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  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 13

    Finding Our Neighbour Totoro

    April 26, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    As forecasted, it was raining today. We all planned for my sister and me to brave the rain to head to the place where Totoro was most likely conceived by the great mind of the one and only Hayao Miyazaki.

    We had a sleep in today as my sister's appointment with Kurosuke's House -- Totoro's Fund is not until 1pm and mom and dad will be resting and will join us when we return to Tokyo to shop for some souvenirs to take home.

    We enjoyed our usual convenience store breakfast and then my sister and I headed to Yotsuya-Sanchome station. We had a clear plastic umbrella to protect us from the rain while also giving us a chance to still appreciate our surroundings.

    We made our way to Fukutoshin line, which consequently took us to Kotesashi station in Saitama prefecture. From there we took the bus headed to Waseda University. From a bus stop, it is just walking distance to Kurosuke's House. We almost went inside a house so close to what Google Maps was pointing at and we had a giggle as we

    Totoro was there, happily sitting in the tatami mat and watching the rain, looking content but also like he is about tickle you at the same time. We were greeted by a friendly lady who offered us a puzzle to crack if we wanted to.

    It was a traditional house, mostly made of wood, and had clay thatch tile roof. There were some bamboo trees and other trees around. The rain made the place even more magical, as in the animated film -- Totoro actually first appeared to Sasuki and May during a rainy evening.

    There was no one else there except for what appears to be a young Thai couple. They've done the puzzle and they were opening the treasure chest when they climbed up the meeting room in the attic.

    While my sister and I enjoyed taking photos with Totoro, the young couple also came into the same room. We helped each other take some photos of one another. They didn't stay long and once again we had the intimate moment with Totoro. We sat next to him and savoured peaceful moment with the rain.

    We purchased a few souvenirs to support the Totoro Fund. They aim to continue conserving Sayama hills and forests. Mr Miyazaki is also supporting the cause. The organisation has been started by a few locals and has thankfully garnered more supporters.

    When we were paying for our souvenirs, we saw a sign saying "feel free to take as much photos but please to not share the location in social media." My sister and I appreciated the fact that the film is very popular and should more people know about the place it will be quite overwhelming for this small establishment.

    As we walked back to the bus stop, we took a different street and we saw rows upon rows of what seems to be green tea bushes. Amidst the gloomy sky, the rain-kissed leaves were vibrant and shiny.

    At this point we were feeling peckish and so we stopped by MiniStop, another convenience store. I purchased some matcha latte paired with some sponge cake sandwich with some melon cream and melon sauce. The combination was divine! My sister had a similar treat but the bread was like a bun. She had her aloe vera drink with her. She also had a beef potato croquette and it looked enticing so she got me one too.

    Back in Tokyo we were to meet up with mom and dad in Shinjuku National Memorial Garden. My sister and I were appalled to see the gate with rail guards and the tapping areas for electronic cards. It only meant one thing. We will have to pay to enter the garden just to fetch mom and dad. There wasn't even much daylight left to enjoy the massive gardens. Anyway we decided only one of us would go in. I quickly headed to where Starbucks is while quickly getting some snaps along the way.

    Once we were all reunited, we decided to do the souvenir shopping in Akihabara instead of in Shinjuku where there always seems to be hordes if people sround. Also we hoped that the Hinai Chicken Oyakodon is still there.

    We did our shopping in Don Quijote, the same one we went to last time. It is a discount shop where you can also purchase items tax free. After that we headed to Akihabara UDX.

    Unfortunately the much coveted Hinaimoto Hinai Chicken Oyakodon has closed down, and has most likely not recovered due to the pandemic. We were sad, but also hungry, so we chose the close by seafood restaurant. Mom and my sister had the miso soy mackerel set meal, whereas dad and I had the same one but with plate of sashimi.

