NIPPON

March 2023

by Seer Oon Hor

Japan is probably the most interesting country we have been. It has great cities, warm and polite people, stunning food and a great mix of traditional and modern culture. Travelling back to the east is always a long journey for us but oh boy it was worth it.

Travelling within Japanese cities were very affordable. Travelling from a city to another was a little more expensive but you should consider if JR Pass is suitable for your travel plans. Ready-meals from train stations were delicious and they sell out fast! Supplies are limited because they are made fresh daily. They were popular amongst commuters.

Vending machines are everywhere, You easily find one to buy soft drinks, coffee and we even saw one which sells cheesecakes.

Generally Japanese are warm, welcoming and polite. Most of them including shopkeepers and restaurant workers were very helpful. Language barrier can be an issue but it does not stop them and us from trying. We learnt a few Japanese words which helped tremendously.

Public transportation in Japan is very affordable and well-connected. Except for a few main roads in Japan, there were hardly any traffic jams.

Click on photos to enjoy them in full screen.

kobe

Our first stop was Kobe, specifically for Kobe beef. It was a brief one in Kobe . We visited Ikuta-jinja where there was a traditional ceremony going on. Before that, we snacked on taiyaki, a fish-shaped waffle with variety of fillings such as red bean, sweet potato and custard. Since it was sakura season, there was seasonal sakura filling available. China Town is popular the variety of street food. We were simply not used to how crowded it was.

osaka

Arriving in Osaka gave us the ‘big city feel’. The train station is more crowded than what we experienced in Kobe. Dotonbori is a tourist hotspot where despite the endless number of restaurants and food stalls, there was always a queue. Takoyaki is an octopus dough ball and a must-try in Osaka. Another must-try is cheesecake. Uncle Rikuro and Pablo which were both delicious in their own ways. Uncle Rikuro’s was soft, jiggly and melt-in-your-mouth texture whereas Pablo’s is more like a baked cheese tart with crunchy crust.

Kuramon Ichiba Market is another foodie spot where you can everything from fugu (raw puffer fish) to common strawberries.

Osaka Castle is beautiful architecturally. It has wide open grounds with strategically placed Niwaki juniper trees.

kyoto

Kyoto is famous for its traditional Japanese architecture and richness of Japanese culture such as Japanese tea ceremony. Japanese tea ceremony with Nao was a wonderful and fun experience especially when we attended in Kimonos. Walking around in Gion amongst people in kimonos gave us the feeling we were being transported back to the Edo period.

Nanzen-ji and its surrounding area was a delight to visit and to walk around.

Nishiki Market is another working market with many stalls for street food and cooking ingredients.

A day trip to Nara was a pleasant one where cute deers have learnt to bow like Japanese to be fed. Here is where you will find Todaiji which has one of the largest bronze Buddha statue.

As warmth was arriving, we visited Phylosopher’s Path for the second time to enjoy the beautiful sakura in full bloom along the river. We also visited a few temples such as Honen-in along the way.

Travelling to Arashiyama requires a bus ride or if you prefer by metro, involves a long walk. Arashiyama is famous for its bamboo forest which reality is far from Instagram. The site is beautiful but with the crowd, it was hardly peaceful. Nonetheless we enjoyed the walk through the forest towards the park up a hill which then led to a riverside walk back to town. It was late when we visited Fushimi Inari. It was dark before we reached the peak but it was partially lit along the way.

Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, is certainly one of the most recognisable landmark of Kyoto. The entry was with a fee but you will receive a handwritten token in return. There was also an uniquely-shaped Niwaki juniper tree which is about six hundred years old.

miyajima | Hiroshima

Miyajima is an island off Hiroshima and it is just about 30-minutes ferry ride away. It is famous for large fresh oysters and of course Itsukushima Shrine, a large torii out in the sea. We did a hike and the trail was beautiful. There were smaller shrines within the mountains with cute stone figurines. Our lunch at Anagomeshi required a hour queue for anago (conger eel) and rice. Simple yet delicious. It demonstrated Japanese obsession with cooking, where that was the only main dish on the menu. It came with soup which was extremely clear. Think fjord clarity. We also had eel liver, ikura and pickled eel as side dishes.

We had so much fun in Miyajima that we did not have much time visiting Hiroshima.

