Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Canoeing & trekking for exciting landscapes at Iriomote island’s jungle

Active travellers with a guide can witness beautiful and exciting landscapes at Iriomote island’s jungle, as I did during my second stay in Okinawa in 2008. A helicopter tour would give you great views of the island but you would miss the unique sights of inner Japan enjoyed while canoeing or trekking in the jungle!

Ecotour photo 1: River partly covered by trees seen from a canoe.
View from a canoe on a river in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 2: First sight of Pinaisara waterfalls while canoeing.
ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara waterfalls) seen from a river in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 3: River seen through dense foliage while trekking in the jungle.
River seen from the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 4: Best panorama of Iriomote island from the top of Pinaisara waterfalls… See the top of the waterfalls, lively jungle, barely visible river, multi-coloured sea, and bright sky!
ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara waterfalls) above the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 5: Sébastien Duval with a smile at the bottom of Pinaisara waterfalls after trekking.
Sébastien Duval at the bottom of ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara waterfalls) on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Adventurers, nature lovers and travellers trying to find inner peace, your visit at Iriomote island may be your only chance to see such landscapes… Make the best of it!

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima), Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken).
  • Pinaisara waterfalls = ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara-no-taki).
Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Meeting wild cats, piranhas, vipers and lizards on Iriomote island!

Beautiful wild animals inhabit the jungle and rivers of Iriomote island. Some are cute and friendly… some are scary and dangerous… as I could witness during holidays in Okinawa in 2008.

Ecotour photo 1: Friendly lizard accepting my invitation to come on my sweaty arm. Admire its right eye, scales, yellow and dark tail, claws… What a good surprise! What an experience!
Lizard on Sébastien Duval's arm on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 2: Colourful lizard featuring black, yellow and blue stripes. Open your eyes in the jungle, look on the ground, on trunks, between leaves…
Colourful lizard in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour photo 3: Venomous Habu viper. Be careful with such snakes and listen to your guide’s instructions!
Venomous Habu viper in the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Ecotour example 4 (no photo due to fast movement and reflections): Ferocious Minami-kurodai piranhas in Nakama river.

Ecotour example 5 (no photo due to fast movement at night): Iriomote-yamaneko wild cat (endangered species).

Meeting wild animals while trekking or canoeing in a jungle really changes one’s vision of life, nature and humanity. I can only recommend it, with a good guide on Iriomote island or elsewhere in the world!

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima), Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken).
  • Nakama river = 仲間川 (Nakama-gawa).
  • Habu = 波布, Minami-kurodai = 南黒鯛, Iriomote-yamaneko = 西表山猫.
Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Mangrove & Sakishima-suo trees in Iriomote island’s jungle

Exceptional trees live in the jungle of Iriomote island. Some look thirsty… some look prehistoric… as shown on these photos of my trip to Okinawa in October/November 2008 :)

First example reached by canoe, a mangrove with long roots plunging into a river:
Mangrove on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

Second example reached on foot after canoeing, a Sakishima-suo tree with impressively tall but thin roots. Just grab one like a plank!
Sébastien Duval with François between the roots of a Sakishima-suo tree on 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

These exciting sights of Japanese nature were only two of the many good surprises of Iriomote island! Ready for some ecotourism in Japan?

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima), Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken).
  • Sakishima-suo tree = 先島蘇芳木 (Sakishima-suo-no-ki).
Learn about Japan

Any famous hot spring in Okinawa prefecture?

Okinawa prefecture has no famous hot spring. Still, Okinawa lets you relax in the water: you can swim in the sea at beautiful beaches or e.g. in the fresh pool at the bottom of Pinaisara waterfalls on Iriomote island! This is inner Japan :)

ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara waterfalls) above the jungle of 西表島 (Iriomote island, Japan) on 31 October 2008.