    We then headed back to our accommodation and tried the yellow JR train line and got off at Ochanimichu station and we saw how much more relaxed it is. Next to it is a MiniStop and we bought some breakfast. We then enjoyed the almond jelly and fruits from Takano and the peach custard from Morozoff as well as the melon parfait from Ministop. After we've finished our final dinner all together for this trip, and mom and dad did their packing.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 12

    Fuji Motosuko Shibazakura Festival

    April 25, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Today we woke up just before 5am. We have to catch the 7:35 am service to the Shibazakura Festival Site. While a bit groggy, we had a light breakfast then we purchased from the convenience store and then we performed our morning routines to get ready before heading out.

    It was a cool morning as forecasted. There was blue and some sunshine today. Unfortunately they also state that the clouds will be back from around midday.

    It was a lengthy walk to Shinjuku Express Highway Bus station, but once we got there it was a relaxing wait. It was like being in an airport, it had a departure board with all the relevant information and they also call out to the passengers via the annunciator.

    It was a two and half bus trip. We were catching up on sleep on the way. The sun this morning was slowly getting covered by clouds. We passed by the Fuji Q Highlands amusement park and then the Kawaguchiko train/bus station that brought back fond memories of our transit there when we had a magical snow and autumn trees holiday back in 2016.

    Luckily we managed to see Mt Fuji's majestic peak even for a while. There was a sudden change of mood in the bus as excited tourists seeing Mt Fuji for the first time kept taking snapshots of its snowcapped peak. By the time we arrived in the Shibazakura Festival site, it's peak has been blanketed by a thick layer of clouds.

    It was nice to finally be out in the open away from the coughing passenger not far from where we were seated. We were grateful that she kept her mask on.

    We had a lovely time at the Shibazakura site, there was a heart shaped flower bed of white Shibazakuras surrounded by bright pink variety. The there was a lake reflecting the site view lending it a romantic feeling. In the souvenirs area they offered free taste of Sakura flavoured savoury drink which warmed the guests. My sister purchased some sakura jam.

    It wasn't long before lunchtime came. We found out that to order food we have to pay in a separate kiosk and then handover the ticket to the respective yatai (food truck). We selected a Belgian waffle style burger with some chips. For hot drinks I had some matcha latte and dad had some coffee while my sister and mom had some honey lemon black tea.

    After we've had our fill we then walked around and took some more photos. There was a door frame that served as an interesting photo subject, as well as a canoe that is surrounded by a sea of pink Shibazakuras. We assisted Mom with her photos of herself with these.

    We were dozing off once more on our way back to Tokyo. There was some traffic before reaching the city which didn't last long.

    When we got back to Shinjuku Express Highway Bus station, I accompanied my sister in search of the coveted custard dessert across to Lumine mall, unfortunately it was sold out. We found ourselves up in the sweets section Keio mall and got some Takano almond jelly with fruits and some Morozoff seasonal offering peach custard.

    We were clamouring for some Hinai chicken Oyakodon we tasted last time we were in Tokyo. We decided to try an Izakaya near Shinjuku-sanchome station. We greeted the master however he did not even say the usual "irasshaimase." One of the customers said in limited English that there was no seat available.

    We opted to walk back to the station near our accommodation and not far from there was a family restaurant called Saizeriya. Mom and dad enjoyed some chicken with vegetables, my sister had some carbonara with extra cheese, and I had some shrimp and asparagus pasta (it only had maybe four shrimps and four asparagus pieces) as well as a salad. My sister and I thought the order for a pistachio gelato came through but it didn't. We didn't bother as we already had some dessert wine and dad had some zero alcohol, zero sugar malt flavoured drink.

    On our way home we stopped by a taiyaki (fish shaped filled waffles) shop. We tried some sweet potato as well as red bean varieties. We enjoyed them with some roasted green tea and then turned in for the night not long after.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 11

    Marunouchi Ekimae Square and Godzilla

    April 24, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today we had another breakfast care of 7-11. We had some rice and microwave mackerel and some soft boiled egg.

    We decided to finally visit the popular Tokyo Station. It was only a few stops away from our accommodation.

