I love red bean soup. When I was a kid, red bean soup made a regular appearance at home during the weekends. My mom liked to serve this dessert because it is easy to prepare, tasty and the ingredients are
Fukuoka: A Gorgeous Starbucks At Dazaifu
This Starbucks in Dazaifu has the most visually arresting architecture in a Starbucks store that I have ever come across. Nestled between shops selling traditional sweets and handicrafts, you cannot miss it on your way from the train station
Fukuoka: Canal Punting In Yanagawa
Visiting Yanagawa, a former castle town approximately 45 minutes away from Fukuoka city by the limited express train, was not originally on my itinerary. As the lady-owner of the o-zenzai shop recommended that I visit Yanagawa to experience the canal boat tours, I
Fukuoka: Karo no Udon / The Frog Udon
Although Fukuoka is famous for its tonkotsu ramen, the most memorable noodles that I ate during my stay in Fukuoka was this delicious udon from a shop called Karo no Udon, located on Kokutai Road. A chef-friend recommended this udon
Tokyo Getaway: The Great Buddha Of Kamakura
鎌倉の大仏は日本に有名です。 ^ The Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kamukura Daibutsu) located in the Kotokuin temple was our last stop for the Kamakura day-trip. The Daibutsu is a very famous bronze Buddha statue in Japan. The other famous bronze Buddha statue that
Tokyo Getaway: Jochiji Temple in Kamakura
Of the places of worship in Kamakura that we have visited this time, the Jochiji temple is my favourite. It might not look as grand as the Tsugaoka Hachiman Shrine, or as impressive as the Engakuji Shrine, or is as
Tokyo Getaway: Ghibli Museum, Mitaka
One of the things that I wanted to do during this trip was to visit the Ghibli Museum, located at Mitaka, just outside of central Japan. Being a fan of Miyazaki’s animes, I was curious to see the animation and
Tokyo Getaway: Engakuji Temple, Kamakura
By the time we were done with visiting Tsurugaoka Hachiman shrine, it was close to noon, and temperatures were creeping up to become mildly warm. From the shrine, we took a long sweaty hike to the next temple, Engakuji Temple, the second
Tokyo Getaway: Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine In Kamakura
^ Founded in 1061, this is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan. The temple grounds are big and beautiful. You have to pass through three Torii gates and climb 62 steps before you arrive at the main
Tokyo Getaway: Teppanyaki At Hakushu
Apart from Hakata Tenshin, C recommended that we visit Hakushu, a teppanyaki place, located close to the Shibuya subway station. It was an excellent recommendation, because the food was so good and affordable. TBH and I are not fond of
Tokyo Getaway: Komachi-dori in Kamakura
We spent one day hiking around Kamakura during our last autumn trip to Tokyo. Kamakura is a very pretty city that is easily accessible from Tokyo by train. It has lots of temples and shrines, old shopping streets lined with
Tokyo Getaway: Ramen At Hakata Tenshin
A five-day trip that will take me months to complete blogging! One thing for sure, I could not be a “professional blogger”. ‘Cos I won’t ever survive in this cut-throat business of having to constantly generate fresh material, in a
Tokyo Getaway: Tempura At Tenmasa
Before we left for Tokyo, a friend recommended a tempura restaurant called Tenmasa to us. The restaurant was featured on an ANA inflight programme and he said that the tempura looked very good. I did some online research on the