When we reached Arden Hotel Aso in Minami-Aso, we didn’t have any high expectations. Lying in a village in Kyushu, Japan, the onsen hotel must have been neglected much throughout the pandemic judging by its peeling wall paint along the corridors. But its vast garden was well-kept and the resident rabbits look well-taken care of. The rooms are very clean though, and the food superb. The kitchen crew must have stayed along with the garden staff. This you can tell by the quality of its kaiseki dinners. As for the onsen and hot spring baths, we had the area nearly all to ourselves. A choice of indoor and outdoor onsen, as the mood dictates. Swell!
Arden Hotel AsoThe Garden is perfect for strolls and meditative breaks. Be prepared to meet the resident rabbits!
In winter, it’s agonizing to decide whether to try the outdoor onsen and hot spring baths or to simply check out the indoor onsen. Just walking from the hotel in yukatas to the spas within the complex — a very short walk, actually — can be an ordeal because of the freezing weather. But the indoor onsen is far from being a poor choice. My only complaint is that I could hardly tolerate the hot temps as I dipped in. That is why the outdoor onsen makes so much sense!
No cams allowed inside so these are photos from the hotel website.
We all enjoyed the onsen prior to dinners and breakfasts while we were here. And in the afternoons soon after our day excursions, the gardens provided some perfect breaks for meditation or just me-times. Our spacious rooms looked out to these gardens and the autumn foliage added much to the garden’s charm. In spring and summer, these gardens seem perfect for weddings. I can imagine round tables littering the beautiful rock garden, the food and cocktails served under the maple trees, a string quartet just around the garden rocks and many rabbits jumping around the lawn.
These are the covered corridors towards the outdoor onsen. Used by both humans and rabbits. Cocktails in spring/summer temps should be good here. This looks out to the garden.
And yes, I mentioned kaiseki dinners. The breakfasts were good too! If one’s skipping the day excursions, staying in for these meals could even be a treat! Our first was topped by Aso beef, a kind of wagyu that may not be of the same quality as your Kobe or Matsusaka beef, but Aso comes from Akaushi cattle raised in this area. You’ve just got to try it!
Aso Beef is this omakase’s highlight! While the Aso beef shabu shabu is good, I was drawn more to the sea bream carpaccio here. And that tempura is really gooooooood!
Touted as the “Venice of Japan”, this canal cruise couldn’t have been more fun if not for our singing gondolier named Nakamura-San. He reminded me of Confucius, with his long face and beard. He sang for us nearly the whole time, and his repertoire included a lullaby for the baby in our group. From time to time, he’d shout “danger, danger” as we passed the low branches of trees or under the bridges while punting along the Yanagawa river. That was our cue to duck lest we hit our heads.
We took off on 2 boats. This is Boat #1And this is Boat #2
Yanagawa is a castle town just an hour away from Fukuoka. The centuries-old narrow waterways used to be moats surrounding the castle that does not exist anymore. Designated as a National Site for Scenic Beauty, there are plans to even expand the grid of artificial moats for a longer, more leisurely punt ride Yanagawa is famous for. I kept thinking the boat ride must be more fun towards sundown or early evenings when the lights are reflected on the river waters. But I’m glad we did it just after lunch and before the temperature dropped further.
The town’s so small it’s such a pleasure to walk along the canal ways. One of the Boat Stations
While the highlight is the boat ride, don’t skip walking around town and along the canals. Even at low temps, it’s such a delight just walking around. On food choices, this town has a good selection of seafood options. Clams, flatfish, crabs, shrimps, eels, oysters, etc. Don’t miss that too.
Seafood galore A Simple Lunch
So there. If you’re in Fukuoka, make a day trip to Yanagawa if only for your seafood fix and try a punt ride along the former moats of a now non-existent castle. Sayonara!
Not sure about what this vendor is selling 🙄Meet Nakamura-San, our Japanese gondolier.
Takachiho Gorge is one beautiful consequence of an ugly, devastating tragedy that occurred some 90,000 years ago. This natural beauty was formed when Mount Aso erupted, leaving volcanic basalt columns lining the narrow chasm cutting across the Gokase river. The river waters eroded the lava where the rock formation resembles the scales of a dragon and from where a 17- meter high Minainotaki waterfall further enhance this beauty in the Kyushu mountains.