    Tokyo Station, is the largest train terminal station in Japan, is known as the gateway to the capital city.

    Tokyo Station's Marunouchi Gate side is made of red brick. It is officially known as the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Honya (Main Building), which was designated as a National Important Cultural Property in 2003. It was built around 1914.

    We then decided it was time for lunch. We entered a nearby mall called Kitte Marunouchi. We saw a cafe/restaurant in the upper floor but on checking their menu they were only serving curry rice and it didn't suit our hankerings for set meals.

    We headed back to the ground floor where we saw a few more restaurants. We finally saw an establishment whose name translates to
    Misthouse and they specialise in Japanese seafood.

    Mom and I ordered the grilled mackerel set meal, whereas dad had some crumbed fried chicken and my sister had some crumbed pork cutlet drizzled with miso sauce. It our first time trying Chawanmushi, our meals all came with it. It is soft boiled custard egg with surprise savoury bits of with a hit of umami from a sliver of oyster. There was a salad as well. They were all very delicious which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

    After we said our thanks for our meal, we then decided to secure our tickets for tomorrow's trip to Mt Fuji area. So we headed to Shinjuku Express Highway bus station and purchased the tickets. Afterwards, dad needed to buy some Japanese Yen to use for buying some goods for family back home, so we located the Ninja Money Exchanger as they have the best rates in Tokyo. Afterwards we visited the nearby Korean town to obtain some aloe vera juice supplies while mom and dad enjoyed a late afternoon tea in Starbucks in Kabukicho Tower.

    We then decided to have and easy dinner as we are going to have an early start tomorrow. There was a KFC just across the road. Unfortunately they didn't have the noodle dish we tried last time we were in Tokyo. We had their Chicken Katsu Burger instead. It will have to do the job of sustaining us through the night.

    As we walked back to Shinjuku station, we walked past Kabukicho Road where the King of the Monsters, Godzilla, is menacing Hotel Gracery. Plenty of tourists enjoying the view of the hero/anti-hero giant.

    We then dropped by 7-11 on our way home to grab some easy breakfast as well as something to nibble on during our trip tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 10

    Matsugamine Church and Minmin Gyoza

    April 23, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Today is Sunday and we are very glad to be able to visit a church. Also today we celebrate Lola Soteng's birthday. She would have celebrated her 94th.

    We had some light breakfast and planned to sample the Gyoza that is popular here in Utsunomiya. We then took the bus from Utsunomiya Station to a bus stop walking distance away from Matsugamine church.

    This beautiful, Romanesque style church is probably the only one built with Oya-ishi (locally produced volcanic ash stone with green-greyish colour) in the world and designed by a Swiss architect Max Hinder (1887 - 1963) from Zurich. The church's website says this was his last work on churches in Japan before he returnedEurope.

    My sister had a chat to the parish priest as he arrived whilst we were busy photographing the facade. He was grateful for our visit and was welcoming us all.

    There was a bunch of Vietnamese people whom I thought were fellow tourists just hanging out inside the church. I was annoyed as they were talking loudly amongst themselves and I was trying to pray. Later on they started singing in their language and they had a wonderful harmonisation. I was humbled and I prayed for forgiveness.

    Afterwards we tried to locate Miyajima street, also known as the Gyoza street. On our way there we passed by Orion Square -- an open mall with high skyline type ceilings similar to the one in Himeji. There was a band playing some ethnic music that was upbeat and they were using some windpipe and drums. We stopped to appreciate them along with a relaxed, Sunday morning crowd.

    When we arrived at the gyoza street, immediately we saw the queue for Utsunomiya Minmin Honten. It is a 65 yr old establishment that has withstood the test of time. We joined the wait for takeout as the onsite dining queue was much longer. After being attended to, we looked for a spot to eat. It took us quite awhile to find an ideal location. We tried a nearby Omotesando Square mall but it did not have any public facility. Finally we gave up and we decided to sit by a small stream. We drove some menacing pigeons away, and excitedly, we finally tried the renowned gyoza. At first bite, we understood why they've have such a following. Their Gyoza is seasoned perfectly with an exquisite ratio between the meat and the wrapper (which had a nice bounce/resistance as it was perfectly grilled and was not greasy.)

