THE GLINT OF LIGHTS ON THE WATER

Hamarikyu Gardens is set in amongst the heart of the busy city of Tokyo. Here you will find a contrast between luscious gardens and concrete buildings. The beautiful setting and rich flora and foliage make for a beautiful stroll through the grounds. From the entrance way to the idyllic tea houses, the garden is the perfect place to visit all year round.

This restaurant Tokyo Shiba Tofuya Ukai is situated in one of the most beautiful settings in Tokyo. Although it resides in the heart of the city, close to the upmarket neighbourhood of Azabujuban, the restaurant still feels like a hidden gem. As the name suggests, this tofu restaurant spcialises in serving you tofu in many different styles of dishes, all with a seasonal touch. The service is impeccable, and dining while looking out over the beautiful garden setting is an unforgettable experience.

One of tokyo's most iconic landmarks and a statement along the city's skyline. Visiting Tokyo Tower is an enjoyable way to spend your afternoon. The views of the city are endless, and there's even a small window for you to look down all the way to ground level. Enjoy a drink at the cafe or bar and soak up the views of the city.

Asakusa area is reminiscent of old Tokyo. At the heart is Sensoji temple with its iconic big red lantern, a popular spot for photos. Inside the Kaminarimon gate, you will find a long shopping alley, filled with traditional arts and crafts shops, street food, and stalls.

Enjoy a relaxing cruise along the river Sumida on this spacious water boat where you’ll catch some lovely views of Tokyo. The pier is easy to find in Asakusa, and there is plenty of information available in English. During the Autumn/Winter season, the bridges that the boat passes under, are all different colours which makes for some lovely photos. The boat itself is clean, bright, with lots of large windows, it is in a classically old style, with plenty of room, a small bar downstairs with a variety of snacks and drinks, and an open area at the back of the boat where you can feel the breeze while you take in the sights of the city.

This family style restaurant Sarashina-Nunoya has been serving up a selection of traditional Japanese homemade food, mainly in Soba Noodles. There’s a large communal table in the middle and a few tables for small groups to the side. An English menu is available with pictures. Dishes such as chicken and egg on rice, or fried pork cutlets, are served along with a selection of soba noodle set meals. The portions are generous, and the restaurant prides themselves on the fact that they don’t add any additives to their dishes. leaving you satisfied and gloriously full.

The soraben （a type of takeaway bento box sold at the Airports） for breakfast was delicious and a hearty way to start the day. The pork cutlet was juicy, the pickles added a nice refreshing touch, and with plenty of rice, I felt satisfiyingly full.

The flight to Oita from Tokyo is a comfortable hour. ANA is an efficient airline, from check-in to landing, and the service was pleasant. Haneda Airport makes it easy to navigate domestic flights. There are plenty of places to pick up souvenirs, food and drink.

Farmers Restaurant Domon Patio serves up plenty of traditional, local fare. There’s a large selection of buffet dishes to choose from including karaage (fried chicken) for which the area is famous for. They specialise in a healthy vegetable juice drink which is delicious and I highly recommend you try it. The atmosphere is warm and comfortable, the restaurant is decked out in wood, and there are large windows for you to enjoy plenty of natural light and peaceful scenery.

Atmospheric surroundings all around make for a pleasant walk around the Nakatsu-Yabakei gorge area. Better than walking, though, is hiring bikes locally and cycling along the path leading towards Yabakei bridge. The bikes themselves are excellent quality, with an enormous variety to choose from for all types. Riding the path along the scenic route, is invigorating, it’s hard not to stop often to take photos of all the amazing views.

A pleasant stroll around this old-style street in Mameda Town. The buildings are reminiscent of another era. Shops such as Hita Shouyu are a pleasant surprise, the owner collects dolls, so in the back of this shop, there is a doll museum with room filled with traditional Japanese dolls called Hina-ningyo. The soy sauce itself is the speciality, and a savoury and sweet delight, with plenty of variations to choose from.

Hita Onsen Hina-no-Sato SANYOKAN with a riverside setting, the rooms here are large and in the traditional Japanese style, you sleep on the floor on a futon which was surprisingly comfortable. The bathroom is basic, but this is because you get to bathe and relax in an onsen (hot spring). There are plenty of amenities in the hot spring, such as hair care, hair brushes, and other small items. There is one indoor hot spring, and one outdoor, which is quite a refreshing way to wake yourself up in the morning, or to relax before bedtime. The breakfast is in the traditional Japanese style, with a pretty basket filled with various fish and pickles awaiting you. The buffet has a selection of dishes such as rice and miso soup.
*Recently reopened following renovations.
https://www.sanyokan.com/en/

Set in a abundance rolling mountains, the Kuju area is a picturesque landscape. The best way to experience the area is to visit the Visitor Centre where you will learn valuable information from the people at Kuju’s nature conservation council. It’s perfect for families as they have a kids corner to occupy the younger ones, as well as various activities such as a stamp rally (they even have one in English!). A screening of a video showing the various seasons is useful to watch before setting out on a stroll around the marshland. The walk is fairly easy and the still setting is a wonderful way to spend the day.

