The post Kiso Valley & Yakushima Island, 2 of Japan’s off the beaten path destinations appeared first on Swiss Traveler.
]]>My three-week Japan trip together with my husband (before the pandemic) brought me not only to the typical route of the “Golden Triangle” (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka) with three extensions (Hakone, Takayama & Kanazawa), but also to rural Japan to two off the beaten path destinations. And this was a much needed change to the rather city focused rest of our route! If you plan to visit the Land of the Rising Sun once it is possible again, consider doing the same. It is well worth discovering a different side of Japan.
Before going into these two off the beaten path destinations, first a look back to my other posts about Japan.
My other Japan posts
This blogpost will be the last of my Japan adventure. Previously on my blog, I published five more. I started with our itinerary and things to do in the respective stops. This included a map – created with My Google Maps – complete with all the activities, hotels and restaurants of our trip. Next was a post about the (luxury) hotels of our Japan tour. I continued with an excursus how to find good restaurants for gourmets and how to get reservations at them. This was followed by a post about our choice of (Michelin) fine dining spots. And the fifth blogpost was about our stay at a luxurious ryokan.
Why Kiso Valley & Yakushima Island?
Of course, these destinations did not come out of my head. I have to admit that I came upon both while following other travel blogs. As my husband and I had three weeks available for criss-crossing Japan, I wanted to include some spots that are not so frequently traveled. And I was also looking for a rural contrast to the rest of the trip that went from one city to another.
In addition, both stops could be integrated in our itinerary without too many difficulties. Yakushima never seemed to be a problem insofar as it can be either reached from Honshu by train/ferry or from major cities by air.
As to Kiso Valley, it is on the the way from Hakone resp. Tokyo to the so-called Japanese Alps (Takayama & Kanazawa). While you can reach it by train, it is a bit inconvenient yet feasible.
Especially when I came across a ryokan owner that offered to pick us up from the station. However, this became moot with our decision to do the first part of our trip by rental car. If you should wonder about driving in Japan, it was no problem at all. My husband insisted on doing so, and I am grateful that he did!
Now to some information about the destinations, the things to do there and where to stay in style.
1. Kiso Valley, an off the beaten path destination in Japan
Why visit Kiso Valley?
If you have two nights to spare for a lesser-visit rural destination with historic relevance on your way from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka or to Takayama/Kanazawa, then Kiso Valley is it!
This rugged area covered with forests in southwestern Nagano is the place to step back in time. It is home of the beautifully preserved posts towns of Magome, Tsumago or Nerai. These three places, above all the two former ones, are the jewels of the Nakasendo. This is an old mountain route from Kyoto to Edo (nowadays Tokyo) used by merchants and samurais in the old times.
Magome and Tsumago (part of Nagiso), have put much effort into keeping their towns authentic as it was at the time. In addition, they are connected by a wonderful 7.7 km/4.8 mi stretch of the Nakasendo.
This is a great hike to do. And it is not too hard, especially if you start in Magome. It sits higher in the mountain range than Tsumago. It is a rewarding stretch to do as you pass hamlets, local shrines, brass bells (to keep away bears), a tea house (with free tea) and beautiful nature.
Before you set off, have a look around in lovely Magome to appreciate its unique architecture.
You will need about two to three hours to do the hike. For your return to Magome, you can take the bus from Tsumago. But count in enough time to explore this gem of a town before. Here you feel like being in an open-air museum village.
If you have some time left, Narai, in the northern part of Kiso Valley, is remarkably well preserved too. And it is much larger than the other post towns in the area. It features the longest stretch of historic wooden houses (1 km/0.6 mi).
Where to stay in comfort in Kiso Valley
Regular readers of my blog will maybe note that I wrote “comfort” instead of “style” in the title of this chapter as I usually do. And this is for a reason. When looking for an accommodation in the area, I did not find one that deserves the label “upscale”. But I came across a ryokan that sounded promising. And my husband and I were not disappointed by our stay, although I missed one or two things that I usually attach value on …
If you really want to stay at a supposedly truly luxurious hotel in Kiso Valley, I might have a tip. When doing some research after returning home, I came upon a newly opened property. But I do not want to promote it here as I consider it as way too expensive! A room for two costs 240,000 JPY (2,100 SFR/US$) per night. Although it is inclusive gourmet full board (without drinks) and one activity a day, I do not think that it could be worth the expense. In case you are interested in this option and have troubles finding it, get in touch …
But now to the ryokan we stayed at in Kiso Valley.
Takimi Onsen Inn Nagiso
Location/Owners
The small ryokan is idyllically located amidst a forest and overlooks a picturesque waterfall.
You can reach it from the Nagiso station in fifteen minutes by car. As mentioned, the ryokan owner, Koike, collects you from here, if you should need it. He speaks English, although I think he learnt it mainly by teaching himself. Anyway, he is a very nice person, aged more than 70 but looks much younger. He has been running this inn together with his wife for 32 years.
Facilities
A particularity of Takimi Onsen Inn is, that you can book it for one party only. And be it one person only or up to eight guests. Onsite you find eight rooms. There is the master bedroom,
which my husband and I had, plus three more, on which we have not set eyes. The inn features two onsen, each with an inner and outer basin, complete with shower and washing facilities.
And there are two (gender-separated) toilets onsite. If you are here as a couple, only one is available to use.
