Japan Travel in the Know– category –

The most popular Japanese noodle dish is definitely Ramen. Nobody would argue against it. These days, Japanese Ramen restaurants open even in Manhattan. For your information, one of such restaurants gaining momentum overseas, "Ramen Santouka" originates in Asahikawa (our hometown), though their NY shop is located a little outside of Manhattan.

【We Hokkaido people reach enlightenment by clearing snow】 Nothing can stay the same. This is very famous Buddhist terminology, meaning "Life is fleeting and empty." Even on weekend, I always wake up very early and leave home before six...

Asahikawa is one of the five major furniture production areas in Japan. Then, why not use the advantageous position for local community revitalization? Our chairman's new challenge has just started to make this wooden furniture company a fun place where many people want to go. In fact, we always receive many favourable reviews and comments for our factory tour. Why don't you try it out?

【Snowy mountains are really harsh】 Last week a logging company invited us to a mountain tour to see the cutting of trees. While we were going up the mountain plowing through snow, a staff member talked a lot about the troubles they hav...

As I wrote before, our home town is the mecca of wooden furniture, where we have the world's famous chair collector, Noritsugu Oda. The number of chairs in Oda Collection amounts to about 1350, including most of the world masterpiece chairs, of course!

【Have you been to roadside stations in Japan?】 This is one of the basics to enjoy a road trip in Japan, especially in Hokkaido: Make the best use of roadside stations. This transport infrastructure was born in around 1990. It's like re...

In the early 90's when I was a kid, the zoo was so boring and a little creepy. It was like a horror movie scene of Stephen King: there were few people; animals were deathly still; old and rusty attractions made a squeak (in the amusement area in the zoo). In 1995, the zoo took the first step to the great comeback by the inauguration of a new director.

Kiyomi Mikuni is the most famous Japanese chef born in Hokkaido. He grew up in extreme poverty. Soon after graduating from junior high school, he started to work for a rice dealer for free meals and the opportunity for attending a night cooking school. In Hokkaido, there are some restaurants supervised by him. Fratello Di Mikuni is one of them.

【Real estate bubble in Niseko】 Ginza is the area in Tokyo well known as a luxury area. The above image (the thumbnail image) is Ginza 4th block's intersection. The area holds the highest land price record in Japan: about 500,000 USD/sq...

Let me tell you the first rule of Hot-spring club: Bathe three times at least. Averagely, we Japanese people bathe three times for a stay of one night: Soon after check-in, before going to bed, and soon after getting up next morning. Accordingly, we can enjoy a sunset, night sky, and sunrise in an open-air bath.