Yamanami Highway | Review by BobbyJenny

Ezaki Glico’s Bâton d’or comes in many different flavors, and every one of them looks tempting enough to take home and try. After trying several flavors this time, chocolate was still my favorite!

The chocolate aroma is rich, and the chocolate coating pairs well with the crispy biscuit stick. Each bite has a light, crunchy texture, while the chocolate has a slightly bittersweet taste instead of being simply sweet, making it very easy to eat.

As you stroll along Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street, the most distinctive sights along the way are all the different Miyajima specialties. There are many souvenir and snack shops lining both sides of the street, and momiji manju is a treat that you almost have to eat and take home when visiting Miyajima.

Besides momiji manju, Miyajima has another very distinctive specialty—rice scoops. Miyajima has long been known for making rice scoops, and you can see all kinds of wooden ones along the street, from small, cute souvenirs to practical household items, all with distinctive designs.

You can browse Omotesando while looking for unique Miyajima trinkets, eat a piping-hot momiji manju, and even see deer weaving through the crowds along the way. This shopping street isn't just a place to buy souvenirs; it also holds quite a bit of Miyajima's local life and culture.

When I passed the Kyoto Shijō Minamiza Theatre, I was immediately drawn to this theater filled with traditional Japanese charm. Minamiza is one of Kyoto's most iconic kabuki theaters. Its exterior has a strong traditional Japanese feel and blends in with the surrounding Kyoto streetscape in a very distinctive way.

This time I only passed by and didn't plan to go inside for a performance, but after reading about the theater, I thought the kabuki viewing experience sounded quite special. I don't usually have many opportunities to experience traditional Japanese performing arts, so I think it would be interesting to see a performance in the theater in person.