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Hot spring = 温泉 (Onsen).
  • Okinawa prefecture = 沖縄県 (Okinawa-ken), Iriomote island = 西表島 (Iriomote-jima).
  • Pinaisara waterfalls = ピナイサーラの滝 (Pinaisara-no-taki).
Learn about Japan

Japan’s 47 administrative areas: list and map in English

Japan is administratively divided in 47 complementary areas listed in English below by big region from North-East to South-West:

  1. Hokkaido
  2. Aomori
  3. Iwate
  4. Akita
  5. Miyagi
  6. Yamagata
  7. Fukushima
  8. Ibaraki
  9. Tochigi
  10. Gunma
  11. Chiba
  12. Saitama
  13. Tokyo
  14. Kanagawa
  15. Niigata
  16. Toyama
  17. Ishikawa
  18. Nagano
  19. Gifu
  20. Fukui
  21. Yamanashi
  22. Shizuoka
  23. Aichi
  24. Shiga
  25. Kyoto
  26. Hyogo
  27. Mie
  28. Nara
  29. Osaka
  30. Wakayama
  31. Tottori
  32. Shimane
  33. Okayama
  34. Hiroshima
  35. Yamaguchi
  36. Kagawa
  37. Tokushima
  38. Ehime
  39. Kochi
  40. Fukuoka
  41. Saga
  42. Nagasaki
  43. Oita
  44. Miyazaki
  45. Kumamoto
  46. Kagoshima
  47. Okinawa

Any specialist of Japan should know this basic list and should be able to place the 47 names on an administrative map of Japan. Do not wait if you plan to be an English-speaking tour conductor, tour guide or travel agent in Japan like Sébastien Duval :)

Map of Japan with the names of the prefectures in English. (Public domain via Wikimedia thanks to Tokyoship)

Learn more about Japan – Nihon – Nippon on Inner Japan…

Explore international cuisine in Japan

Spinach quiche and strawberry crepe roll at Muusa (Tokyo)

I lunched at Muusa (Tokyo) today, savouring a French quiche prepared with spinach, bacon and potatoes by TSUGAWA Sachiko and her assistant. Afterwards, I enjoyed 3 slices of strawberry crepe roll offered by Sachiko to celebrate the first business anniversary of Muusa :) Wonderful surprise and great taste!

Quiche prepared with spinach, bacon and potatoes at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 16 April 2014.

Strawberry crepe roll at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 16 April 2014.

Why not enjoy a delicious quiche or sweet during your next lunch in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward?

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Muusa = ムーサ, Chiyoda ward = 千代田区 (Chiyoda-ku), Tokyo = 東京.
  • TSUGAWA Sachiko = 津川・幸子.
Author's life, Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Merry Spring from Tokyo!

Merry Spring from Tokyo! This first day of Spring is a national holiday in Japan; I definitely appreciate it :) I could even see Mount Fuji from my building in Adachi ward this morning!

富士山 (Mount Fuji) seen from 足立区 (Adachi ward, Tokyo, Japan) on 21 March 2014.

Spring is gorgeous in Japan thanks to rows, skies and seas of white and pink perfumed cherry trees in streets, parks, riversides, mountains… Incomparable to the plum and peach blossoms seen since February! You can even enjoy cherry blossoms in Tokyo during walking tours with guides from March to April e.g. “2014 Best Cherry Blossoms” and “2014 Sweet Sakura Evening” by Travel Stand Japan.

Statue of a woman below cherry blossoms at 千鳥ヶ淵 (Chidorigafuchi, Tokyo, Japan) on 15 March 2014.

Why is Spring a great season in Japan? (1) You can enjoy beautiful nature through walks, hikes, rides on bicycles or horses… (2) You can eat sushi in a bento box with friends among cherry petals. (3) You can savour traditional Japanese sweets made from cherry flowers/leaves. (4) You can admire flying carps for Children’s Day on 05 May. (5) You can celebrate Buddha’s birthday at a Buddhist temple on 08 April…

Statue of Buddha at birth at 飛鳥寺 (Asuka-dera, Asuka, Japan) on 08 April 2013.

My travels in Japan and life in Tokyo formed dear “Spring memories”: a sea of cherry blossoms at Mount Yoshino in 2013, a Buddhist celebration for Buddha’s birthday at Asuka temple in 2013, sumo fights at Yasukuni shrine in 2004…

Sumo fight at 靖国神社 (Yasukuni shrine, Tokyo, Japan) on 09 April 2004.

