Shikoku’s Ancient Pilgrimage
Sep 28, 2020 By Admin
Shikoku is a welcome getaway from the densely populated areas of Japan. Filled with lush greenery, towering trees, and majestic mountains, Shikoku is a paradise of nature. The first expressway to connect Shikoku to the main island of Honshu was built in 1988, making the island previously only reachable by...[ Click to read more ]
Take Your Pick! – Fruit Picking in Hiroshima
By Bert Wishart
Japan has something of an obsessive penchant for fruit. More than a mere foodstuff, fruits are considered to be a thing of beauty, a prized possession, and in gift form a representation of the esteem in which one person holds for another. And in addition to all of that, it...[ Click to read more ]
Onomichi – Temples, Ramen and Cats Galore at Hiroshima’s Seaside Jewel
Aug 31, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Flanked to the north by steep hillsides and to the south by the rolling Seto Inland Sea, the city of Onomichi is quaint, picturesque and full of history. It makes for a beautiful day trip without even leaving Hiroshima Prefecture. Thanks to a charming refusal to regenerate and modernize, the...[ Click to read more ]
Hiroshima’s Best Beer Bars
Aug 26, 2020 By Bert Wishart
You know how it goes. Every day has felt like yet another Monday, and it felt as if Friday would never come. And now it's finally here, Friday afternoon. You watch the minutes tick away until, at last, it's clocking out time. In English, we say TGIF. In Japanese, it's...[ Click to read more ]
Seoul Food – Hiroshima’s Korean Restaurants
Aug 24, 2020 By Bert Wishart
There is no doubt that, living here in Japan, we are spoiled to have on our doorstep some of the world’s finest cuisine. However, it has to be said that Japanese fare is not the be-all and end-all that some may suggest, as from bibimbap to samgyeopsal, from chijimi to...[ Click to read more ]
Mt Misen – A Pilgrimage Hike in Hiroshima
Jul 31, 2020 By Hugh Cann
As mentioned in earlier posts, there are more hiking experiences in Hiroshima than one might immediately expect. One of the more rigorous and interesting is the Mt Misen hike on Miyajima to the west of Hiroshima city. Miyajima has been regarded as a sacred island of divine power channeling the...[ Click to read more ]
Walk with the Animals, Talk with the Animals…
By Hugh Cann
Look I’m just going to say it. I’m not a fan of zoos and my first visit to Japan and see the zoo in the 1980s left me indignant and determined never to go again. HOWEVER. Japanese notions of animal care have evolved a lot and while it’s not Taronga...[ Click to read more ]
Cycling Etajima in Hiroshima’s Seto Inland Sea
By Hugh Cann
Hiroshima faces on to the Seto Inland Sea dotted with islands. The Japanese Aegean? Not quite, but hey, it’s fine to wax romantic. Of course, the title is not literal. Still, as you may imagine, these islands offer a veritable treasure trove of opportunities to explore, not to be passed...[ Click to read more ]
Hiroshima’s Onomichi and Tomonoura: Cruise the Inland Sea
Jun 29, 2020 By Hugh Cann
Most residents of Hiroshima have at least heard of Onomichi, if not had the opportunity to visit. Onomichi is a small shipbuilding town nestled on the edge of the Seto Inland Sea, aka Seto Naikai, to the East of Hiroshima. Among Japanese people of a certain vintage, it is probably...[ Click to read more ]
Umeshu: A Tangy Plum Liquor and Japanese Tradition
By Hugh Cann
If you live in Japan, you have almost certainly tried, or at least seen, "ume." These hard, reddish, berry-like and squishy looking pale prune-like plums on a plate, or seen one or garnishing a bowl of rice. Ume, or "prunus mume," in Japanese ume, is actually an apricot but is...[ Click to read more ]
