Review

Review List

Chasing Rainbows and Facing Fears at Takeda Castle Ruins and Ikuno Silver Mine 2020

I have a confession to make: I hate haunted houses. As a kid, the looming fear that something would come to life and jump out at me from the dark terrified me to the core. So you can imagine my surprise, when I first entered Ikuno Ginzan (生野銀山) Silver Mine in Asago city （朝来市), Hyogo prefecture …

Indulge in the Regional Flavors and Private Spa at Kinosaki Onsen 2020

I might not have been the image of grace stomping along in my inch-high geta sandals. But it completed my yukata and onsen hopping outfit, as I clip-clopped along the willow-lined canal of Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉). With the luminous lantern lights bouncing off the Ohtani river(大谿川), I felt complet…

Soba Noodles Eating Tour in Izushi Castle Town, Hyogo 2020

“Itadakimasu!“ With my stomach already dangerously at capacity, I dove into my last order of soba (buckwheat) noodles in the Japanese castle town of Izushi (出石). As my favourite go-to cold noodle dish during the summer months in Japan, I'm normally a bottomless pit when it comes to …

Nature, History and Accommodation in Fukui’s Obama City and Hibiki Terraced Rice Fields 2020

GAH! MONKEYS!!! It was quite the surprise to stumble into a group of wild monkeys at Hibiki Terraced Rice Fields, and I stood frozen in place as they scattered into the surrounding countryside. It marked a brief but lively interlude on my historic and natural journey through Fukui Prefecture's …

Amanohashidate: A Bridge to Heaven at One of the Three Views of Japan 2020

Japan is a country of lists. Top five cities. Top ten shrines. Top 100 ramen joints… you get the picture. So it didn't surprise me when I started researching the famous sight of Amanohashidate (天橋立) in northern Kyoto, that I learned about the Three Views of Japan (Nihon Sankei / 日本三景). Dubbed th…

History and Architecture at Maizuru Red Brick Park 2020

In the beautiful stretch of coastal scenery in northern Kyoto prefecture (京都府), lies a port town of lovely red brick buildings at Maizuru (舞鶴) Brick Park. Facing the Sea of Japan (日本海), Maizuru was originally a fishing village before turning into one of the most important naval bases in all of …

Staying At a Traditional Japanese House in Tamba Sasayama’s Umetan FUJI 2020

“Watch out for those deer!” I whispered, as a herd suddenly skipped across the road in the dark. It was a moonless night in Hyogo prefecture's Tamba Sasayama (丹波篠山) as we headed to our accommodations at Umetan Fuji for the night. Our guide Michiko however, seemed to have seen them a …

The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Tamba Sasayama Castle Town 2020

It was a day of wind and rain — not exactly the ideal weather for a photoshoot in Hyogo Prefecture's (兵庫県) Tamba Sasayama (丹波篠山市). Home to a rich 400-year old history, this Japanese castle town includes a unique pottery culture, a contemporary castle, and perfectly preserved samurai and merchan…

Traditional Japanese Craft of Kurotani Washi Paper in Kyoto 2020

Ohhhh, hand-made paper. I remember going through and feeling my mother's old collection of Japanese washi papers as a kid, loving the texture of the delicate veins of natural fibres weaved into a smooth layer. I even went through a phase of making my own paper, using everything from onion skins, lau…

Japanese Pottery Craft Culture in Hyogo’s Tamba Ware 2020

When I was a kid, my mother thought it was best to keep my brother and I occupied with a myriad of craft-making camps and workshops that filled our summer vacations. What probably started as a crafty (cough, cough pun intended) idea to keep a couple of hyperactive kids from killing each ot…

Amanohashidate, one of the Three Views of Japan

Images/text: the Kyoto Traveller Since antiquity, Amanohashidate, a sandbar stretching between 20 and 170 m wide and some 3.6 km in length, has been designated as one of the Three Main Views of Japan along with Matsushima and Miyajima. The “Tango no Kuni Fudoki”, a book penned in ancient Japan, d…

The Seven Hot Springs of Kinosaki

Kinosaki Onsen which has a 1300-year history has been the famous onsen spot since Heian period. There are seven public onsen bath houses on the hot spring street located across Otani river. The scenery of here is also very characteristic. Willow trees with stone bridge and town scape, and its …

Hyogo’s Castle in the Sky: Takeda Castle Ruins

Images/text: the Kyoto Traveller The Takeda Castle Ruins are located within the city of Asago in Hyogo Prefecture and are known as the “castle in the sky”. Built atop an ancient hill at 353 m above sea level, the hill resembles the shape of a tiger. This resulted in the castle ruins being referred …

Hyogo, Tamba Sasayama

Images/text: the Kyoto Traveller Tamba Sasayama , Hyogo.Tamba Sasayama is located in the middle of the Hyogo region, below Fukuchiyama and Ayabe of Kyoto. In the ancient times, the city was part of the ancient nation of Tamba and has been an important passage to the San-in region since. The most …

Fukui, Obama

Images/text: the Kyoto Traveller The Wakasa Bay is located on the side of the Sea of Japan, offering a clean and clear coastline which stretches some 8 km along Wakasa-Takahama and Wasasa-Wada in Fukui, while bordering the City of Maizuru in Kyoto. It is a hotspot for surfing and swimming in Ja…

Visit Superb Views of North Kansai with Blissful Happiness(2)

Travel around North Kansai to visit blissful happiness magnificent sceneries of one of the three views in Japan, Michelin star 2 sightseeing spot, Macchu Picchu of Japan, footbath and 7kinds of healing onsen! Day1 Kuromatsu Sweet Course forwarding to Amanohashidate Inside of Kuromatsu (Sweets…