Takachiho GorgeTakachiho Gorge
Mount Aso lies in the middle of the Kyushu Island in Southern Japan. It has five peaks of which Takadake is the massif’s tallest at 1,592 m (5,223 ft) in elevation. This is best viewed from the Mt. Aso National Park. Dotted with several craters, the Mount Aso caldera claims to be the largest in the world, spanning 25 kilometers in length and 18 kilometers in width. Laced with many trails, the area provides several hiking options. Interestingly, there are a few villages and towns within the caldera where one also finds Akaushi cattle and horses. Life here revolves around the Shinto Shrine where festivals are held to honor the volcano.
Aso CalderaA Shinto Shrine
While here, we witnessed a procession of sports cars driven by car aficionados. So many Porsches in a few minutes parked side by side near the Visitors Center. Couldn’t resist having a photo taken. Don’t judge us 🤣
My last trip with these travel buddies was in 2020, returning back home just a mere week before a lockdown was declared. The idea of traveling together again gave us a high and by the time we were ready to go, our number has grown to 23 adults, 4 teens and 2 babies. A whole bus of happy travelers. It didn’t matter much where we were headed but Japan has always been a good idea. Besides, our last trip to Fukuoka in 2017 had a different itinerary.
Our Growing “Family”
On this trip, the abuelas fussed over the bebes while the abuelos trained the teens how to drink smartly. Cocktail hours were longer and more adventurous as the group now includes an award-winning barista who concocted cocktail drinks for the senior, middle-aged and young adults. As always, we enjoyed the company, the private jokes, the food and the onsen. The autumn colors provide good visuals but then again, Japan is good no matter which season.
Da BoysDa Gels
The temps are dropping so we made sure to wrap ourselves good. The ryokan we are staying in now has an outdoor onsen and we made good use of that before our kaiseki dinner. Post dinner cocktails followed before we called it a night. It’d be a long next day with a long drive towards Takachiho Gorge plus a visit to a shrine where Shinto was born. So there. With the drop in temperature, wish us luck.
It’s been 9 weeks. And before then, around 4 weeks of clinic visits and lab procedures. I haven’t had 13 slow and easy weeks in the last few years. A quick check of my busy travel calendar the last few years confirm this. And you know what? If you’ve been under “house arrest” for a considerable time, the first day out heightens all your senses to appreciate the air you breathe, the noise you hear or perhaps the lack of it, the temps that make you sweat or the breeze that cools your skin. The Harbour Square within the CCP Complex is a favorite spot within the metropolis. Antipolo too but it’s too far out and the traffic going there is near-unbearable. So between the waters and the mountains, I longed to instead count the yachts bobbing up and down in the bay.
There are still a few days before the year is over but Bali was def the last trip in 2019. Thoroughly enjoyed with the family despite the intermittent chest pains, which I assumed must have been acid reflux. My guardian angels must have worked overtime to bring me home safely and guided a family doctor to remind me to see my cardiologist instead of a gastro-enterologist. I did, and then had medical attention in the nick of time. After more tests pre- and post-stenting, my cardiologist declared I’m good to travel again. Yey! Two trips lined up for next year, and now working on a possible 3rd and 4th. I am so happy. And thankful for the trips made in the year 2019 without mishap. I still cringe at the thought that any one of these trips could have turned really nasty. I am thankful as I remember.
Same group on 2 separate trips to Brunei and Malaysia
Ticked off a few squad goals including this Hokkaido in Winter!
So what’s in the drawing boards this coming 2020? Well, there’s a booked Nile cruise in Egypt, and the South American adventure should soon be firmed up, plus there’s that wedding later in the year in Barcelona. Same travel buddies…. unless of course we start growing tired of each other 🙄. We have yet to plan for that trip to Europe with my soon-to-graduate #aponimamu. And another adventure with my soon-to-retire dear friends. We’ll see. Meanwhile, let’s have a truly Merry Christmas in our hearts and a Prosperous, Harmonious New Year ahead.
This is one trip packed with so much adventure. Judging by the itinerary, our giddiness was rightly justified. There was an element of fear especially for some adventures unfamiliar to us. Like winter sports. Like water sports. Make that ICE water sports. But here we are, still grinning from ear to ear, happy that we survived this trip without mishaps and with so many happy memories. This is our story.
And should you need a local tour operator for your Hokkaido trips, here’s one we’ve tried 3x and highly recommend. This coming from a satisfied customer.
