ko, and the late afternoon sun was shining on Fuji-san.  I bought a new guidebook recently, which describes hikes near Tokyo that end at onsens.  The cosmos was kind to us yesterday, by providing sunshine, good views of Mt Fuji across Kawaguchi-ko, and a nearly empty rotenburo… Continue reading Fuji-san & the cosmos

GEKISAKA hill race – Tour de Utsukushigahara

The Tour de France?  No, the real tough hill climbing cycle event is the Tour de Utsukushigahara, with its gekisaka (檄坂 – severe slope).  The race is only 22km in distance, but ascends 1,270 metres up to Utsukushigara from Asama Onsen (in Matsumoto) – the first few hundred metres of the race ascendup an 18%… Continue reading GEKISAKA hill race – Tour de Utsukushigahara

Yufuin

Yufuin is  a charming onsen resort town in Oita Prefecture, inland from Beppu.  It is full of ryokan with hot springs, and is situated under a towering mountain called Yufu-dake.  The spring flowers were still out – it was a nice town to walk around before heading back to the ryokan for a big meal… Continue reading Yufuin

Arima Onsen

In the last weekend of November, I spent a weekend in Osaka with Akiyo (high school host family sister) and her family.  On the Sunday, we headed to Arima Onsen, a hot spring resort in the hills behind Kobe. 

Sculpture park, wine tasting, a picnic with the kookaburras and soaking in an onsen

Today’s trip took around 16 of us on a minibus to three wineries on the Mornington Peninsula, with some other assorted stops along the way.  Well done Glen for organising and being tour-guide/announcer.  Keeping with the Japanese theme, we finished at the Peninsula Hot Springs, a Japanese-style onsen next to the Moonah Links golf course at… Continue reading Sculpture park, wine tasting, a picnic with the kookaburras and soaking in an onsen

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