This Spring, I plan to enjoy the 5 colours cherry blossoms festival in Tokyo, celebrate the Birth of Buddha at a Japanese temple, relax at outdoor hot springs, and visit the Fukushima prefecture. Contact me if you wish to join and enjoy inner Japan :)

USEFUL LINKS
  • Spring on Inner Japan.
  • Japanese calendar on Inner Japan.
  • Mount Fuji on Inner Japan.

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Adachi ward = 足立区 (Adachi-ku), Tokyo = 東京.
  • Mount Fuji = 富士山 (Fuji-san), Mount Yoshino = 吉野山 (Yoshino-yama).
  • Fukushima prefecture = 福島県 (Fukushima-ken).
  • Asuka temple = 飛鳥寺 (Asuka-dera), Yasukuni shrine = 靖国神社 (Yasukuni-jinja).
  • Buddha’s birthday = 花会式 (Hanaeshiki), Children’s Day = こどもの日 (Kodomo-no-hi).
  • 5 colours cherry blossoms festival = 五色桜まつり (Go-shiki-zakura-matsuri).
  • Travel Stand Japan = トラベルスタンドジャパン (Torabelu-Sutando-Japan).
Explore international cuisine in Japan

Soft pork stew prepared with dark beer at Muusa (Tokyo)

I lunched at Muusa (Tokyo) today, savouring a pork stew prepared with dark beer and red tomatoes by TSUGAWA Sachiko and her assistant. It was sooo soft!

Pork stew prepared with dark beer at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 11 March 2014.

Close-up: Pork stew prepared with dark beer at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 11 March 2014.

Why not taste this delicious pork stew at lunch the next time you visit Tokyo’s Chiyoda district?

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Muusa = ムーサ, Chiyoda district = 千代田区 (Chiyoda-ku), Tokyo = 東京.
  • TSUGAWA Sachiko = 津川・幸子.
Explore international cuisine in Japan

Delicious chocolate & raspberry galette at Muusa (Tokyo)

I just had a sweet break at Muusa (Tokyo) with two colleagues from Osanpo Jimbocho, savouring a French galette prepared with chocolate and raspberry by TSUGAWA Sachiko. It was as good as it looks nice on the photos :)

Chocolate and raspberry galette at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 08 March 2014.

Close-up: Chocolate and raspberry galette at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 08 March 2014.

I am glad I asked Sachiko to prepare what she felt like cooking this time: this delicious chocolate & raspberry galette is not on the menu… :)

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Muusa = ムーサ, Tokyo = 東京.
  • TSUGAWA Sachiko = 津川・幸子.
  • Osanpo Jimbocho = おさんぽ神保町.
Explore the Japanese cuisine

Delicious goya omelette & surprising pork rolls at Nago café (Tokyo)

Eating delicious Japanese food was a great way to end a busy successful week of work so I ate twice at Nago café (Tokyo) this Friday!

For lunch, NASHIRO Tsugumi cooked a delicious omelette containing goya (from Okinawa) and cheese, topped with a spicy tomato sauce. The set also included a soup with sesame oil, seaweeds, white rice, hot coffee, and a tiny slice of tankan (orange) pound cake.

Goya omelette with a soup, seaweeds, and white rice at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

Omelette containing goya from Okinawa and cheese, topped with a spicy tomato sauce at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

Coffee and a slice of tankan pound cake at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

For dinner, Tsugumi cooked a potato potage topped with banno-negi (onion) and surprising pork rolls containing bell pepper, green beans or okra.

Potato potage topped with banno-negi at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

Pork rolls containing bell pepper, green beans or okra at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

I learn new things about Japanese food and/or international cooking every time I go to this restaurant; these dishes are perfect examples!

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Banno-negi = 万能ネギ, Goya = ゴーヤー, Tankan = タンカン.
  • NASHIRO Tsugumi = 名城・嗣巳.
  • Nago café = なごかふぇ, Tokyo = 東京.
  • Okinawa archipelago = 沖縄諸島 (Okinawa-shoto).