Author: Conor

Japan is renowned for its cherry blossoms; everybody knows that. Now, there is another flower of hidden beauty that can be found decorated the floors of Japans fields and parks, such as Takinoue Shibazakura Park. The flower is called Shibazakura in Japanese; and pink moss / moss phlox in English. An interesting little plant with… Read more

Hands down, this is our favorite place for risotto in Asahikawa. Risotteria.GAKU tre, or Gaku for short, has just so many good meals at a very reasonable price. The atmosphere and interior decoration is very cool and unique as well. Well worth the visit when you want a break from Japanese food (because sometimes you… Read more

There is a type of noodle in Japan called Somen. It’s made from wheat and it is the thinnest noodle eaten in Japan. Now, if you are interested, there is a subset of this noodle called, Hiyamugi. Also made from wheat, apparently it’s pretty rare. And even more rare are restaurants that serve Hiyamugi noodles.… Read more

Overall driving in Hokkaido is a lot easier compared to driving in Japan. However, I’m sure we all prefer to avoid being branded as a terrible tourist drivers and accidents. These are the 11 main things you should know about and expect before driving here Drive on the left Simple enough if your country does… Read more

Renting a car in Hokkaido is actually very simple, straightforward and streamline. Most websites from big businesses have English translations which makes the process very simple. Just click what car you want, how many days, the pick up and drop off time and you are good to go! I have had good experiences with both… Read more