As to the onsen, it was so relaxing to soak in the hot water and to contemplate the thundering waterfall at the same time! While the facilities are well kept and very clean, they have not been updated recently. What bothered me most, was the fact that there are no en suite bathroom and toilet. You have to leave the room to use those. Having said that they are for your exclusive use. You do not have to go far to reach them yet it is still unusual. However, if you are not as fussy as I am, it will probably not be a problem for you. A nice touch was it also that the owners offered to do the laundry for us!
Food
The food here is amazing! On our first evening, Koike treated us to an inside fire pit dinner.
He prepared shabu shabu, food cooked in a hot pot, and grilled wagyu beef, vegetables and mushrooms. He served also salmon and horse sashimi, rice, miso soup, pickles
and a small fish from the grill. You have to eat the latter as a whole – if you dare -, and it was so delicious, as the rest of the meal!
Our second dinner was a highlight, too! This time it was sukiyaki, under the lead of Koike’s wife, Kazoku.
She is also a very friendly yet only speaks a few words of English. As to the meal, you also cook food (wagyu beef, tofu, vegetables and mushrooms) in a pot yet in contains rather a sauce than a broth. After being in the pot, you dip the ingredients in raw egg before eating. And it was delectable! Later on, the owner brought noodles, which you also cook in the pot. Along with the sukiyaki, tuna sashimi was on offer.
Pricing
Staying at Takimi Onsen Inn does not come inexpensive, especially if you lodge here as a couple. But it is absolutely worth the price. It cost us 58,800 JPY (540 SFR/US$) per room and night, including dinner (without drinks).
2. Yakushima Island, a hidden gem in Japan
Why visit Yakushima Island?
Location/Particularities
The term “magic” is ubiquitously used nowadays, but Yakushima Island is definitely one of the places that qualifies for it! Walking around in its forests full of fairytale-like trees covered with moss, from which are many more than thousand years old, is one hell of an experience! But let me come to the essentials.
The island, located 61 km (38 mi) south of Kyushu, has been a UNESCO world heritage since 1993. And it is known for its numerous natural wonders. Yakushima’s mountainous interior is covered with subtropical rainforest. This one is home to some of the most ancient trees in Japan, cedar trees known as Yakasugi. The island is not large, you can drive around its perimeter in about three and a half hours. Apropos getting around, it is absolutely necessary to rent a car to fully appreciate Yakushima’s offerings. And the public transportation system is not that well developed.
I have to mention one more thing. The island is Japan’s wettest place. And the annual precipitation is one of the world’s highest. Therefore, be prepared and bring your rain gear …
Activities
Yakushima offers great options to do some hiking in its extensive and hauntingly forests. Both Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine (the most popular choice)
and Yakusugi Land (quieter) feature some superb hikes.
Then as said, driving around the island’s perimeter is an awarding thing to do. This is especially true for the Seibu-rindo Forest part with lots of monkeys
and deer around (drive extremely slowly and carefully).
Furthermore, activities in and around water are also an option. Opportunities include chasing waterfalls (possibly the best one is Ooko-no-taki),
soaking in the seaside Hirauchi onsen or making use of the good snorkeling and sea-kayaking spots. Please also refer to my Google Map where I listed things to do in a compact form.
As to luxury accommodation, possibilities to stay in style are scarce on Yakushima. Actually, there is only on hotel that deserves the label “luxurious”.
Where to stay in style on Yakushima Island?
The one and only luxurious accommodation on the island is Sankara Hotel, where we stayed. Despite the lack of competition in the upscale hotel segment here, this is absolutely a good choice!
Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima
Location/Rooms
The Sankara Hotel is remotely located on the island’s south. It is set amidst lush tropical forest, on the hillside and overlooks the sea.
When it comes to which room to choose, there are basically two options. On the one hand, you can opt for an accommodation in the main building where you can benefit from sea views (five rooms). This is the more costly way to enjoy your time on Yakushima.
Alternatively, you can go for one of the twelve stand-alone villas (with two rooms each) that are deep in the forest and with no sea views.
That is what my husband and I did. We chose a room on the upper floor which comes with a small additional charge. These Samudra Villas are very large (53 sqm), luxuriously appointed and feature a balcony.
Views are of the surrounding woods. This kind of room comes with a daybed, which is nice. Unfortunately, ours featured the not so great view of the neighboring villa.
We liked our accommodation, although it could use a little touch up. The propriety opened about ten years ago, and the extremely wet climate contributes to its aging quickly.
Facilities
There are two restaurants, which I will go into in the next chapter. Further, you find here a fitness center, a library lounge where they serve snacks and drinks in the afternoon. On this occasion, there is a self-service beer dispenser in use, which impressed my husband deeply.
Other amenities include a large outdoor pool (only open in the summer season), a car rental service (a must-have here), laundry services and washing machines for self-use. Furthermore, transfers from and to the ferry (Ambo Port) and to Yakushima airport are complementary.
Food
As mentioned above, you may choose between two restaurants. On the one side, there is the casual fine dining Ayana
that serves well-made Japanese French cuisine.
This is also the place where you dine when being on half board. And you get a fantastic breakfast here with exquisite freshly baked good from the onsite bakery.
One the other side, there is Okas, the signature Japanese French dining-spot. Here you get elaborate cuisine in a pleasant ambiance. My husband and I had an excellent nine-course tasting menu here. I am not completely sure but I think that this kind of meal (omakase) is the one and only way to have dinner here. And I am not certain about that point too, Okas does not have a listing at the Michelin guide because they do not review this part of Japan.
Highlights of our dinner were the grilled bonito with egg yolk confit and mushroom juice
as well as the grilled Kagoshima beef with seasonal vegetables.
