SKI > Lotte Arai Resort, Japan

Powder, Luxury, and Adventure on Japan’s Snowiest Slopes There’s a certain thrill to arriving at Lotte Arai Resort—a sense that you’ve come to a place where the mountains still call the shots. Set on the flanks of Mt. Okenashi in Niigata Prefecture, just under two hours from Tokyo by bullet train, Arai is a rarity…

ByCrispyJune 14, 20250Comments

EAT > KYOTO

EAT > Sushi Masumoto, Kyoto

In the beautiful back streets of Gion where the traditional ‘Matcha’ tea houses hide away there are some amazing restaurants hidden behind the sliding doors and ‘Noren’ doorway curtains. One of these outstanding restaurants is Sushi Masumoto which is a set Omakase course sushi restaurant preparing perfect individual morsels for 12 diners (eight at the…

ByCrispyApril 8, 20240Comments

EAT > KYOTO

EAT > Wajoryomen Sugari, Kyoto

Ramen. You love it, or you don’t. Hot, spicy, full of flavour. The best ramen is something of a work of art (see the quote below from the incredible 1985 movie Tampopo). Sugari has something of a following in a classic Matcha house, hidden on a narrow lane off a side street,…

ByEd ItorApril 6, 20240Comments

EAT

EAT > SHIBUichi Bakery, Shibuya

We don't usually write about bakeries or cafe's but it is time to change that because SHIBUichi has to be the best bakery we have visited in Japan and once discovered we have been back again and again. If you are looking for quality baked goods early in the morning (any time before 11am) you…

ByEd ItorJanuary 24, 20240Comments

EAT EAT > TOKYO

EAT > Ryan, Tokyo

Did someone say Soba? Ryan is not quite your standard Tokyo noodle stop. It is a stylish room with tables as well as bar seating, seating is comfortable and you can easily settle in for something of a session here. And let us be clear this is not a ¥900 noodle…

ByEd ItorJanuary 23, 20240Comments

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Cabernet Sauvignon DRINK > WINE > Merlot

DRINK > Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

I am not going to pretend to be any kind of expert on the wine of Bordeaux and there are many vastly more experience wine writers who have reviewed this wine in the past and given their reviews. But in December of 2023 at a wonderful degustation/omakase dinner at the quite incredible 'Sushi-M' this was…

ByEd ItorJanuary 19, 20240Comments

SKI > JAPAN WHERE TO SKI >

SKI > Hakuba Valley

Located in northwestern Nagano Prefecture of Honshu (the main island of Japan) at the base of the 3,000m tall Northern Japan Alps, you will find the town of Hakuba and the centre of HAKUBA VALLEY which is a group of 10 resorts (Happo-one, Iwatake, Tsugaike, Hakuba 47, Goryu, Kashmayari, Sanosaka, Jigatake, Norikura and Cortina). …

ByEd ItorSeptember 7, 20230Comments

EAT EAT > KYOTO

EAT > Nikuryori Oka, Kyoto (17/20)

Nikuryori Oka is restaurant that obsesses with beef, and not just beef but A5 marbled wagyu beef largely agreed to be the most flavoursome, melt in your mouth beef in the world. Hidden away amongst the beautiful machiya tea houses of Gion you will find a restaurant and a chef who will…

ByEd ItorSeptember 5, 20230Comments

EAT EAT > TOKYO

EAT > J U L I A Omakase, Tokyo (18/20)

Tokyo is has the most Michelin starred restaurants in the world, it is no wonder that in this incredible city fine food is expressed in so many ways and so there are so many choices. The Michelin guide lists 461 fine dining restaurants in Tokyo of those listed 199 have either 1, 2 or…

ByCrispySeptember 5, 20230Comments

SKI > JAPAN TRAVEL > JAPAN WHERE TO SKI >

SKI > Nozawa Onsen

Maybe not for everybody but for us it is definitely pretty close. We have been lucky enough to ski in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. We love skiing in Japan for a number of reasons, firstly of course the snow which is abundant and excellent quality, secondly the culture -…

ByEd ItorMay 30, 20230Comments

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