Travel Japan Info - Sumo Wrestling

Travel Japan Info - Sumo Wrestling

Sumo wrestling is a unique Japanese sport in which two large wrestlers or ri kishi grapple and attempt to push each other out of a circular ring or doyo, or throw the other down to the ground. The doyo is made of a platform of clay and sand. Sumo is an ancient sport, probably from the Edo period, and the first wrestlers were probably samurai warriors. The wrestlers wear a Japanese mawashibelt, or loin cloth, and have their hair tied up in a top knot. Sumo wrestling is steeped in tradition, with the wrestlers performing a ritual dance and scattering of salt before beginning the bout.


The bouts are usually quite fast, lasting sometimes only a few seconds, sometimes 5 minutes or so, with the winner determined by pushing or throwing the opponent out of the ring, or by pushing or throwing the opponent to the ground. The wrestlers first crouch, then lunge at each other and grapple with each other trying to gain advantage. Although there are many levels of rank in Sumo, the top ranks are Grand Champion or Yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake, and komusubi.

There are several Sumo tournaments held during the year at different locations. Three are held in Tokyo at the Ryogoku Hall in January, May, and September. One is held in Osaka in March, one in Nagoya in July, and one in Fukuoka in November. The tournaments last for 15 days, and the wrestlers battle each other and the wrestler with the best winning record is deemed the winner of the tournament.


Travel Japan Sumo Food:

The wrestlers eat a hot pot called chanko nabe-a stew with meat, fish and seafood, and lots of vegetables, and in large quantities to help them gain weight. There are restaurants in Japan that specialize in this hot pot. I was fortunate to be able to taste the hot pot in Nagoya at a restaurant owned by a retired oya kata or sumo stable master and found that the chanko nabe was tasty and very filling.

Special thanks to my good friend Dennis Leatherman, a very popular and talented local artist, and his wife Mieko, who have collaborated on this and other articles.  You can see other pictures on Dennis' flickr website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/hageta/.

 For further information on this and other Japan subjects, please click here:  http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.

Japan Travel Info Guide

Japan Travel Info Guide-An Essential Guide:

So you decided you want to take a trip to Japan? Great, now read all you can on travel in Japan. The more you read about Japan, the less apprehension you will have and the more confident you will be when you get there. Use this Japan Travel Info Guide as an essential guide for your trip.

Plan your trip by reading articles about Japan on the internet, by reading travel articles in books, or by watching programs about Japan on your TV. See what interests you, whether it’s the history of Japan, feudal Japan, or whether it’s the Japan culture, or whether it’s the interesting or unusual places to visit in Japan. If you’re like me, you may be interested in the delicious foods of Japan, or the Japan onsen(hot springs). You may be interested in the Japan religion, or you may be interested in Japan clothing. Whatever your interests, careful planning will make it easier for you once you arrive in Japan.

Once you’ve decided what you want to do or see, look at a Japan map and find out where the focus of your interests are located, whether in Tokyo, or Kyoto, or Hokkaido, or Niigata, or Nagasaki, or Kagoshima, or Okinawa. Aside from your air flight over to Japan, determine your entry and exit points, whether it be Tokyo Narita Airport or Kansai in Osaka, then determine your route and time in Japan. Whether you’re traveling independently or as a part of a tour group, determine where you want to go. Remember, even as a member of a tour group, you can ask your tour company if you can extend your tour and visit places that may not be on the itinerary.

Now determine the best mode of transportation to get you from point A to point B, noting the time of travel and relative distance to travel per day. As an example, if you are in Tokyo and want to get to Sapporo Japan, you would consider a flight on Japan Air Lines or All Nippon Airways, or Air Do to save you time. With air specials which would make fares on airplanes close to rail travel, consider flying. 1 ½ hours from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Chitose Airport in Sapporo makes sense, compared to rail travel of over 8 hours. A trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, on the other hand, would be a nice trip by rail travel. If you have time, consider a trip on the Shinkansen bullet train Kodama, using a Japan Rail Pass, currently about $413, for unlimited travel on rail other than Shinkansen Nozomi trains good for one week. Using the Japan Rail Pass over long distances really maximizes your savings over regular fares, and you can enjoy the wonderful sights and see life in Japan along the way. Consider side trips to Atami Onsen and Hakone Onsen to see Mt. Fuji, Japan’s landmark mountain, which are along the route from Tokyo to Kyoto. Better yet, spend a night at either place and have a very memorable and pleasant hot spring and dining experience. Please note that persons with tattoos will not be admitted to most hot springs in Japan, supposedly to prevent tattooed Japanese yakuza(gangsters)from using the hot springs.

