Glimpses of Japan

Having Kaga Cuisine is one of the best things to do in Kanazawa. With its history as a town, Kanazawa has many long-established restaurants and businesses, known for various luxury restaurants and Japanese confectionery shops.  Kaga Cuisine is a unique local cuisine where you can fully enjoy Kanazawa's ingredients from the mountains and the sea. I was lucky that I could get a table at Otomoro, one of the long-established Japanese luxury restaurants in Kanazawa. Otomoro is believed that it was established by a cook of the lords of the Maeda Clan, which means the tradition continues from the Edo period. I felt exceptional that I have the same dish with lords at that time.  The most basic dinner course came with nine dishes, plus rice, soup, and a dessert. That was a lot of food, and I had to ask them to put rice in a doggy bag. I was most impressed by their sashimi. It was tender, smooth, and melted instantly in my mouth. Since I had sashimi at Otomoro, I truly understood the me...

I got a chance to visit Haguro-san, one of the three sacred peaks of the Dewa Sanzan. Dewa Sanzan is the collective name for the sacred tree mountains in Yamagata Prefecture; Haguro-san, Gassan, and Yudono-san.  The Dewa Sanzan has been a training ground for followers of Haguro Shugendo, an ancient Japanese religion. It preserves its sacredness with wild mountains and special local cuisines, and rituals and festivals continue today. Visiting three mountains is said to be "a journey to reincarnate." I desperately wanted to visit all three of them at once. Unfortunately, I could only visit Haguro-san this time.  Before visiting Haguro-san, I stayed a night at Shukubo, a pilgrim lodge. It is said the proper way to visit the Dewa Sanzan is to have Shojin Ryori, traditional Buddhist cuisine. By having Shojin Ryori and staying at a shukubo, you purify yourself before entering the sacred area.  Mt. Haguro is the easiest mountain to visit among the Dewa Sanzan. After walking up a...

Back in October, I hiked Mt. Kinpokusan on Sado Island. Although Sado island has only a few mountains, Mt. Kinpku is the highest. I took the most standard and scenic route, starting from Donden Highland Lodge, crossing the peak of Mt. Kinpoku, and ending at Hakuundai. The best time here is said to be May when countless alpine flowers surround the trail. Autumn was also good timing with colored leaves.  Sado Island is located approximately 32 km away from the main island of Japan. It flourished with goldmines, especially during the Edo Period. The island is still known for its goldmine as a historical heritage and the birthplace of Toki (Asian crested ibis). I first thought it would not be easy to access the island; however, it was completely the opposite. Ferries go back and forth about ten times a day! There are two kinds of ferries: Jetfoil and car ferry. Jetfoil is faster and more expensive. Car ferries are slow but cheaper. We wanted to carry our car to the island, leaving us n...

 Back in August, I hiked Mt. Fuji for the first time with my friends. Mt. Fuji is probably the mountain I’ve seen the most - it’s apparent from various places in the greater Kanto area.  I was fortunate that I was able to hike in nice weather. The forecast did not look good until two days before the planned day, which made me worry, and I wasn’t sure if I could go until the day before. As a result, we could enjoy hiking in beautiful weather, which turned out to be one of the best hiking experiences ever.  The hiking route was well-maintained with many signs, and every restroom was clean, as it’s a world heritage. I was surprised to see some mountain huts even sell clothes! I stayed at the closest mountain hut from the summit, called the eighth station Tomoe-kan. Although it was mostly cloudy, I could see the sunrise and hike around the Ohachi-Meguri trail to the highest point in Japan, Kengamine.  Day1 We arrived at the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station around 11:00 AM wi...