Taketa city is famous for its fried chicken and what better way to try it, than in Marufuku where you will enjoy some of the best fried chicken in the area! The lunch is a set meal so it’s really good value as it comes with soup and rice. There are various types of fried chicken to choose from with plenty of pictures on the menu so it’s really easy to order. You can sit in a private room with your friends or family, or dine out in the communal space. They also serve alcohol so you can have a refreshing beer or two to reward yourself after walking around the marshland.

The Oka Castle Ruins are an interesting spot that is best enjoyed with a guide. You really get a sense of history and it’s easy to get a sense of enjoyment from the stories of days gone past. The views from the Oka Castle Ruins are stunning, particularly in autumn where the colours of the trees pop out. There are a good number of facilities available here, and at the top, they have rebuilt the bath area which now houses modern bathrooms for you to use. At the top of the stairs, there is a shrine, and also what used to be the lookout point from where you can see cars driving through the mountainous area.

At TSG (Taketa Sogo Gakuin) you can learn to make bamboo crafts by a skilled bamboo art teacher. The lesson itself is explained through a translator, and the output of a bamboo pendant is the result, which can take many forms, e.g big or small, round or oval etc.

Kajika-an is a Japanese style restaurant where you can enjoy a variety of traditional Japanese dishes such as grilled meat, fish, tempura, etc. There is an extensive drinks menu serving everything from Japanese sake, to beers, wines, and soft drinks. The tempura I had was lightly fried and not greasy which was a nice surprise. Most of the meals are served as a set with rice, soup, and pickled vegetables.

The highlight of this Nagayu Onsen area is being able to experience onsen (hot spring) with carbonated water. It feels quite different on your skin but in a pleasant way. If you love hot springs, then you must visit here. Hot springs are communal here, however, this one has a private bath for you to use and basic facilities.
The cottages at B・B・C Nagayu are spacious and warm. The decor is simple, yet modern. There is a kitchenette, plenty of lighting and exceptionally clean. There’s also a nice outdoor seating area, a little desk set in an alcove which is perfect for writing. The toilet has an automatic flush! It’s really quite modern and there is a spacious sink area. Overall the setting is very peaceful with a relaxing ambience.
Breakfast is served and neatly laid out in the library. We had a boiled egg, something that was similar to porridge, tofu, and a pickled plum. There is a choice of drinks such as coffee, tea, etc.

The start of Oku Bungo course is at the station visitor centre. English information is available in the form of a walking tour map. This course is trail that you can easily follow by looking out for sign posts with different colours, that indicate which direction you should follow. During this walk you will pass a pond, that during the start of autumn has a special stage set up on the middle of it with various events, such as special shinto shrine dances. You will also pass by rice paddies. During Autumn, harvesting season is over, and you can hear the sounds of acorns falling, it really makes you feel like you are in nature. Further along the course, you will find a temple with views of Buddha carved into stone. You can walk up closer to these about 800 year old carvings, it is certainly a pleasant surprise to come across something like this. Be sure to take comfortable walking shoes with you!

Hamashima Shuzo-Takakiya, a 5th generation family run sake brewery produces, on average, around 70,000 bottles per year. They use old-fashioned pressure methods which gives their sake their unique selling point. Visiting during Autumn/Winter season is a busy time for production, so it’s a good time to visit if you are interested in that. The family also own their own rice paddy which produces the grain for the sake.

We visited Kannawa Onsen area and one of this hot spring you are able to book a private room that has one indoor and one outdoor hot spring bath. The rooms are usually used for small families so it can feel quite luxurious for one person. It is very relaxing inside with a sink, seating, and baskets for your personal belongings. The hot spring outside has a blue-ish tinge to it and is surrounded by natural stones and rocks. It’s great to feel like you are out in nature with the contrast of hot water and cool air, and the perfect way to warm your entire body by relaxing in this hot spring.

Kitsuki Castle Town is a quaint area with two steep hills sandwiched on either side of an old style shopping street. Each shop is 100s of years old and passed down generations of families. Here you can visit a kimono shop and dress up in traditional Japanese dress. The experienced owner will wrap you up in less than 10 minutes! From there you can wander around the town (you can get in the public tourist and cultural facilities for free if you are wearing kimono). The Japanese gardens in reconstructions of samurai houses are beautifully kept and here you can picture what it was like to walk through the grounds in those days, particularly if you are dressed in a kimono!

This trip takes you to some of Tokyo and Oita Prefecture’s top spots and is a great way to experience busy city life as well as the idyllic countryside. For those of you who love adventure and hot springs, this tour is perfect for you!