Japan's Hotsprings (onsen)Food,People and Scenery

Cheap/budget hotels in Tokyo

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This hotel rates start from S$68 per person a night with free light breakfast.

This one starts from S$77 to S$111 a night.

Sanma also know as mackerel pike

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Saury, or sanma, is one of the most prominent seasonal foods representing autumn in Japanese cuisine. It is most commonly served salted and grilled (broiled) whole, garnished with daikon oroshi (grated daikon) and served alongside a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup. Other condiments may include soy sauce, or lime, lemon, or other citrus juices. The intestines are bitter, but many people choose not to gut the fish, as many say its bitterness, balanced by the condiments, is part of the enjoyment. Salt-grilled saury is also served in Korea, where it is known as kongchi gui (꽁치구이).
Sanma sashimi is becoming increasingly available but is not common. It is rarely used for sushi; however sanma-zushi is a regional delicacy along parts of the Kii Peninsula, especially along the coast of southern Mie Prefecture. It is prepared by pickling the sanma in salt and vinegar (depending on the region, bitter orange or citron vinegar may be used), and then placing it on top of vinegared rice to create the finished sushi.
The fish can also be pan-fried or canned kabayaki. It is also used for fish meal and pet food in some Western countries, while in Alaska pollock is more often used for this purpose.
The flesh of Pacific saury contains good quality protein, which is easily digestible, absorbed, and utilized by the human body. The flesh is rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, "good fats" that aid in the prevention of heart disease.

BTW: Sanma is available at Giants supermart Tampines branch ( 59 cts per 100 grams)

Ramen

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Ramen is a noodle soup that was originally imported to Japan from China in the Meiji Period. In more recent decades, it has become a very popular dish in Japan, adapted to the Japanese taste. Ramen restaurants (ramen ya) number in the thousands, and instant ramen (invented in 1958) is popular both in and outside of Japan.

Ramen noodles are about as thin as spaghetti and are served in a soup that varies based on region, city and even specific vendor. Ramen's popularity stems in part from the fact that it is so inexpensive and widely available, making it an ideal option for budget travelers. In addition to freshly prepared ramen at ramen ya, supermarkets and convenience stores offer a large selection of instant ramen bowls.

Though ramen can be considered a one dish meal, gyoza are a common side dish offered at ramen ya. These Chinese style, pan fried dumplings are eaten with a soya and vinegar sauce. Shichimi (red chili mix) is usually available on the table to be added according to taste.

Ramen can be classified according to its soup base. The most popular ones are:

Shoyu Ramen: Brown, transparent, soya sauce based soup
Miso Ramen: Brown, non-transparent, miso based soup.
Shio Ramen: Transparent, salt based soup.
Tonkotsu Ramen: White, milky, pork based soup.
Ramen can also be named according to its ingredients. For example, chashumen is a ramen dish that features barbecued pork as toppings

Hakone is a good choice.

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Hakone, a hot spring or onsen town is a good choice for foreigners to visit.It is less than 100 km from Toyko and generally the roykans or tradinal Japanese hotel staff speak some english.

Hakone has been one of Japan's most popular hot spring resorts for centuries. Nowadays, more than a dozen springs provide hot spring water to the many bath houses and ryokan in the Hakone region.

Yumoto, at the entrance to the Hakone area near Odawara, is Hakone's most famous hot spring with a particularly long history, high quality water and numerous baths and inns. But many more hot spring baths can be found in the valleys and mountains of Hakone and at the shores of Lake Ashi.

Visitors can enjoy a hot spring bath in a public bath house or ryokan, as many ryokan open their baths not only to staying guests but also to daytime visitors. While staying guests can use the baths for free, daytime visitors pay an admission fee of typically between 500 and 2000 Yen.

Japanese language

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The Japanese language has always played a significant role in Japanese culture. The language is spoken mainly in Japan but also in some Japanese emigrant communities around the world, it is an agglutinative language and the sound inventory of Japanese is relatively small but has a lexically distinct pitch-accentsystem. Early Japanese is known largely on the basis of its state in the 8th century, when the three major works of old Japanese were compiled. The earliest attestation of the Japanese language is in a Chinese document from 252 A.D. It is regarded as an extremely hard language for westerners to learn as adults.
Japanese is written with a combination of three scripts: hiragana which were derived from the Chinese cursive script, katakana, which were derived as a shorthand from Chinese characters, and kanji, imported from China. The Latin alphabet, rōmaji, is also often used in modern Japanese, especially for company names and logos, advertising, and when inputting Japanese into a computer. The Hindu-Arabic numerals are generally used for numbers, but traditional Sino-Japanese numerals are also commonplace