    After we've enjoyed our meal, we took the bus back to Utsunomiya Station and picked up our luggages from our accommodation in Richmond Hotel then headed back to the station. We then took a rapid service to Shinjuku station. We found ourselves needing to adjust our minds to the huge influx of people in Tokyo compared to the less populated areas we've enjoyed these past few days. JR Shinjuku station is a maze but we've managed to locate where the elevator lifts are to get to the Metro trains where we had to ride the Marunouchi line which will get us to Yotsuya-Sanchome station.

    From there it was a bit of a walk to our AirBnB accommodation in Daikyocho called J Guest House, a minimalist, traditional Japanese futon style beddings.

    We had an easy dinner as we were all very tired from lugging around our baggages, it was comprised of instantised corn soup along with Domino's Pizza (one was grilled chicken teriyaki and the other was salty pork galbi) along with some potato wedges and a few pieces of Japanese fried chicken and some 7-11 salad.

    It didn't take us long to settle in and greeting each other "oyasumi nasai" (good night.)    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 9

    From Up On Miharashi Hill

    April 22, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We had a quick breakfast this morning in preparation for our trip to Ibaraki prefecture. Come to think of it we travelled from Fukushima prefecture to Tochigi prefecture yesterday.

    Back at Utsunomiya Station, my sister bought some camembert cheese sponge cake to have as a treat for our trip. Then we travelled to Oyama, and then took the train to Katsuta. It was an almost 3 hour train trip. We saw a lot of lush hills and plenty of tilled fields ready for planting.

    When we arrived at Katsuta station, we saw a gentleman with a signboard advertising a return shuttle + day pass to the Hitachi Seaside Park. We followed his directions and when we got down to the street level we saw a winding queue of people bound to the flower park.

    It was a flowing line of people as there was a continuous stream of buses to service the tourists. We were also quite delighted as they offered discount for visitors above 65 years old. As always, Japanese people are very efficient.

    When we arrived at the venue, we were greeted by an expansive space after we entered the gates. There were multiple food trucks offering different dining options and heaps of tables and chairs both in the shade and under the sun available for the guests. We decided to have some lunch first. I had some yakisoba (stir fried noodles and vegetables and some meat) and mom and dad and my sister had some nikumaki onigiri (meat wrapped rice) and some potato with cheese. For dessert we had some of the camembert sponge cake that my sister bought earlier. After we had our fill, we began exploring the park.

    Just close to the dining space, there were some tulip beds beneath a canopy of trees. There was also a small windmill there, most likely an attempt to give it the well-known tulip and windmill combination in the Netherlands.

    We then decided to head to visit the area where they've planted the nemophilias. From a distance one would have thought there was an ocean on the horizon, but actually, they were blue hills -- filled with nemophilias in full bloom. Based on the Hitachi Seaside Park website, the hills turn to red in autumn as they cover it with the deciduous summer cypress.

    There was a procession of people walking towards the lookout (miharashi). From up on miharashi hill, you can see the Pacific Ocean, and looking back towards the park you can see a field of canola also in full bloom and behind it are some traditional village houses. Mom and dad decided to relax in the benches just below the blue hills.

    We saw plenty of visitors bringing along their pets, mostly dogs, but some brought their bunnies with them. They were excellent subjects to photograph with the blue hill as their background.

    When my sister and I had our fill of the beautiful view up there, we joined mom and dad for afternoon tea. We wanted to try some dried sweet potato gelato. We were disappointed though that it was sold out. We ended up just buying some nemophilia macarons, however they were nowhere near the delicious wisteria ice cream in Ashikaga flower park. We couldn't determine any nemophilia scent in them, but it did its job tasting like macarons. Still it was a good pairing with a cup of coffee.