I recommend opting for a counter seat at Okas to witness the action going on in the open kitchen. Here the chef performs his culinary magic behind an array of pots and a grill,
while his team in front of him prepares cold dishes and arrange plates.
Dining here comes with an extra charge of 6,170 JPY (57 SFR/US$) per person when being on half board. While this is considerable, it is worth its high price tag. Okas belongs to my list of top dining picks on our Japan trip.
Staff/Pricing
You get assigned a butler. Ours was Eri who did a good job. As to service orientation in general, staff was immaculate at the front desk and at the upscale restaurant (Okas). However, we had some issues at the Ayana Restaurant. On one evening, servers were very busy. When my husband complained of our seats being too drafty, our waitress was not really helpful.
Having said that, the overall experience here is good and I would stay here again. This despite the fact that rates are quite high (116,600 JPY per day and room including half board, about 1,034 SFR/US$).
Date of visit: November 2019
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]]>No Japan trip is complete without staying at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese-style inn. When my husband and I traveled this country on a three-week trip (before the pandemic), we lodged at three different ryokans. And we were intrigued by this unfamiliar experience! Here I will go into our stay at the most upscale ryokan of our Japanese journey, ryokan Madoka no Mori in Hakone. Yet I will also include some aspects of the others to give you a full picture.
While your travel plans are probably still on hold, you need something to look forward to. Have you ever thought about visiting Japan? If so, you certainly want to know more about the ryokan experience. Before going into details of our stay at the high-end ryokan Madoka no Mori, some general info about this kind of Japanese-style inns.
Other posts of my mini-series on Japan cover these topics: three-week itinerary, luxury hotels, finding and reserving (Michelin) fine dining, gourmet restaurants and two hidden gems.
About the ryokan experience in Japan
These inns have been part of the Japanese culture for many centuries. Samurai, traders and others spent their nights there while traveling the route between the capital city of Edo (Tokyo) and the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.
Ryokans are often smaller than the typical hotels. In many cases they are family run and handed down from generation to generation. There are many different styles of ryokans. They range from standard ones with plain and simple guest rooms to luxurious ones offering Japanese hospitality at its finest.
In terms of furnishing, ryokans tend to be rather minimalistic. Chances are that your room will only provide a low table with some chairs without legs. It may be that you will not see any bedding. In this case, the staff lays it out for you while you are having dinner. And it will be a traditional futon bedding. The flooring is tatami matting where you wear neither your shoes nor the slippers provided by your personal attendant.
You leave your shoes by the entrance upon entering the ryokan. You also get a yakuta (robe), which you may wear everywhere you go inside the ryokan, for the meals too.
As to bathrooms, you will have your own private en suite ones if you stay at luxury ryokans. Many traditional ryokans however – even in the mid-range category and higher – , do not provide those. Instead you go to the onsen (natural hot springs). This is an important part of the Japanese culture and another typical element of a ryokan experience. Here you wash yourself before entering the onsen naked. Some are gender-separated, others are communal.
There is yet another attraction that makes staying at a ryokan so appealing. And this is the traditional multi-course dinner (kaiseki ryori) and the Japanese breakfast, both included in the room rate (half board).
About meals in ryokans
Both meals – dinner and breakfast – typically feature beautifully presented and colorfully arranged local and seasonal specialties. You have them either in your private room, in a semi-private dining room (one party) or in a common dining room. While every ryokan has its own ways of serving these meals, certain local produce are usually part of them. Think of vegetables (fresh, fermented and pickled), fish (often also from nearby rivers), meat and Japanese staples just as miso soup or rice.
As to breakfast, many ryokan serve a Japanese style breakfast only. Yet there are also inns that offer a Western style option or a mix of of both, Japanese and Western food. The typical Japanese breakfast reminds of the classical kaiseki meal (see next chapter) where you get several dishes on small plates and bowls.
About kaiseki ryori (dinner)
Kaiseki Ryori is a traditional Japanese multi-course high-end dinner. Originally, kaiseki was a simple vegetarian meal that you got on the traditional tea ceremony. Later on, it became more elaborate and today, you receive it in specialized restaurants or ryokans.
There is a series of small dishes, which are beautifully arranged.
It is not about volume but more about the art of balancing out taste, appearance, color and texture. It usually includes an appetizer, a soup, sashimi, and several other dishes. As to the latter, the preparation is different with each dish (boiled, grilled, deep fried, steamed, vinegared). And the whole is accompanied by rice, miso soup and pickles (served towards the end of the meal). It ends with a dessert, usually fresh fruit.
After all these preliminary remarks now to the luxury ryokan experience I want to report on.
Luxury ryokan Madoka no Mori in Hakone
This was the most luxurious and at the same time the most traditional ryokan we stayed at on our Japan trip. Furthermore, we lodged at a comfortable yet simple one in Kiso Valley. Here they cater to one party only. Then we were at a fairly luxury ryokan in Takayama. This one was traditional yet with certain Western elements, at least for foreign travelers. As announced, I will include some elements of the two latter in my reporting.
Location
Madoka no Mori is located high up in the mountainous area of Hakone. This town is known for its hot springs, natural beauty and the view of Mt. Fuji across Lake Ashinoko.
It is a popular place to go for Japanese and foreign travelers likewise looking for a break from Tokyo. You reach it from the capital in about three to four hours by train or by car.
Premises
As mentioned, it is not your standard ryokan but a luxury version of this type of Japanese accommodation. When my husband and arrived by car (before check-in time), we got a warm welcome. At the entrance we had to take off our shoes and were ushered to the lobby. Here we could choose a welcome drink. The floor, covered with tatami mats, was even heated!