Hakodate,Hokkaido

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Hakodate Ryokan

Hakodate lies in the southwest corner of Hokkaido and faces the Tsugaru Strait. At the end of the 19 century, Hakodate developed as a port town open to foreign trading and as a result today visitors can see the remnants of European, American and Russian style architecture. The Motomachi section of Hakodate houses the Western style architecture as well as various churches including the Russian Orthodox Church. One of the biggest attractions of the city is the Asaichi fish market located near the Hakodate train station. There are more than 360 stalls selling all kinds of seafood in the morning hours.....click here for more.

Sapporo City,Hokkiado

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The city contains many essential sights: the Sapporo City Clock, which has been marking time for over a century; the old Hokkaido government building, a neo-baroque building known as "Red Brick" that is lit up after dark; and the poplars outside Hokkaido University (formerly Hokkaido Agricultural College). Click here to continue

Japan Rail Pass for visitors

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If you are a foreigner visiting Japan for a holiday you may purchase a Japan Rail Pass for as low as 28,300 Yen (for 7 days)which is equivalent to S$438 ( 1000 Yen= S$15.50 cts). For a 14 day pass it is S$700 and 21 day pass is S$894. For children it is much cheaper.
The JAPAN RAIL PASS is valid for the railways, buses, and ferry boats shown below.

Railways: All JR Group Railways-Shinkansen"bullet trains" (except any reserved or non-reserved seat on "NOZOMI" trains), limited express trains, express trains, and rapid or local trains. (With some exceptions)

Buses: Local lines of JR bus companies (JR Hokkaido Bus, JR Bus Tohoku, JR Bus Kanto, JR Tokai Bus, West Japan JR Bus, Chugoku JR Bus, JR Shikoku Bus, JR Kyushu Bus) and some of JR highway bus services*.

* Sapporo-Otaru; Morioka-Hirosaki; Tokyo-Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka,Tsukuba Center; Nagoya-Kyoto, Osaka; Osaka-Tsuyama, Kasai Flower Center
Ferry: Only the JR Miyajima ferry is covered. The JR Hakata-Pusan (Korea) ferry is not covered.

Important notes:
The JAPAN RAIL PASS is not valid for any seats, reserved or non-reserved, on "NOZOMI" trains on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.(The pass holders must take “HIKARI” or “KODAMA” trains.)If you use a "NOZOMI," you must pay the basic fare and the limited express charge, and for a Green Car the Green Car surcharge. Note also that passengers using JR trains on non-JR lines must pay additional fares and charges for sections traveled on such lines.

Where to buy the Rail Pass?

You cannot buy it in Japan.You should buy it in your country. It is call exchange order.

Where exchange orders are sold

Exchange Orders can be purchased from the following JR authorized sales offices and agents:
JTB Corp., Nippon Travel Agency, KINTETSU INTERNATIONAL, Toptour Corporation, Japan Airlines*, All Nippon Airways, JALPAK, and their associated agencies.
* In this case, you must book a JAL Group flight.

After you arrive in Japan, you turn in the Exchange Order to receive your JAPAN RAIL PASS at an applicable JR station that has a JAPAN RAIL PASS exchange office.

Popular Japanese Dishes

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Rice Dishes

Rice is the most important food in Japanese cuisine.It is also the staple food of the Japanese. Rice is known as gohan

Donburi

A bowl of cooked rice with some other food put on top of the rice. Some of the most popular toppings are tempura (tendon), egg and chicken (oyakodon), tonkatsu (katsudon) and beef (gyudon).

Onigiri
Onigiri are rice balls made of cooked rice and usually wrapped in nori seaweed. They are slightly salted and often contain some additional food in the center, for example an umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum), katsuobushi (dried bonito shavings), tuna or salmon. Rice balls are a popular and inexpensive snack available at convenience stores.

Kare Raisu
Kare Raisu (Curry Rice) is cooked rice with a curry sauce. It can be served with additional toppings such as tonkatsu. Curry is not a native Japanese spice, but has been used in Japan for over a century. Kare Raisu is a very popular dish, and many inexpensive Kare Raisu restaurants can be found especially in and around train stations.

Fried Rice
Fried rice or chahan has been originally introduced from China. A variety of additional ingredients such as peas, egg, negi (Japanese leek) and small pieces of carrot and pork are mixed into the rice when stir fried. It is a suitable dish for using left over rice.

