It’s actually pretty good. Even better when served with sashimi soy sauce with some garlic mixed in.

The thing on the right is actually chicken gizzard. This is not a dish easily found in Tokyo. However, it’s easily available in Kagoshima. One could easily pick it up at the supermarkets.

There’s chicken, and then there’s chicken that can be consumed as sashimi. Don’t pick the wrong one. ^^.

Spent new year’s eve in Kagoshima and new year’s day waiting for the first sunrise (hatsu hi no de – 初日の出) at Yoshino Park.

Didn’t manage to get a clear photo of the sun like I did for previous new years, but I’m quite happy with this one; the sun rising just to the left of ash-spewing Sakurajima.

My ritual for this new year is complete!

Happy New Year!

You know what I find amazing about the photos in this post?

I didn’t see any shops on Enoshima selling locks.

この生しらす丼と前食べたしらす丼とは全然違うね！

でも、おいしかったよ！

How long has it been since you last saw a sunset this beautiful?

Ever had chicken sashimi (鶏おさしみ)? Spotted this in a supermarket in Kagoshima. Don’t think one can find this in a Tokyo supermarket – I certainly haven’t seen any.

Meat has to be extremely super fresh to be consumed as sashimi. You can’t just buy raw chicken meat from your local supermarket and slice it this way unless you’re looking to meet your friend diarrhea.

Dip in garlic soy sauce. Yummy.

Fancy a bite?

♨また行きたいな〜

Life is about what you do when at work and what you don’t when you’re off.

No work, just soaking in the hot spring with a glass of beer in hand… 極楽だ！(gokuraku-da, this is what one says in the ♨)

You like Japanese Onsens?

Having spent most of my younger days in single season countries, namely Malaysia and Singapore, I’ve come to really appreciate the change in seasons. My first real experience with seasons was during my years in Sydney.

If you’re from a country with a tropical climate, autumn is like being in an air-conditioned room. I remember sporting only a t-shirt and jeans the first few days of autumn, thinking how cool and comfortable it was. These days, I often go with a jumper or jacket.

I really like the change in seasons. Like the hands of a clock, seasons are natural indicators that time has passed. Things change with the seasons. Fashion, diet, emotions… ?

What emotion would you identify autumn with? Melancholy?

With me, things slow down a little in autumn. Maybe it has something to do with how early the day ends. ^^.

As it is with every season, autumn doesn’t come empty handed. She comes bearing gifts!

The autumn leaves are spectacular this time of the year. In fact, they are only available this time of the year! ^^.

紅 (kou) refers to red and 葉 (yo) leaf. It’s interesting how in Japan, the characters for autumn leaves have 2 readings. 紅葉 (kou-yo or momiji). Kouyo refers to fall colors in general. It’s the same for momiji, except sometimes it is specifically used to describe Japanese maple leaves.

Today, we find ourselves in this little town called Shosenkyo (昇仙峡) in Yamanashi (山梨) Prefecture. There’s a nice path along the Arakawa River where two can enjoy the autumn colors and rock formations. With every river, if you go upstream far enough, you’ll reach a waterfall. Same thing here.

Two can walk, or a group can ride the horse carriage halfway up the path and continue by feet all the way to the waterfall.

A long scenic walk. Better go armed with a camera!

You enjoy long walks?

This road is closed on weekends from May to November. Hurray for slow walking couples and horse drawn carriages. Other days, it is open to one way traffic. Go on a weekday and one can probably enjoy a slow drive up. But given the circumstances, avoiding slow walking couples who often than not always walk in the middle of the road like one of their grandparents own it, it is probably advisable to park and walk yourself. Rather than stress yourself out trying to avoid them, be one of them and stress out drivers foolish enough to pollute the natural air with excess exhaust! ^^.

The path upstream offers more than just the autumn leaves. There are also many interestingly shaped rocks along the way. All of which have pretty interesting names. Usually named after things they resemble. Some names are quite modern, so it begets the question of when were they named. ^^.

For example, this one is called the “Buddha Rock”. I guess because it looks like a buddha? Looks more like a grumpy middle age man with his arms folded to me.

Was looking, but I didn’t see any fishes in the river.

It is said that if a couple walks across this bridge together, … you get the idea.

Shosenkyo is considered one of Japan’s more famous gorges.

The area is part of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park.

I drove, parked and hiked. But if you don’t have access to a car. Going by public transport isn’t all that difficult.

All you have to do is to make your way to Kofu, the prefectural capital of Yamanashi. If you’re leaving from Tokyo, there are trains and express buses that head out to Kofu from Shinjuku.

One way tickets on express trains cost more ¥3150 than local trains ¥2210, but the extra ¥ shaves 40 minutes off your commute. 90 minutes to the local trains’ 130 minutes.