Japan Travel Info-Entry Requirements:

For US and Canadian citizens, travel requirements to Japan for tourist and business travel are as follows:

1. US or Canadian passport valid for at least 3 months beyond intended stay in Japan.

2. Valid air tickets showing an entry to Japan and final return to the US (or Canada if Canadian).

3. No Visa requirement if Japan travel is limited to 3 months.

4. No vaccinations are required.

When going to Passport Control for entry to Japan, go into line for foreign visitors and have your passport and Japan entry slip showing airline flight info filled out and ready for inspection. Upon reaching passport control, you will be fingerprinted using digital technology and have your picture taken. After passport and entry slip inspection, you will be allowed to go to claim your luggage at baggage claim area.

Japan Travel Info-Japan Currency:

As a banker and frequent traveler to Japan, my experience in talking to most clients who are first and second time visitors to Japan, the common questions asked are:

1. Should I bring travelers checks to Japan and

2. How much Yen should I bring along with me?

A simple answer to both questions is this. Depending on how much money you are planning to use, if it is a large amount, yes, bring travelers checks, but also bring or purchase enough yen for shopping and eating outside of your hotel. Although Japan is a very high-tech and industrialized nation, there are many areas outside of large cities that do not take travelers checks, and do not take foreign currency. For sure, you will find that many small and large restaurants in Japan do not take travelers checks. You may use your credit card, however beware the foreign transaction fees that your bank may charge you for using that credit card overseas. Either purchase your Japan currency at your bank, or purchase it in the Currency Exchange booth in the Japan Airport where you land.

Japan currency is as follows:

10,000 yen note - ichi man en, equivalent to about $112 currently

5,000 yen note - go sen en, equivalent to about $56 currently

1,000 yen note - I(ee)sen en, equivalent to about $11

500 yen coin - go hyaku en

100 yen coin - hyaku en

50 yen coin - go jyu en

10 yen coin - jyu en

5 yen coin - go en

1 yen coin - ichi en

Japan charges a consumption tax on food and goods and services, so if it is not included in the price, you will be charged for it on purchase of food, goods and services, and that’s when you need smaller denomination coins. These coins are also good for purchases of drinks and food in the vending machines all throughout Japan.

It is not unusual for office salary men(businessmen) to carry large amounts of yen. Japan is probably one of the safest countries in the world in terms of crime. If carrying currency makes you nervous, give half of the Yen to your spouse/partner to carry, and decide who will pay for the meal or activity beforehand.

Japan Travel Info-Japan Transportation:


Here are some Japan travel info tips on traveling in Japan. “What is the best way to get from Tokyo Narita airport to Tokyo? I have lots of baggage.” Upon exiting baggage claim at Narita Airport, Wheel your luggage on the luggage carts and go directly to the airport bus limo booths-don’t worry, the signs are in English and the clerks speak English. Tell them which hotel you are going to-they will sell you a ticket(s) on a bus limo to your destination. As an example the Grand Prince New Takanawa in Shinagawa runs every 35-45 minutes at 3,000 Yen($34) per person(Child 1,500 Yen). Exit the doors after you get your ticket(s) and look for the bus stop with the sign of your hotel on it. Wheel your luggage and get into the line and show your ticket to the employee. They will tag your luggage and ask you to wait for the bus. Your luggage will be loaded by the employee when your bus arrives and unloaded by the bus driver upon arrival at your hotel, 1 ½ to 2 hours later, depending on traffic. Taxis are expensive in Tokyo-It will cost you upwards of 25,000 yen($280)to get from Narita to downtown Tokyo. With lots of luggage, the bus limo is your best bet.