    Afterwards we walked to where the rose gardens are but unfortunately they were not in bloom. We were surprised that there was an amusement park called Pleasure Garden and it had a ferris wheel, a roller coaster and other rides in this huge flower park.

    We sought assistance from a park staff member to direct us to where the bus stop where the shuttle back to Katsusa station is situated. He told us to return to the West Gate exit. We were joined by a mass exodus of people as it was already closing time at this stage (5pm). But we didn't have to wait long as the buses were continuous like this morning. And everyone were very obedient sticking to the queue.

    The train back to our accommodation has been much slower, as the services were limited and kept waiting for other train passengers from different train line services.

    We decided to have a quick dinner when we arrived back at Utsunomiya Station around 9pm. There was a nearby McDonald's. They had a seasonal offering -- a crumbed chicken seasoned with yuzu (Japanese citrus lemon) mayonnaise sandwiched between rice patties. It was very delicious and was perfect as a meal before sleeping.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 8

    Beneath the Wisterias

    April 21, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    This was our longest stay in one place here in Japan and it has truly been a memorable visit. Seeing a different side of Japan away from the touristy cities of Tokyo and Osaka and Kyoto has given us the chance to have a more intimate experience.

    For the last time my sister and I enjoyed a final onsen visit. There were clouds and haze that decreased the visibility of Lake Inawashiro and the windmills on the horizon couldn't be seen.

    We then had a heavy breakfast to prepare us for our trip to Utsunomiya. We bade goodbye to our home for the last six nights. We appreciated the warmth of all the staff there.

    For the final time the shuttle from Hotel Listel took us to Inawashiro station where we took the train service to Koriyama. In this train, mom engaged in a conversation with a Japanese English translator who was assisting a group of tourists both foreigners and locals alike. It was amusing to see how two Americans and two Japanese managed to converse in a very limited way. They've shared stories about their children and of their grand children.

    In Koriyama station, we got to experience a Yamabiko Shinkansen train blitzing past at its full speed. It drove by in a blink of an eye and the sound of it rushing surprised us.

    When we arrived in Utsunomiya, it was very warm. Our accommodation for the next two nights was just walking distance from the station. The staff member in the reception utilised a handheld translating device to communicate with me and then she assisted me with the automated cash register that will handle my payment.

    After having a small rest we then went back to the train station in search of late lunch. There was a mall just next to it and it was very convenient to have multiple food selections available. My dad had what seemed to be some beef innards stew, mom had some tuna and mayo onigiri (rice balls wrapped in seaweed sheet). My sister and I explored a rice curry restaurant, she had some butter chicken whereas I had some shrimp green curry with some spicy egg and fried eggplant. We thoroughly enjoyed them.

    From Utsunomiya Station we took the train to Oyama station and then transferred to the train to Ashikaga Flower Park. It was more packed compared to our country town experiences the past few days, but still not as congested as in Tokyo nor Osaka area.

    Google wasn't lying when it stated that the flower park status was busy. There was an abundance of tourists. Immediately upon entering you get a whiff of the wisterias.

    We arrived two hours before closing time. After a couple of quick snapshots we decided to try some wisteria soft serve ice cream first before continuing our tour of the park. It was a delicious ice cream, the wisteria scent was not overpowering. I had the pure one, whereas mom, dad and my sister had a mix with vanilla ice cream.

    There were white, light pink, dark pink and purple wisterias. The night illuminations have brought out a magical quality to them. It was challenging to get some photos in which there were not much people in the shot. There were also some displays that featured some waterways to reflect the illuminated wisteria and other flower beds/arrangements. There were plenty of photographers with professional equipment and tripods. But it was nice to know that there were more locals than foreigner tourists.