Care for unlimitted lamb and unlimited beer? There are other jingisukan in Sapporo but what’s unlimited lamb without unlimited freshly-brewed Sapporo draft beer? Six types of draft beer at that! Housed right inside the red brick building with a towering chimney that was built in 1890 as a sugar factory before it became a malting plant (until 1963), it has since operated as the Sapporo Beer Garden. Dining here combines history, tradition and mugs and jugs and steins of good Sapporo beer.
Late February and the place still looks Christmas-y complete with a lighted pine tree. By itself, the red brick building is a tourist attraction. Genghis Khan (or jingisukan) is what they call that famed Hokkaido dish of lamb grilled on a dome-shaped metal skillet that drains off excess fat down to the side. A cube of fat is provided to grease the grill that somehow resembles the helmet of Mongolian warriors back when the preferred meat was lamb or mutton. The story goes that these warriors used to cook their meats using their helmets. The special sauce here has traces of apple and lemon, and goes perfectly well with the tender meat and an assortment of veggies.
I’m not a big fan of lamb and one jug of beer is all I can handle. But our boys were all happy diners. In fact, very serious diners. After all, the “unli” feature holds for only 100 minutes , so they were quick to grill their meats and just as quick to down their golden liquids. Yeah, stuff them good. Mow them down. Drink away! Cheers. Enjoy! 🍺🍺🍺
P.S. When they hand you a plastic bag, it’s a cue for you to take off your jackets, coats, gloves, mufflers, etc to stuff inside including your bag. Hopefully, the smell of grilled meat won’t reach them 😜
In the tiny village of Tsurui, we took a break from our everyday sashimi, sushi, sukiyaki, yakitori meals and settled for some home cooked non-Japanese midday meal. Nestled on a small hill, the tiny cottage was big enough to accommodate us 20 pax, but likely not more. The atmosphere was more Provençal than Oriental, def more sophisticated than your normal bar chow. We liked the place even before we even began to savour those starters.
How about a pet goat as your welcome mascot? Very friendly, very fine, smooth fur. Almost like that of a Labrador, except that he tried to eat my scarf 😂 The salad plate came with a quiche, some yam, mashed squash, homemade cheese, radish and the sweetest carrots! We ate every morsel. We tried nearly everything we found atop our table. Every dip, sauce, oils, dressing, every condiment. You’d feel cheated not to try. The bread was served freshly-baked. The pizza just off the oven. I was full even before the main pork dish was served.
Walked out of the cottage for fresh, nippy air and some banter before heading back inside. It was all snow outside the cottage where a small kiosk stands behind a tree where hangs a birdhouse. Little details that set the mood. It must be pretty in spring here. Back inside, we settled for the last chapter of our lunch. The cheese and honey were a dream. And I couldn’t ask for a cup of better coffee to pair with a slice of the finest cheesecake. Using only ingredients sourced locally like the shiawase milk from Hishinuma Farm and the Tsurui natural cheese, that cheesecake is truly unforgettable. Well, if I must break away from Hokkaido’s fine seafood meals, this meal makes it a perfect break.
Trivia: Shiawase means happy! 😊
Our Travel Planner here in Hokkaido certainly knows her craft. Near that point where the finest seafood meals may seem repetitive and a tad cloying, she introduces this surprise break. Home cooked and elegant without seeming formal and stiff. It’s like we were welcomed to a local’s home. A local whose French parent made sure she can whip up French dishes with a slight Japanese touch. And that extends to the home decor.
My first encounter with a horse was a short ride around a park in our country’s summer capital. That horse was short, thin, and looked lazy and sad. Then I met Donnie, my friend’s retired racehorse which he used to breed more racehorses back in Dallas, Texas. I still remember how Donnie went galloping to meet us from the stable to the entrance of the stud farm. He reminded me of pet dogs eager to be cuddled by its masters. I was “properly introduced” to Donnie and my friend kept reminding him to be gentle as I mounted the retired racehorse. I was excited but a tad scared. But the experience changed my whole attitude towards these elegant animals.