“What is the best way to get around Tokyo?” Japan has one of the most efficient, clean, and inexpensive rail systems in the world. Take full advantage of it. Railway stations are easy to find and rail is easy to use in Japan. Signs are all in English and Japanese, and now in Chinese and Korean. For local rail travel, tickets are purchased from machines that are in Japanese and English. First look at the large railway map on the wall above the ticket machines. Determine where you are starting from, and then look for your destination. The fare is shown in Yen. You can get almost anywhere on the Yamanote(color code green) loop for between 130 to 260 Yen. From Shinagawa station Shibuya is only 5 stops away and will take you mere minutes to get there. The ticket vending machines have a button you can press for English. You purchase your ticket by putting in coins or Yen notes(machine will give you your change automatically). Take the ticket and find your platform number from the English signs overhead. When you enter the ticket area, insert your ticket, but DO NOT FORGET TO GET IT BACK once you pass the turnstile. You will need your validated ticket to exit the railway station once you reach your destination by again inserting the ticket into the ticket collector next to the turnstile. If you underestimate your fare, prior to exiting the station you go to a ticket adjustment machine, pay the additional amount you owe, then use the new ticket to exit the station. If you cannot figure this out there are English speaking employees at the information booths to help you.

For Shinkansen tickets, I recommend you go into the Shinkansen ticket office to purchase your ticket(s). Be sure to tell the clerk your destination, and be sure to ask what track and platform you will need to get to, and the time of departure. Once you get that information follow the overhead signs to your platform. Shinkansen tracks are normally upstairs.

“How do I bring my travel luggage aboard the train?” You don’t, frankly. The Japan railway system was not designed for US travelers. There is very little space on board the trains other than overhead racks and some space between your legs and the seat in front. Not to mention that fact that there are few elevators in train stations and escalators are small, and stairs are steep. Plan ahead, as I do. On a trip from Tokyo to Kyoto with an overnight stay in Atami on the Shinkansen, I pack one small overnight bag which my wife and I share, and send my travel bags to the hotel in Kyoto by takkyubin(express delivery service). There are several including Yamato(black cat logo), or Nittsu Pelican-san(pelican logo)which the bell desk in your hotel can arrange for you. I think I paid about $40 US for 2 large suitcases last trip. Since it may take 2 days to get your bags across Japan, be sure to plan carefully. Your bags will be waiting for you when you check in at your destination hotel if you planned correctly.

“I have bad knees, I don’t know if I can climb steep stairs.” Unfortunately, Japan is still struggling with ADA issues regarding physical disabilities. In large train stations, elevators and escalators make it easy to get to the platforms, however in smaller stations, elevators and escalators may not be present. If that is the case, you might want to travel by bus or airplane. Here’s another issue-toilets. Throughout Japan there are Japanese and Western toilets, with Japanese toilets requiring that you squat to do your business. With bad knees, please use the ADA or disabled toilets, as those are Western and are a lot easier to use. Even if you don’t have bad knees, you might want to use the Western toilets.


Japan Travel Info-How to use Onsens:

“What do I need to do when I go to an onsen?” First of all, find the correct changing room. Usually a pink or red curtain(noren) with a character for woman 女 is the woman’s changing room and onsen. As most onsens are separated, be sure you go into the right one. A woman friend of mine went into the men’s changing room by mistake. Although she was more embarrassed than the men changing, she won’t soon forget what she saw. Men’s changing rooms normally have a blue curtain with a man’s character 男　on the curtain. Be very careful, some onsens change rooms during the day between men and women sometimes because the onsens are a little different. Look for the colors. Wash towels and yukata(cotton kimonos)are provided in your room in an onsen. First change into your yukata and bring your wash towel with you when you go to the onsen bath.

Once you have selected an area where you will change, find a basket on the shelf and place your clothing in the basket. Please remember your number(in English)so you can find your own clothing after bathing. Once you have taken all of your clothing off, use the wash towel(about the size of a face towel, possibly slightly longer)and enter the baths. Once inside, go to a wash area and sit on a stool. Each bathing area has its own shower and a small tub for pouring hot water over yourself. Find the bath gel and shampoo and conditioner on a shelf next to the small shower. When bathing, DO NOT STAND UP. Sit on the stool and soap up and shampoo, and when ready use the shower head or the tub to rinse yourself. Also PLEASE DO NOT GO INTO THE BATH WATERS WITHOUT WASHING UP FIRST. This is considered very bad manners. When you are done rinsing off, take your towel and proceed to the hot springs. DO NOT JUMP OR DIVE IN. Slowly step into the pool and leave your towel outside the pool. Do not bring your towel into the water. Have your body get acclimated to the hot water. On your first onsen bath, do not stay in for longer than 30 minutes, as you may get so relaxed that you may become dizzy. Take in the waters, which are good for a variety of ailments, and when ready exit the pool don’t forget to take your towel with you. Head back to the wash area and sit on the stool and wash up again, when finished rinsing off, you can go into the changing room(don’t forget to bring your towel with you) so you can use the towel to dry off. You can comb your hair, have a drink of cold water, dry your hair, and relax before changing and returning to your room. Note, please do not wear jewelry or watches in the bath. The waters are sulfurous and acidic, and may damage your jewelry. After a few visits to the onsen, you’ll be an aficionado like me too!

