Onsen ryokan are an excellent way to relax and rejuvenate while in Japan. My girlfriends were visiting from the US and we booked a night at Kira no Sato on the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka. It’s about a two hour ride on the Saphir Odoriko train from Tokyo Station. The property has a variety of…
Category: travel
Shichiken
Shichiken has been brewing sake using the famous water of Hakushu in the Southern Alps of Yamanashi prefecture. Shichiken is just down the street from Koma delicatessen (see previous post). It’s a big brewery with a sake tasting room, retail shop, and a cafe serving drinks and desserts using amazake and koji. Check out the…
Koma
From Kofu, Yamanashi, I jumped on the Chūō line train west towards Kobuchizawa. My friends have made the garden at a new delicatessen called Koma. My girlfriend said that I should come and check out this new restaurant. She knew that it was very special, and that I would like it. Chef Ayako Ono, former…
Kofu
Kofu in Yamanashi is only 90 minutes west of Tokyo on the Azusa express train on the Chūō line. The city is walkable and there are buses to areas for hiking, waterfalls, shrines and temples. For me I usually stay in the city as there is enough to see. Yamanashi is famous for fruit and…
Kōfu Okutō
Okutō Honten near Kōfu Station serves up many local dishes of Yamanashi prefecture. Tori motsu ni, simmered chicken giblets was created here in 1913. Liver, gizzard, and other offal is simmered in a sweet soy sauce. The dish has since become a regional dish that is served at many restaurants. Basashi, horse sashimi. It’s like…
Sawataya
One of my favorite overnight trips from Tokyo is to Kofu in Yamanashi, west of Tokyo. Yamanashi is famous for Fuji san (Mount Fuji), wine, big blue skies, mountains, fruits like grapes and muskmelons, and great local dishes like hoto noodles, basashi horse sashimi, and simmered chicken offal. Kofu city is easy to navigate and…
The Railway Museum
The Railway Museum is a fabulous museum with many old trains that visitors can go into and see the history of rail transportation in Japan. We could enter a lottery for different experiences and got in on the working the counter at a station. It was a fun experience. The museum is huge. There is…
Utsunomiya MinMin
On our way back to Tokyo from Nasu Shiobara in Tochigi we made a last minute decision to stop in #Utsunomiya for #gyoza. The city is famous for potstickers. There are dozens of restaurants in the city. As we didn’t have a lot of time we went to our favorite MinMin. It is connected to…
Tochigi Rengetsu
We had the most fabulous stay at #NasuShiobara @rengetsu_natsu in #Tochigi. My kid has been wanting to stay here for a long time so we booked it way in advance. There is a private onsen bath on our veranda. The property also has a large hot springs area that also includes three private hot springs. I…
Nagano Kissaten
For me nothing beats a #kissaten #Japanesebreakfast when I am traveling in Japan. For the simplicity of the meal, but also for the ambience of these old school #coffee shops. About a ten-minute walk from #Nagano Station is Saramu. The owner said she took it from the Arabic greeting salaam after watching Lawrence of Arabia….
