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Unspoiled nature of Hakone

I can say that Hakone has a special place in my heart. In two years of my stay in Japan, I visited Hakone four times, all with different excitement. Surrounding with unique characteristics and charm, Hakone can be a perfect weekend getaway from busy Tokyo.

Don’t skip to visit Lake Ashi with its famous pirate cruise. Lake Ashi formed as a result of Mount Hakone’s last volcanic eruption 3,000 years ago. If you are lucky, you’ll be able to see Mount Fuji as the background. I was so unfortunate that in my 4-times visit Hakone, I never saw this view. Various cafes and restaurants serving both traditional and international cuisine are available nearby the cruise terminal. Religious Hakone Shrine with remarkable red torii facing Lake Ashi is also worth checking.

>>Lake Ashi

>>Pirate Cruise

>>Ashinoko Chaya

>>Bakery & Table

>>Hakone Shrine

If you want to get more close-up and personal with a volcano, visit Owakudani, a volcanic active valley with active hot springs and sulfur vents. The scenery is surreal with volcanic gas and steam billowing up from all around. While you are in here, you may want to try the black eggs sold in the visitors center. The eggs were boiled and blackened by a chemical reaction in the hot spring. It said that eating one of the black eggs can prolong your life for seven years. Hiking trails and ropeways are available for visitors to explore the area.

>>Black Eggs

Throughout the Hakone area, onsen can be found almost everywhere. From budget hostels or luxury ryokan inn come with a refreshing indoor and outdoor onsen. It said there are 17 types of hot springs in seven hot spring resorts.

Hakone also has many arts museums, such as Hakone Open Air Museum, the first open air museum in Japan. This museum features over 100 sculptures by Japanese and international artists spread over 70,000 square meters. I wrote an article about it, check it too :)

A lot of tour packages with various services are available to travel to and around the Hakone area. The Hakone Free Pass gives you unlimited rides on any of the trains, buses, ropeways, and boats operated by Odakyu. Some packages also include discounts on some onsen.

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When Art and Technology Blend Together

TeamLab is a group who refer to themselves as “ultra-technologists”. They create artworks using digital technology. First time I saw their creation was in the Singapore ArtScience Museum back in 2017.

In Japan, you can visit MORI Building Digital Art Museum to see their creations. I found the same concept with the ArtScience Museum, but somehow felt different excitement. Walking through bursting colors from every direction, this digital art exhibition will bring you into the other dimension. The museum uses more than 400 projectors to fill a 10,000-meter space with interactive designs.

The themes of the artworks vary from piece to piece but all the artworks are interactive and there are no borders between each piece of artworks, even sometimes they may blend together.

Universe of Water Particles on a Rock where People Gather

The Way of the Sea in the Crystal World

Forest of Flowers and People: Lost, Immerse and Reborn

Black Waves

Reversible Rotation - Cold Light

Weightless Forest of Resonating Life

Forest of Resonating Lamp

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Love is in the air

Head down to the south to have some fun in the sun, Miyazaki Prefecture offers lots of great tourism spots, including the famous Aoshima Island. Located in the south of Miyazaki City, Aoshima Island is filled with natural beauty that can not be found in the big city. Aoshima Island is easily accessed by crossing the Yayoi Bridge from Aoshima Beach and you will be greeted by a big red torii gate and a peculiar rock formation called Oni no Sentaku Ita or the Devil's Washboard.

The entire island is believed to be a power spot or place where you can feel the energy of the universe. The main attraction of the island, Aoshima Shrine, at the heart of this island, is a top destination for lovers and those looking for love. Inside the shrine, make sure to follow the short path to the right of the shrine’s main building through the jungle to a smaller outlying shrine (called Moto-Miya) where you can buy Ameno-Hiraka clay disks, and throw them at the target for luck. 

Back at Aoshima Beach, there are several cool little stalls that sell local food. Aoshima is originally a fishing village, so seafood is the main attraction. One of the recommended restaurants for seafood, located at the beginning of the arcade that leads to Aoshima Beach, Aoshimaya, its Kaisendon or seafood bowl is a must try.

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The best day trip destination from Tokyo

Located in Hachioji, western Tokyo, Mount Takao is the most visited mountain in the world.

Since the Edo period, Mount Takao has been famous for its hiking routes, temples, and stunning view of Tokyo at its summit.

The best season to visit is in mid-April when the trees are bursting with the vibrant pink of sakura or in mid-November when the reds and oranges welcome the autumn.

The hiking trail number one, the Omotesando Trail, is highly recommended with 90-minute approximately to the top.

To make hiking easier, you can also go halfway up the mountain by cable car or chair lift.