Japan Travel Info-Japanese Toilets:

As stated before, Japan is a highly industrialized nation. However I offer a caveat with that statement. In the large cities, the latest high-tech toilets are the rage, with built in bidets, music, seat lifting, deodorizers, dryer fans, and flush options. That being said, in those same large cities, the traditional Japanese toilets still exist. Japanese toilets are not like Western ones like we have here. There is no toilet bowl, only a hole on the floor with a porcelain basin that you need to squat over to do your thing. If you would like to experience the traditional Japanese toilet, great! Squat down facing the small hood on the porcelain basin. However, if you have bad knees or are unable to bend down, or are uncomfortable with the traditional, please use the ADA toilet-never mind that you are not disabled. Believe me, you’ll thank me later. Getting back to the high-tech toilets. After my first trip to Japan, I bought a Toto bidet toilet for my home, and my wife loves it. At over $900 for a seat, she should! The seat is connected to a water source and the seat is heated, sprays a jet of water for front wash and back wash, dries you after you’re finished, closes the seat and is controlled by a panel that we mounted on the wall next to the toilet. Similar to my unit, but now more advanced is the new Japanese toilet, which still heats, washes, dries, lifts and closes the seat and deodorizes, but also plays music and flushes a large or smaller flush. 大　means large flush, and 小 means small flush. A picture of the shape of a rear end is rear wash, and the picture of a water spray is for frontal wash. Be sure to use the wash and dry for a most interesting Japanese experience. Who knows, you might buy a seat like I did.

Japan Travel Info-Tipping:

As you may already know, tipping is not required in Japan. That being said, you may want to take care of those that are especially good to you. On one of my trips to Kyoto, I stayed for a few days at the ANA Kyoto Hotel. Much to my surprise, the bell desk was manned by petite girls wearing beautiful kimono. As this was toward the end of our trip, my wife and I had very full large and heavy suitcases, along with several boxes. One of these girls brought the luggage to our room. Knowing that they would not accept tips, and being from Hawaii, we had brought some small packs of macadamia nuts for this purpose. Giving her a few packs of unusual nuts must have made her very happy. On our most recent trip last year we stayed at the New Miyako Hotel in Kyoto, and one of the bellman was an American boy, who again struggled to bring up our luggage. Giving him a few packs of macadamia nuts did much to have him remember us and give us good service. We would give the macadamia nuts to the housekeeping staff too, but with them you would need to hand it to them directly. If you left on the pillow, it would still be there when you came back to the room. Bring something small from home that you can give away, you’ll be surprised at the extra service you receive.

Japan Travel Info-Cheap Eats:

Tired of expensive hotel food, but are afraid or unsure of how to get good, inexpensive food? Tired of those $30-$40 breakfasts, those $50 lunches and those $100 dinners? Take a chance, venture just outside of your hotel, around the train stations, and find the tastiest, best meals for a fraction of the price of hotel meals. About two minutes from the Hotel Pacific Tokyo in Shinagawa, just outside the entrance to JR Shinagawa station is a restaurant with American breakfasts(eggs, with ham, rice and toast and coffee)for around $5. About 1 minute from the hotel is a McDonalds where you can buy an Egg McMuffin and coffee for around $3 to $4. In Kyoto station, in an arcade across the New Miyako Hotel, is a restaurant where you can have breakfast for around $5 - $8, and if they see you more than a few days, they give you a discount. In every city in Japan are Ramen-ya, or noodle shops, where you can get an inexpensive hot bowl of noodles and toppings for under $10. You can get a delicious meal in world-famous restaurants for around $10. A tonkatsu(pork)set lunch at Maisen Restaurant in fancy Omotesando, Tokyo cost me $10 and a katsudon set cost just over $8. Can’t speak Japanese? Speak slowly in English, ask for an English menu, or look at what others are eating in the restaurant and point to what you would like to eat, or most restaurants feature plastic versions of what they serve in their restaurants outside in a showcase at the entrance to the restaurant-take the waiter outside and point to what you want to eat. When it’s time to pay, the bill may be in Japanese, but the total will be in Yen, just give them the appropriate amount-and remember no tips.

