The Chotto Zeitaku Japan series by japan-guide.com is a continuing project to seek out places that allow us to enjoy the better things in life. Not exactly a sightseeing guide, but one that transports the visitor into a different space to relax and get away from it all.

A day out in Karuizawa

Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture is a popular resort area, a place where locals from the surrounding prefectures like Tokyo and Saitama go for a short break to enjoy highlands, shopping and dining. Karuizawa is also...

By Raina Ong·May 31, 2019

Old and New in Kiyosumi Shirakawa

Kiyosumi Shirakawa is a district east of Tokyo Station across the Sumida River and bound by water on the other sides. The area retains a lot of its shitamachi, old town charm, and these days has also gained the...

By Raina Ong·April 19, 2019

International Hiroo in central Tokyo

Hiroo is a quiet and upscale neighbourhood nestled among the other glitzy and well known neighbourhoods of Roppongi, Shibuya, Ebisu and Shinagawa. The district is known for having a high concentration of embassies and...

By Raina Ong·December 11, 2018

Oh Onomichi

Onomichi, for me, is like the essence of a love sonnet. A place that evokes good vibes, where good memories are made and where you can relax and take time to be in the present. But this is me romanticising about one...

By Raina Ong·September 11, 2018

Eclectic times in Nakameguro

Nakameguro is a neighbourhood in Tokyo that is home to lots of hip and unique boutiques. It’s one of the places where creative minds go to play, a district with an artsy and edgy streak while retaining some of the...

By Raina Ong·August 15, 2018

Chasing the high life in Chino, Nagano

Nagano Prefecture is one of the few inland prefectures in Japan whose borders do not touch neither sea nor ocean. The lack of large bodies of water is made up for by plenty of mountains that provide a playground among...

By Raina Ong·May 27, 2018

Following Japan’s silk road to Kiryu

Kiryu is a small town outside of the tourist radar about two hours north of Tokyo. The small city sees few tourists, but it nonetheless used to be part of an important old trade route in Japan: the silk road. The...

By Raina Ong·January 10, 2018

Shinrinyoku in Kirishima

Taking a small deviation off the regular Chotto Zeitaku series, this edition is about shinrinyoku, or forest bathing, an indulgence of nature. The idea is to surrounded by nature, soak in the negative ions and leave...

By Raina Ong·November 1, 2017

Tomigaya, the hidden gem of Shibuya

Just minutes away from one of the busiest and most well visited tourist destinations, Shibuya, are the neighbourhoods of Tomigaya and Kamiyamacho. An oasis of peace from the busy scramble...

By Raina Ong·August 30, 2017

Turning up the heat in Hayama

Summer in Japan brings to mind beaches and barbecues, ice cold drinks, and festivals and fireworks. If you are in Japan over the hottest months of the year, consider visiting a nearby beach to experience how the...

By Raina Ong·July 19, 2017

Traditional craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo

Wanting for a change of pace and to get out of the city, I headed to the cities of Tsubame and Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture. Often collectively referred to as Tsubame-Sanjo, the cities are not as well-known compared to...

By Raina Ong·May 7, 2017

Escaping to the roofs in Tamagawa

Deciding that I needed a little escapade before the rush of the cherry blossom season, I headed to an area in western Tokyo known as Tamagawa. The area is not a major tourist area unlike some of the more popular...

By Raina Ong·March 11, 2017

Modern Traditional, Gotemba and Hakone

Mid-winter is the time when most people tend to stay indoors and out of the cold. It is no different here, but when the sky is blue and the sun is out it makes me want to get out and do things. I took advantage of the...

By Raina Ong·January 18, 2017

Getting crafty in Mashiko

Mashiko is a town in Tochigi Prefecture that is famous for its ceramics, Mashiko-yaki. Being a pottery craftsman town, there is a lot of emphasis on hands-on creation and local wares. The city is about 2 hours north...

By Raina Ong·November 25, 2016

Designs on Tennozu Isle

With fall fast on the heels of summer, the temperatures are starting to cool down and the country gearing up for the autumn color season. Having at least another month before the colors make their way down towards the...

By Raina Ong·September 30, 2016

Summer in Itoshima

In the summer edition of Chotto Zeitaku Japan, I headed to Itoshima, a small city about a 40-minute drive from either Fukuoka in the east or Karatsu in the west. The area draws parallels to the Shonan Coast near Tokyo...

By Raina Ong·August 23, 2016

Shitamachi Yanesen

Yanesen, which is made up of the three neighbourhoods of Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi, is one of Tokyo’s most well known shitamachi areas. A literal translation of the term

By Raina Ong·July 4, 2016

Delicious Biei, Classic Furano

In the June installation of Chotto Zeitaku Japan, we head over to the middle of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Located in the middle of Hokkaido, the towns of Biei and Furano are twice as large as the 23 wards...

By Raina Ong·June 9, 2016

Wandering through Kagurazaka

When you’re filled with a craving for travel and are a little restless, there’s no better way to soothe that urge than to go out exploring. In an attempt to curb the wanderlust, I spent a cheeky weekday in Kagurazaka...

By Raina Ong·May 20, 2016