On New Year's Eve, thousands of people visit Yakuoin, a temple on the mountain where Tengu, mountain gods, are worshipped for good fortune.

If you're lucky enough, you might catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji on the summit.

In the summit, shops, and restaurants are selling Mount Takao specialties, such as dango and soba.

Takao 599

Just outside the Takaosanguchi station, you can learn more about Mount Takao in its own dedicated museum, Takao 599. 599 is taken from its height, 599 meters.

You can find the natural environment of the mountain on the beautiful acrylic resin display.

The museum also has a café where you can enjoy a cup of coffee before or after hiking.

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Traditional event in the Japan’s science city, Tsukuba

Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture, is about one and half hour away from Tokyo by Tsukuba Express. We visited Tsukuba City to see the massive street party that is held every August, Tsukuba Matsuri.

The main event of this festival is the parade of Nebuta floats through the street around Tsukuba Station. The nebuta floats are pulled by teams and accompanied by traditional instruments. During the parade the teams will throw small bells to the mass.

To get a good view, we should try to pick out a spot early before sunset. Numerous food stalls sell typical Japanese festival foods, so we can get dinner while waiting for the parade to start.

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Where art and nature merge

Hakone, as part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, is famous for its natural beauty. It was my third visit to Hakone and I decided to visit one of the art museums in this area which I’ve been wanting to visit since the first time here. 

The Hakone Open-Air Museum is an outdoor sculpture park that has beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. This museum was the very first of its kind in Japan with 120 sculptures spread across the grounds. If you are planning a day trip to Hakone and are a big fan of art, then the Hakone Open-Air Museum is a must-see attraction!

The Picasso Exhibition Hall

The most famous of the exhibition is a collection of Pablo Picasso. Unfortunately, pictures are not allowed inside the building.

Symphonic Sculpture by Gabriel Loire

The most popular artwork is Symphonic Sculpture by Gabriel Loire. My big regret was not to try to climb its stunning stain-glass tower.

Reclining Figure Arch Leg by Henry Moore and Man And Pegasus by Carl Milles

The Hakone Open-Air Museum holds quite a collection of sculptures by Henry Moore. This is one of the sculptures called Reclining Figure: Arch Leg with Man And Pegasus by Carl Milles in the background. (and myself :p)

Miss Black Power by Niki de Saint Phalle

The enormous and bright color of Miss Back Power is visible through the trees.

Intersecting Space Construction by Ryoji Goto

With a total 144 of black and red figures, these sculptures form a synchronized bond.

La Pleureuse by Francois-Xavier and Claude Lalanne

I can say it is the most Instagrammable spot in the museum. “La pleureuse” means “the mourner” in English. If you look closely at this sculpture, you will notice a teardrop down its cheek.

Curved Space-Diamond Structure by Peter Pearce

A giant construction that looks like a bubble from afar is the place where the kids can go inside and climb.

Woods of Net by Tezuka Architects

It said the technique to build this artwork was inspired by Japanese wooden temple design without any use of metal.

Knitted Wonder Space 2 by Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam

Another playground for kids where they can swing and jump around. Surprisingly, the entire net was knitted by hand.

More sculptures:

Footmarks by Akiko Arita

L’Homme Végétal by Taro Okamoto

my sky hole 79 peephole in the sky by Bukichi Inoue

my sky hole 84 HAKONE by Bukichi Inoue

Resonance of Life Sculpture by Susuma Shingu

The World of the Sounds by Inokuma Genichiro & Close by Antony Gormley

Weisser Maskierter Kopf by Rainer Kriester

The Hakone Open-Air Museum Café

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Love at the first sight with NAOSHIMA!

If you know me for a little longer, you probably know that I love art and museum. This is one of the reasons (from so many reasons) why I love Naoshima even before I stepped on this little island. Naoshima, as a gateway to the Setouchi International Art Triennale that is held every three years, is a mecca of contemporary art. Much of Naoshima’s art was installed by Benesse Corporation. Unfortunately, I was unable to visit the museums there since most of them need pre-order tickets. The artworks are divided into three areas; Miyanoura Port, Honmura Port, and Benesse House Area with a total of 22 artworks.

na01 Red Pumpkin (Yayoi Kusama)

na02 Marine Station “Naoshima” (KAZUYO SEJIMA + RYUE NISHIZAWA / SANAA)

na03 BUNRAKU PUPPET (José de Guimarães)

na04 Naoshima Pavilion (Sou Fujimoto)

na05 Naoshima Bath “I❤湯” (Shinro Ohtake)

na06-B Miyanoura Gallery 6│Setouchi “  ” Museum

na08 Naoshima Hall (Hiroshi Sambuichi)

na09 Naoshima Port Terminal (KAZUYO SEJIMA + RYUE NISHIZAWA / SANAA)

na10 ANDO MUSEUM (Tadao Ando)

na13-B Art House Project “Minamidera” (James Turrell)

More pic of Naoshima :p

As part of Kagawa Prefecture, which is famous for udon, this trip isn’t complete before trying Kagawa Udon and Naoshima Beer. And the best of the island is Kinosaki udon.

