Jet-Set Japan

The Three Great Gardens of Japan: Kairakuen, Korakuen, Kenrokuen

July 25, 2018November 9, 2018FAQ, Nature, Seasons, SpringLeave a Comment

The most famous of all Japanese gardens are the Three Great Gardens of Japan (日本三名園, Nihonsanmei-en): Kairakuen (偕楽園), Korakuen (後楽園), and Kenrokuen (兼六園). In this post, we will show a couple of pictures we took at each garden and give some useful info.

Kairakuen (偕楽園)

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Location: Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture (Kanto Region)
Access: From Tokyo, Mito Station (and the temporary Kairakuen Station) can be reached by taking the Joban Line, which is run by JR and stops at Shinagawa Station, Tokyo Station, and Ueno Station. Limited express trains cost more, but will get there in about an hour, which is about half the time of ordinary trains.

From the North Entrance/Exit of Mito Station, take a bus from bus stop 4 (bus heading for Kairakuen; get off at Kobuntei Omotemon, Kairakuen Higashimon, or Kairakuen-mae) or 6 (bus heading for Kairakuen). Bus takes about 15-20 minutes.
During the plum blossom festival during spring, there is a temporary station called Kairakuen Station. So Kairakuen can be accessed by foot.

Price: Free. 200 Yen to enter the Kobuntei.
Must-see: Plum Blossom Festival (Ume Matsuri) which is usually held from mid-February to late-March. Depending on the weather, best-viewing dates differ from year to year. We will write a post about this in the future.

Recommended trip plan: A day-trip from Tokyo. Leave in the morning so you can arrive mid-morning. Enjoy the garden for a few hours, and then return to Tokyo before dinner.

Korakuen (後楽園)

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Location: Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture (Chugoku Region)
Access: From Tokyo Station by shinkansen, about 3 and a half hours. From Shin-Osaka Station by shinkansen, about 1 hour. From Hiroshima by shinkansen, about 45 minutes. Note that these times are calculated for those using a JR Pass, which restricts users from riding the fastest trains (Nozomi, Mizuho, etc.).

From the East Entrance/Exit of Okayama Station, take a bus from bus stop 1. Non-stop buses from this bus stop to Korakuen are available. Bus takes about 10 minutes.
From Okayama Station, take the city tram heading for Higashiyama, and get off at Shiroshita. About a 12 minute walk from Shiroshita.

Price: 400 Yen for just Korakuen. Combination ticket for Korakuen and Okayama Castle is 560 Yen. Combination ticket for Korakuen Okayama Prefectural Museum is 520 Yen. Combination ticket for Korakuen, Okayama Castle, and Hayashibara Museum of Art is 960 Yen.
Must-see: As you can see from the panorama picture above, Korakuen has large lawns surrounding its ponds. This give the garden a much more spacious atmosphere. You can also by a combination ticket for both Korakuen and Okayama Castle. There are also combination tickets for Korakuen and Okayama Prefectural Museum, and Korakuen, Okayama Castle, and Hayashibara Museum of Art.

Important: There is an area in Tokyo called Korakuen, and this area has a baseball stadium, amusement park, and a Japanese garden called Koishikawa Korakuen. This is not the Korakuen we are talking about! The Korakuen we are talking about is located in Okayama Prefecture.

Recommended trip plan: A day-trip from Hiroshima. Leave Hiroshima in the morning so you can walk around the garden and/or castle mid-morning. Have some lunch around Okayama Station before heading back to Hiroshima or moving on to another area, perhaps Osaka.

Kenrokuen (兼六園)

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Location: Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture (Chubu Region, Hokuriku Region)
Access: From Tokyo Station by shinkansen, about 3 hours to Kanazawa Station. Note that these times are calculated for those using a JR Pass, which restricts users from riding the fastest train on the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Kagayaki).

From the East Entrance/Exit of Kanazawa Station, take a Hokutetsu bus from bus stop 6 (Kenrokuen Shuttle) or 7 (Kanazawa Loop Bus) and get off at Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa Castle. Hokutestsu has a 1 day bus pass for 500 Yen.
JR also has buses running from the East Entrance/Exit of Kanazawa Station, so you can use your JR pass, but the Hokutetsu is more convenient because they have buses running more frequently.

Price: 310 Yen
Must-see: If you go to Kanazawa before or after the large amount of snowfall, you can still see yukizuri that protect the trees from snow. Kanazawa Castle is also next to Kenrokuen. The Higashichaya District and the Oumicho Fish Market in the vicinity. You can walk to Higashichaya District from Kenrokuen, but it takes about 20 minutes on foot. There are taxi stands around the garden, so if you share a taxi with your friends, it’ll save a lot of time. We will write a post just about Kanazawa in the near future.

