Holly's Reviews Page 1/10

After entering Oharai-machi, turn right and you'll see it. The Akafuku Main Store is actually very easy to find. This is Akafuku's flagship location, and the timing of my visit was pretty good, so the line wasn't too outrageous. However, if it's very crowded and you're not set on eating at the main store, I don't think you need to spend all your time waiting here. There are other Akafuku shops nearby to choose from.
As for the Akafuku Mochi itself, I think its strongest point is actually the red bean paste. If the bean paste is strained too finely, it's easy to lose the aroma of the beans along with it. But if you try to preserve that aroma, it's difficult to make the paste this smooth. Akafuku balances the two very well. The texture is extremely delicate, but it doesn't just taste sweet—you can still taste the aroma of the azuki beans themselves. This seemingly simple wagashi actually requires a great deal of skill in handling red beans, and I think Akafuku is truly impressive in that regard.
What surprised me most was that it wasn't as sweet as I'd imagined. It's still sweet, but when paired with the hot tea provided, the sweetness is softened and everything comes back into balance. I really admire how Akafuku gets the level of sweetness just right.
When I visited, they also happened to have the seasonal summer Akafuku Mizu-Yokan. Akafuku Mizu-Yokan is made with azuki beans from Hokkaido and prepared as a whole slab poured into a single box, and it has very good reviews. I really wanted to buy it, but it's a frozen product that has to be kept cold. The problem was that I visited in August and still had a full itinerary after making the purchase, eventually heading all the way to Osaka. A frozen product was simply not practical to buy. If it had come in a smaller box, I could have found a place to sit after walking around Okage Yokocho and finished it right there. But it was a large 320g box, and no matter how much I can handle sweets, there was no way I could finish it all at once. In the end, I had to tearfully give up on it.

Kyoto has both an eastern and western Honganji Temple, but originally there was only one Honganji Temple. After Kennyo Shonin passed away, his eldest son Kyonyo succeeded him as head of Honganji, but Toyotomi Hideyoshi later ordered him to retire, and the position passed to his third son, Junnyo. This became the foundation for the lineage that would later develop into Nishi Honganji. Later still, Tokugawa Ieyasu granted Kyonyo land around Karasuma Rokujo and Shichijo in Kyoto, where Kyonyo reestablished Honganji, resulting in the present-day Higashi and Nishi Honganji temples.
Higashi Honganji is closer to Kyoto Station than Nishi Honganji. It is about a 7-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station, so if you happen to be nearby, I highly recommend stopping by. The first time I entered Higashi Honganji, I was genuinely taken aback because the grounds were far larger than I had expected. The Founder’s Hall in particular is one of the largest wooden structures in the world, and its interior contains 927 tatami mats. Compared with the other temples I had visited over the past few days, the ones I had previously thought were huge suddenly seemed like nothing.
And Higashi Honganji is not just “big.” If you look closely at the buildings, you will find many interesting details. Although the main buildings you see today have been reconstructed, the architecture still has plenty of details worth taking the time to examine. On this visit, for example, I saw quite a few wooden carvings featuring animals. The rabbit in the photo is one of them, and deer, dragons, lions, and other animals can be found elsewhere on the grounds. When visiting a large temple like this, it is easy to miss these small details if you only keep staring at the main hall. Instead, slowly looking up and down will reveal quite a few interesting things.
Also, it happened to be raining when I visited, and there seemed to be some kind of temple event going on. I saw the temple staff taking out a huge number of umbrellas to organize and dry them. From a distance, the sight of so many open umbrellas was actually quite impressive. This is not something an ordinary tourist would particularly expect to see, but it ended up becoming one of my strongest memories of Higashi Honganji.
I also never expected such a solemn temple to have its own mascot. On this visit, I saw a standee of “Ran’on-kun” on the grounds. It is a lion wearing Buddhist robes and holding prayer beads, which felt like quite a contrast at first glance. I later looked it up and found that it is an official character created for events related to the 750th memorial anniversary of Shinran Shonin in 2011. It made me feel that Japanese Buddhism is really quite modern.
And honestly, I personally think Higashi Honganji is quite luxurious. It feels very different from the style of Buddhist temples I commonly see in Taiwan, especially because the halls are decorated with many gold elements, making the overall appearance quite ornate. I even felt that it had the same kind of glittering golden visual effect as Nijo Castle,