I would like to acknowledge my good friend Dennis Leatherman, a very popular and talented local artist, and his wife Mieko, who collaborated with me on this article and others.  To see more of his drawings please click on the link here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/hageta/.
 
Well, good luck and happy traveling in Japan. Share some of your experiences with me when you get back.

For further information on this and other Japan subjects, please click here:  http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.

Travel Japan Sake

Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Junmai; Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri Junmai

Travel Japan Sake:

Japanese sake(sake rice wine)are considered the best in the world, and once you are an aficionado you would travel Japan to sample different ones in order to determine which is the best sake. The essence of the sake ingredients are the sakamai, or polished sake rice, the pure Japan water, and the koji, or special mold microbe whose enzymes are introduced into the steamed sake rice and breaks it down into sugars which can then be fermented by the yeast cells, which then gives off carbon dioxide and alcohol. The koji making process takes about 40 to 45 hours. The whole process is done under the watchful eyes of the Toji, or brew masters. Today, the jizake, or premium regional sake are more popular than ever, and as the saka gura limit production, the consumers’ demand for the premium sake grows even more. There are perhaps as much as 2,000 jizake manufacturers in Japan.

From the northern island of Hokkaido to the southern island of Kyushu the sake are brewed and bottled. The saka gura, or sake breweries are located in small towns and in large cities throughout Japan. These premium sake are drunk cold, in sake glasses.

Travel Japan Sake Rice:

Sake rice is quite different from rice that is eaten in that the sake rice, being more delicate, requires more water, nutrients and protection from the elements, and is more expensive to grow. This fact ensures that the sake rice is grown in limited quantities. Whereas Niigata rice is known to be the best rice for eating, sake rice is grown elsewhere in Japan. Sake rice is a larger grain rice, and some of the grain is ground or polished away in the manufacturing process. In a rice to be made into a Daiginjo or super premium wine, more than 50% of the grain is removed to concentrate the sugars in the rice. In a Ginjo or premium wine, 40 - 50% of the grain is polished off, leaving 50 - 60% of the rice grain for the sake, called seimaibuai. In a Tokubetsu Junmai, or special premium wine, 40 - 50% of the rice grain is polished off, leaving 50 - 60% of the grain. In a Junmai or pure rice wine, 30 - 40% of the grain is polished off, leaving 60 - 70% of the grain. With a lower polished grain, the taste of the sake is of fuller body and of more pronounced flavor. With the higher polished sake rice, the sake is lighter and fruitier, and with a clear aroma and refined flavor. Some of the more well known sakamai are the Yamadanishiki, Gohyakumangoku, Miyamanishiki, Takanenishiki, Todorokiwase, Yukinosei, Hidahomare, Yamahikari, Bizen Omachi, Nihonbare, Kinnanfu, Hattannichiki, Ginpu, Kiyonishiki, and Matsuyamamitsui.

Travel Japan Pure Water:

Sake consists of 80% pure water, and it is said that a slightly semi-hard water is ideal for sake. This water is found in Niigata, in Nada in Hyogo Prefecture, in Hiroshima, and in Fushimi in Kyoto Prefecture. Travel Japan to find the waters, which have good ingredients of potassium, magnesium, and phosphoric acid. In Niigata, as an example, the waters are from the plentiful winter snow in the area.

Travel Japan Koji Mold Microbe:

Koji is the aspergillus oryzae microbe that is used in the production of Japanese miso and soy sauce.

Nihonshu-do Value:

Nihonshu-do is the sake meter value, which determines the fruitiness to the dryness of the sake. The lower the value the fruitier the sake, the higher the value the drier the sake. Nihonshu-do ranges from -3.0 amakuchi(sweet) to +10.0, with +3.0 being neutral. A +20.0 Nihonshu-do value is an exceptionally dry or Karakuchi sake.

Travel Japan Sake Making:

To make sake, the process starts in the fall and goes into winter. The rice is polished to get rid of the amino acids, the fats and the proteins. It gets to the starch concentration core.

Next the rice is washed and steeped or rested before cooking.

Next the rice is steamed, and then the rice is injected with the koji mold microbe.

Then sake yeast is added along with water to the steamed rice and is made into a sake mash.

Then the sake mash is combined with more steamed rice for multiple parallel fermentation.

The starch is broken down into sugars and the sugars are in turn converted into alcohol.

After filtration and pasteurization, the sake is stored in large vats where it is stored until early fall until it is bottled and shipped.