Onsite there is of course a public onsen (for ryokan guests, gender-separated). We had a look at it but did not use it as we had a private one in our room. To give you an impression of a public onsen, here two pictures of the one we had at Takimi Onsen Inn in Nagiso (Kiso Valley). This is a small inn that was to the exclusive use of my husband and me on our stay. Please note, the following two pictures are not from Madoka no Mori!
Rooms/Pricing
Misaki, our personal attendant, brought us to our room, along corridors covered with tatami mats. Out of the twenty different rooms in the categories of suite, deluxe room and standard room we had opted for the Ebine room (deluxe category). It has a generous layout, a living room with an integrated washbasin complete with chair, a separate bedroom, a shower and our highlight, our own private onsen. It is on the spacious balcony, with views of greenery. The room features high-quality furnishing, a lot of wood from the Hida region and of course tatami mats.
Here I would like to throw in two pictures of a more traditional ryokan guest room. And this after dinner time, when the bedding is set up for sleeping. They stem from our Japanese-Style Deluxe Room at Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan in Takayama, just to give you the full idea … Please note, the next two pictures are not from Madoka No Mori.
Our personal attendant explained to us all we had to know about the room and the ryokan. She also gave us a yakuta (robe to wear inside the ryokan) and pyjamas. And it was time to enjoy our first onsen, we had just arrived from the airport.
As you would expect, staying at Madoka no Mori is pricey but totally worth it. After all, it is not only a high-end accommodation but you are on half board, too. This includes an elaborate kaiseki ryori dinner and a likewise Japanese breakfast. We paid 116,000 JPY (a bit more than 1,000 SFR/US$ per night and room). This seems adequate in light of the cost of a kaiseki ryori dinner that will cost you from 15,000 JPY per person (130 SFR(US$) upwards.
After having a look around in the ryokan – what a beautiful and serene place –
my husband and I set off for dinner.
Kaiseki ryori (dinner)
As I had explained earlier in my post what this is about, I will limit myself primarily to pictures. We had in any case a memorable one-of-a-kind experience!
Misaki awaited us in the basement where the semi-private area is and led us to our space. Here already our first course had been placed, an artwork for the eye and a delight for the palate!
Our personal attendant served us one course after the other, with explanations. She was eager to answer our questions too, after all it was our first kaiseki meal ever. And we dined like royalty!
Here is the menu of our first evening with all the dishes.
I let the pictures do the talking!
Japanese breakfast
The breakfast was a similar affair, but shorter with fewer dishes, yet it was still an impressive number of plates and bowls! We could choose between rice and porridge to accompany the feast. For our western taste, the traditional Japanese breakfast focused a bit too much on fish. My husband and and I like seafood but not necessarily for breakfast. Notwithstanding that, it was something that we will remember forever!
To let you know how other breakfasts at ryokans with more western influences might be, here two pictures from the two other ryokans we stayed. The first one is from Takimi Onsen Inn in Nagiso (Kiso Valley), the second one from Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan in Takayama.
Attention, both previous photos are not from Madoka no Mori!
Ambiance/Service
Madoka no Mori’s serene ambiance of harmony and purity impressed me much. Staying here makes you relax and let go of all the tension you might feel. And the staff was so friendly and helpful and at the same time discrete and unassuming. Our personal attendant, Misaki, went to great lengths to make our stay pleasant. We were lucky that she was assigned to us!
Overall
Staying at Madoka no Mori allowed us to fully immerse in an important part of the Japanese lifestyle. And this in one of the best ways imaginable! Everything my husband and I encountered here was just great, from the peaceful atmosphere to the immaculate staff and from the beautiful room to the unique culinary delights.
When traveling Japan, you should stay not only at one ryokan but opt for two of these traditional Japanese guesthouses at least. There are simply too many different kinds of those, and all of them are much more than just a place to sleep!
Next and last post about Japan
After reporting on serval aspects of our three-week Japanese journey (itinerary, hotels, dining-out, restaurants and now the ryokan experience), there is one last thing I want to highlight further. And this is about two areas in Japan that are a fair bit away from major cities. They can best be described as untouched rural Japan. I speak of the Kiso Valley in southwestern Nagano
and Yakushima Island just off Kiyushu’s southern coast.
Date of visit: November 2019
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]]>This is the last part of my mini-series about a three-week trip to Japan (made before Corona). In the following, I will inform you about types of restaurants you find in the Land of the Rising Sun plus where to go for gourmet (Michelin) dining spots. While my first post was about the most perfect Japan itinerary, I dealt in the second with the topic of luxury accommodation in this country. In the third one, I went into how to find and reserve Japanese fine dining places. Why, you may ask. Because Japan is no easy place for fine dining lovers from oversea in search of suitable gourmet restaurants.
Next on my blog you will find two more blogposts about this fascinating land. I would like to provide inspiration for a well-earned journey of a lifetime once you can travel again! First, I will let you know how it is staying at a luxury ryokan (Japanese guesthouse).
Second, I will go into two off the beaten path destinations in Japan, Kiso Valley and Yakushima Island.
Before coming to the topic of this post, I want to draw your attention to my Google Map of Japan.
My Google Map of our Japan journey in style
For readers that are new to my blog, I created a Google Map of the trip across the land of the rising sun. It includes the route, the activities and every single (luxury) hotel and (gourmet) dining spot my husband and I went to. And it comes with short descriptions and pictures of everything.