Although Omihachiman isn't very far from the station, we rented bicycles near the JR station to save our legs. Luckily, we did, because the sights in Omihachiman were farther apart than expected, and some stretches were sloped. Even if you take a bus to the sights, the actual area to explore is still fairly large, so walking can be a little tiring. Having bicycles was really much more convenient.
The white walls, lattice windows, traditional machiya houses, and scenery around Hachiman-bori really give Omihachiman the feel of an Edo-period castle town. Almost any angle makes for an atmospheric photo. Although it looks a little like Kurashiki, the two are still different. There aren't as many businesses here as in Kurashiki, but the smaller crowds give it a character of its own. Since we visited in winter, the trees on both sides of the canal were bare. It wasn't as pretty as in other seasons, but the desolate feeling had its own charm. We also ran into lots of cats along the way. They weren't afraid of people and let us take pictures, which made me very happy.
Another main reason we included Omihachiman in this trip was the “Omihachiman Sekku Doll Tour,” because I wanted to see the Hina dolls displayed by local businesses. After actually visiting, I realized that it was more like individual families displaying their treasured Hina dolls in their own stores or homes and opening the spaces to visitors, rather than the kind of large exhibition I had imagined. Since we would have to enter the stores and would feel awkward leaving without buying anything, we didn't go out of our way to see them. However, the restaurant where we ate also had Hina dolls on display, and we found a style we liked, so it still felt worthwhile.
We also stopped by Hakuunkan along the way. This building was originally built in 1877 as Hachiman Higashi School. It combines Western architectural styles with traditional Japanese techniques and is a representative example of pseudo-Western architecture. It is now used as a tourist information center and is a convenient place to rest, ask for information, and buy souvenirs while exploring Hachiman-bori and the old town. We bought a postcard made from rush grass here, printed with a very Japanese-style design. I had already planned to buy a postcard to mail to myself, and when I saw this unusual design, I decided this was the one.
Another thing I was really looking forward to in Omihachiman was CLUB HARIE's baumkuchen. However, the Himure House doesn't directly face the main road, and at first we wandered around for quite a while without finding it. Finally, my friend couldn't take it anymore and rushed straight to Hakuunkan to ask the staff. That's when we learned it was actually nearby. After entering from the road near Hakuunkan, we found it by looking to the left.
In the end, we bought baumkuchen and pudding. The pudding looked delicious at the time, so I picked it up on impulse, but after eating it, I actually regretted it a little. If I'd known, I would have spent the entire budget on baumkuchen. The baumkuchen itself wasn't too sweet, the kind of flavor Taiwanese people would like.

I actually had only two goals for this visit to Hikone Castle: Hikonyan and the legendary staircase that's nearly 90 degrees steep. To make the schedule go more smoothly, we specifically came in the morning, hoping to catch Hikonyan's 11:00 performance. Hikone Castle itself is a National Treasure of Japan. Construction began in 1604 and took about 20 years to complete. The castle, once ruled by the Ii family as feudal lords, still retains much of its historic appearance. I originally didn't have many expectations for the castle itself, but once I went inside, even just walking from the entrance toward the castle grounds made me realize that it was actually quite large. There's a fair distance from the entrance to the castle keep.
The path into the castle grounds is actually pretty steep, but once I climbed up and looked down, the whole view suddenly gave me a strange sense of traveling through time, as if I had really stepped into the castle grounds of the past. Then it was time to wait for the staff to lead Hikonyan out to meet everyone. All I can say is that as soon as Hikonyan appeared, everyone there instantly went wild! Hikonyan was already adorable, and the staff member in the costume kept acting cute, so I couldn't stop taking pictures. I was snapping away almost the entire time.
The only unfortunate thing was that we couldn't take pictures directly with Hikonyan that day. We could only take photos from a distance or pose with the nearby signboard. Still, I was already very satisfied just to see Hikonyan in person.
After seeing Hikonyan, it was time to take on the extremely steep staircase leading up to the castle keep. Hikone Castle has an original three-story compound-style keep, and the stairs inside have an incline of around 60 to 62 degrees. Even before reaching the legendary staircase, the other stairs inside the castle were already very steep. When I finally saw the staircase leading to the very top, it honestly looked even more extreme than I'd imagined. There was just a rope beside it serving as a handrail, with staff at the top and bottom watching out for visitors' safety. I felt like I was basically crawling up on all fours.
After climbing to the top of the keep, the view outside was truly beautiful. Apparently, you can see Lake Biwa when the weather is clear. Unfortunately, although the weather was pretty good that day, there were still some clouds, so Lake Biwa wasn't very clear. Still, being able to look out over the surrounding scenery from that height made me feel that the difficult climb hadn't been for nothing.
But the real challenge wasn't over yet. Climbing up the stairs was already painful, but going down was a different kind of torture. I kept feeling like I might tumble down at any moment, and at one point I even thought rolling down might be faster! But that was just a thought. I still clung desperately to the rope and slowly made my way down one step at a time. I have no idea what position I was in as I went down anymore. I only remember trying very hard to make it down alive.
Besides the castle keep, there's also Genkyuen Garden, a daimyo garden next to Hikone Castle. Unfortunately, because it was winter, the garden scenery was rather plain. However, we unexpectedly came across a Japanese couple taking wedding photos. The bride was wearing an iro-uchikake wedding kimono and looked truly beautiful, which added another pleasant surprise to the trip.

