Category: Japan

  • Chubu Trip Wrap-up

    What a trip to cap the year! I have been looking forward to this trip for months, and speculated endlessly about our itinerary. When I received the itinerary, I ended up having to Google every place listed, because I did not know any of them, apart from Nagoya, Takayama, and Shirakawa-go, which was actually perfect,…

  • Souvenirs from Japan

    Like Filipinos, the Japanese has a tradition of bringing home pasalubong everytime they go on a trip. That’s why you’ll always find souvenir shops with beautifully wrapped goodies, even in the supermarket (there is usually an area for souvenirs right at the entrance). The souvenirs are always locally made, unique to their region. Souvenir shop…

  • Meitetsu Department Store

    If you’re flying in and out of the Chubu Centrair International Airport and you’re taking the µ-Sky Airport Rapid Limited Express train to get out or get in the airport, you might as well make Meitetsu Department Store your first and last stop. One of the entrance to the Meitetsu Department Store from the Meitetsu-Nagoya…

  • Shinhotaka Ropeway

    The Shinhotaka Ropeway is in the far reaches of Takayama. About an hour and half drive away from the city center, the ride took us through and up the mountains. The snow-capped mountains we saw in the distance were now looming over us, and white blobs of snow can be found in the road side.…

  • Chubu Day 4: Shiojiri, Magome, and Nagoya

    It was another early morning for all of us. The travel agents making sure to drop of their big luggage at the reception to have it sent to their hotel in Yokohama, us writers making sure we have everything packed for our trip back to Manila. Fuji apple We tucked in a heavy breakfast, which…

  • Chubu Day 3: Nagano, Obuse, and Matsumoto

    It was another early morning, and we drove out of Matsumoto towards Nagano. As we got farther from the city center, we were able to see that Matsumoto lies in a basin — surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides. Green mountains with patches of reds and oranges near the lip of the basin, snow…

  • Chubu Day 2: Takayama, Shirakawa-go, and the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway

    I woke up relaxed and refreshed, thanks to our dip at the onsen the previous night. After a heavy breakfast at the hotel, we were soon pulling out of the drive and into Takayama. It’s Sunday, which meant that there’s a morning market by the Miyagawa river. Our bus driver parked beside the Takayama Betsuin…

  • Chubu Day 1: Gujo City and Takayama

    We felt the cold weather as we stepped off the plane unto the jetway. Stuck in the middle seat for three and a half hours, I made a beeline for the toilet as soon as I am inside the airport terminal, and was reintroduced to the wonder that is the Japanese toilet seat. Mmmmm, warm…

  • Getting to know Japan’s Chubu Region

    I am back from Japan, missing the cold weather and my daily dose of Hot Lemon. The trip was a great way to cap my year, as I turn 34 tomorrow. By the riverside in Takayama The Chubu region lies in the center of Japan, with Nagoya as its main domestic and international gateway.