Hakone

Hakone is a geothermal area popular for its natural onsen (hot bath). The ride to the top of the mountain required several transfers of cablecar, train and ropeway. One of the popular snacks was black egg, which shell turns black due to chemical reaction of calcium with sulphur from natural hot spring. We also took a sightseeing boat ride with the hope Mount Fuji was visible but it was just too foggy. We then walked part of Tokaido Way, which was a path travellers used to take during Edo period. We stopped at Amazake Chaya which was founded 400 years ago to have snack such as rice cake and amazake, a thick rice drink with natural sweetness. Their menu remained unchanged and everything was made fresh every morning. At the end of the our trail was where we spotted a vending machine for cheesecake.

Our stay at Hakone Sumeiso was very special and memorable. It is a ryokan, traditional Japanese-style accommodation where we were served Kaiseiki-style dinner and breakfast. The experience was easily one of the highlights of our holiday in Japan.

tokyo

Tokyo is certainly one of the highest density cities on earth. Metro station, tourist sites and restaurants were always packed. Nonetheless, it was an exciting city for people watching. Working senior citizens is a common sight. Asakusa is an old area among super modern cityscape of Tokyo. This is also where you can find Senso-ji and many shops selling traditional snacks.

Again, it was so special to visit when sakura was in full bloom.

Crossing the famous Shibuya Crossing was an experience on its own.

Meiji Jingu is a shrine with a large area to explore with an enjoyable flat path.

One of the highlights of Tokyo was Teamlab. It was a full-on sensory experience range from touch to sight. It is a must-do in Tokyo.

FOOD

What can we say. One of the highlights in Japan was food. It is so much more than what we have imagined. You can find cheap street food for a few hundred Yens. It is simple and fast. The other end of the spectrum is delicate fine food cooked slowly (or raw) with gentle heat, served beautifully with fine tableware and meant to be enjoyed slowly. Even the ready meals from train stations, such as bento boxes, were freshly-made daily and delicious. Simple sandwiches from convenience stores were simply lovely.

Kobe beef is one we have always keen to try. Where better than in Kobe itself! This is a specialty type of Wagyu which the cow is only reared in Hyōgo Prefecture. It is well-marbled, full of flavour and incredibly tender.

Sushi in Endo Sushi in Osaka City Central Market is one worthy of a mention. Stunning quality sushi at a very good price. We think the quality of the ingredients is better than what we had in Tokyo. We arrived early but yet we had to queue. That says it all. Another popular food in Osaka is cheesecake. There are two main types. One is Uncle Rikuro’s jiggly cheesecake which has a soft melt-in-your-mouth texture and the other one is Pablo’s baked cheese tart which has a crunchy crust.

One memorable restaurant was a tofu restaurant in Kyoto, Tousuiro. They serve tofu-based tasting menu. We enjoyed the variety of the dishes made with tofu and freshness of plain soft tofu. Our lunch was followed by wagashi at Kaizen Yoshifusa Honten, a traditional Japanese dessert house. According to an old patron, this is the best wagashi shop in Kyoto! Our warabimochi was dusted with fragrant toasted bean powder served with syrup. We also tried their signature cold dessert called kuzukiri, which is a noodle-like dessert served in iced water and a separate syrup. The way to eat it is by lifting the noodles with chopsticks and then dip it in syrup. We also ordered a few seasonal traditional wagashi, including sakura mochi, to sample. They were all beautifully-made, so much so we felt bad to eat them! What a delight after a tofu meal.

Japan is just full of great food and restaurant. One late evening, we queued for about 40 minutes at Katsukura, a tonkatsu restaurant. Tonkatsu is deep-fried breaded pork. One of the workers from the restaurant came out regularly to check on the length of the queue. Nearer to the closing time, he walked towards the end of the line (us!) and was counting the numbers at the same time. He then stopped and looked at us. We thought he was going to say no to us but we were so lucky he made us his last sittings! Phew! Their tonkatsu was so worth the wait. There were several species of pork. The prized species were actually more tender than standard pork. They were served with unlimited fragrant Japanese rice and miso soup. We were also recommended to eat it with sesame seed which we freshly ground ourselves for the instant nutty fragrance. Our dessert was Japan-famous strawberry shortcake and citrus crepe cake from Sir Thomas Lipton Sanjo Honten.

You may have seen famous Japanese strawberries grown with so much care and dedication. One of the most popular species was the white strawberries which apparently was grown with the correct amount of sunshine to give it is infamous white flesh and a particular fragrance. However you should eat with caution because it is PRICEY!

The most memorable Japanese meal was Kaiseiki dinner and breakfast at our ryokan in Hakone. Everything was amazing. Starting from sight, smell, taste, texture and most importantly, the whole experience.