As to the itinerary, we chose one called “Second Golden Triangle”. This means the “First Golden Triangle of Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka” complemented with Kanazawa and Takayama, located in the Japanese Alps. As this is quite a common tour with a focus more on urban places, we made it a bit deeper and less city-related. And we did this by adding three more, mainly rural, spots: Hakone near Tokyo (for Mt. Fuji views), Kiso Valley (for historic postal towns) and Yakushima Island (for natural wonders).
But now to the focus of my current blogpost, an overview on some relevant restaurant types in Japan along with our choice of fine (and also some casual) dining spots in Nippon (another name for Japan, it means the origin of the sun).
Restaurant types in Japan & our choice of gourmet (Michelin) spots
As you might know, Japanese restaurants specialize in a particular food, i.e. sushi, noodles or tempura. I suggest that you think first about what kind of eateries you want to try before looking for specific dining-spots in the respective category.
Here you find a list of common restaurant types in Japan, accompanied by the fine dining places my husband and I chose for our culinary adventures here.
1. Kaiseki restaurants
Kaiseki or Kaiseki Ryori is a traditional Japanese multi-course dinner served at high-end restaurants or inns. Originally, it was a formal meal as part of the tea ceremony. Nowadays, Japanese people have it only on special occasions just as birthdays or festivals.
The food is (ultra-)seasonal and is left natural. Chefs make sure that guests can enjoy the inherent flavor of the ingredients. They even use leaves and twigs to underline the natural character of the products.
And often they also make references to past or coming seasons and events.
Kaiseki dinners are often part of a stay at a ryokan (traditional Japan guesthouse). We had a truly memorable Kaiseki dinner at Hakone, at a luxury ryokan (Madoka no Mori).
Find more information about staying at that sort of lodging, a must-do for every Japan traveler, soon on my blog.
2. Sushi restaurants
I think all of us are familiar with sushi. It is almost synonymous with what westerners understand by Japanese food. Sushi in Japan is different from its westernized version overseas. The variety is much bigger and the way it is served is different.
At a high-end sushi restaurant you receive one piece after the other. And each is ready to eat in one bite without adding any condiments. The sushi master has seasoned it already to perfection. And you may eat it by using your hands or chopsticks – whatever suites you. Usually, ginger is provided to eat between orders as a palate cleanser.
And be prepared to dig deep into your pockets if you opt for an upscale sushi restaurant! This was no different at Gion Sushi Tadayasu in Kyoto
where we had the most memorable sushi dinner of our lives. The one-star Michelin sushi master prepared twenty-five small dishes
whereof twenty were sushi (all nigiri with one exception). As my husband and I wanted to try more than one premium sushi restaurant, we also dined at Sushi Harumi in Tokyo-Ginza.
Here we received a fine mix of (nigiri) sushi and other food. And it was reasonably priced, also due to the smaller number of sushi courses.
3. Izakaya restaurants
An izakaya is a casual Japanese-style pub where you get alcoholic drinks and food. And instead of ordering one dish per person, you go for a number of small plates for the table to share. Basically, It is some kind of a Japanese tapas-style eatery.
In terms of food you get edamame, yakitori (grilled meat on sticks), tamagoyaki (fluffy Japanese-style omelet), karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), sashimi, grilled fish, french fries and salads amongst other items.
On our three-week trip we had one dinner at an izakaya place, and this in Kanazawa at Plat Home.
Here in this modern eatery they serve tasty creations in a relaxed ambiance.
4. Shabu Shabu & Sukiyaki restaurants
While both are made in hot pots (called nabe), only Shabu Shabu qualifies as hot pot dish. Guests cook raw ingredients just as sliced meat and bite-sized vegetables in a boiling pot of broth. The latter is only slightly flavored with kombu seaweed and dashi soup stock.
After cooking you dip the pieces in ponzu or sesame sauce.
As to Sukiyaki, you cook the same ingredients in a hot pot as well. However, you find in here more a sauce than a broth. You make it with soy sauce, mirin (Japanese rice wine) and sugar. Its flavor is sweeter and more pronounced than it is the case with Shabu Shabu.
Before eating you dip the ingredients in raw beaten egg. So the bites become richer and the sweetness is less accentuated.
On our Japanese journey, my husband and I had the chance to try out both dishes at the fabulous ryokan Takimi Onsen Inn in the Kiso Valley.
5. Tempura restaurants
Tempura is a typical Japanese dish where you dip food (slices or strips of seafood, meat and vegetables) in a batter and deep-fry it in hot oil. This gives the ingredients a crispy, flaky finish. Tempura is a ubiquitous dish in many Japanese restaurants yet there are also tempura eateries serving only this kind of food.
You even find Michelin starred tempura restaurants in Japan! In Tokyo there is quite a number of such establishments. We opted for the one-star Michelin Tempura Shimomura in Ueno.
It was a great choice and offered value for money, too! We liked the high quality Sashimi seafood and the vegetables that the chef fried in a light, thin batter.
6. Washoku restaurants
Washoku is traditional Japanese cuisine. It is a simple preparation of rice and side dishes made with a variety of seasonal ingredients. From what I understand, it has similarities to Kaiseki meals, however it is not that elaborated. And it takes place in a more casual ambiance.
We had one such meal and this at Chisou Inaseya in Kyoto, a restaurant that specializes in chicken. We had ordered the chef’s omakase paired with Sake.
The combination of simple yet refined dishes complemented with sake was a mind opening culinary experience!
7. Yakiniku restaurants
Yakiniku means grilled meat and seems to have its origins in the Korean cuisine. Here guests order raw meat that they prepare on a grill that is built into the table.