This trip, I entered Japan through Naha Airport and then took a domestic flight from here to Haneda. It was also my first time taking a domestic flight in Japan from Okinawa, so I got to experience Naha Airport in a different way.
Although Naha Airport has several floors, the overall layout isn't too difficult to understand. The domestic and international terminals are in separate areas, so if it's your first time here, just check which airline you're flying, and you basically won't get lost. In the domestic terminal, the arrivals lobby is on the first floor, and you can find the bus and taxi stops there. To take the Yui Rail, follow the signs on the second floor. The route is very clear, and you don't need to make any detours. The third floor is for entry, so basically, each floor is clearly divided.
I also had a special mission this time: I wanted to find a Goshoin. One thing to note is that the sales counter is in the domestic terminal, and it takes some time to walk there from the international side. So I bought it when I was taking my domestic flight; otherwise, it would have been too far, since I was in a hurry. If you collect Goshoin like I do, I recommend allowing extra time instead of waiting until you're about to board and then rushing around looking for it. The walk alone may take longer than expected.
Naha Airport also has a very interesting stamp rally where you use layered-color stamps to complete a picture. Once you collect them all, you can exchange it for a 3D sticker. Unfortunately, one of the stamps was broken when I visited, so I couldn't complete the original picture and had to use other commemorative stamps instead. That was a little disappointing. Another thing to note is that you need to ask at the airport information counter for the designated paper used for the activity and to redeem the sticker. You also need to go during the counter's business hours, so I recommend checking the details before participating.
And if you want to participate in this activity, be sure to allow enough time because the stamps are spread across three floors. I went up and down several times to collect them, walked through both the departure and arrival areas of the domestic and international terminals, and also shopped for souvenirs. By the end, I felt like I almost knew Naha Airport better than Taoyuan Airport.
This time I flew Skymark from Naha to Haneda. Unexpectedly, before boarding, I got to see the ground crew writing and drawing with water on the apron. I'd seen similar scenes online before and thought they were interesting, but I never expected to see it in person in Okinawa this time. It really made me very happy.
Overall, I think Naha Airport is very convenient to get around, especially since the Yui Rail connects directly to the terminal, which is a big plus for independent travelers. In addition to basic transportation and shopping facilities, the airport also has commemorative stamps and a stamp rally, which shows how much thought Naha Airport puts into the experience. But could the stamp stations maybe not be spread across three floors? Going up and down is really tiring.

Masumida Shrine was a last-minute addition to this trip, and I ended up visiting it unexpectedly. After actually going there, I thought it was well worth the visit. The grounds have a sacred pond, a vermilion Good Fortune Bridge, and Hachiryu Shrine. The overall scenery is a little different from shrines where you only visit the main hall, and there are quite a few places to take photos.
You can collect sacred water at the Shinsuisha, so if you want to drink some, remember to bring a bottle. There is also a row of red torii gates in front of Tomishima Inari Daimyojin. Although it isn't on the same scale as the seemingly endless thousand torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, it still looks beautiful in photos. Since this place is a little out of the way, most tourists don't come here, so it wasn't crowded when I visited and was pleasant to walk around. About 30 minutes to an hour should be enough.
Another thing I found interesting is its deep connection to Ichinomiya City's textile culture. Hatori Shrine on the grounds enshrines deities associated with textiles, and the Tanabata Festival held in Ichinomiya City every summer is also connected to the local wool textile industry and the worship of Orihime. The Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival is considered one of Japan's three major Tanabata festivals, alongside those in Sendai and Hiratsuka, which made me want to find an opportunity to come back during Tanabata.
The wool textile industry is also connected to Nagoya's breakfast ("morning service") culture. In the past, textile merchants often used coffee shops for business discussions, and the shops gradually began serving coffee with simple meals. This later spread throughout Nagoya and became a local specialty.
If I get the chance to come during Tanabata, I'll probably set aside a full day to really experience the local character of the area. I tried to fit a little too much into this trip, so I didn't leave enough time here, which was a bit of a shame.