📸 Megumi Takeda
📸 Megumi Takeda
Here in Ikoro Forest, we learned Camping 101. Oh ok, it’s really not hardcore camping. More like glamcamping 101. We met the friendliest horses and learned how to sap a maple tree for its syrup. The same syrup we used for the pancakes cooked in the open, crisp air of Hokkaido’s winter. A table of sliced fruits was set up, ready to be skewered with a twig to roast in an open fire, along with marshmallows. The coffee was boiling, and the big boys engaged in snowball games while the little boy built a snowman that’s really more like a bear. Still others tried chopping wood or carving little receptacles out of wood. All that in this winterland forest where temps rose just slightly higher than zero.
The time spent in Ikoro was just what we needed to “wind down” after all the adrenaline-pumping winter adventures we engaged in. The friendly horses 🐎 tempered our moods and the “back to basic” activities kept us amused in a low-key way. After all, it is not your everyday thing to go into a forest in the dead of winter. The staff we met here were so accommodating, eager to teach us basic camping skills without imposing. Chopping wood for the men; woodcarving and cooking for the ladies. The little boy can throw snowballs and sled!
Pancakes with Fruit Compote?
Families with small children should do this. We’re a mixed group of “milleniors” and enjoyed this camping experience. But I’m sure the youngest in our group had the best time. I loved the forest walk towards the horse farm. Such a delight to see horses eager to be pet. And those pancakes with fruits and marshmallows? Love it. This time being winter, we left just when the sun was prepping to set. The sun rays filtering through the bare forest trees should be any photography nut’s delight. I only have a phone cam but I’m quite happy for this memory keeper to remind me of this Hokkaido hangover. Truly, Hokkaido surprises all the time no matter how many visits you make.
And should you plan a trip here, try Hokkaido Treasure Island, Inc. We found this local operator and used them 3x — each time, our Travel Planner Megumi Takeda outdid herself. From 2 pax minimum to an entire squad. This is NOT a paid advert. Just a thumbs up from one satisfied customer. No, make that a bus-ful of happy customers! 😊
It could have been declared the national bird of China but for its literal translation (from its Latin scientific name Grus Japonensis) of “Japanese Crane”. That red patch on its crown gave it its more popular, and shall we say non-controversial and more acceptable name — the red-crowned cranes. Among the rarest and heaviest species of cranes, many migratory cranes breed in spring and summer in Siberia and northeastern China before migrating in flocks to Korea and East-Central China to spend winter there. BUT Eastern Hokkaido — the Kushiro wetlands, in particular — is home to non-migratory red-crowned cranes. If at all, they move less than a hundred miles to their wintering grounds within Kushiro such as in Akan and in the village of Tsurui. Interestingly, Eastern Hokkaido is home to more than half of the world’s red-crowned cranes. Graceful big birds weighing as much as 20 pounds and as tall as 5 feet. We visited the Tsurui-ito Tancho Sanctuary in Kushiro to see these magnificent birds. The sanctuary was named after Yoshitaka Ito, a local farmer, who started feeding these cranes for many years. Such is Japanese farm life here.
The Courtship
So why do these species of elegant birds call Kushiro their home? Within Kushiro is Tsurui-ito where a sanctuary houses as many as 1,800 red-crowned cranes. Come feeding time, you’d see some 300 of them, eager for nourishment. In the sanctuaries, the cranes live as long as 40 years. In the wilds, they live only up to 20 years average. The wetlands in Kushiro are breeding grounds to these elegant, charming birds. Volunteers in the area help maintain their breeding grounds and even feed them dent corns. The Japanese have a strong bond with these cranes which they consider to bring good luck. They also think these lovely birds bring peace and happiness. Volunteers here even attend work camps to learn and join conservation activities like creating natural feeding grounds. No wonder these cranes are non-migratory. They are so loved by the people here.
Major establishments have used the crane as their corporate logo. Japan Air Lines and Kuok Group, to name a couple. It also appeared on the old 1,000 yen bills. This is because cranes symbolise strength, long life, fidelity, purity and peace. Cranes mate for life and it is quite a spectacle to see pairs honking together, in unison, as a prelude to their “dance”. They flap their wings and perform ballet-like, graceful moves, turning, twirling, fluttering their wings as they suspend in air for a few secs, all that time crowing. And all that crowing and honking comprise Kushiro’s soundscape. The same birds have likewise become iconic images of happy relationships because crane “couples” develop strong, loyal partnerships and mate for life. Now, humans can learn from that, right? So next time we find a Japanese origami of a crane, we can now appreciate this special bond between these birds and the Japanese people. 💕
A third of the fambam in London.
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