TravelBlog

Today’s adventure: a thrilling drive through the mystical mountains of Japan via Route 252, a hidden scenic route connecting Tadami in Fukushima and Uonuma in Niigata. I hit the road full of excitement, cruising from Fukushima to Niigata to Gunma—what a ride! The mountain pass is called “Rokujurigoe,” which roughly means “Feels like 60 ri (240 km) even though it's only 6 ri (24 km)”—that’s how tough the climb used to be in the old days! Since this area gets crazy heavy snowfall, the road is closed from early December to around Golden Week in May every year. So it’s ...

Experience Tranquility and History at Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station in Nakanojo, Gunma Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station – A Quiet Moment in History I made a little stop at “Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station” in Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture. There’s a charming soba restaurant called Keyaki with a traditional thatched roof, and I really wanted to try their handmade soba noodles… but alas, I was too early and they weren’t open yet 😭 They serve a super limited dish called Choei Soba, inspired by a famine relief book written by the 19th-century doctor and scholar Choei Takano. It’s made with soba and ...

Chatsubomigoke Park – A Velvet Carpet from Another World In his delightfully honest guidebook "The Candid Travel Guide to Japan’s 47 Prefectures", author Tamaki Miyata strongly (and somewhat mysteriously) recommends this place if you're ever in Gunma: Chatsubomigoke Park. Just pronouncing it was a challenge—I must have Googled the name three times because I kept forgetting it. “Chatsu... what now?” 😅 It’s quite close to Kusatsu Onsen, so if you’re staying in the hot spring town and want a break from the crowds, this could be a perfect side trip. BUT… be warned: after leaving the main road, the drive ...

Suwa Taisha – Where Legends and Magnetic Fields Collide Suwa Taisha is a sacred Shinto shrine spread across four locations around Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture. On this trip, I only had time to visit one—the Honmiya (Main Shrine) of the Upper Shrine—but trust me, even visiting just one was powerful enough! Originally two separate shrines (Kami-Suwa and Shimo-Suwa), they were unified during the Meiji period and are now known collectively as Suwa Taisha. The famous “Onbashira” sacred logs used in the wild festival held every 7 years? Yep, those are here too! I parked my car in kind of ...

Yamashita Kiyoshi Wandering Art Museum – Be Moved by the Delicate Art of Japan’s Beloved “Barefoot Genius” Just a short drive from Suwa Taisha’s main shrine, I stopped by the charming Yamashita Kiyoshi Wandering Art Museum. This unique museum houses over 180 works by the legendary “wandering genius” artist Yamashita Kiyoshi, including his signature torn-paper collages (chigiri-e), pen sketches, and hand-painted ceramics—many of which were gifted to people he met during his travels. From the outside, it kinda looks like an antique shop—and guess what? The first floor is one! Inside you’ll find a chaotic treasure trove of curiosities: old ...

Visit Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace – Where Industrial Romance Meets Mt. Fuji Views! Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace – A Taste of Japan’s Industrial Revolution Hooray for another UNESCO World Heritage site! I dropped by the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, the only functioning reverberatory furnace still standing in Japan, and boy, it was like stepping into an iron-clad slice of Meiji-era industrial dreams! Located in Izu no Kuni, Shizuoka, Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace was used to melt iron and cast cannons. It’s a real-deal survivor from the 1800s and was recognized in 2015 as a part of the "Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution." And ...

Healing Waterfalls & Wasabi Fields: A Spiritual Getaway to Joren Falls in Amagi Joren Falls — Sacred Site of Sayuri Ishikawa & a Burst of Negative Ions ♡ “…Water rising, swaying, falling from your shoulder, the mountain burns, no matter what happens, I want to cross the fire with you—Amagi-goe…” Cue Sayuri Ishikawa's iconic enka ballad and you know exactly where I am—at the mystical Joren Falls in Izu! After visiting the Tsugaru Strait in Aomori (yes, the one from Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki), this makes it my second Sayuri pilgrimage stop! Wonder how many more are out there? 🤔 Even ...

Strolling Through the Retro Wonderland of Kurayoshi’s White-Walled Storehouse District in a Kimono ♡ Discovering Kurayoshi – A Hidden Gem of Retro Charm Kurayoshi, located in central Tottori Prefecture, is a town wrapped in nostalgia. It’s also perfectly situated for hot spring lovers, surrounded by famous onsen spots like Sekigane, Misasa (with the mystical Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Temple!), Hawai, and Tōgō. If you're road-tripping through Tottori’s onsen towns, Kurayoshi is a must-stop destination! The white-walled town is compact enough for a quick and relaxing stroll. There are plenty of parking spots nearby, making it car-friendly too. It’s got that elegant, retro ...

Exploring the Former Kurayoshi Line I stumbled upon this little-known gem—the abandoned Kurayoshi railway line—while looking for scenic spots near Kurayoshi on Google Maps. And guess what? It's surrounded by a mystical bamboo forest! I’m a sucker for anything abandoned, and this one had a magical vibe that photos alone couldn’t capture. I had to go and see it with my own eyes. Spoiler: it’s even better in person. There’s no parking right by the bamboo tunnel, so I left my car at the visitor parking area and walked about 15–20 minutes. It sounds short, but in the blazing late-August ...

To the Hometown of Gosho Aoyama and the Land of Conan On my way to Kaike Onsen, I made a spontaneous stop at the sacred land of Conan! Honestly, I’ve never really read the Detective Conan manga and have only seen a few episodes of the anime, yet somehow I already knew about the mysterious men in black and the gentleman thief, Kaito Kid. That’s just how deeply this national anime has permeated everyday life in Japan! The Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory is a museum located in Hokuei Town, Tottori Prefecture. It celebrates the life and works of Detective Conan ...