Before eating, you dip the ingredients in sauces (tare). And you pair the meat with Korean side dishes just as kimchi (fermented vegetables) and rice.
My husband and I gave this Japanese barbecue a shot in Tokyo-Ginza at Yakiniku Excellent Ginza-ten. It is quite a chic establishment with friendly servers (who help foreigners) and we liked what we got.
8. Japanese-European (Michelin) fine dining restaurants
Here we could draw from the full offer of high-end Japanese cuisine with European influences. We had lots of mind-boggling culinary experiences and insights!
8.1. Japanese-French cuisine
We had this kind of cuisine on four occasions, and all the places were superb, each on its own way! First, I have to name a really hot dining spot, the Michelin two-star La Cime in Osaka. It also ranks as number 93 among The World’s Best Restaurants by San Pellegrino.
Here the chef celebrates an exceptional contemporary French cuisine in a modern setting.
Then we indulged in a delightful multi-course menu with fantastic wine pairing and outstanding service at Gion Roiro in Kyoto (Michelin one-star in 2020).
A highlight was also the dinner at Le Grill Dominique Bouchet in Kanazawa
where we had well made classic French cuisine with local produce. This is an affiliate of a one-star Michelin chef in France who also oversees a one-star establishment in Tokyo.
Last but not least, we enjoyed a fabulous meal at Okas at Hotel Sankara on Yakushima Island.
8.2. Japanese-Spanish cuisine
As luck would have it, my husband and I dined twice at Japanese chefs who are influenced by Spanish cuisine.
On the one hand, we had a truly memorable feast at the two-star Michelin Zurriola in Tokyo-Ginza.
Definitely go for counter seats if you want to watch how culinary magic is unfolding in front of your eyes!
The name from the restaurant comes from the Spanish San Sebastian coast, where the chef once lived.
On the other hand, there is also action to witness at the one-star Alarde in Osaka.
Here the chef grilles meat in his Asador style chargrilling station from the Spanish Basque country behind the counter. Other refined dishes from the Basque cuisine are available, too.
9. Other, more casual eateries in Japan
Of course, we did not eat solely at fine dining restaurants but also had the one or other lunch at a casual eatery. I was especially interested in tasting noodle and okonomiyki (Japanese pancake) dishes.
9.1. Noodle restaurants
Five of the more known types of noodles are the following: ramen (thin wheat, served in broth), soba (buckwheat; brown, dense, strong in flavor), udon (thick wheat; substantial, chewy, hot and cold), yakisoba (wheat, often fried) and somen (wheat; thin, similar to udon, often cold).
Out of the choice of noodle restaurants, we unfortunately only ate at a ramen and a soba place. While the former was unexceptional, I found the experience at a soba eatery, where you could watch the noodle production, a pleasant one. It is about Teuchisoba Ebisu Soba Noodle in Takayama.
9.2. Okonomiyaki restaurants
Okonomiyaki is the Japanese equivalent to a savory pancake. It consists of batter (wheat flour and eggs) and cabbage and you can add several more ingredients to your liking. This can be anything from meat or seafood to vegetables or cheese.
My husband and I went to Okonomiyaki Kiji in Osaka, awarded with a Michelin Bib Gourmand. And it was not only a culinary delight but also fun (the chef is a funny guy).
The chef prepares the pancakes behind the counter and brings it to the table equipped with an iron griddle (teppan).
Here you can cook it as long as it suits you.
Overall
The process of finding and reserving restaurants in Japan was stressful and time-consuming. But once everything fell into place, my husband and I had the most wonderful time. We made experiences which we never believed were possible. A whole new world of culinary possibilities was opened up to us. Furthermore, we got insights into food preparation and arrangement completely new to us. Hats off to chefs who have the courage to expose so much of their person and their craft of cooking – think of places where everything happens behind the counter where you are sitting!
What was before – what is next
This was the last post of a mini-series about luxury travel in Japan. I began with a three-week itinerary, followed by upscale hotels on the tour. Then I provided a guide how to find and reserve fine dining restaurants in Japan. Finally, I have just let you know what Japanese eateries to choose as a gourmet when following the route suggested. And for a short overview, keep my Google Map of Japan in mind complete with activities, hotels and restaurants!
And to entice you even more into visiting Japan, there will be two more blogpost about this country. One covers a stay at a luxury ryokan, Madoka no Mori in Hakone, the other is about two lesser-travelled spots in the land of the rising sun, Kiso Valley
and Yakushima Island.
Date of visit: November 2019
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]]>My last two posts about a Japan trip together with my husband – which took place before the coronavirus outbreak – were about a three-week itinerary and hotels to stay in style. The next one will go into where to dine as a gourmet in the Land of the Rising Sun. But before coming to this, you have to know how to find and reserve fine dining restaurants here. Of course, traveling to Japan is no option right now, but I think you have to keep your wanderlust dreams alive!
After a few words about the particularities of eating out in Japan, I come to ways of locating high-end restaurants and getting into them.
Characteristics of Japan’s culinary scene
One thing to start, I have never ever spent so much time evaluating the “right” restaurants for our needs as in Japan. Evidently, there is no shortage of good dining-spots here. But how do you find them – and even more difficult – how do you get a reservation once you have come upon them?