Travel Japan - How to Drink Sake:

Premium sake is meant to be drunk cold, and in sake glasses. Heating tends to compromise the flavor of the sake. However people still drink heated sake. If you heat your sake, put the sake in a tokkuri or ceramic bottle, and place it in gently boiling water for about 5 minutes until lukewarm, then it will be ready for drinking.

Travel Japan - How to Serve Sake:

While there are no hard and fast rules in serving sake, sake glasses or sake masu, (cedar boxes), are normally used to serve cold sake, and tokkuri bottles are containers for warm sake, and are poured into small sakazuki or ochoko cups.

This writer is an aficionado of sake and have tried quite a few all over Japan.

Travel Japan - Quest for the Best Sake:

In Hokkaido, I have been to the Otokoyama Sake Brewery, located in Asahikawa, and tasted the Otokoyama Junmai sake, a Nihonshu-do +10, which I like very much. I haved also  been to the Chitosetsuru Sake Brewery in Sapporo and their Hiyaoroshi Junmai was very good.  I also tasted the Taisetsu junmai daiginjo.

In Niigata, I have been to Sado Island and have been to the Manotsuru saka gura, where I found very good sake: junmai, ginjo and daiginjo with Niigata sakamai and water. Other Niigata sake I have tasted and that are light and dry include “ma boroshi” (phantom)sake like Koshi no Kanbai Tokusen junmai ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +7, Hakkaisan honjyozo ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +5, Hakkaisan Tokubetsu junmai, a Nihonshu-do +5, Kubota Senjyu honjyozo ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +6, Shimeharitsuru junmai ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +3, Kikusui junmai ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +3, Kikusui junmai daiginjo, with a Nihonshu-do value of +3, Kanbara Bride of the Fox junmai ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +3, Echigo Denemon junmai ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +3.

I have tasted the Dewazakura Dewasansan junmai ginjo, a Nihonshu-do +4 and the Dewazakura Oka a ginjo with a Nihonshu-do +4, two sakes produced in Yamagata.

In Nagano, I have been to the Miyasaka Brewery and tasted the Masumi Yumedono, a daiginjo with a Nihonshu-do value of +3, and the Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri, a junmai with a Nihonshu-do value of +3.

I have tasted the Taiheizan Tenka, a junmai daiginjo from Akita, with a Nihonshu-do value of +2.

In Fushimi, Kyoto, I visited the Tamanohikari Brewery and tasted the Tamanohikari Kaori ginjo with a Nihonshu-do value of +3. Also I tasted the Shochikubai deluxe ginjo with a Nihonshu-so value of +2.

In Hiroshima, I visited the Kamotsuru Brewery and tasted the Kamotsuru Tokusei Gold junmai daiginjo, with a Nihonshu-do value of +3.

I have tasted the Hakutaka junmai, a sake from Nada, Hyogo, with a Nihonshu-do value of +2.5.

I have sampled many other premium sake, many of which I cannot remember the names of, but continue on my quest to find the best sake and hope to write about them in another article soon.

For further information on this and other Japan subjects, please click here:  http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.

Travel Japan Onsen

Travel Japan Onsen:

Japan onsen(hot springs)are considered the best in the world, and once you are an aficionado you sample different ones in order to determine which is the best. Because of the volcanic nature of the Japanese islands, there are probably over a thousand geothermal onsen spread throughout the country. From the northern island of Hokkaido to the southern island of Kyushu, and as far south as Okinawa they are located in small towns and in large cities. The waters come from various sources and are of different compositions, and are said to be good for various maladies. Humans and animals in Japan(monkeys)alike use the hot springs for warmth and for these maladies. The hot springs are said to be good for neuralgia, diabetes, menstrual conditions, skin diseases, rheumatism, gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension, and constipation. The composition of the waters are sulfurous, acidic, of carbon dioxide, hydrogen carbonate, sodium, calcium, chlorine, ferrous and magnesium, depending on the hot spring.

This Travel Japan Onsen writer is an aficionado of onsen and have tried quite a few all over Japan.

In Hokkaido, I have been to the Sounkyo Onsen, located in the Daisetsuzan National Park, and experienced the sulfurous waters in the Hotel Taisetsu.  I stayed in a Japanese tatami room. The onsen waters are on the hotter side, and baths are tiled and also of black marble. Rotemburo, or outdoor baths are available. The outdoor bath is wonderful in the winter in the severe Japan climate, with the cold air hitting you in the face as you relax in the hot water. Dinner included fresh delicious seafood, hot pot and local delicacies.

