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.
01/12/2014
Nagasaki in one day.
I came to Nagasaki with my friends. We stayed at Fukuoka and traveled around. We spend 1 day trip in Nagasaki on 12 Nov 2014. After took Ltd.exp.Kamome from Hakata station for 127 minutes, we met an attractively port city named Nagasaki.
26/11/2014
A Halloween trip to the Hells of Unzen
My friends and I are English teachers in the city of Nagasaki. We’ve been living in Nagasaki since August, and have enjoyed exploring the many sights the city has to offer. However, over the long weekend at the end of October, we decided to leave the city and explore the nearby hot spring town of Unzen.
Saturday - Unzen
We took the short bus ride to Unzen , which took around 90 minutes. When we arrived, we walked to the hot spring fields, which are also known as “hells”. These are small pools bubbling with milky, sulphurous water. As you wander through Unzen’s many hells, you are surrounded by warm steam which smells faintly of eggs.
10/11/2014
Hanami in Sasebo
Hanami time in Sasebo!
Are you are looking for a relaxing place in the Sasebo (佐世保) city area to celebrate the Japanese tradition of Hanami? Then take a little venture outside the city to visit Hana no Mori Koen (花の森公園) in Nozaki-cho. It’s a quiet little park with ample free parking, overhead shelter, nice walking paths and lots of clean ground space to spread out your “blue tarp”. In the spring time Hana no Mori koen not only has plenty of beautiful cherry blossom trees to enjoy a bento under, but additionally right across the street is an observation deck to view the nationally famous 99 Islands (九十九島). On a lucky day, you might be able to enjoy the Hanami experience to the sounds of a local chorus groups practicing their songs in the park.
Access to Hana no Mori park in Sasebo city, Nagasaki prefecture is an easy 25 minute drive by car on route 149 along the Tawara ga-Ura honto. But if you are opting for public transportation there are 7 daily Sasebo city busses, costing 810円Yen One-Way, the first running at around 9:00am. From stop #2 at Sasebo main terminal, take a bus heading for Nishi Kojima (西小島) & Tawara ga Ura (俵ヶ浦). After about a 50 minute ride get off at Nozaki (野崎), turn left and walk up the country road following the signs for Nozaki Junior High school. Pass the school on your right and continue walking 5 more minutes and you will see the sign for Hana no Mori park on the right hand side of the road.
Hana no Mori Koen is a great place to have a Hanami-kai, but as a humble suggestion- please prepare/bring all your food and drinks with you that you’ll need for the day. This area is a bit rural and there are no markets or convenience stores close by. And don’t forget the carry in, carry out trash policy.
花見楽しんでください!!!
07/11/2014
Fuku no You Should Go: Nagasaki's …
If you've ever planned, or attempted to plan a trip to The Land of the Rising Sun, you've probably already been asked something along the lines of “Oh! Will you visit an onsen?” Many prospective travelers are already well-aware of Japanese public baths and hot springs, but this question still throws some people for a loop. Several months ago I was no different; I had just settled in a town not too far from Nagasaki City and, after what felt like months of travel, was able to sit down, sip some coffee, and write an e-mail to my family. Alongside the usual questions and praises, the most frequent question I received from my extended family and friends was of course, “Oh! Will you visit an onsen?” It's much easier to wave the question away when comes from an e-mail, but when my coworkers began to ask me, it became a tad more difficult. The idea of an onsen didn't exactly frighten me, per se, but I wasn't in a hurry to visit one either. The very idea of seeing someone else of the same sex nude in a casual setting is somewhat off putting at best. While public baths are considered perfectly normal and valid social gatherings to the Japanese, in the West even stripping to your skivvies in public is fairly taboo. Suffice to say, I was a bit nervous about visiting an onsen, as I'm sure many other travelers are. The phrase “Try it, you'll like it!” has never been so appropriate. Visiting the spa and onsen hybrid known as Fuku no Yu, I can safely say that I have never been in a more relaxing and comfortable place filled with naked people.