Nagano Shichimi
One of the cities that I love spending time in is Nagano. It is easy to access from Tokyo. So much to love here. Zenkoji temple. The Buddhist temple dates back to 642. https://www.zenkoji.jp/en/ I also love the many shops on the Omotesando street leading up to Zenkoji. In particular, one of Japan’s most famous…
Yawataya Isogoro
One of the cities that I love spending time in is Nagano. It is easy to access from Tokyo. So much to love here. Zenkoji temple. The Buddhist temple dates back to 642. https://www.zenkoji.jp/en/ I also love the many shops on the Omotesando street leading up to Zenkoji. In particular, one of Japan’s most famous…
Niigata Ittouya
Ittouya ramen at Niigata Station in the new CoCoLo mall. Extra thick menma. Gyoza potstickers 🥟. The mall is packed like a depachika with local specialties including sake, fermented foods, and much more. Allow at least an hour to explore CoCoLo. On the first floor is also a Meidiya supermarket. https://ramen-ittouya.com
Sado, Niigata
Japan’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Sado Kinzan, gold mines. Some basic English available. Interesting to go down into the mountain to see where gold and silver was mined dating back to the Edo Period (1603-1867). The first and second photos show where the mountain was mined. Stopped by to see the Kitazawa…
Tokyo Shortlist
Where to eat in Tokyo? So many amazing meals. Hard to get a bad one. Here are some of my favorites: For Eater: https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-tokyo-japan For Food & Wine: https://www.foodandwine.com/yukari-sakamoto-8603981 For AFAR: https://www.afar.com/authors/yukari-sakamoto My Tokyo Guide for the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/japan/tokyo-local-guide/ For Tokyo Weekender: https://www.tokyoweekender.com/author/yukari-sakamoto/ Kanazawa for Food & Wine: https://www.foodandwine.com/worlds-next-great-food-cities-7484717 Cathay Pacific on Kyoto: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_KR/inspiration/dining/best-restaurants-in-kyoto.html…
Nagoya Bucyo Coffee
Nagoya is rich with retro kissaten coffee shops. It is the highlight of each visit. Bucyo Coffee is a popular shop that is a few blocks from the Courtyard Marriott. The ogura a toast is a sweet azuki bean paste with toast. Bucyo serves it over toast but also over a kayser bun. The kinako…
Nagoya Miso Nikomi Udon
The One of Nagoya’s local dishes is miso nikomi udon. This is the Nagoya kochin oyako version by Yamamotoya Sōhonke. Oyako means mother and child, so chicken and egg are together. The piping hot dish is served in a donabe earthenware pot. Thick udon noodles are al dente with leeks, enoki mushrooms, kamaboko fish cake,…
Nagoya Tsutaya
In #Nagoya is one of Japan’s most photographed #Tsutaya #bookstores. There is a grand display from the first to second floors. Naturally, a very popular spot of taking photos, but on the first floor there were signs that said to please not take photos. But lots of people were taking photos from the second floor,…
Nagoya Courtyard by Marriott
If you’re staying in Nagoya the Courtyard by Marriott is a nice property. Friendly staff. Comfortable bed. Spacious for a Japanese hotel. Modern facilities. A gym, but we spent enough time exploring the city, to use the gym. If the weather is cooler it’s probably about a 20-minute walk from the station. It was a…
Nagoya Tori Gotetsu
Miso katsu is a local dish to Nagoya. Fried cutlets topped with a sweet miso dressing. The local style of miso in Nagoya is called Hatchō and is a dark and intense miso. The katsu here is made with Nagoya Kochin chicken. But there are many restaurants also serving miso katsu with pork. The other…
Mie Toba Hot Springs Inn
When traveling to the countryside we love staying at onsen ryokan. These are inns with hot springs. Many will include dinner and breakfast with the stay. In Mie south of Ise Shrine we stayed at Ijika Daiichi Hotel Kagura. It was a lovely property on the top of a hill so we had gorgeous 360…
Ise Shrine
First time to Mie prefecture and the main reason for this visit is to make a pilgrimage to Ise Jingu, the Shinto shrine dedicated to the solar goddess Amaterasu. She is the ancestral deity to the Imperial family. Amaterasu has been enshrined at Ise Shrine for 2,000 years. There is a vibrant and colorful yokochō…
Minmin Gyoza
Utsunomiya in Tochigi prefecture, just north of Tokyo, is famous for #gyoza #potstickers 🥟 . It is an easy day trip from Tokyo. We were visiting #Tohoku in the north of Japan for spring break and included a long stay in Utsunomiya so that we could have gyoza for dinner. Minmin is a popular shop…
Naruko Onsen Yumoto Kissho
Naruko Onsen’s rich history dates back over 1,000 years. The hot springs was first discovered in 837. It is one of the larger hot springs areas in Japan. There are many onsen ryokan inns with hot springs in Naruko Onsen, Miyagi. We stayed at Naruko Onsen Yumoto Kissho which is up a small hill from…
Naruko Onsen
Naruko Onsen in Yamagata is a quiet hot springs resort famous for kokeshi wooden dolls. The history can be dated back over 1,000 years and it’s said to be one of the largest onsen villages in Japan. But as with most onsen stays one checks into the ryokan inn and maybe spend some time in…