In the Shiretoko National Park, Utoro Onsen I stayed at the Shiretoko Grand Hotel Kitakobushi, overlooking the frozen harbor in a Japanese tatami room. The indoor baths of salt water(sodium chloride) and boric acid afford a wonderful look at the harbor and the Okhotsk Sea beyond, and the waters are good for chill, burns, ulcers, joint aches, and women’s diseases. There is an outdoor rotemburo rock bath. Dinner included seafood such as king and hairy crab, scallops, shrimp, hot pot and other local specialties.

In the Akan National Park, I stayed in the Hotel Emerald, a lake side resort with a very nice buffet dinner in the large dining room overlooking Lake Akan with large rock and granite type onsen baths.  The area is one of the top Japan tourist attractions, with fun winter activities such as ice fishing, ice skating, and snow mobile riding.

In the Noboribetsu Onsen, I stayed at the Hotel Mahoroba, which boasts 31 onsen tubs including indoor tiled, rotemburo rock, hinoki (cypress), and hotter waters of sulfur, sodium chloride, and ferrous, good for neuralgia, arthritis, skin diseases, and women’s disorders. The room was a Japanese tatami room, and the buffet featured popular Hokkaido specialties crab, scallops, sashimi, hot pot, and local delicacies. Although the strong sulfur smell was quite stinky, the hot onsen was great for the tired body.

In Aomori, I have been to the Asamushi Onsen and stayed at the Kaisenkaku overlooking Mutsu Bay. The hotel has large tiled baths overlooking the bay and coast and the waters are sulfurous, calcium and sodium chloride, which are good for rheumatism, chronic eczema, keratosis, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and women’s diseases. The food included hairy crab, shrimp, scallops, sashimi, and hot pot dishes.

In Fukushima, I have been to the Aizu Bandai Heights and stayed at the Urabandai Royal Hotel and sampled the rock rotemburo and large indoor bath waters which are sodium, calcium sulfur, acid, and chloride, which are good for neuralgia, muscular and joint pain, frozen shoulder, bruises and sprains, digestive organ disease, hemorrhoids, poor circulation, arteriosclerosis, burns and skin diseases. I stayed in a western room and the food was local seafood and delicacies.

In Niigata, I have been to Sado Island and stayed at the Hotel Hirane, with a smaller tiled bath with alkaline, sodium chloride, and sulfuric acid waters good for atopic skin conditions, cuts, burns, women’s disorders, and arteriosclerosis. The room was a Japanese tatami room. Food consisted of local seafood, and local delicacies, and some of the finest foods in Japan.  The Niigata rice shined and smelled and tasted great, and so did some of the best sake in the country.   A Travel Japan Onsen recommendation.

In Yamanaka Onsen, near Kanazawa, I stayed at the Tawaraya, a very nice riverside ryokan. The indoor baths are granite and the rock rotemburo overlooks the river and the forested area across the river. The waters are of calcium and sodium sulfate, and are good for muscular, joint, and shoulder pain, bruises, hemorrhoids, sensitivity to colds, skin diseases arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and burns. The room was a Japanese tatami room overlooking the river and the forest. The food consisted of crab, shrimp, sashimi, and beef steak, along with local delicacies.  A Travel Japan Onsen recommendation and this Travel Japan Onsen writer's favorite!


In Kamisuwa Onsen, Nagano, I stayed at the Rako Hananoi Hotel, a nice ryokan overlooking Lake Suwa. The large indoor bath was granite, the rock rotemburo overlooked the lake. The waters are good for rheumatism and gastrointestinal disorders. The room was a western room and the food was fresh local seafood consisting of crab, sashimi, and local fish, along with beef steak.  A Travel Japan Onsen recommendation.

In Tokyo, if your time in Japan is short, be sure to visit the Ooedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba. I’ve been there several times now, and although it is somewhat like a theme park with a re-creation of an old Edo street, the waters of the hot springs are pumped from 1,400 meters underground and are very relaxing. The waters are comprised of sodium and chlorine, calcium and magnesium. The very large indoor baths reminds one of the old sentos(public baths)in old Edo. There are also rock rotemburo and even foot baths to soothe your tired feet. At the Ooedo Onsen Monogatari there are also 16 Japan restaurants you can dine at and eat soba noodles, tempura, sushi, oden, and much more, and numerous booths where you can get your fortune told, ninja knife throwing, blow gun darts, and you can even get massages.  A Travel Japan Onsen recommendation.