Recommended trip plan: A little far for just a day-trip, but it is possible if you leave early in the morning. However, we think you should stay at least one night Kanazawa because they have A LOT of great food.

This is our brief introduction of Japan’s three fantastic gardens. For all gardens, try to visit during Spring, Summer, or Fall, but don’t visit too early in Spring because you might miss all of the beautiful greenery, even though there are many nice structures and landscaping to look at during winter.

Fireworks Shows in Japan

July 21, 2018August 6, 2018FAQ, Seasons, Summer2 Comments

The rainy season in Japan usually ends around the first week of Japan, and this is also the start of weekly fireworks shows which are held all over the country. Summer in Japan is hot and humid, so why do thousands of people go out to watch fireworks in the summer heat? People get a chance to get out of the house to eat, drink, and talk with family and/or friends. Not to mention many people wear yukata (summer kimono). Some Japanese people say the sound of fireworks being shot high into the air and seeing the beautiful colors and patterns dazzle in the night sky help them forget about the heat.

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If you are in Japan now or if you have already planned a trip to Tokyo for July or August, here are dates and times for some fireworks shows:

Saturday, July 28:

(7:00pm-8:30pm) Sumida River Fireworks Show – Best viewing is from riverside along the Sumida River in the Asakusa area. Last year, 950,000 people went to watch the show, so it will be extremely crowded. A few years ago, I watched the show, but arrived at the viewing area a little too late to get a place where we could sit and watch. If you want to sit and watch, I suggest you go there during the early afternoon to save a spot.
(7:20pm-8:20pm) Showa Kinen Park Fireworks Show in Tachikawa – Always held on the same day as the Sumida River Fireworks Show to spread out the number of people who watch. Last year, 260,000 people when to watch the show. I watched this show a few times, and it is a lot more relaxed because of the fewer amount of people. However, people from Hawaii might still be surprised at the large crowds. Tachikawa is located about 30 minutes west from Shinjuku on the Chuo Line.

Wednesday, August 1

(7:40pm-8:30pm) Koto Fireworks Show – Access to viewing areas from Minami-Sunamachi Station on the Tozai Line. Last year 300,000 people went to watch this show.

Saturday, August 4

(7:15pm-8:30pm) Edogawa-ku Fireworks Show – Edogawa-ku located next to Chiba Prefecture. Best access to viewing areas are from Shinozaki Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line. Last year 900,000 people watch the show from the Tokyo side. This show is popular because fireworks are synchronized with background music.
(7:00pm-8:30pm) Itabashi Fireworks Show – This show can be access from JR Ukimafunado Station, which is on the Saikyo Line, Takashimadaira Station/Nishidai Station/Hasune Station, which are on the Toei Mita Line.

Saturday, August 11

(7:10pm-8:30pm) Tokyo Fireworks Show~EDOMODE~ – Fireworks will be shot up from Tokyo Bay near the Odaiba Area. So there are many places to view this show. This is the first year to have this show, but I think this show is taking the place of the Tokyo Bay Grand Fireworks Show that was discontinued in 2015.

Important Note: Fireworks shows can be canceled/postponed due to high winds or rain. So, if you are planning to check out a show, check weather reports or webpages/SNS that provide information.

Some things to prepare if you go to a fireworks show:

Food and drinks – I suggest buying the majority of your food and drinks before you arrive at your destination. Vendors will be selling food and drinks, if you want hot food or if you drink all of your drinks.
Location of bathrooms – Plan out your day so you can go early to check out where bathrooms are located. Because most people are drinking alcohol and tons of water, lines for the bathroom will be long.
Hit up a 100 yen shop – You can get cheap cooler bags, cups, napkins, and everything else you will need.
Get a blue tarp/sheet – Unless you have to watch the show standing up, get you and your group a blue tarp/sheet to sit on.
Make a plan for after the show – After the show ends, even a little bit before the show ends, thousands of people will try to catch the train at the same time. If you don’t mind staying a little later to avoid the traffic, go get a few extra drinks. If you don’t mind walking a little further to a less crowded station, research for stations you can walk to.

If you want some information regarding fireworks shows in different areas of Japan, feel free to contact us!

Fukuoka & Beppu ー Great Food, Relaxing Onsen

July 17, 2018August 29, 2018FAQ, Food and Drink, Nature, Traditional Culture/Spots2 Comments

Today, we’re going to introduce Fukuoka and Beppu, which are both on the island of Kyushu.

Fukuoka

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Getting there:

Fukuoka is a prefecture in Kyushu, and Fukuoka City is the largest city in Kyushu and has a good mixture of both traditional and modern culture.