Tsuruokaya
Tsuruokaya miso ramen with horumon simmered offal and gyōza. Yamagata prefecture is one of the top consumers of ramen in Japan. We loved the ramen here. Rich in umami. Chewy noodles. 🍜 Oishii. Tsuruokaya #鶴岡家Yamagata-ken, Tsuruoka-shi, Koyodokawa, Yachida 5-1https://turuokaya.jp
Akaibunko
In Akita we discovered a spacious and hip kissaten, Cafe Akaibunko. It is located next door to the Akita Public Market, also called Citizen’s Market. After picking a table a server pushed a cart and parked it table side. She then queried if we would like water with or without fresh lemon. I love this thoughtful…
Sato Yosuke
One of my go-to tips for finding restaurants in a new city in Japan is to go to the local department stores. In Akita city Seibu department store has one of my favorite udon restaurants, Sato Yosuke. The 8th-generation restaurant serves Inaniwa udon that is stretched out by hand. The noodles are silky and easy…
Morioka Jajamen
Morioka #jajamen is noodle dish topped with a meaty miso, cucumbers 🥒, and grated ginger 🫚. On the table is a chili sauce for adding heat and vinegar to brighten it up. To finish we tried the chiitantan soup. A raw egg is cracked into the bowl with the last of the noodles. The server…
Bankamu
Pizza toast kissaten morning in Aomori at Bankamu Sato Kissaten. Opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays. Coffee ground and brewed after your order is taken. There is a selection of toast. Satō Kissaten Bankamu Aomori-ken, Aomori-shi, Chūō 1-26-1 Aomori is in the northern part of Japan.🇯🇵 I am a big fan of the Tohoku region….
Aomori Joppari
Spring break in Tohoku. We started in Aomori. Dinner at this very cool izakaya called Joppari. One wall is lined with sake. Diners sit around a c-shaped counter. The menu has lots of photos and features local Tohoku dishes including harako meshi of salmon and ikura over rice, tsukemono pickles, kara agé fried chicken, scallops…
L’Evo
Gastronomy tourism is a big part of why tourists are coming to Japan. L’Evo is an example of a restaurant featuring hyper-local ingredients and worth a journey. Chef Eiji Taniguchi’s restaurant is in the mountains of Toyama in the village of Toga in the remote Nanto district. The menu features local seafood and game with…
Mochitsuki
Mochitsuki, pounding sticky rice to make #mochi at #Masuizumi #sake brewery in #Iwase, #Toyama. Here with Boris Priesol who is one of the founders of the hip Kobo brewpub down the street. We stopped by to say hi and were lucky in our timing to get a taste of the mochi which included #kombu #kelp….
Chichibu Udon
We love day trips to Chichibu, Saitama. For the fresh air, walking through the historic part of town, and ending our day at the onsen hot springs at the station building. One of the main attractions is one of Japan’s oldest shrines, Chichibu Jinja, which is over 2,100 years old. Across the street from the…
Toyama Tips
Other highlights of Toyama city include dinner at Suehiroken for wonton ramen which has a branch in the Daiwa department store. I asked what their osusume, recommendation, is and they said the wonton ramen was popular. Everyone who came in after us all ordered the wonton ramen. 🙂 Dining at department stores is one of…
Toyama Kobo
Kobo Brewery in the Higashi-Iwase district of Toyama City is a fabulous spot for craft beer and beer-friendly bites like sausages, pate de campagne, cheese, and pickles. Czech brewer Jiri Kotynek has created a portfolio of fabulous beers. A flight of beers is the way to see an ale, lager, IPA, or pilsner. I love…
Toyama Tsutaya
Kissaten are retro coffee shops that often serve my favorite breakfasts while I am on the road. Tsutaya in Toyama city opened in 1923. A smooth cup of coffee with toast, omelette, and a salad. Just like I have at home. Perhaps that is why I love these meals. Love the handwritten notes on the…
Toyama Onyado Nono
In room #onsen #hotsprings at #OnyadoNono in #Toyama. Just press a button and the wooden tub 🛀 fills up with hot springs water. There is also a larger hot springs, both indoor and outdoor, on the property but this was perfect. Part of the #DormyInn chain there is a complimentary bowl of ramen after 9:30…
Toyama Glass Art Museum
Toyama City, near Kanazawa, is one of my new favorite places to visit. The shinkansen 🚄 stops here on its way to Kanazawa and I highly recommend spending a night here to explore the area. The Toyama Glass Art Museum building was designed by Kengo Kuma and has a stunning interior. The city’s public library…
Ito Marugen
A fun dinner at Marugen Marutaka izakaya in downtown Ito. The drinking pub is very popular so there was a line in front of the small shop from more than 30 minutes before it opened. One of their signature dishes is uzuwa which is sodagatsuo a meaty fish that is chopped up raw and mixed…
Tsuriya
Tsuriya in Toyama is a shop that specializes in seafood in many forms: dried, marinated in oil, marinated in nuka rice bran, smoked, and much more. Toyama prefecture specializes in these sake-friendly seafood products. Tsuriya is near Toyama Bay and the area has a long history of seafood – both fresh and these seafood products….