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Once in the lifetime fireworks!

Every year in summer, more than 1,000 fireworks events take place across the country. If you visit Japan during July and August, you have to see one of these events. Luckily, I had the opportunity to see one of the biggest fireworks competitions, the Omagari Fireworks Festival in Daisen, Akita.

The event attracts leading firework makers from all around the country to compete to be the champion of the Prime Minister’s Prize. All the performances are synchronized with music which makes it even more attractive.

The location of the event is far from the city center. It’s difficult to use public transportation. I suggest you rent a car. And please wear comfortable clothes and shoes since you need to walk quietly far even from the parking lot to the main venue.

P.S. We took a flight to Shonai, Yamagata instead of a direct flight to Akita. We drove along the way from Shonai City to Daisen City. A nice and beautiful view will accompany you along the way.

We also had a very nice lunch at the local fish market (I really forgot the exact location and name, sorry…). Fresh from the sea nearby. I chose Kaisendon (seafood-bowl) and my friend had huge sashimi that served by the fish skin as its plate.

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First Timer Hokkaido!

30 minutes drive from Shin Chitose Airport, we arrived at Lake Shikotsu as our first destination.  Most of the Lake Shikotsu area is still undeveloped but you still can enjoy many water activities. By paying 1680 yen, we took sightseeing cruises which have a glass-bottomed boat to enjoy its crystal water. Unfortunately, the guide only explained in Japanese. This facility only available from mid-April to early November, because Hokkaido will be very cold in the wintertime.

As part of Shikotsu-Toya National Park, the Lake Shikotsu area offers plenty of opportunities to watch birds. We passed the red bridge and did a little hike to Mount Kimunmorappu.

Lunch break at a popular Inkarushi Cafe that offers beautiful panoramic views from its big window. Good food, good atmosphere, and of course good accompanied!

Do you know the meaning of “betsu-bara”? It’s an idiom in Japanese that means we always have space in our stomach for sweets. Soft ice cream from Aichurando definitely a must-try.

The rest of the afternoon we spent at Hokkaido Shrine. One of the manners when you visiting a shrine, avoid walking in the center when you pass a torii. It said that the center of torii is the way of the gods.

On the second day, we explored the Otaru area, a small harbor city famous for its Otaru Canal as one of the tourist attractions. Old warehouses and former office buildings that remake to be restaurants, museums, and souvenir shops give a special character reminiscent of the past.

Note: We arrived very late at night and fortunately Shin Chitose Airport has an onsen facility where we can stay overnight. I have no pictures but I copy the link to their website. Check it out!

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Menso-re, Okinawa!

Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, can be reached by a three-hour flight from Tokyo. It was the first time for us to come here and we decided to explore the main island only. The trip started from Kokusai Dori Street. The street is the main street in Naha, where you can find many restaurants and shops. We had steak for lunch from steak house 88, a famous steak house chain in Okinawa. And Blue Seal Ice Cream to beat the heat of the weather.

The rest of the afternoon, we spent our time on Ryukyu Onsen. Of course, we did not stay there, we only enjoyed the Onsen. :p

On the second day, we went to Naminoue Beach for snorkeling and tried local Okinawan food. If we are talking about Okinawan food, most of them are pork and it was so good! Goya (bitter gourd), Umi-budo (sea grapes), and Beni-imo (purple sweet potato) are must to try!

On the last day, we went to Churaumi Aquarium. Churaumi Aquarium is considered one of the biggest and best aquariums in the world. Chura means beautiful in the local Okinawan dialect and Umi means sea in Japanese, so Churaumi means a beautiful sea that fits as a description of the natural beauty surrounding it. A huge water tank inside, entitled Kuroshio Sea, is home to popular whale sharks and giant manta rays.

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Ichigo, Ichie: One fine day in Kyoto

Kyoto is also famous for its Matcha, Japanese green tea. We had a great tea-time in eX Cafe Kyoto Arashiyama Honten. When you see the entrance of the cafe, you can see their name (of course) written in Kanji, the unique thing is you have to read from right to left. Even my Japanese friend made a wrong idea to read it from left to right lol. This cafe offers a wide range of original Japanese sweets, most of which are made of matcha. And… they arranged the sweets beautifully like an art on the plate as its canvas.