    When the clock struck 8:30pm, the whole place began to play the same song that was used in the Inawashiro Herb Garden to remind customers that it was time to go home. I was under the impression that it was a proprietary audio clip but now realised perhaps the government owns it and shares it to tourist spot establishments. The song is Auld Lang Syne, and there is a lady who keeps telling everyone thank you for visiting and take care.

    On our way home we visited a 7-11 to get some breakfast so it would be easier for our early trip tomorrow. We arrived close to 11pm and we have a 7am wake up call and so there was not much time to spare, so we got into bed quickly in the hopes of getting some rest.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 7

    Optimism in Front of Inawashiro Station

    April 20, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    This morning my sister and I decided to finally try the outdoor onsen. It was a beautiful experience. We had the whole place to ourselves and it felt like a private onsen with the views of lake Inawashiro and some mountains over the distance and on top of some mountains there stood some windmills. I watched the sun set into the clouds and thought of the twilight scene in the anime film Your Name.

    We then had some light breakfast and ensured there is enough space for the upcoming late lunch in the cafe across Inawashiro station. We have affectionately called the proprietress "grandma" or "oba-chan" in Japanese.

    We booked the hotel shuttle at 1130 in the morning and when we got to oba-chan's place she had a sign saying she will be back at 1pm. We then took that opportunity to shop at 7-11 and obtain our groceries for breakfast tomorrow.

    In the convenience store parking lot we encountered some very cute cars that can only be found here in Japan.

    In oba-chan's place we marvelled at the dried flowers and plants hanging on her table next to the window where she had some charcoal heated kettle setup ready for cooler days.

    We ordered some plain toast and to our surprise it came with a squeeze dispenser that already combined butter and jam altogether. Mom and dad also enjoyed the Neapolitan pasta. They also loved the brown sugar jelly that came with the matcha drink that I ordered. We then ordered some takeaway for dinner. Oba-chan was startled when when we asked for four curries to take away when she served our pastas. She asked us to wait for so she can check her stock and then she gave us the go signal.

    There were a few more people who came in as we were having our meal, and we waited til things quieted down a bit before paying for our bill. We thanked oba-chan for the delicious meal. Secretly my sister and I were excited for our dinner even though we were very full from the late lunch. Later on we found out the literal translation of her establishment's name is "Optimism Outside of Inawashiro Station."

    When we returned to the hotel, we checked for the closing hours of the Inawashiro Herb Garden just across the road and it turns out we only have 45 mins left to spare. We hurriedly tried to capture some photos of the room filled with Japanese umbrellas with mirror effects, as well as of Hotel Listel Inawashiro behind rows of canola flowers. There were also some carp windsocks (called Koinobori) flapping in the wind in preparation for the upcoming Children's Day festival in 5th of May. The carp symbolises courage and strength because of its ability to swim up a waterfall.

    After the photoshoot, mom and dad headed back to their room whereas my sister and I visited the grove of cherry blossoms near the cemetery close to our hotel to say goodbye to the sakuras of Kannonji river and to thank them for their spectacular show. We didn't stay long though as the bees were swarming us. We guessed it was that phase of the blossoms where the bees are most attracted to.

    Back at the hotel my sister had another dip in the onsen followed by a family portrait where all of us are wearing a yukata to commemorate our stay at Hotel Listel. We then planned for our itineraries over the next few days as we enjoyed our dinner and then we turned in for the night.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 6

    Kannonji River Hanami Matsuri pt 3

    April 19, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We woke up today to clear skies. Mount Bandai remains snow sprinkled in the distance. After we had some light breakfast of coffee and melonpan bread we got from the food truck near the cherry tree festival site, we prepared to make our way to a local restaurant. Google translated the name of the establishment to "Hot Kitchen."

    It was our first time to experience dining in zashiki (tatami seating) as their tables were full. It was operated by a local family, and immediately we felt their warmth and delight to host some foreigners for lunch.

    We ordered some omu rice. It came with some miso soup with barley as well as some salad. Everything was well balanced and seasoned and truly delicious. They have been so kind to serve a complimentary dessert composed of milk curd and a sliver of dates and together they were really tasty.

