JAPAN TRAVEL
Town in Tochigi Features Pottery & Indigo Dyeing
On a beautiful November weekend, I visited Mashiko in Tochigi prefecture, and spent time at two craftsperson's spots. One was an indigo dyeing studio and the other was a pottery museum. It was a 3 day holiday weekend, but Mashiko wasn'...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Traditional French Crepes In The Mt Aso Region
In my post-university years, I was lucky enough to live in France for a time, where I developed a love of traditional Breton galettes. Sadly, these savoury buckwheat pancakes aren't readily available here in Japan, outside of the major c...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Discover Tales of Pilgrims Along The Ancient Route
Follow into the footsteps and discover the tales of pilgrims along the ancient Nakahechi pilgrimage trail in Kumano.
Takijiri-oji shrine marks the beginning of the Nakahechi trail, one of several old pilgrimage trails that crisscross...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A Convenient Station Near The City Beach
Getting around in Wakayama Prefecture might seem troublesome, considering that its public transportation is not as convenient and efficient as that in Japan's main cities (Tokyo, Osaka). The interior of Wakayama Prefecture is completely covere...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Architectural Marvel and Experiential Science Museum
While some cities never quite recover from centuries of industrial production, the city of Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture has fused its manufacturing heritage with cutting edge science and architectural progress. One of the results...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Marukan Department Store Restaurant  
If you find yourself in Hanamaki, Iwate, you don't want to miss out on a great dining experience. To say that Marukan is an institution in Hanamaki is an understatement. Not only do they have the restaurant and department store, they had at some ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Explore The Hidden Plateau of Multi-tiered Rocks
Nanki, a generic name for the southwestern part of Wakayama, has an array of various amusement parks, zoos, beaches and places where you can enjoy water sports. Approximately two and a half hours away from Osaka by limited express trai...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Kacho-Yukan, Igashira Park, Moka, Tochigi Pref.
On previous visits, I hadn`t paid attention to Kacho-Yukan because my purpose had always been to enjoy time outdoors in Igashira Park. The park is in Moka,Tochigi Prefecture and is immense (when a Canadian says that you can believe it!)...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Hidden Cellar For The Ultimate Sake Experience
Do not judge a book by its cover; I was deceived by the ordinary looking Shimada Shoten when I first saw it at the corner of the street. It looks just like any other ordinary sake shop in Japan, but below the surface is a “hidden” cellar...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Universal Studios Japan's Newly Opened Themed Area
If you are like me, when you heard that Universal Studios Japan was opening a Wizarding World of Harry Potter area at its theme park in Osaka, you couldn't stop yourself from ecstatically jumping around and promising yourself to chec...

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