Starting the trip from the famous Arashiyama, Kyoto’s most photographed site. I came before the pandemic hit the world, so it was pretty difficult to snap a picture without strangers' faces in the background.

Lunchtime! Curious about a long queue in front of the restaurant, we joined the crowd to the Taisho Hanana. The restaurant offers Tai, Japanese sea bream, as the main dish. A combination of sea bream sashimi and their special sesame sauce is worth trying.

Next, we visited Tenryu-ji Temple. A World Heritage Site, Tenryu-ji Temple is famous for its incredible Japanese garden. The steep mountains of Arashiyama in the background are perfectly matched with the garden. I can imagine beautiful scenery will change for every season.

Obanzai is a traditional Kyoto-style dish. Obanzai is made of seasonal vegetables. We had this obanzai and (of course) sashimi for dinner at a local izakaya, Kyoya Kiyomizu Yanagibaba Honke.

After dinner, we visited Eikando Temple to see the Momiji illumination (Momiji: autumn foliage). The best view is from Hojo Pond, where the light reflected the Momiji on the pond surface.

Note: Spend the night in the brand new, Rakuro! Nice ambiance.

Ichigo Ichie: “One time, one meeting” means we have to appreciate every moment as it will not reoccur in the exact same way.

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How to avoid crowded mass in cherry blossom season?

Nakameguro? Chidorigafuchi? You can name all the best views to enjoy Sakura in Tokyo. But the more famous the place is, the more crowded it can be. Thanks to my Japanese Sensei who gave me the recommendation to go to Sakurazaka in Akasaka. I explored off sakura spots in Tokyo which are fortunately stunning as the famous ones. Better yet, less crowded. 

Sakurazaka means sakura slope or incline. Japanese love sakura so much and they have been investing in planting sakura trees along the slope since many years ago. It’s not a place for picnic under sakura trees, but the view is still amazing.

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Long walk under the Sakura

I was living in Oimachi, Shinagawa for about two years. In my last year there, I realized I never explored the neighborhood. Then I decided to walk from Oimachi to Osaki. I love to take a long walk, and this time was the best long walk ever. I snapped some pictures and rewarded myself with a Sakura-latte after that.

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Picturesque view in Chidorigafuchi Moat

Chidorigafuchi is the name of the moat, located in the northwest of Imperial Palace. From the end of March to the early April, the surrounding area of the moat will be tinted pink by hundreds of cherry trees. If you are lucky enough to rent a boat and paddle, you can enjoy the best view of cherry blossoms at Chidorigafuchi. 

Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossom Illuminations

One of the famous night cherry blossom events with LEDs lighting the trees in the banks. The cherry blossoms will be lightened up after sunset until 22:00.

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A beautiful contrast of pink and yellow

Miura Kaigan is located in the southern part of Kanagawa Prefecture, around one hour by train from Yokohama. Miura Kaigan is home to a Kawazu-zakura, a variant of cherry blossom that usually blooms one month earlier than other variants in Japan. The color of Kawazu-zakura also differs, it is more deep pink and the size larger and round.

Miura Kaigan Cherry Blossom Festival

Annual cherry blossom festival will run for about 2 weeks from mid to late February. Best part to enjoy this cherry blossom is to take a 15-minute walk from Miura Kaigan Station to Komatsugaike Park. The Kawazu Sakura lined up along the main road. And as a bonus, there are rapeseed flowers planted under the cherry trees.

When I visited this place, the event was cancelled due to the pandemic of Covid-19. But I still can enjoy the view.

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Odaiba Rainbow Fireworks

This winter fireworks event is held every Saturday in December, started at 7 p.m. The fireworks were shot in between Odaiba Park and the Rainbow Bridge. The best viewing position was on the terrace in front of the Decks shopping center. The combinations of firework and illumination at the rainbow bridge with the clear night sky as the background was truly beautiful. Surrounded Christmas illumination and the light from the boats even made the event more cheerful.

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Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles

This is the largest solo exhibition by Shiota Chiharu. Memory, loss, displacement and absence are the main themes of the exhibition that resembled personal experiences of the artist. Shiota Chiharu, Berlin-based Japanese artist, known for her series of powerful installations consisting of threads primarily in red and black strung across entire spaces.

The exhibition was held at Mori Art Museum (in 2019).

Uncertain Journey

In Silence

Where are We Going?

In the Hand

Reflection of Space and Time

Inside - Outside

Accumulation: Searching for the Destination

Where to Go, What to Exist

Out of My Body

Connecting Small Memories

by Shiota Chiharu