    After we've put our shoes back on, we've expressed our gratitude for the meal on our way out.

    We marvelled at the streets of Kawageta as we walked back to the sakura site. It was quiet and we could not hear any babies crying, nor any children.

    This time we brought a picnic blanket and tried to do what locals do which is to sit under the sakuras and relax. Of course as tourists we had another photoshoot to commemorate this fleeting moment. We saw a couple dressed in their wedding attire who came with a photoshoot team. They looked so in love and happy. There was a moment when they were surrounded by the falling Sakura petals as a gentle breeze passed by.

    Mom and dad headed back to the hotel first while my sister and I spent more time by the petal strewn river. We saw some Filipinos amongst the gentle stream of crowds. There was a lady doing some upbeat dancing in front of her camera for her Tiktok audience.

    For dinner, we were hoping to buy some yakisoba and pair it with some barbequed meat and the creamy and moist sweet potato that we have yearned for, however some of the food stalls were closed. So we ended up buying some savoury Chinese pancakes (called Xi'an Bing) that was filled with ground meat and some vegetables) We also got some karage fried chicken with yuzu sauce.

    On our way back to the hotel my sister and I wanted to stop by a bench next to some sakura trees. A lady was just finishing her book read when we got there. We had another photoshoot there.

    Back at the hotel, we marvelled at the sunset over Inawashiro lake and then headed back out with mom and dad for some night photography of the Kannonji river Sakuras. The flowers soak up the changing light colours and there was an enchanting music in the background to compliment the magical experience. There was a bit of a crowd. I only saw two caucasians there and mostly Japanese visitors.

    My sister and I then went to the onsen and to our dismay there were obnoxious, disrespectful and inconsiderate Vietnamese bathers, loud and trying to splash water in the pools.

    After that annoying experience, we enjoyed our meal from the food stalls back in our room and not long after we've turned in for the night.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 5

    Kannonji River Hanami Matsuri pt 2

    April 18, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    We were greeted by some clouds and sunshine this morning. The snow capped Bandai mountain showed its peak. And the cherry blossoms were even more vibrant under the sun's rays.

    We enjoyed a leisurely stroll next to the calm waters of the Kannonji river. There were plenty of Japanese visitors, although we did see a some Vietnamese vloggers, a small group for Filipinos, and a Caucasian family.

    It was unnerving to witness how some elderly people attempt head down the river bank to take photos from that point of view despite their mobility. We had to help one who got stuck and appeared to topple over had she been left on her own. She expressed her delight and gratitude however we could not understand what she was saying, but we reassured her with plenty of daijobu's (no worries at all).

    Just next to the cherry blossoms display next to river are some yatai (food stalls). Naturally, it piqued our interest.

    For brunch we enjoyed some okonomiyaki (pancakes with vegetables and meat), and some oven baked sweet potato. We also enjoyed some warm sweet sake (non-alcoholic) to down what we've consumed. They were all very tasty.

    We walked further down the river until the end where it almost met up with Kawageta train station. There was a small convenience store that we browsed through but they didn't have ready packed meals.

    We went back to the hotel and had a lovely afternoon nap. When we woke up it was raining. For dinner, I quickly went back to the yatai (food stalls) but to our dismay they were already closed. Prior to heading back to the hotel, I took some quick snaps of the night illumination of the Kannonji river cherry trees. It was mesmerising to see the flower petals absorb whatever light colour is thrown at them.

    On the way back to the hotel, I bought some more bread for breakfast from the super friendly local who also served us earlier today. I got some melonpan, croissants, danish pastry.

    Fortunately the hotel's souvenir shop still had some ready made meals that sufficed for our needs to tide us through the night.

    My sister and I also managed to finish some laundry in the coin operated machines then had another visit to the onsen before dinner.    Read more

  • TravelerSpring in Japan 2023
    Day 4

    Beneath the Weeping Cherry Trees

    April 17, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Today, we were greeted by a misty, 0 degree morning. The mountains surrounding our accommodation were snow capped. But it did not dampen our hopes to see the Weeping Cherry Tree blossoms.