Chazuke
Chazuke is a bowl of cooked rice with green tea and other ingredients, for example, salmon or tarako (cod roe) added to it. It is a suitable dish for using left over rice.

O-Kayu
Kayu is rice gruel, watery, soft cooked rice that resembles oatmeal. It is a suitable dish for using left over rice and is often served to sick people because it can be digested easily.

Seafood Dishes
Hundreds of different fish, shellfish and other seafood from the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers are used in the Japanese cuisine. They are prepared and eaten in many different ways, for example, raw, dried, boiled, grilled, deep fried or steamed.

Sashimi
Sashimi is raw seafood. A large number of fish can be enjoyed raw if they are fresh and prepared correctly. Most types of sashimi are enjoyed with soya sauce and wasabi.

Yakizakana
Yakizakana means grilled fish. Many varieties of fish are enjoyed in this way.

Noodle Dishes
There are various traditional Japanese noodle dishes as well as some dishes which were introduced to Japan and subsequently Japanized. Many of them enjoy a very high popularity.

Soba
Soba noodles are native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour or a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour. Soba are about as thick as spaghetti. They can be served cold or hot and with various toppings.

Udon
Udon noodles are native Japanese noodles made of wheat flour. Udon are thicker than soba and can also be served either hot or cold and with various toppings.

Ramen
Ramen are Chinese style noodles prepared in a soup with various toppings. Ramen is one of the many popular dishes that were originally introduced from China but have become completely Japanized over time.

Somen

Like Udon noodles, somen are Japanese noodles made of wheat flour, but they are much thinner than Udon and Soba. Somen are usually eaten cold and are considered a summer speciality.

Yakisoba
Yakisoba are fried or deep fried Chinese style noodles served with vegetables, meat and ginger.

Konyoku or mixed sex bathing

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Konyoku or mixed sex bathing in hotspring is a dying trend in Japan. However, there are still a small number of such onsen where men and women (strangers) could soak themselves in a public onsen. One that I know is Shitan-yu, a public, open air and mixed hot spring in Yufuin.
Here, naked men and women soak themselves and relax. However, foreigners are not allowed in such a premise. Sorry no photos are allowed to be taken.

Nude Japanese Gals

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Click Boobsie Japanese Gals

Info on Minshuku a family-run Inn.

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Minshuku is a type of Japanese style bed and breakfasts inn. When you stay in a minshuku,you are able to mix and interact with the family that operate it. You would be able to learn about the culture and custom of the Japanese people by spending your time in the minshuku. Rates for minshuku is between 5,000 and 9,000 yen per night per person. Like anywhere else there are cheaper alternatives eg. some minshuka without frills ask for less than 4,000 yen per night. Typically, in a minshuka,the guest lives like a local i.e. sleeps on a tatami,uses a futon,takes ofuro,eats asagohan and bangohan etc.

Map of Japan

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Beppu City, Kyushu,South Japan.

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Room rate are about 16,000 Yen ( S$200) for a single adult staying one night (two meals included).

One of Japan's Three Great Hot Springs, Beppu is also known as the Las Vegas of Japan, a reference more to its extensive sex industry than gambling. The resort has been attempting to clean up its image though, with limited success.

Get in
By plane
The nearest airport is in Oita, from which shuttle buses run to Beppu (¥1450, 40 minutes).

By train
The Sonic limited express train runs twice an hour from Fukuoka (Hakata) and Kokura, stopping at Beppu before terminating in Oita. If you are coming from Honshu on the San'yo Shinkansen line, switch to the Sonic at Kokura station. From Kokura, you can reach Beppu in 75 minutes at a cost of ¥4290 each way (no charge with the Japan Rail Pass).

An overnight train, the Fuji, runs from Tokyo Station to Beppu in 17 hours, departing Tokyo at 6 PM. If you want reach Beppu in a shorter amount of time, you can take the 10 PM Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto to Himeji, take the San'yo Shinkansen to Kokura, then take the Sonic to Beppu. (12 hours)

By car
The Oita Expressway runs from the south, passing a few miles to the west of the city. Exit at the Beppu Interchange. National Route 10 runs north-south through the city center, along the shore of Beppu Bay.

By boat
Kansai ferries runs a service from Osaka to Beppu, stopping in Kobe and Matsuyama on route.

