Summer Activities You Must Try at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu

In my previous article, Head in the Clouds: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, I introduced the beautiful Hoshino Resorts Tomamu in Hokkaido, where I had the chance to spend a lovely summer vacation this year. In this article, I wish to show you all the wonderful summer activities I tried during my stay. Depending on the season,…

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Exploring Japan: Spring Trip to Tohoku

After using the JR East Welcome Rail Pass 2020 for an autumn and winter trip last year, I was pleased to hear that they will release a new pass starting April 1, 2021, for foreign passport holders living in Japan (this pass was already available for foreign visitors on a tourist visa). One truth about…

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Exploring Japan: Winter Trip to Tohoku

Tsuru no Yu is the onsen I wanted to visit most in Akita Prefecture; it is a unique onsen mainly because of its milky white water found only at a few other onsens in Japan. Tsuru no Yu means “hot spring of cranes” in Japanese, and apparently, it got this name from a legend of an injured crane who was seen bathing in here.

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Beautiful Japan: Niijima Island

This picturesque island is called Niijima island and it is part of Tokyo’s 11 islands. In fact, I just learned that Tokyo prefecture includes 219 small islands located in the Pacific oarsman, containing many unspoiled, natural environments. Among these, 11 are inhabited islands and are onsen (hot springs) or beach resorts. They are known for white, sandy beaches and blue waters. They are easily reachable from Tokyo, by large ships, high-speed ferry jets, or even by plane.

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Exploring Tokyo: Yanaka Ginza

One thing that I love about living in Tokyo is that I can always have something new to explore. It can be a neighborhood I haven’t explored yet, a new cafe that just opened nearby, a new exhibition! This weekend, I finally went to Yanaka 谷中, a quiet neighborhood in the Taito ward, east of…

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Beautiful Japan: Winter Trip to Yamagata

I kicked off 2020 with a trip to a new prefecture in Japan: Yamagata Prefecture! I finally got to visit Ginzan Onsen, the place I’ve been obsessing over since 2017; I even included it on a post here on the blog without having visited it yet. I said there that I would like to visit…

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Autumn Leaves in Japan 2019 Calendar: 70 Places to See

Japan is very proud of its four seasons and  I don’t know why but quite a few Japanese people often think that not many other countries are blessed with four seasons… Although its summers might be too humid and winters too dry and cold, Japanese autumns and springs are the best time to visit the…

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Hydrangeas and the Rainy Season

This year’s rainy season was very looong… rainy season in Japan usually lasts throughout June, however, this year it officially ended this week (last week of July). It is also true that in June we had many sunny days for a rainy season, but most of July was so gloomy and cold, I would even…

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Flower Guide to Japan: Ashikaga Flower Park

With every new place I visit in Japan, I wonder how can there be so much beauty in a single place? That is what I felt when I visited Ashikaga Flower Park for Golden Week this year. With the beginning of the new imperial era, Reiwa, this year’s Golden Week was 10 days long! Double…

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