    We had booked ourselves the first trip to Inawashiro station.

    My sister and I had some pancakes and natto onigiri for breakfast. We were saving ourselves some space for the onslaught of ramen sampling in our destination.

    We boarded the train service from Inawashiro to Aizu Wakamatsu. I asked a personnel which track to go to for our destination and I appreciated that he spoke some English. Mom had to visit the toilet however it was very rushed as the train to Kitakata was departing very soon after we arrived.

    The main road leading out from Kitakata station was cobblestone lined and instantly the place feels idyllic. We noticed a Thai family were also looking for the Nicchusen Weeping Cherry Trees. We were following one another as we navigated through the small waybys of this country town. We appreciated the clear waters freely flowing in their canals. No wonder the town has been hailed as one of the 100 exquisite waters of Japan that makes it ideal for their well-known ramen.

    We managed to just reach the end of the blossom peak for these trees, however they remained beautiful. We walked for about two kilometres that were flower strewn and it still stretched out to about 3 kms. There were only a minimum amount of foreign tourists and once more we appreciated how we managed to avoid the flocks of raucous foreigners.

    We enjoyed some pastry goodies from Forte Bakery. They had a food stall just next to the weeping cherry tree lanes. I had some Japanese conceived melonpan, my sister and mom enjoyed some cinnamon rolls and my dad had some ham and cheese. My sister bought some potato bread to take home. We were all surprised that the cinnamon bread had some custard filling whereas my melonpan had some chocolate custard filling. The crisp cookie dough top layer was then layered by the light yet creamy filling on every bite that delighted my tastebuds.

    We then started our trek to our chosen ramen shop after we had been refreshed by our late morning tea. Unfortunately they have sold out and could no longer accommodate us. Much to our disappointment, we started to make our way to a ramen shop near the train station in the hopes that they would be able to appease our hunger. However they were only manufacturing ramen in a box and no longer operating as a restaurant. Defeated, we started walking back to the station. After we have emptied our bladders, my sister remained encouraged and decided to check out a nearby ramen shop. Luckily they were open and we got to try the 3rd top ranking ramen in Japan.

    It was a different kind of broth, for it was savoury pork that was laced with ginger, and it was the first time I've tried ramen with corn and bamboo shoots. It was delicious.

    As we enjoyed our meal, the table across us depicted a scene that touched our hearts. It was what seemed to be brothers having a lunch out, and one of them appeared to have some disability that affected his mentation as well as his mobility. Such devotion from the older brother. And they were not young, and we've surmised that the older brother has looked after his younger brother since their parents have died.

    After the meal we decided to go to the nearby retro cafe called Renga coffee to take some light meal with us for dinner. It was a beautiful, red brick building from the Showa era, repurposed from being a rice storage. Apparently it has been in business for 45 years and the building has been there for 114 years! The coffees were delicious, but unfortunately there was no takeaway service.

    We hoped that the souvenir shop next to the cafe sold some ready made meals. Thank goodness they had some so my sister and I no longer needed to walk for another four blocks to obtain some dinner.

    The couple who manned the shop were very friendly and very helpful too. Mom thought she would get a box of the adzuki filled mochi (sticky rice ball) that contained 6 pieces however the lady advised her that the expiry date would be tomorrow. We noticed that she also changed the pieces to those that were not on display.

    On our way back to Inawashiro station where we will get picked up by the hotel shuttle service, we saw a mix of country folk returning home from work as well as some students. My sister and I noticed some young girls wearing short uniform skirts and heavy makeup. We realised those types of students also existed here.

    Back at the hotel, my sister and I enjoyed some onsen. It relieved her of her foot discomfort. She was very happy she finally got to try it too and like me, forgot what all the hesitation was about. It was another relaxing end to our day.    Read more

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