Every time I visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, my main reason is the Tenjin Market held on the 25th of each month. If you like kimono, vintage clothing, or kimono accessories, I personally really recommend checking it out. Kyoto has quite a few antique markets, but based on my experience visiting several times, this one has an especially large number of kimono-related stalls. They carry everything from kimono, haori, and obi to obijime and all kinds of kimono accessories, with a very wide selection. Some undergarments and consumable items are even sold new, and the prices are much lower than in stores. For people who are genuinely interested in kimono, this is a great place to hunt for treasures.
The Tenjin Market itself is huge. Besides kimono, there are antiques, old tools, tableware, miscellaneous goods, plants, and all kinds of snacks. The food stalls are mainly concentrated around the main gate. There aren’t many of them, and they’re pretty ordinary, but they’re just there to fill your stomach and give you some energy, so the taste isn’t that important. It’s easy to lose track of time while browsing here. Especially if your main goal is to buy kimono, I recommend coming early because the good items really do get picked out quickly.
Although the market mainly operates in cash, on my later visits I noticed that some stalls had started accepting credit cards. I usually skip the stalls that accept cards, since they mainly sell antiques and similar items, so I assume they offer card payments because the transaction amounts can be quite high. But if you do find something you really want, being able to pay by card is quite convenient, since it’s hard to carry that much cash with you.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine itself is also well worth visiting. I’ve been here many times, and it feels a little different each time. If you come in February, you can enjoy the plum blossoms while visiting the Tenjin Market. If you happen to come on the 25th, you can also attend the Plum Blossom Festival. In addition to the festival, there is also a grand outdoor tea ceremony served by geiko and maiko from Kyoto’s Kamishichiken district, held among the blooming plum trees. During the Setsubun Festival in early February, geiko and maiko from the Kamishichiken Kabukai also perform a Japanese dance offering at the Kagura Hall. If you want to experience Kyoto’s traditional performing arts, all of these events have their own distinctive character.
I also visited once in April. The cherry blossom season was already nearing its end, so I wasn’t expecting much, but I was very lucky and happened to see a shower of falling cherry blossoms. It was incredibly romantic and ended up becoming one of my strongest memories of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. After visiting Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, you can continue on to Hirano Shrine, which is also one of Kyoto’s well-known cherry blossom viewing spots. The two places work very well together in one itinerary.

I recommend visiting Tsukiji Outer Market together with Tsukiji Hongwanji, since the two are very close to each other. You can visit Hongwanji first and then walk over to the outer market. Tsukiji Hongwanji itself is quite distinctive, so you can look at the architecture first and then head to the market to eat. It makes for a very smooth itinerary.
If you're visiting Tsukiji, I recommend not arriving too late. When I got there a little after 9:00, I could already clearly feel large numbers of tourists pouring in, and the market was quite lively. In particular, quite a few people were pulling luggage around with them. I personally don't really recommend doing that, because the market aisles aren't very wide to begin with, and once it gets crowded, large pieces of luggage really take up a lot of space.
Because I didn't stay very long this time, I wasn't able to fully explore all the food in the market. I just picked a few tamagoyaki shops to try. Once again, it proved that my stomach prefers Kanto-style tamagoyaki, and I had a very enjoyable time eating my way through them.
Although seafood is the first thing many people think of when visiting Tsukiji, once you actually walk into the outer market, you'll find so many choices that it can be a little overwhelming. In addition to fresh fish, sushi, and seafood bowls, there are also tamagoyaki, dried goods, fruits and vegetables, meat, and more. Although the main market has moved to Toyosu, even a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse, and the location is convenient, so there are still many shops operating here. If it's your first visit, I actually recommend looking up several places you genuinely want to try beforehand. There are simply too many choices, and with the crowds, it's easy to see one place you want to try and then another, until you end up not knowing what to eat at all.
Also keep in mind that Tsukiji isn't simply a tourist food street. It's a district of specialty shops that developed out of a working market, so it's better not to eat while walking.

