Since I'm reading this in the west of Japan in a snow storm, I wish to point out that there's snow all along the Japan sea coast - or if not on the coast in the mountains just a few km inland. I'm probably biased since I live here but I think Shimane is just as pretty and undiscovered by the gaijin hordes as Iwate - I wrote this last year about my home town of Izumo
Japanese tours usually combine the Chusonji with the nearby Motsuji. I imagine that would also be very beautiful in the snow. I'll be going to Iwate this summer, flying to Hanamaki and we will definitely be visiting Kanegasaki which I didn't know about until this post.
Oh so beautifully captured!! I love seeing your photos. Thank you for sharing these photos from Kanazawa to across Gifu. I'm curious if in any of these places, you experienced over-tourism (particularly Shirakawago?)
Thank you so much for your kind words and for your beautiful and thoughtful newsletter. This time around, Shirakawa was surprisingly a little less crowded than I expected, despite it being a national holiday. However, I do remember encountering much larger crowds during a previous visit when there was a winter illumination event.
Thank you for recommending Kanazawa--One of my goals for this year is to travel to destinations other than Kyoto & Osaka, I've heard many good things about Kanazawa so it's on the list now.
Same goes for the onsen spot in Akita. Not sure how much time I need to plan for a trip from Tokyo but with any luck, I might be able to enjoy it next winter!
Her zamanki gibi cok tesekkur ederim :) Haziran ortasi gibi Tokyo`da yagmur mevsimi basliyor, Mayis basi da Japonlarin Golden Week denilen seyahat haftasi oluyor (oteller biraz pahalilasiyor) ama onun arasindaki donem bence mevsim olarak en ideal zamanlardan. Simdiden iyi seyahatler, yardim edebilecegim bir konu olursa da lutfen cekinme.
What an absolutely gorgeous post. Thank you for sharing this with us. I wish I could go to Kanazawa. I visited Tokyo and Chiba in 2014 and absolutely loved it, but never been back to Japan. This makes me want to plan a trip.
Kanazawa is what I pictured in my mind when I read Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto. In that novel, she writes of an eclectic city named Shimokitazawa. The snowy winter night in Kanazawa looks surreal and magical. I wish I could walk through a portal and be transported to Kanazawa.
Joel
P.S. The first book I read by Ms. Yoshimoto was Kitchen, which was also very good.
Thank you for this very enjoyable post which brought back happy memories of a couple of visits a few years ago to Kanazawa and Takayama. In Kanazawa town is the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art which is beautifully laid out with many attractive exhibits, and attached to the Museum is a lovely cafe/patisserie which is worth a visit in itself. We visited Shirakawa-go too, but in early May. It was thronged with visitors then too, but they were school children (very well behaved of course) and I don’t imagine there is ever a quiet time to visit.
Since I'm reading this in the west of Japan in a snow storm, I wish to point out that there's snow all along the Japan sea coast - or if not on the coast in the mountains just a few km inland. I'm probably biased since I live here but I think Shimane is just as pretty and undiscovered by the gaijin hordes as Iwate - I wrote this last year about my home town of Izumo
https://ombreolivier.substack.com/p/enmusubi-life?r=7yrqz
Japanese tours usually combine the Chusonji with the nearby Motsuji. I imagine that would also be very beautiful in the snow. I'll be going to Iwate this summer, flying to Hanamaki and we will definitely be visiting Kanegasaki which I didn't know about until this post.
I am going to Kanazawa at the beginning of April. I look forward to visiting!
Have a wonderful trip Cameron. I guess you will be there on time for Sakura.
What an incredibly gorgeous read. Living in Japan has always been a dream of mine; so inspiring to see your life there.
Thank you for your kind word, interest and time Lish!
Oh so beautifully captured!! I love seeing your photos. Thank you for sharing these photos from Kanazawa to across Gifu. I'm curious if in any of these places, you experienced over-tourism (particularly Shirakawago?)
Hi Kana,
Thank you so much for your kind words and for your beautiful and thoughtful newsletter. This time around, Shirakawa was surprisingly a little less crowded than I expected, despite it being a national holiday. However, I do remember encountering much larger crowds during a previous visit when there was a winter illumination event.
As always, thank you for your interest.
Thank you for your insight! That's good to know. I'm looking forward to your next month's letter :)
Lovely post. +1 for Iwate, regardless of the season.
Wow, your pics are stunning!
Thank you for recommending Kanazawa--One of my goals for this year is to travel to destinations other than Kyoto & Osaka, I've heard many good things about Kanazawa so it's on the list now.
Same goes for the onsen spot in Akita. Not sure how much time I need to plan for a trip from Tokyo but with any luck, I might be able to enjoy it next winter!
absolutely amazing!
Thank you Jaap.
Sevgili Burcu, yine harika yazmışsın. Gidilecek yerler listeme yeni yerler eklendi :) Mayıs’ta Japonya’ya geliyorum. O mevsimde gidilir mi, ne dersin?
Sevgiler.
Her zamanki gibi cok tesekkur ederim :) Haziran ortasi gibi Tokyo`da yagmur mevsimi basliyor, Mayis basi da Japonlarin Golden Week denilen seyahat haftasi oluyor (oteller biraz pahalilasiyor) ama onun arasindaki donem bence mevsim olarak en ideal zamanlardan. Simdiden iyi seyahatler, yardim edebilecegim bir konu olursa da lutfen cekinme.
What an absolutely gorgeous post. Thank you for sharing this with us. I wish I could go to Kanazawa. I visited Tokyo and Chiba in 2014 and absolutely loved it, but never been back to Japan. This makes me want to plan a trip.
Hi Liza, thank you for your kind comment. I hope you get to re-visit soon!
Burcu,
Kanazawa is what I pictured in my mind when I read Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto. In that novel, she writes of an eclectic city named Shimokitazawa. The snowy winter night in Kanazawa looks surreal and magical. I wish I could walk through a portal and be transported to Kanazawa.
Joel
P.S. The first book I read by Ms. Yoshimoto was Kitchen, which was also very good.
Hi Joel, I also loved Kitchen. I will definitely read Moshi Moshi based on your suggestion, thank you!
Kitchen is one of my favourite books of my younger years. All Yoshimoto's writing is rather mesmerising.
Reading this from rural Cariboo, such a treat to see how the snow falls in other places. Beautiful work.
Thank you Benjamin!
Sumptuous photos! Have you been to Chojukan in Hoshi Onsen? Stunning in the snow
https://open.substack.com/pub/marcoandsabrina/p/christmas-in-japan-hot-springs-bathing?r=10ijux&utm_medium=ios
I didn’t know that my city Kanazawa was this lovely! Your photos are captivating
Akiko-san, I think your sense of beauty and design clearly match the elegance of your city 💚
Thank you for this very enjoyable post which brought back happy memories of a couple of visits a few years ago to Kanazawa and Takayama. In Kanazawa town is the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art which is beautifully laid out with many attractive exhibits, and attached to the Museum is a lovely cafe/patisserie which is worth a visit in itself. We visited Shirakawa-go too, but in early May. It was thronged with visitors then too, but they were school children (very well behaved of course) and I don’t imagine there is ever a quiet time to visit.
Wow so beautiful! Thank you!
Thank you Roman.
As much as I love where I currently am (The Galápagos) I long to return to Japan. Thank you for taking me back.
Thank you Claire. Galapagos also sounds very exciting!