For gourmets – as my husband and I are – Japan should be a paradise as there is an abundance of Michelin starred restaurants. But Japanese do not make it easy for Westerners in search of culinary excellence. There are more and more eateries that turn away first-time customers without a recommendation from a regular. This is quite an obstacle for Westerners. Why do restaurant owners in Japan act like this? First of all, their dining-spots are often very small (ten to twelve seats). Second, they usually cater for core customers. Third, they might be hesitant to speak other languages than Japanese. And fourth, Japanese restaurant owners sometimes fear that uninformed tourists might affront regular guests.
One thing is for sure, if you want to eat in upscale Japanese dining outlets, you have to make yourself familiar with certain habits and customs in terms of dining in this country. I will not go into these. In case you are interested, there are tons of materials on the internet in this regard. And it definitely helps if you learn a few words of Japanese …
Finding gourmet restaurants in Japan
As mentioned, recommended fine dining restaurants are plentiful in Japan. A good starting point of course is checking-out the Michelin Guide. Here is the link for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. In case you go to Takayama too, please find the link here.
A less favorable way of finding good dining-spots is using TripAdvisor as primary source. The reason for this is the fact this site is mainly filled with reviews from travelers and not from locals. And this is simply not reliable enough. However, it might be useful for cross-checking once you have found a dining spot of your choice.
Alternatively to TripAdvisor, I would rely more on Tabelog, Japan’s massive restaurant review website. While I did not do researches on the restaurant platform itself, I Googled the name of a restaurant in combination with “Tabelog”. This resulted in a page with some information and – most importantly – a score, for instance 4.08 (out of 5), which is an utterly good one (for instance Restaurant Zurriola in Tokyo scored liked this …).
All the spots that perform from 3.5 and above might be considered as very good ones.
Once you have your wish list, another problem occurs, and this is the reservation issue.
Challenges of reserving restaurants in Japan
If you have selected your favorites – maybe having also checked out whether they receive foreigners – you may want to make reservations. Doing so is very much recommended in view of their popularity and/or the fact that many have only a dozen seats or so.
Reservations directly at the restaurants are in many cases not really an option (an exception here was Restaurant Plat Home in Kanazawa where we booked per email …).
This because the places in question are often neither willing nor set up for booking requests from people outside of Japan. Yet there are several possibilities to bypass this barrier.
1. Hotel Concierge
One option to get a reservation at Japanese dining outlets is it to ask the concierge of your hotel – preferably a renowned luxury hotel – to do it for you. We did not try this out, so I cannot comment on this this. I read once that this is not the royal road in Japan anymore as it is no longer working at restaurants that prefer locals to travelers.
2. Guruvani
Another option might be using Guruvani, Japan’s gourmet navigator according to its own statements, for your restaurant reservations. I came across this service several times when looking for dining opportunities myself but did not give it a try.
3. OpenTable
And yet another way to secure restaurant tables is with the help of OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service. It especially operates in its home market of the United States but also in Japan. My husband and I use this offer quite often when traveling, which is free for end users. In Japan we booked one or two dining outlets through it.
4. Pocket Concierge
Our way of choice for restaurant reservation in Japan was another online service, Pocket Concierge. You can reserve high-end and some other restaurants through it, including lots of Michelin-starred dining-spots (Restaurant La Cime in Osaka, two Michelin starred, was one of them …).
It is even possible to be put on a waiting list for establishments taking only reservations from regular customers. My husband and I did not give the latter a shot as we wanted to feel welcomed when paying high prices for dining experiences. Yet we made heavily use of the former service as Pocket Concierge has access to quite a few renowned dining outlets.
For this purpose, you have to open an account with them and book the restaurant in question. In this process you have to select a set menu. This is often omakase, sometimes there are are also special menus that do not appear on the restaurant’s homepage. The costs for the desired menu will immediately be charged to your credit card. This service is usually not free, normally you have to pay a fee, which differs (cross check menu prices against the restaurant’s home page, if possible). In most cases, we encountered fees of 7 SFR/US$ per person or so. The reservation process went smoothly in all the dining-spots we used it. And we always got great seats in the respective places.
Over time, we used Pocket Concierge not only as a reservation vehicle but also as search engine for upscale dining-spots. And we made some great findings (for instance the Michelin starred Tempura Shimomura Restaurant in Tokyo).
More about our restaurant choices you find in the blogpost to come.
Here one last tip when making your reservation via Pocket Concierge. When doing so, you often have to decide on either counter or table seats. My advice is to opt for sitting at the counter every time you get the chance. It was always a highlight being able to witness the action behind it.
Lookout
This is it in terms of preliminary skirmishing about how to find and reserve restaurants in Japan. And of course I do not want to keep back where my husband and I dined on our trip. I can assure you there were some truly memorable culinary highlights! Find all about it in my next blogpost plus some introductory remarks about different types of eateries in Japan.
Once again, I will include my Google Map with all the details of our Japanese journey (activities, hotels and restaurants). In case you want to know more about the former two topics, here are my posts about what to do and where to stay when traveling this fascinating country.
Date of visit: November 2019
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]]>In my first blogpost – before the coronavirus outbreak – I introduced my Google Map with all the activities, hotels and restaurants of a three-week trip through Japan in style, together with my husband. In the meantime, I let a year gone by without publishing any more content about my big journey to the Land of the Rising Sun. But now, I do not wait any longer, here is my second of five more blogposts to follow about my last international trip before corona changed our lives. It is about where to go for luxury hotels in Japan without overspending. I think we should go somewhere fabulous once we are able to travel again. And Japan is a worthy goal! After letting you know about where to stay in style in this country, I will go into following Japan topics in the time to come: find and reserve gourmet restaurants, my choice of fine dining spots, how it is staying at a luxury ryokan and two off the beaten path destinations.