Buses are cheaper. ¥1950 will give you a smooth 130 minute bus ride from Shinjuku to Kofu.

From Kofu, you’ll have to catch a bus to Shosenkyo. Buses are not so frequent. Seems like they leave once every hour. Better plan your trip in advance! The buses stop at different sections along the Arakawa River. You could stop downstream and hike your way up to the waterfall or vice versa.

In case you were wondering, there are restrooms along the way.

Are you one to go on trips alone? Have your own little adventure? Or do you prefer having a buddy or two with you on the trip?

I like this photo. Lots of different leaf colors.

The weather wasn’t perfect when I went, but it must be beautiful on a day with clear blue skies.

This is somewhere in the little village at the top of the waterfall. Lots of shops in the village with lots of souvenirs to bring home. The area is famous for its crystals! If you’re into feng shui, you’ll be in paradise.

There is also a ropeway at the edge of the village that brings you up to an observatory with a commanding view of the landscape, and if you’re lucky, Mt Fuji too.

Hope the weather’s better next time I go.

Did I mention the Sengataki Waterfall?

The 30 meter drop is not as dramatic as Kegon Falls in Nikko, but it’s still a marvel to look at.

I found lots of money sticking out of rocks. Mostly ¥1 coins, but if you look hard enough, you just might find a ¥50 or ¥100 coin.

The thing with ¥1 coin, as I’m sure you know, is that 100 of them equals ¥100!

Do you think the money should be collected and used to help the needy?

Grab your camera, some friends maybe, and go on an adventure this weekend! The leaves won’t stay on forever!

Came across this little gem of a soba stall when I was visiting Shuzenji (修善寺) in Izu. Shuzenji is a very old onsen town. Perfect for weekend getaways.

It reads “one coin (ワンコイン)”. One coin as in one ¥500 coin. Pretty cheap eat for a tourist location.

The name of this stall is 屋台十割そばさくだ. 100% Soba Sakuda. There is a reason for the deliberate 100% soba mention.

I’ll come to that in a bit.

You can see the items on the menu in the background. Everything ¥500 each. And above the menu, you see signatures left behind by celebrities. If you look hard enough, you might just see mine. ^^.

This hut is very popular. His soba has even been featured on TV. How about that.

Once you’ve ordered, he takes a few minutes to prepare the soba… from soba flour!

The whole process lasts about 6-7 minutes. It was magical!

Water is added and he starts kneading away.

Usually some grated yam is added in. I don’t know the proper term used in cooking, but it’s to help form the soba. A commonly used ratio is 80% soba and 20% yam.

If the soba doesn’t form well, it ends up being too brittle.

No yam was added. He just used water!

In other words, skill and technique are required to make pure 100% soba. When I say 100% soba, I mean 100% buckwheat.

After kneading, the dough is placed in a special cylinder.

And it is pressed out straight into hot boiling water. He cuts the soba at certain intervals to make sure they don’t end up too long.

I want me one of those machines.

Shuzenji is in Shizuoka. And Shizuoka is famous for wasabi. So everywhere you go, freshly grated wasabi. Yummy.

さすが静岡！ Sasuga Shizuoka! (Sasuga loosely translates into “as expected of”. Use it whenever you’re impressed.)

It was like magic! 6-7 minutes from buckwheat flour to a bowl of soba.

100% buckwheat soba. The proof is in the soba and it was yummy.

The best soba I’ve had all these many years in Japan.

Drop by when you’re in town. He’s also a nice chap and easy to chat with while you’re having your soba.

This view was taken at the top of Mt Katsuragi at the Izunokuni Panorama Park (伊豆の国パノラマパーク). Was passing through the area and decided to drop in for a visit.

Izu, also referred to as the Izu peninsula (伊豆半島, Izu-hantō), is within the Shizuoka prefecture south-west of Tokyo. It’s an area prone to earthquakes because of its vicinity to where two tectonic plates collide – the Philippine Sea Plate and the Okhotsk Plate.

But as a result, it is also a place abundant with hot springs (♨♨♨onsens♨♨♨)! Guess where I was headed.

You get to the top via a ropeway or cable car. It moves pretty fast. Brings you up 452m in approximately 7 minutes. There’s a nice foot bath at the top. Sit, soak your feet and take in the view.

Ema (絵馬) are small wooden plaques on which you write your prayers or wishes before hanging them up for all to see at the shrine. Ema-s are collected and burnt in a daily ritual. The smoke from the burning ema rises up to the gods, conveying your wishes.

There’s quite a bit to explore at the top.

And Mt Fuji follows you everywhere.

I like these tiny statues.

There’s this obstacle course for kids. It wasn’t a real challenge though. ^^.

Would love to return on a clear autumn’s day. I bet the autumn colors would be fantastic.

The park has a Japanese-only website.