Hokkaido is known as a famous travel location to many, especially during winter season. The first thought that comes to mind when arriving in Hokkaido during the winter is skiing and winter sports but what can travelers do given one week to trek around?
Three days is a short amount of time if you want to check each and every place in Osaka and Kyoto, but I would like to share the places I have been and will remember fondly.
As a “theme park” for Japanese rice wine (sake), Ponshukan is located inside three major JR stations in Niigata — Niigata, Nagaoka, and Echigo Yuzawa. In each of them, you will be able to fill your heart with not only rice wine, but also rice-related products, pickled foods, and interesting take-home items.
Boarding the train leading to Shibamata Station, I can smell and notice the sudden change in my surroundings and the crowd around me. The usual hundreds, populated Tokyo center is slowly turning into a 2-car train with fewer people in it, a few tourists and some old men and women.
When I visited Fukuoka, I got my hands on a magazine that listed the best local coffee shops in the area, and I spent my time there going to as many of these cafes as I could. It was amazing. So amazing that I want to share with you five of my favorite coffee shops in Fukuoka with the hope that you too will visit them and be blown away. Please keep in mind that this top-five list is based upon my opinion, and that the order I have chosen to present these cafes is in no way meant to rank them. So, here we go: Five of Fukuoka’s Best Coffee Shops.
Shinjuku is an interesting place. No matter where you turn, you’re bound to find something that will spark your interest or pique your curiosity. It is at those moments when you realize that you’ve stumbled upon gold. When you’ve created a moment that will last you a lifetime. That is what Scopp Cafe represents.
Gakugei-Daigaku is on the Toyoko line, a small neighbourhood between Shibuya and Jiyugaoka that relatively few people know about. Despite its lack of fame, this area has a mixture of a local sense of community and the exciting vibe of a city neighbourhood.
Jigokumushi (地獄蒸し, literally means "Hell Steam"), is what this cooking method is called. A very simple yet unique way of cooking that has been practiced since the Edo Period. Jigokumushi restaurants are popular for tourists coming to the Kannawa area, which main attractions are the Jigoku of Beppu, boiling ponds that are open for viewing. In some of these restaurants, customers could also try cooking the food themselves, an interesting experience when you go with friends or family.
Fried chicken, locally called “karaage”, is widely popular, and katsu dishes such as chicken, pork, and shrimp often adorn bento boxes and curries. Kushi katsu is a dish from Osaka that, although similar, is slightly different from regular katsu. So what is it?
People often come to Japan of get their fill of cute. Cute clothes, cute characters, cute food, and yes of course cute cafes. This cafe hidden by the sea in the outskirts of Nagasaki is sure to give anyone their fill of cute in the form of adorable Corgi puppies. Yes the rumors are true, there is a Corgi cafe in Japan.
The gritty streets of Kabukicho contrast with the majesty of Mosaic Street, where couples walk hand in hand under decorative lights. One cannot explore the area in its entirety on an empty stomach, so let’s cover some of the best vegetarian/vegan restaurants you’ll find on your journey.
A central town in Hokkaido known for its picturesque landscape, Furano holds one novel treasure: Ningle Terrace, a group of 15 cottages hidden in the woods next to one of Furano’s most popular resorts, New Furano Prince Hotel.