To travel from Hawaii to Fukuoka, Hawaiian Airlines cancelled their non-stop flight from Honolulu to Fukuoka, so we recommend flying into Kansai International Airport (Osaka), and then taking a shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Hakata Station, which is about a 3-hour train ride. If you are landing in Tokyo and then going to Fukuoka or plan to go to Tokyo from Fukuoka, taking a shinkansen will take about 6 hours from Shinagawa Station and Tokyo Station. Flights from Haneda to Fukuoka take a little less than 2 hours. If you want to fully utilize your JR Pass to save money, taking a shinkansen is the way to go. Also, because of travel time, combining Fukuoka and Osaka into the same trip will maximize your travel experience.

Important Note: The main station in Fukuoka is NOT Fukuoka Station; the main station is Hakata Station.

Ramen

Hakata Ramen is the local-style of ramen in Fukuoka. The soup broth is made from pork bones which gives it a brown-yellow coloration. The broth is rich and will cling on to noodles well.

When ordering Hakata Ramen, you can choose the firmness of your noodles. Generally, there’s 5 levels: extra soft, soft, regular, firm, extra firm. Extra soft noodles will break easily, so we don’t recommend getting extra soft noodles. Soft noodles don’t break as easily, blend with the broth, and will kind of dissolve in your mouth. Regular noddles are good for those who haven’t eaten too much authentic ramen before. So, start at regular, and then test out other types of noodles to find your zone. Firm noodles tend not to blend too much with the broth, but you can enjoy both the flavor of the broth and the flavor of the noodles. Extra firm noodles are for those who know how to slurp up noodles and like to taste the rich broth “crisply”.

If you are a foodie, you have to check out the yatai (street vendors) of Hakata!

Our personal to-do list:

Places we haven’t been to but want to go to include: Futamigaura and Kawachi Wisteria Garden. Also, because Fukuoka is located on the Sea of Japan side of Kyushu, sunsets are amazing along the coastline.

Beppu

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Beppu is located in Oita Prefecture and is one of the best areas for onsen (hot springs). Each onsen has different medicinal benefits from nicer skin to a recuperating from fatigue. Not to mention, each ryokan (Japanese-style inn) will include a Japanese-style meal.

Beppu stretches from the sea to the mountains, like an ahupua’a here in Hawaii, so there are a lot of different kinds of delicious food to eat: from different types of meat dishes to seafood.

If you’re traveling to the Kansai Area and have more than 7 days, checking out Fukuoka for a few days and Beppu for a night can fit into your schedule. If you just want to travel around Kyushu, at least a week (preferably 10 days) would be needed to visit all of the prefectures there: Fukuoka, Oita, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Shiga, Nagasaki.

Sapporo & Otaru ー Gems of Northern Japan

July 3, 2018November 12, 2018FAQ, Nature, Seasons, Summer, Winter1 Comment

If you’ve already been to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or other areas of Japan, or if you just love delicious food and nature, make Sapporo and Otaru next on your list of places to visit in Japan!

Sapporo is the largest city on Hokkaido, which is the northern island of Japan, and Otaru is located about 40 minutes away by train from Sapporo.

When people in Japan think of Hokkaido, the first things that come into mind are great food and beautiful nature. So, in this post, we’re going to briefly introduce some of the food and nature in Sapporo and Otaru.

Grindz (Food!)

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Hokkaido is kind of like the Big Island (of Hawaii) of Japan. It’s the largest island in Japan, and it’s known for fishing and large ranches/farms. Because of this, Sapporo is the place to get some of the best fish and meat (also dairy products) in all of Japan! From, fresh seafood, ramen, to desserts, Sapporo has it all. If you’re looking for ono (delicious) seafood, head over to Otaru! Otaru is a 40 minute train ride Sapporo, and you can enjoy looking at the ocean while leisurely making your way to Otaru.

Yuki (Chad’s wife) looking out at the ocean while going to Otaru from Sapporo

Nature

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Sapporo has flowers, greenery, autumn leaves, and snow, so you can go there any time of year and enjoy nature. The Sapporo Snow Festival is held in early- February in and around Odori Park, and the Sapporo Lilac Festival is held in mid/late-May also in Odori Park. If you want to travel during winter from Hawaii, you need to get winter clothes because it is COLD. If you are unlucky or lucky, depending how you look at it, you can experience a Hokkaido winter in a blizzard. Blizzards are windy, snowy, and cold, but it makes the ramen taste that much better!

Travel Plan Recommendations

If you are only going to stay in Sapporo and maybe check out Hakodate, which is about 3 and a half hours away from Sapporo by train, 5-7 days will work. This is if you want to have a relaxing trip.
If you are active and want to go to Sapporo and travel to different areas of Hokkaido, at least 7 days would be necessary because Hokkaido is a lot larger than you think (about 32,000 square miles, which is about 8 times larger than the Big Island of Hawaii).
If you want to fly into New Chitose Airport, which is about 40 minutes from Sapporo, spend some time in Sapporo before going to another part of Japan, you would need at least 7 days of traveling to fully enjoy your trip. If you do this, there are many options on how to plan your trip depending on where you want to go after Sapporo. If you want to finish your trip off in Tokyo, you could go from Sapporo directly to Tokyo by airplane; another option is to stop off at Sendai by shinkansen to stay a night or two, and then go to Tokyo. If you want to go to Sapporo and then Osaka, you would need to take a flight from New Chitose to Osaka (Kansai Airport or Itami Airport).

All in all, Sapporo and Otaru are great places to visit to each food and go out into nature!

Recommended Destinations for Your First Trip to Japan

June 29, 2018June 29, 2018FAQ, Food and Drink, Modern Culture/Spots, Traditional Culture/Spots2 Comments

Happy Aloha Friday!!!

Planning your first trip to Japan, but where to go? We recommend going to Osaka and/or Tokyo. If you have only a short period for your vacation or if you are on a tight budget, we think going to Osaka is best for your first trip. If you have time and enough money, we think going to Osaka first, and then going to Tokyo is a good plan. In this post, we’re going to explain why Osaka and/or Tokyo are good destinations for your first trip to Japan.

Osaka

Osaka culture – In my (Chad’s) experience, locals in Osaka are really honest and genuine. Not saying that people outside of Osaka are not honest and genuine, but the people in Osaka (well, Kansai in general) are very easy to connect to because they are usually outgoing. If you go to a bar and meet a few locals, it’s easy to start a conversation. You must be thinking, “I don’t speak Japanese, so how will we communicate?” But there are people who will try to have a conversation even though they don’t have English speaking skills. It helps to speak a little Japanese, but I think making an effort is what is most important.
Great access to other areas of the Kansai Region – From Osaka, you can go to every prefecture in the Kansai Region (Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Mie, Shiga) without riding a shinkansen. In other words, you can Osaka as a hub to travel around the Kansai Region, which is rich in Traditional Japanese Culture. Historically, Kyoto was the capital of Japan for a little over 1000 years, and Nara was the first capital of Japan. So, if you want to get in touch with the roots of Japanese Culture and History, Kansai is the place to go.
Traditional and modern Japan – Osaka is a fusion of both traditional and modern Japanese culture. During the spring, you can enjoy the sakura around Osaka Castle during the day, and eat good food and drink alcohol at night around Dotonbori, Namba, or Shinsaibashi (to name a few places) at night.
Awesome grinds (food)! – Osaka has GREAT food! Okonomiyaki, kushiyaki, takoyaki, yakiniku are just a few of the super ono local foods you can each in Osaka.

Tokyo

Multicultural metropolitan – Without a doubt, Tokyo is the most multicultural city in Japan because of the sheer amount diversity in the city. If you want to eat Japanese food, of course you’ll be able to find good quality food in Tokyo. If you feel like eating great pizza, there are a lot of authentic Italian restaurants with delicious pizza. If you feel like Nepalese curry, Tokyo’s got it! You get the picture, right? You can find all kinds of food in Tokyo to satisfy your craving. Another thing is Tokyo is relatively multilingual, which means you can find English signs almost everywhere. Also, compared to other areas of Japan, a lot of people speak enough English to help you if you are lost.
Convenience – First and foremost, trains throughout Japan are on-time most of the time, but if you miss a train in Tokyo, the next train will come in 5 to 10 minutes. So, it’s not a big deal if you miss one train. Next, if you’re craving some ramen in the middle of the night, you’ll find a place to eat. Tokyo is the city-that-never-sleeps.

In conclusion:

1. Osaka-only plan: If you’re short on time and money, and want to see both traditional and modern Japan hit up Osaka. If you’re in Osaka for 5-7 days, you can check out more places than if you were in Tokyo for 5-7 days.

2. Tokyo-only plan: If you want to jump straight into one of the most populated cities in the world, and also want to be on full-gear for your entire trip, head over to Tokyo.

3. Osaka-to-Tokyo plan: If you have the time and money, and want to ease into Japan, head over to Osaka before Tokyo. So, you have to first fly into Kansai International Airport, and then book a flight out from either Narita or Haneda (we recommend Haneda).

4. Tokyo-to-Osaka plan: If you have time and money, and you want to jump into the excitement (and craziness) that is Tokyo before taking it (a little) easy, go to Tokyo and then Osaka.