One of the things that international travelers look forward the most visiting Japan is food experience.

There are DMs flooding my inbox non-stop asking about the best food to enjoy in various cities of Japan. While it is easy to identify each region’s meibutsu (popular gourmet/specialties) , things get a little shrouded in mystery when it comes to Tokyo, the world’s largest and busiest megacity.

Why? The reason is simple. Tokyo has everything.

It was warm. Beyond warm. The sky was clearing out, as if Hina from “Weathering with You” has just stretched her arm wishfully far into the blue above and beyond, with surrounding clouds gradually drifting away, revealing glimmering rays which warmth filled my core.

I remembered when I checked the day before, the forecast read cloudy. But who cares.

“Sasuga desu…” they laughed, so impressed and surrendered. I couldn’t help but feel pleased, and let out a relieved sigh. The soft shore breeze tickles lightly wafting through my cardigan. There were sparkles of magic in the air, so light and soothing.

Sashimi bento was so delicious. The oysters were voluptuous and flavorful in its briny natural dashi of the Setonaikai. Nature’s intentions need no embellishment.

The Seto Inland Sea will always and forever, be my favorite ocean on this planet. I have these pieces of salt-seasoned memories, where I stand on a raised platform–a rock, a bridge, an observation deck. Unfolding before me is the vastness of the calmly flowing waters crowned by countless of faint islands sitting in collectedness like the monks in a zazen hall, so unfazed by the worldly happenings of what we call life.

I have seen the majesty of it from Shiudeyama. Shodoshima. Kankakei. Misen. Kojima. Naruto. Suo Oshima. Each so breathtaking in its quietude as if from a parallel world, but in actuality all are connected, like a piece of colossal cosmic puzzle. I took a deep breath as I try to grasp the grandeur of this universe of mine called Japan.

I love the Seto Inland Sea endlessly.

If you follow me on IG, you may have realized that I am updating less these days.

That is because I started writing for myself again.

Left: 2023 Right: 1993

Recently I received a few private messages on social media asking me if I ever detail my journey of finding spirituality. I did start writing a little back in 2021, but I think I am ready to share some glimpses of walking the curious path of self exploration. This is one.

How many of you have actually heard of the region “Hanshin-Kita”? Being a self-professed Japan addict who has traversed many grounds off the beaten path of all 47 prefectures, I am ashamed to admit that it too, missed my radar.

Please bear with me for a second to get the semantics out of the way: the word “Hanshin” (阪神), is taken from the second word from Osaka (大阪) and the first kanji from Kobe (神戸), and in “onyomi” (okay let’s not get there today) pronunciation it makes the word “Hanshin”. The world generally refers to Osaka, Kobe and the surrounding areas in between these two cities in Kansai.

When you type the phrase “Itami City” into Google and hit search, the first few pages that turn up are all flight and hotel booking information.

That’s right, very few know Itami more than just it being home to an airport and a pit stop between transits, while having the limelight stolen by the world-recognized Kansai International Airport nearby. To add to its agony, despite the name “Osaka International Airport (Itami)”, the airport is neither international (in present days), nor located in Osaka. Right now it serves only domestic flights, and is technically situated in Hyogo Prefecture.

All these confusions have left Itami shrouded in the unknown, and it is no wonder the historical city does not get the love it deserves when it comes to sightseeing attention.

So why bother taking the extra time to explore the city? Well, as a Japan-addict favoring the lesser known allures over mainstream tourist spots, here I am to assure you that Itami is one of those off the beaten path destinations that has lots of surprises awaiting, for you making the extra effort to get to know it deeper.

Alright, let’s start digging in.

Dazzling, unapologetically flamboyant, aspirational. I marveled at the unusual atmosphere of Takarazuka City, atypical of the modern urbanscapes you often witness in Japan.

A drove of exultant ladies of preened attires walked side by side down the “Hana-no-Michi” (Flower Street), beaming with excitement.

Oh, that’s right. They must have just had a fantastic time over at Takarazuka Revue.

Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture has long been a well-loved mountain resort town with mild summer climate, given its easy access barely 1-hour away from Tokyo if you hop on the shinkansen.

It is especially popular as a destination for summer vacation for both domestic and international travelers with its cool temperature. However, winter is often a skipped season as ski and snowboard enthusiasts often just make a beeline to more famous ski resorts like Hakuba and Shiga Kogen in the same prefecture. If you are looking to spend a more relaxed, slow-paced holiday away from the crowd in your own privacy, I have just the right spot for you.

Asama Kuzanbo, Kita-Karuizawa

Located 45-min away drive away from Karuizawa Station, Asama Kuzanbo is an all-suite luxurious villa resort tucked in the untouched nature of Kita-Karuizawa.

Japan has finally opened its door for international tourists after almost 3 years, and right here in Tokyo, things has resumed back to pretty much pre-pandemic, where Shibuya Scramble Crossing is as overwhelming as you see in manga, and I can hear familiar accents again at Shinkansen platforms.

It is honestly quite a bittersweet feeling, to have such relief and comfort knowing that friends and family who miss Japan can finally come back for their painfully long-waited vacation, but at the same time I’m also mourning the loss of having an empty Fushimi Inari Taisha all to myself.

(By the way this is Harajuku on New Year eve.)

Well, I’d rather share Japan with everyone! 😀

If you are sorely missing Japan too but for some reason cannot yet come back physically for travels, here’s something to sooth your aching soul.

Salmon skin as shoes, seal fur as heat-tech jacket.

Staring at the artifacts displayed in front of me, I marveled at this curious culture that I had never imagined exist in Japan.

2022, Upopoy National Ainu Museum

That was back in 2010, my first ever time visiting Hokkaido, and also the first time I was brought to a small Ainu museum called the Pirka Kotan by my host family in Sapporo. Back then, I barely understood the Japanese language, let alone to fully comprehend such a deep, indigenous culture.

10 years later, Upopoy, the National Ainu Museum and Park–also the first ever national museum to be opened in Hokkaido–was officially established in Shiraoi Town as a symbolic space for ethnic harmony in Japan. Never did I expect the Ainu culture to have been revived so extensively in a decade.

Wakayama Prefecture was one of my least travelled prefectures.

While many are familiar with the travel brochure cliches of Osaka, Kyoto and Nara; Wakayama, actually also a prefecture in the Kansai Region remains under the radar of mainstream tourists.

Today, I will be introducing various attractions of this spectacularly underrated prefecture for those who are craving for an authentic experience that’s off the classic tourist-filled golden route.

(4000 words. Please pour yourself a cup of tea and some kokusan cookies.)

To detail the entire chronicle of my Yamabushi training at the Dewa Sanzan in Yamagata Prefecture, I probably need to write another book.

But today I will try to make a blog post out of it, for I think that what the holy mountains up in the north of mainland Japan can offer could be a life-transforming experience for many, especially city dwellers of today’s affluent societies who have much of the freedom, but lost. Like I was. Of course, it is also because I have gone so deep into Japan I feel that I am just starting to uncover a hidden treasure trove full of ancient magic. I want to share it with us all, as I always do.

First of all, the burning question for many is, what is Yamabushi? And why did I decide to sign up for something that sounds like nothing but an ordeal?