In Atami Onsen in Shizuoka, I have been to the Hotel Resporpia and the Atami Korakuen and the baths are of granite and tile and rotemburo of Japanese cypress and the waters are of calcium, sodium, and chloride which are good for skin diseases, digestive diseases, joint and nerve pains, bruises and fatigue. Both hotels afford great views of Sagami Bay and the food is excellent, with local fresh seafood like zuwai crab, sashimi and specialties.   This area is one of a number of popular Japan tourist attractions because to its close proximity to Tokyo.  A Travel Japan Onsen recommendation.

In Kyushu, I have been to the Ibusuki Onsen when I stayed at the Ibusuki Iwasaki Hotel. I was able to experience the famous sand baths while there. You get into cotton yukata, and proceed to be buried to your neck in a lying position with hot volcanic heated sand, and get a very good sauna. After the hot sand bath you enter a heated pool to wash sand off before you go in to the hotel to shower. The sand bath is good for arthritis, neuralgia, rheumatism, asthma, and promotes good blood circulation. The room was a western room, and the buffet was a combination of Japanese, Western and Chinese food.  This area is one of a number of very popular Japan tourist attractions for Asians.

In the Kirishima Onsen in the Kirishima National Park, I stayed at the Kirishima Hotel, with its very large co-ed bath of granite and rock, along with separate bath changing rooms. I must say, that was an interesting, but fun experience, with men and women bathing together.  I think only the westerners were self-conscious about bathing together.  The Japanese were unaffected-life in Japan goes on.  The waters are chloride sulfate and a little cloudy. My room was a Japanese tatami room. The food was good, mostly local specialties.   A Travel Japan Onsen recommendation.

With still many onsen for me to experience in Hakone, in Kyoto,in Gunma, in Tochigi, in Sendai, in Shikoku, in Kumamoto, Beppu and Okinawa, I look forward to writing about them in another article soon.

Special thanks to a dear friend, Mrs. Jo Matsu of Marukai Hawaii Tours, who got me hooked on Japanese onsen.  If you would like info on tours, please contact her at jmatsu@marukaihawaii.com.

For further information on this and other Japan subjects, please click here:  http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.

Travel Japan-Nagano

Travel Japan-Nagano:

Perhaps best known as the site of the Winter Olympics in Japan in 1998, it is located in the northern part of the Prefecture in the Hokuriku area. The population is approximately 378,000. In the history of Japan, Nagano was the former fief of the Sanada clan of Shinano, and location of a famous battle between the Uesugi clan and Takeda clan in the battle of Kawanakajima in feudal Japan. Today, the Olympic ski runs are still visible and used during winter. The area is also known for its Jigokudani Monkey bathing, and is known for its onsen hot springs and sake because of the clean water in the area. It is accessible by train from Tokyo via Shinkansen - a 1 hour trip, and by bus from Tokyo a 3 ½ hour trip.

Tateyama-Kurobe -Alpine Route:

The Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route is a must see. The area, known as the Japan Alps, affords great panoramas and you can see the Japan geography of the countryside and unforgettable views of the mountains no matter what time of the year you visit. The Kurobe Dam also affords great views and the cable railway ride in the dam was quite scary, looking down as the railway car went up the dam at about a 45 degree angle. The area is accessible by train, bus, cable car and ropeway. My trip was by bus, trolley, cable railway and I was able to ride the ropeway which gave spectacular views of the dam and countryside. Being there in early fall, the air was quite chilly. Be sure not to miss the Daio Wasabi Farm, where you can eat a wasabi(Japanese horse radish) ice cream, wasabi beer, and many other wasabi-made food products. This is a recommended side trip.

Tsumago-juku an old post town on the Nakasendo Road of the Edo era, and was the 42nd post town counted from Edo(now Tokyo)to Kyoto, making for an interesting experience as you walk along the road and imagine what it would have been like during that feudal era. The architecture of the area included Japanese tile roofs and buildings mostly of weathered Japanese cypress. Experience the Japan culture that this precious historic town has been preserved as it was in Japan history, with no modern signs or exposed light/telephone poles or TV antennas. Interesting sights included a Kura (warehouse)with its Japanese padlock protecting the door and a water wheel.

For further information of this and other subjects, please click here: http://www.traveljapan-us.com/.