Get around
The Foreign Tourist Information Office (Tel. 0977-23-1119; open 9:00am-5:00pm) has two branches in the city center. One is near the east exit of JR Beppu Station, and the other is on Ekimae-dori, between the Ginza and Yayoi shopping arcades. Both offer free internet access, maps of the city, bus passes and discount coupons for the jigoku.

Most of the sights can be reached by the Kamenoi bus system. Departures are from the terminal outside the west exit of JR Beppu Station. The Foreign Tourist Information Office sells one-day bus passes for ¥900 (¥700 for students). Destinations are listed in English, but many of the routes overlap with each other, so take care. An extra hand-written English route map is available upon request.

Food

Noboribetsu Onsen-cho Noboribetsu-city, Hokkaido

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How to get there:
It takes about one hour from JR Sapporo Station to Noboribetsu Station by a JR limited express train bound for Hakodate. It takes about 15 minutes by bus from Noboribetsu Station to Noboribetsu Onsen Stop.
From Shin-Chitose Airport take a JR train to Minami Chitose Station. It takes about 35 minutes from Minami Chitose Station to Noboribetsu Station by a JR limited express train bound for Hakodate.

Website:
Nobotibetsu City Tourism Information
Noboribetsu onsen is one of the most popular hot springs in Hokkaido. It's known for more than 10 kinds of good hot spring water. More than 3 million people visit Noboribetsu Onsen every year. It's not so far from Sapporo, so try to visit here when you go to Hokkaido.

Another place in Hokkaido:

Within easy access of Sapporo is Shikotsu-Toya National Park. This is one of Hokkaido's most beautiful parks but also one of its most developed. The centerpieces of Shikotsu-Toya National Park are two volcanic lakes: Toyako (Lake Toyako) and Shikotsuko (Lake Shikotsuko). Both lakes are very pretty and have excellent hiking trails. On the southern shores of Toyako lies Toyako Onsen (Toyako Hot Spring) and in the middle of the lake visitors can see the cone-shaped island of Oshima. The biggest attraction of Lake Toyako is the nearby dormant volcano Uzusan and the newly developed volcano Showa Shinzan. Lake Shikotsuko is the less developed of the two lakes, and it is Japan's second deepest lake (Lake Tazawako in Akita Prefecture is the deepest). The hike up the active volcano Tarumaezan located on the southern part of the lake is popular with visitors. Between the two lakes lies the hot spring resort village of Noboribetsu.

Kahiwaya,150 Km north of Tokyo.

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Kahiwaya Ryokan is a Japanese traditional style hotel located at the entrance of Shima spa, about 150 Km north of Tokyo.
(That's an estimated 3 hour trip by train or bus from Tokyo)

Shima spa (we say Shima "Onsen") is one of the most famous Onsen in Japan.
The reason for this is it's relaxing atmosphere, it's relaxing bathes, and it's surrounding countryside.

Kashiwaya Ryokan has three types of outdoor Onsen bathes as well as one indoor bath, and a private bath for chartered use.

All of our Japanese style Tatami rooms are kept clean, and while staying here you can be served Japanese food.
Surrounded by trees and mountains, Kashiwaya Ryokan is the perfect place to let your hair down and forget about the stresses of daily life.

While staying at Kashiwaya Ryokan you can enjoy staying and bathing in a traditional Japanese Onsen atmosphere.

How to get there...

--- by train ---

First ,from TOKYO to TAKASAKI , about 50 minutes by SHINKANSEN (bound for NIIGATA or NAGANO).
Next , from TAKASAKI to NAKANOJOU , about 50 minutes by JR AGATSUMA line.
Next , from NAKANOJO to SHIMA SPA , about 35 minutes by bus.
Finaly , you can see our inn
Time tabel and fare :
HYPERDIA Japan Home Page --- Estimating the cost of Train , Click here and please input the destination box as Nakanojo.

--- by car---

First , from TOKYO to SHIBUKAWA , about one hour by KANETSU express way
Next , from SHIBUKAWA　to SHIMA SPA , about 50 minutes by root 353
Finaly , you can see our inn

Kashiwaya Ryokan
3829 Shima-spa nakanojou-town , Agatsuma , Gunma 377-0601 JAPAN
contact me (recommend email or FAX)
FAX +81-279-64-2973 TEL +81-279-64-2255
email kashiwa@kashiwaya.org

Rates from 10,000 to 30,000 Yen per person for 1 night plus breakfast and dinner.

Maps of Hot Spring in Japan.

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Examples of accommodations with hot springs at Hakone

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Onsen, or Japanese Hot Springs, in Hakone.

