Tokyo: Hiking @ Mount Takao, Nov 2011

Mount Takao (高尾山, Takaosan) offers great hiking trails for beginners and is one of the closest to central Tokyo. Located within metropolitan Tokyo, it takes only about 40-50 minutes by train from Shinjuku.

We took the Keio line from Shinjuku to Takaosanguchi station. Direct semi-limited express trains, which take about 50 minutes and 390 yen, departs at 20-minute intervals. Takaosanguchi station, the line's last station, is located at the foot of the mountain.
Alternatively, you can take the JR Chuo line (550 yen, about 40 minutes) from Shinjuku to Takao station and transfer to the Keio Line (130 yen, 3 minutes, one station away) to Takaosanguchi station.

 View from the summit

Lunch at restaurant near the Summit

Took the Lift Chair on the way down at the halfway point

 Freshly-made Senbei

Tokyo: Tsukiji Fish Wholesale Centre before relocation (7 Dec 2015)




Store selling Bonito Flakes

Sushi Zanmai Restaurant

X'mas lightings at Omotesando

Tokyo Late Autumn Colours (5 Dec 2015 & Dec 2018)

Late autumn colours of the Ginko trees at Kudanshita station besides the moat of the Kitanomaru Park - 5 Dec 2015

Entered Kitanomaru Park through the gate near Kudanshita station.  Could see artists capturing the scenic views within the park near the Nippon Budokan.

Took a nice stroll through the Kitanomaru Gardens which connects to the Imperial Palace East Gardens (皇居東御苑).  This belongs to the inner palace area and is open to the public. You can see the former site of Edo Castle's innermost circles of defence, the honmaru ("main circle") and ninomaru ("secondary circle"). Edo Castle was the residence of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867. Emperor Meiji also resided there from 1868 to 1888 before moving to the newly constructed Imperial Palace.



What a fantastic day !  Such a luxury to bask under the warm sunlight and yet cool weather 

 Looking up the corner of the remains of the former
                                                                                       castle tower

Views around the Wadakura Gate, which is very near the Tokyo station.... 



Back to Kudanshita in 2018 (Dec 24)

- Walking from Kudanshita towards the direction of the controversial Yasukuni shrine

Hakone (4 Dec 2015)

We bought the 2-day Hakone Freepass from the Odakyu Station Sightseeing Service Center. The Freepass includes free travel on the:
1. Odakyu train (round-trip) between Shinjuku and Hakone
2. Hakone Tozan Railway/Bus(designated section only)/Cablecar/Ropeway
3. Lake Ashi Pirate Ship
It also offers discounts to the entrance fee for the art museums as Hakone Open-air Museum, hot spring facilities and other sightseeing spots.

From Shinjuku Odakyu station, we took the Odakyu Romancecar (additional cost of about 900 yen per person for limited express) to Hakone Yumoto. It took about 85 minutes, about 10 min faster than the Odakyu trains and comes with reserved seating.

From Hakone Yumoto station, we went around using the Hakone Tozan Railway, Buses and Ropeway.


Superb views of Mt Fuji from the Hakone Tozan Bus from Hakone-machi-ko to Togendai-ko.  We took the Tozan Bus to Togendai-ko as the Lake Ashi Pirate Ship did not operate on that day due to strong winds.

Boarding the Hakone Ropeway from Togendai-ko to Ubako



Boarding the Hakone Tozan Cable Car from Sounzan Station to Gora

Iwate Prefecture: Jodogahama, Rikuchu Coastline National Park

Sunrise at Jodogahama (浄土ヶ浜) beach, a scenic beauty along the Rikuchu Kaigan (Rikuchu Coastline) National Park in Iwate Prefecture. It is famous for its white pebble beaches and jagged rock formations. I visited this place back in 1987. This area was amongst some of the worst hit by the 311 earthquake and tsunami along the coast of Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures.

Anything Uniquely Japan

Taru Coffee Canister on sale at Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo (Jun 2019)

This is modelled after the traditional Komodaru sake barrel used in celebratory events.

Paper sleeve for spoon (Jun 2019)
Will be much appreciated by those who like to place their fork & spoon on tissues rather than directly on tabletop.

Automated underground bicycle parking system at Kyoto station (Aug 2017)
Understand that Singapore was piloting a similar system at Kampung Admiralty in 2017.

Priority Elevator for the elderly, expecting mother, child in stroller & handicap

@ Osaka station (Sep 2017)

Tempura Rice Burger @ Lotteria, Kyoto Station (2 Sep 2017)

Highly-addictive Limited Edition Butter-flavoured Chips

X-L size Vending Machines

Karuizawa: Shiraito Falls, Nagano Prefecture, Nov 2011

Shiraito Falls, Karuizawa

(Panaoramic view above is a combination of 3 photos)

Shiraito Falls (白糸の滝), Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

We visited Shiraito Falls on our 2^nd trip to Karuizawa in November 2011.  Our first trip to Karuizawa was spent skiing at Prince resort, one of the ski resorts which is nearest to Tokyo. The popular resort town of Karuizawa is located in the east of Nagano, just a little over an hour away from Tokyo by bullet train.  It is a resort area well frequented by Japan’s imperial family in summer.

There are 2 different waterfalls in Japan by the name of Shi-ra-ito (“white threads”) - one in Karuizawa and the other, south-west of Mt Fuji near Fujinomiya in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Shiraito Falls in Karuizawa is a beautiful curtain of water of only 3-meter high, but is amazingly spread out over a 70-meter wide arch.  Just by standing in front of the Falls gives you a surround and calming effect.  The Falls has its source from the ground water of nearby Mt Asama, which spills out of the rock surfaces, making the flowing water appears like fine white threads from which the Falls gets its name. The area is also popular for its maple trees in autumn and for its abundance of wild vegetables in spring.

The Falls is a 5-minute leisurely walk from the car park along the road – ideal for those who are not able to trek long distance into the wild to view waterfalls.  You should not miss this magnificent Falls if you are in Karuizawa.  There is a sign near the Falls warning hikers of bears in the area and the advisory is for trekkers to make noise e.g. switch on their radio, talk amongst themselves, if they trek into the forested area away from the Falls.  Bears are said to be afraid of noises.


Smaller cascading waterfalls along the stream leading to Shiraito Falls

Stream leading to Shiraito Falls



Mt Asama is 2,568 m high. It is Japan’s highest triple-cratered active volcano situated on the boundary between Nagano and Gunma prefectures.

Video of Shiraito Falls:

Charcoal Grilled Iwana Fish (River Trout)