Before coming to the subject of luxury lodging in Japan, here my Google Map of the trip, as a reminder. And this together with the itinerary in keywords.
My Google Map of our Japanese journey in style
In this map, you find all the details of our trip complete with short descriptions and pictures.
As to the route we took in Japan, we opted for the so called “Second Golden Triangle”. This extends the “Golden Triangle” of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osako by Takayama and Kanazawa in the Japan Alps. Further, we added three more rural spots – Hakone, Kiso Valley and Yakushima Island – to immerse even more in the country’s culture.
Types of accommodations in Japan
As you might know, there are not only Western-style hotels
in Japan but also Japanese ryokans.
These are traditional Japanese inns that feature tatami-matted rooms, communal hot spring baths (onsen) and other public areas where guests may wear their personal yukata (kimono). You are here on half board, and often you are served Kaiseki Ryori, multi-course Japanese style haute cuisine.
But no worry, if you attach much value to having your own bathroom, as my husband and I do, there are also luxury ryokans. These have not only a private bathroom but also sometimes your own onsen!
When traveling Japan, it is strongly recommended to book at least once or twice a ryokan. Only then you get the opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese lifestyle.
My husband and I went for a mix of Western hotels and ryokans. Find below a short overview on all the eight hotels we stayed in Japan. Just to remind you, all our lodging is shown in my mentioned Google Map.
Hotels to stay in style on our Japanese tour
Out of the eight hotels in total we had three ryokans, and this at the beginning of our trip. We stayed at a luxury and strictly traditional one in Hakone (Madoka no Mori),
a rural mid-scale one in the Kiso Valley (Takimi Onsen Inn)
and a mid-scale to luxury one with some Western elements in Takayama (Honjin Hiranoya Kachoan).
I will go more into details of our ryokan adventures in further blogposts. And this when writing about our stay at Madoka no Mori in Hakone and later on when reporting on two rural Japanese destinations (Kiso Valley including Takimi Onsen Inn and Yakushima Island).
As to the remaining hotels, we stayed at following ones: a new comfortable hotel in Kanazawa (UAN Kanazawa Hotel), a luxury boutique hotel in old Kyoto (Hotel Mume), an upscale chain hotel in Osaka (InterContinental), the best high-end accommodation option in Yakushima Island (Sankara Hotel) and a luxury hotel in the heart of Tokyo’s business district (Palace Hotel).
While not all the hotels equally appealed to me, I would stay at all of them again. Whereas the one in Kanazawa was handy although a bit too much on the functional side, I was a great fan of our hotels in Hakone (Japan immersion in perfection, a blogpost about our stay here follows),
Kyoto (very personal with a tasty breakfast)
and in Tokyo (excellent location, balcony with stunning view and great club lounge).
The one in the Kiso Valley was a bit basic for me in terms of amenities (private albeit not en suite bathroom) but all the rest was so good that I would return in a heartbeat (more about it in a post to come).
3-week luxury Japan trip: looking back and forward
After I went into the itinerary and activities of our three-week Japanese journey in my last post, I dived deeper in the issue of high-end hotels in Japan in this one. My next one covers dining, and this for gourmets (find & reserve restaurants, my choice of fine dining spots).
In further blogposts, I will describe our stay at a luxury (and very traditional) ryokan (Madoka no Mori in Hakone) and report on two rural spots that are not so frequently visited (Kiso Valley and Yakushima Island).
Date of visit: November 2019
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]]>Japan as travel destination
Route options: “Golden Triangle” vs longer alternatives
Final itinerary: “2nd Golden Triangle” & 3 rural additions
both located amongst the Japanese Alps. And funnily enough, they are equally called “Little Kyoto” along with some other towns too. In-between we also visited two villages in the Shirakawa-go region and in a neighboring one. Again, we had to make changes at the itinerary. Takayama would have been the logical choice on the way to Kyoto, but the Kanazawa marathon took place on our initial arrival day. And again this meant that there were no hotel rooms available.
as mentioned, was next on the list complete with a side trip to Nara
(Japan’s first permanent capital, by train). And here was also the place where we (reluctantly) returned our rental car. We had liked very much the flexibility of this mode of transportation. From this point of time, we mainly got around by train.
For this purpose, we had acquired a Suica Card on our arrival in Tokyo. This is a prepaid smart card that you can use for most public transport and shopping. In the latter context, I recommend going to the 7-Eleven shops. They offer a great selection of quality goods and are different from the ones outside of Japan.
with another side trip to Himeji (castle, by train).
And further on we went to Fukuoka (Kyushu) by Shinkansen where we immediately boarded a plane to Yakushima.
This lesser traveled, subtropical island is famed for its old cedar forests. One more time we were forced to make adjustments at our travel plan. Originally we wanted to fly out from Osaka, but all the flights from here on our date of departure were already gone one day after being ready for booking. As we thought due to a long weekend taking place at this point of time!
And, as said, our Japanese journey ended in Tokyo,
after flying out from Yakushima via Kagoshima, which was no big deal.
So much to our Japan itinerary. In the following a few words to the things you can do on the route we opted for.
Activities “2nd Golden Triangle” & 3 rural additions
and Suganuma) with A-frame farmhouses. They are known as gassho-zukuri, which is quite a sight.
My Google Map of our Japanese journey in style
and gourmet restaurants (and find & reserve them)
in Japan. So much in advance, it is no easy thing as Westerner to figure out where to go for luxury travel in the land of the rising sun. And the same is true when it comes to make reservations once you have come upon adequate places!
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