The Irohazaka mountain road is full of twists and turns, but the bus driver was incredibly skilled. I didn’t feel scared or carsick at all going up or down the mountain.
Watching the mountains covered in red autumn leaves through the window was amazing, and every turn brought a different view.
Even better, we didn’t run into the traffic jams we’d heard about. Being able to enjoy this fall foliage trip without having to drive ourselves made it absolutely perfect.
Irohazaka Winding Road | Review by 金己田
Other Reviews by 金己田
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Mahoroba Daibutsu Pudding at the flagship Mahoroba Daibutsu Pudding Store!
Mahoroba Daibutsu Pudding is a classic Nara souvenir that includes a line of luscious, local flavors including the Nara special custard, Yamato Tea, a spiked pudding made with regionally sourced Nara sake and the Nara yae-zakura pudding topped with Yoshino cherryblossoms.
I came across a branch of Mahoroba Daibutsu Pudding inside Kintetsu Saidaiji Station without planning to, and there was no line at all, so I could take my time choosing.
In the end, I bought the yogurt and ancient rice pudding flavors to try. Both were on the lighter, more refreshing side. After finishing them, you can also keep the jar lids as souvenirs. -
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Blue Bottle Coffee Kiyosumi Shirakawa Flagship Cafe
The popular coffee shop born in California, USA opened the first shop in Japan in October, 2019, as Kiyosumi Shirakawa Flagship Cafe.
The building’s exterior is sleek and stylish, and the interior feels open and bright. But the overall atmosphere is a bit hard to warm up to, lacking some of the comfort and relaxed feel you’d expect from a coffee shop. It felt like the kind of photo-op spot that you only need to visit once.
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Lake Biwa
Lake Biwa, which belongs to the first-grade Yodo River system and is located in the center of Shiga Prefecture, occupies an area of about 670 k㎡, or about one-sixth of the prefecture's land area, and is the largest lake in Japan in terms of both area and water storage capacity, with 27.5 billion tons of water pouring in through rivers from the surrounding mountains of Ibuki, Suzuka, and Hira, all of which are over 1,000 meters high.
Even though Lake Biwa is a lake, it feels as vast as the ocean, so there are many ways to enjoy it. Whether you take a relaxing walk along the shore or look down on it from above, the views from every angle are picturesque. The calm surface of the lake also has a soothing effect and makes you feel at peace.
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