Toyama Kissaten
When on the road I always seek out kissaten for morning coffee and breakfast. Many Japanese hotels offer a buffet breakfast but I am avoiding crowded restaurants. I also love the ambience of kissaten retro coffee shops. Shimeno Coffee is near Toyama Station. The kissaten is in a newer building so the coffee shop interior…
Kurobe, Toyama Port
@sakananoeki #Ikuji seafood market is at #Kurobe, #Toyama port. Toyama Bay is famous for its #seafood. There is also a restaurant and there is pressed sushi and some #bento. The variety and freshness of seafood is impressive. There is also miso marinated filets, shellfish, air-dried fish, 🍥 kamaboko fish cakes, and shiokara fermented seafood. The…
Kombu
On our visit to Kurobe city in Toyama we had the great pleasure to visit Aimono Kombu. Kombu kelp is a sea vegetable rich in natural umami called glutamates. It is essential for making dashi stock which is used in many Japanese dishes. Most kombu is harvested in Hokkaido. In the Edo to Meiji periods…
Toyama Onsen
Kurobe Unazaki Onsen on the Kurobe River in Toyama is a hot springs resort area that is celebrating 100 years this year. Enraku is a lovely ryokan inn with onsen hot spring baths. A stay at Enraku includes a multi-course dinner of seasonal dishes and a traditional and luxurious Japanese breakfast. Highlights of the meal…
Rice Bran Fish
Sanma Pacific saury is marinated in nuka rice bran and salt for four days before grilling. This local lunch spot in #Kurobe,#Toyama is at Hokuyo no Yakata. The café is charming. There is also a shop with local products including kombu kelp, pantry items, and seafood. Hokuyo no Yakata is on the Sea of Japan….
Bandai Atami Onsen in Fukushima
For Golden Week holidays we explored Fukushima in the Tōhoku region in northern Japan. On the first day we took the shinkansen to Kōriyama. Kōriyama is only one hour and fifteen minutes by shinkansen. Tourist information staff is very helpful. There is also an exhibit of local products by D&Department. A good reminder of products…
Osaka Kushikatsu
Kushi katsu 串かつ is a popular local dish in Osaka. Vegetables, meat, and seafood are skewered, breaded, and deep-fried. Kushi means skewer and katsu comes from the word cutlets for anything breaded and deep-fried. Kushi katsu is traditionally served with a sauce that is sweet and salty. Rampuya is a charming kushikatsu shop near the…
Osaka Onyado Nono
I am a big fan of the Onyado Nono hotel chain for it’s simple Japanese-style rooms, hot springs including an outdoor rotenburo, and free bowl of ramen at night. This branch is between Kitahama and Yodoyabashi stations in Ōsaka. Onyado Nono is part of the Dormy Inn chain. Members of their app can get free…
Matsumoto Onsen Hotel Onyado Nono
When looking for hotels in Japan I seek out properties with onsen, ideally rotenburo which are outdoor onsen. I love the feel of the cold air while soaking in the hot springs and even better if I can see the stars at night. Onyado Nono is a chain in the Dormy Inn group. Dormy Inn…
Food Sake Tokyo 