19/12/2014
Iojima Adventure - olive oil ice cream …
I visited Iojima island in August, a few weeks after moving to Nagasaki from the UK. Another new teacher and I had been given a surprise day off school, so we decided to explore the wilder parts of our new city. The island lies just out of the bay of Nagasaki, only about 20 minutes by ferry from the terminal near Dejima – which, luckily for me, is very close to my new apartment. There is also a bus which goes from central Nagasaki to Iojima, but I think the ferry is much more romantic! It is only small, and so you are quite low down in the water when you sail through the mountainous mouth of the bay and underneath the enormous bridge, with the pretty Dejima wharf on one side and the colossal Mitsubishi factory on the other. As we sailed away from the city, it felt like the first big adventure of my time in Japan – the island is just far enough away that the city is eclipsed by mountains, and the little Tori shrine we passed underneath the bridge made it even more magical.
18/12/2014
Sweet Memories of Kyushu
Me and my sister are no strangers to Japan. Both of us have been to Japan many times visiting Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima etc But this is our first time travelling to Kyushu in November 2014. Hence, we planned for a 2 weeks trip to give us enough time to take in all the sights and attractions that we have researched on. In this article, we will give some highlights and insights on those that left a deep impression on us as we travelled through Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Oita, Miyazaki.
First up is an idyllic getaway on Nokonoshima Island (Fukuoka).
Nokonoshima Island is about 10-15 minutes by ferry from Meinohama. It's a very small, tranquil and scenic island to explore. You can rent a bicycle to cycle around the island, like what we did. There's hourly rental and full day rental. We rented 2 bikes for 2 hours. It's very cheap and convenient to rent a bike. The bike rental kiosk is right in front of the Noko Ferry Passenger Terminal.
18/12/2014
A day with the animals at "African…
At Beppu, Oita, the 2 attractions that left the most impression with us were the
Natural Zoological Park ''African Safari'' and the Takasakiyama Monkey Park. You can visit both in a day like what we did. We went to the Safari in the morning and the Monkey Park in the afternoon.
"African Safari" is the largest safari park in Japan. There are altogether 70 species, 1400 animals living there. We ride in a Jungle bus like this into the “Safari Zone” where we come very up-close with wild animals like tigers, lions, bears, giraffes, elephants, deers, zebras, camels etc. The feeling is simply exhilarating as it's our first time seeing these big animals at such close range without fear of being attacked by them as we were shielded by the protective jungle bus.
17/12/2014
The Best Italian Food West of Philadelp…
I was working in Nagasaki for three months and I missed my local Italian food from Philadelphia. One day while exploring near the Dejima, I discovered Galliano. I took a chance and went in to try it. The menu was all in Japanese and there was no food display at the window. So after a few minutes of my poor Japanese with the waitress' poor English, we finally settled on some food. The first course she brought out was a shock. It looked like warm Italian bread with extra virgin olive oil for dipping. I knew from previous trips to Japan that finding bread was very difficult. I also knew that Italian bread is a very local food to Philadelphia and nobody makes it as good as the folks at home. So not only were my eyes shocked, but also my nose and mouth as I tasted the first warm bite. I literally cried. The waitress was afraid that I was offended. "Ichiban! Ichiban!" I said.
Then she brought out some pasta. Again I was shocked at the perfection of the food. Perfect temperature and perfect texture. "Al dente" we call it. I decided after eating all this that I had to meet the chef and find out his secret.
I went to the kitchen and bowed deeply to the chef. I thanked him for his excellent cooking skills and food. Then I got one more shock. I asked him where he learned to cook Italian food. I learned that he had never left Nagasaki in his life. Never been to Italy or Philadelphia. Somehow he developed a love for this food and learned how to cook it as a master.
I told all of my work colleagues this story and asked them to come to Galliano with me. Nobody believed me. Until they reluctantly came with me. We all fell in love with the place and enjoyed many excellent meals there during the rest of our trip. Philadelphia would be jealous.
11/12/2014
Kyushu mon amour
Well this was difficult for me to decide where to start this article.
I have been so many times in Japan and so many times in Kyushu.
I love it all but you have to choose right?
So I will try to show you my Japan, not necessary the one you see in the guide books and I will start with one of my favorite place in Japan: Kagoshima and the famous volcano Sakurajima.
Why my favorite place:
- first the volcano itself with it's cloud of ashes
- then the foot bath not far from it, just a dream to put your feet in the hot water of the volcano, relax relax relax!!!
- and then the path between the old lava, a little bit mysterious, never crowded, like just for yourself!
09/12/2014
Hot Springs, Local Delicacies, and a Te…
Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost island, is home to both a kind people and a veritable trove of stunning scenery. Located a train ride or short flight away from Tokyo, Kyushu offers visitors a glimpse into another side of the country. Here, one can experience everything from untouched nature at the ocean’s edge to omotenashi culture at a hot springs resort. I’d like to introduce you to my favorite parts of the island. Let’s take a look!
04/12/2014
Discovering Kyushu
Before visiting Kyushu you should decide what your interests are and what kind o travel adapts to your own personality. Kyushu has so many things to offer! Astounding landcapes, vibrating cities, delicious cooking, arts and crafts, festivals and traditions... and a kind people that will receive you with open arms.
But let me tell you my own story. I travelled to Kyushu last summer. It is very easy to get to the southernmost big island of Japan. You can get there by plane, ferry or by using the shinkansen, the punctual and rapid japanese high speed trains. And it was a sunny day of August that I got to Fukuoka by train.
It is a modern city that has preserved its traditions and culture and looks forward to the future. It got into my heart immediately. You can visit its old temples, have a shopping afternoon in Tenjin, get the ferry to the islands on the bay, have dinner in the open-air street stalls called yatai, or jogging at Ohori Park.
04/12/2014
Onsen Bathing with a Kyūshū Twist
There's something about being barefoot that does something to the soul. The feeling of tatami underfoot, of a summer's walk through a shallow river bed, of sand between our toes. It's grounding and revitalizing.
Now imagine taking that beach full of sand and not only walking on it but having your entire body buried in it for a relaxation exercise like no other. That's right, it's called sand bathing and the Ibusuki Sand Baths in Kyūshū's Kagoshima Prefecture is where you can do it!
Kyūshū is known as the 'Onsen Island' and for good reason; it has the highest number of hot springs in Japan! It is actually thanks to the onsen water bubbling beneath the coastline (due to nearby volcanoes) that makes this unique experience possible. The onsen water naturally heats the sand and gives all the benefits of hot spring bathing without even needing to get your feet wet!