The Former Iwasaki House Garden is a place that I think is well worth taking the time to explore. It was originally the main residence of Hisaya Iwasaki, the third president of Mitsubishi, and was completed in 1896 (Meiji 29). The most interesting thing about the estate is that you can see both an extremely ornate Western-style building and a traditional Japanese-style residence in the same space. This combination of Japanese and Western styles is also a representative feature of upper-class residences from the Meiji era.

The Western-style building is based on the Jacobean style of 17th-century England, with Renaissance, Islamic, and other design elements incorporated into it. Everything from the exterior to the interior details is quite impressive. What particularly stood out to me was the “kinkarakawa-shi” wallpaper inside, which uses washi paper, metal foil, and embossing techniques to create the look of leather wallpaper. It was a very valuable form of interior decoration at the time. Different patterns of kinkarakawa-shi wallpaper can still be seen on the second floor. Unfortunately, photography isn't allowed inside, which was a bit disappointing for me.

The Western-style building was mainly used for receiving guests and social gatherings, while the adjacent Japanese-style building served as the Iwasaki family's more everyday living space. Seeing two completely different architectural styles side by side really gives you a sense of how Japanese homes changed after Japan began widely adopting Western culture during the Meiji era. In addition to the Western-style building and the main hall of the Japanese-style building, the surviving structures include a very distinctive billiards room. It is a wooden building designed to resemble a Swiss mountain lodge and is connected to the Western-style building by an underground passage.

Another thing I really liked here was how distinctive the souvenirs related to kinkarakawa-shi wallpaper were. The bookmarks, card holders, and other items sold on-site aren't exactly cheap, but they may appeal to anyone interested in architecture, paper goods, or historically significant crafts like these. Snacks are also available, so you can take a break while enjoying something to eat.

However, don't underestimate the size of the garden. I felt that it took about five or six minutes just to walk from the ticket booth to the entrance of the residence, and part of the route is uphill. The entire grounds are also much larger than you might imagine from looking at the buildings alone. Although only about one-third of the original property remains today, some elements of a daimyo garden and a large lawn have been preserved.

So, if you want to thoroughly explore the Western-style building, Japanese-style building, and garden, I would recommend allowing at least two to three hours. I was honestly a little tired by the time I finished walking around, but fortunately there is a rest area near the exit. That was very thoughtful for people who have just walked all the way around the grounds.

The main reason to visit Kappabashi Dougu Street, rather than low prices, is the complete and diverse selection of products. You can find everything from knives, cookware, tableware, and baking tools to food models, packaging materials, uniforms, store supplies, and even large commercial kitchen equipment. Simply put, if it's related to the food and beverage industry, you can find almost everything you need here, from the dining area to the kitchen. Even if you're just a tourist, it's easy to find tableware or kitchen supplies you normally wouldn't pay much attention to, which is actually pretty interesting.
If you need tax-free shopping, you can also look for the “Smart Refund Kappabashi Tax-Free Counter” on Dougu Street. Since not every store can process tax exemptions directly, you can get relevant information here to help plan your shopping budget. It also offers luggage and merchandise storage, delivery, foreign currency exchange, and other services, making it very convenient for international visitors.
Another small reminder that's easy to overlook is the restrooms. Kappabashi isn't a department store-style shopping mall, and very few stores allow visitors to use their restrooms. It's best to check the locations of nearby public restrooms before you start shopping instead of waiting until you're halfway through.
If you start at the Niimi Tableware Store, which has a giant chef statue on its roof, I personally think the first part of the street is better suited for regular tourists to browse at a leisurely pace. As you go farther, you'll find more commercial-grade, professional cooking equipment. If you only want to buy tableware, knives, baking supplies, or food models, you really don't have to force yourself to walk the entire street.
One more thing: I really don't recommend coming on a Sunday. Although every store has different closing days, I personally felt that more than half the stores were closed on Sunday. Unless you really can't fit it into your schedule otherwise, it's best to avoid Sundays and national holidays. It would be a shame to make a special trip here only to find that many stores are closed.