Izu Oshima, The Nearest Island from the Center of Tokyo (Part 2)

Our visiting spots on the island (Part 2) Short Hiking Around Black Lava Desert On the way back to the northern area of the island, we dropped by “Ura-Sabaku(Black Lava Desert)”. We drove off the main street, and moved into the narrow road called “Tsuki-to-Sabaku Line (Moon and Desert Line), they were heading for the…

Came Back to Shima Onsen!

Winter season is the best for enjoying Onsen (Hot-springs). I can be so relaxed and have wonderful feeling whenever I jump into the warmer Onsen from very cold outside. The last episode in 2018 is about Shima Onsen in Gunma Prefecture where I visited with my husband the other day in this month. Shima Onsen…

Okukinu Onsen Hiking with Gorgeous Landscape in Autumn

It has been the mid-autumn in Japan, which is my most favorite season in a year. I believe this is the best time to travel in our country for enjoying landscape in the nature due to changing leaves colors from green to yellow & red. The season reminds me that a time to visit Teshiozawa…

Somehow, I am an Omamori (Amulet) Collector

When you visit Shinto Shrine and Buddhist temples, you can find they are selling various kinds of Omamori (Amulets) at the booths in front of their main buildings. Each shrine and temple have usually their strengths and themes and are providing their own amulets such as exorcism, safety traffic, better fortune, good health, marriage &…

9 Basic Manners at Hot Springs or Public Baths in Japan

Hot springs (Onsen) and Public baths (Sento) are one of my favorite Japanese culture which I would like to leave to the future. So many foreign travelers also came when I visited to hot springs resorts all over Japan. I am very glad to share the wonderful culture with them, but I sometimes encountered regretful…