Hakone-yumoto is a historical Hot Spring resort town that provides some of the highest quality Onsen in Japan. The hot spring waters of the Onsen flows directly comes from an underground Geyser. You can enjoy pure hot springs in large bathing rooms that are available to guests staying at certain hotels eg. Hotel Senkei, Yamagaso and Senkei Plaza Inn. They have the following types of bathing rooms:

- A large indoor bathing room for men.
- A large indoor bathing room for women.
- An open-air large bathing room with splendid view of mountains in Hakone.

At Hotel Senkei and Yamagaso, there is private bathing in your room. They also have Kashikiri-buro, or bathing rooms for private rental at Yamagaso. There are two types of Kashikiri-buro bathing rooms, a large type, and a medium type. Kashikiri bathroom is available for 24 hours a day.

The Medicinal Properties of the Hot Springs Water

The hot spring waters of Onsen have found to be effective treatment for these ailments:

Neuralgia, muscle aches, arthritis, stiff shoulders, motor paralysis, stiff joints, bruises, sprains, chronic alimentary diseases, hemorrhoids, poor circulation, convalescent stages, recovery from fatigue, promotion of health, cuts, burns, chronic dermatitis, physically weak children and chronic female disorders.

The Hot Springs Water in Onsen contains calcium sulfate and weak sodium chloride.

How to take a Japanese Bath
How to take a bath, Japanese style! You are only to go inside the bath tub after you washed your body. Firstly, you are to rinse your body with hot water. Washing beforehand helps to keep the water in the bath tub clean.

The rinsing and washing of your body with hot water also acclimatizes you to the actual temperature of the bath tub. It is not advisable to jump into the water like diving in to a swimming pool. Please use discretion.

Bring with you the small towel that will be provided with you and please do not put the hand towel into the bath tub water. Most people place the towel on their head. And remember do not use any soap or shampoo or other skin cleansers in bath tub.

Courtesy of Hotel Senkei, Yamagaso and Senkei Plaza Inn,Hakone.

Avearge hotel rates around S$120 to S$300 a night per person with 1 or 2 meals.

Hakone, Hot Springs (Onsen) Toyko

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Hakone hosts substantial tourist activity, and many, both Japanese and international visitors come to Hakone to relax, for treatment at the health resorts, or to visit the parks and mountains.

Lake Ashi from Hakone Ropeway, a major tourist attraction in Hakone.The volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, centered around Lake Ashi, is a popular tourist attraction well known for its onsen hot springs and its views of Mt. Fuji.

Sights include the volcanically active Great Boiling Valley and Hakone Shrine nestled on the shore of the lake, as well as the Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands. In April the cherry blossoms (sakura) and in autumn the Miscanthus sinensis (susuki) are reportedly a very beautiful view in the parks.

Transportation

Hakone is best accessed from Odawara and Mishima, the terminus of the Odakyu Odawara Line, 70 minutes from Shinjuku, Tokyo. From Odawara, the Hakone Tozan Line continues into various resort towns in Hakone. Odakyu also runs the Romancecar limited express between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto. From Gora, the terminus of Hakone Tozan Line, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car funicular goes to Sounzan. Owakudani can be reached by Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan and the lake, while the lake is crisscrossed by cartoonishly decorated "pirate" ships for tourists. There is also Hakone Komagatake Ropeway, which goes to the top of Mount Komagatake.

A popular "Hakone Free Pass", allowing unlimited use of most forms of transport for several days, is available. You can buy this free pass in Shinjuku, Odawara, and any other chief stations along Odakyu Odawara Line.

Hakone has a number of museums, including the Hakone Open-Air Museum

* From Narita International Airport (Toyko) take Japan Rail to Shinjuku and change at Shinjuku Station(about 1 hour)to Odakyu Odawara Line to Hakone (70 mins). Fare is between 5,000 to 6,000 Yen or about S$65. There are at least 5 other ways of travelling from Narita Airport to Hakone.

How to take a hot spring bath

Japanese girl enjoying hot spring

Modern Ryokan or Japanese Inn

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From the outside, a modern ryokan usually looks like a small hotel and indeed it has all the modern conveniences of a hotel. It is very comfortable and has Japanese-style rooms and baths. It is well maintained so both its interior and exterior look fairly new. There is some traditional Japanese atmosphere but there is little or no history to the place. It is close to a Japanese-style hotel but with touches of traditional Japanese culture here and there. The comfort of the guests is the number one priority, and the Japanese cultural experience takes second place.

An example of a modern Ryokan with hot spring bath below: