Chef Hisato spent his childhood years in Sydney, from ages six to 10, so sees the harbour city as the perfect place to bring his ramen restaurant, Mashi No Mashi.

Best known for his Wagyumafia resturants, the Mashi No Mashi brand was born in Hong Kong, made in Japan and is now open at The Star in Sydney.

After a tasting of the famous wagyu gyoza with black pepper vinegar, I was even more excited to taste the ramen. I’m lucky this is just so close to home for us and I can’t wait to bring Jim here soon too.

Like many of us, Chef Hisato loves to travel. But when 2020 put a halt to his Wagyumafia world tour, he was forced to stay within the borders of Japan.

His passion for travel didn’t die though and in that time he started a local tour and visited over 150 cities across Japan. Along the way he made it his mission to support local producers by raising awareness and fundraising.

He especially wanted to support small and local sake and shoju producers.

Now that Japan is open again after long border closures, it’s time to start looking at where to go. So here are Chef Hisato’s favourite regions to add to your travel list.

Hokkaido

The northernmost main island of Japan, Hokkaido is a unique region of Japan. It’s known for its incredible volcanic landscapes and prosperous agricultural industries. It’s also a popular skiing area.

Hokkaido is also famous for its onsen and sauna, and Chef Hisato created a special kettle-steamed chicken, in collaboration with the prefecture, to symbolise the region and a dish designed to be eaten post-sauna.

Miyazaki

Miyazaki Prefecture is on the south-eastern coast of Japan in the area of Kyushu. It’s famed for its coastline, which runs for almost 400km and is named Hyuga-nada. This southern, subtropical region is also known as ‘Hyuga no Kuni’ which means ‘country that faces the sun’.

Chef Hisato points out that Miyazaki is known for its beef and pure water, and for a special ‘mountain caviar’.

This mountain caviar comes from Shiiba Village, which is located in central Miyazaki. It’s one of the three most unexplored regions in Japan and features dramatic geological formations and beautiful rice terraces.

Iwate

Morioka is the capital of Iwate Prefecture, located in the T?hoku region of Honshu. This isolated northerly region of Honshu is famed for its spring cherry blossoms, but it’s a particular local industry that Chef Hisato is enamoured with.

Nambu tekki are special cast iron teapots that are made in this region. There is a 600-year history of this industry and these teapots are a crucial part of tea ceremonies.

The water from this region, combined with the magnesium and calcium in the kettles, creates a unique taste that Chef Hisato loves. He is now sourcing this water to make his whisky highballs for his restaurants.

You can visit Chef Hisato’s remarkable restaurant Mashi No Mashi, which means ‘eat more and more’, at the Star’s restaurant precinct in Sydney. And when you do, make sure you try the wagyu gyoza. They’re chewy and unctuous with a rich, umami-fuelled beef filling.

Keep an eye out for Chef Hisato while you’re there too. He’s often around, plying his craft in his indefatigably humble way.

If you enjoyed this story, you should check out our other features on Japan such as:

How to Travel in Japan–10 things you need to know

Escape from Tokyo–why Japan is so much more than its cities

15 things you need to eat in Okinawa, Japan

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With tropical shores more like Hawaii, a location that’s closer to Taiwan than its mainland and a culture that’s more its own than it is Japanese, Okinawa is a fascinating place.

But while Okinawa seems so ‘un-Japanese’ it’s also the most Japanese place you can imagine.

And perhaps it’s these contradictions which give Okinawa that extra shake of Japanese flavouring. Take awamori as an example. It’s like sake – the most famous Japanese alcohol – just more so.

Like sake, awamori is made from rice. It even has a similar flavour profile to sake. But rather than just fermenting rice to make sake, which is similar in alcohol to wine, awamori is distilled rice, putting it in the same category as gin, whisky and rum.

What you’re left with is something that is wonderfully familiar yet completely different at the same time. Don’t you think that fits Okinawa’s MO perfectly?

Awamori – the spirit of Okinawa, the soul of Japan

Probably getting its name from the unusual bubbles that surface during distilling (awa – bubbles and mori – many) awamori was a new concept for Okinawa, and for Japan as well. Until this time, the region had mastered fermenting for beer and sake and alike, but not distilling.

What’s more, awamori came to Okinawa when this Japanese prefecture was still an island nation of its own.

The Kingdom of Ayutthaya (later becoming Thailand) brought the notion of distilling to Okinawa in the 16th Century, when Okinawa was called Kyushu. In fact, locals still refer to themselves as Kyushu today, following the traditional customs and religions of their ancestors.

It’s these subtle differences that – just like awamori – create such uniqueness.

How is awamori made?

First, distillers ferment the long grain Thai rice that’s always been used to make awamori – as opposed to the short grain rice that makes sake. They use a black yeast only found in Okinawa for the fermentation, which gives the spirit its own flavour.

Next, this ‘beer’ mash is distilled in copper pot stills to produce the spirit, which is then aged in a variety of ways. They use steel tanks, wooden casks and even ceramic pots – usually for three years – to develop awamori’s special flavour.

Before WWII, there was awamori up to 300 years old stored in various parts of Okinawa. Sadly the conflict destroyed it all.

Helios Distillery and its Ryukyu Bijin awamori

Helios Distillery, which makes not only awamori but also things like craft beer, whisky and red potato shochu, has been running since 1961 and makes one of the top five most popular awamori in Japan.

Their Ryukyu Bijin awamori has a bright, clean flavour thanks to the quality of the nearby water source for the distillery. It also has a gentle sweetness from careful ageing.

Altogether, it’s a remarkably easy drinking spirit and does not show its 40%ABV.

How to drink Ryukyu Bijin Awamori

You see locals in Okinawa sharing bottles of awamori all the time over a meal. They add quite a bit of ice and water to it, which opens the flavour more and means they can have more glasses together without overindulging.

You can also drink awamori neat or on ice to enjoy the full flavour, or you can add it to cocktails really easily thanks to its easy-going flavour profile.

Alternatively, Helios Distillery has made things even easier for us by creating this ready-to-drink (RTD) sparkling awamori cocktail in a can.

Awamori goes really well with citrus, so these RTDs of Ryuku Bijin and real yuzu juice are refreshing yet satisfying.

It’s a real taste of this paradise in the Pacific, the southern rays of the Rising Sun.

You can find Ryukyu Bijin Awamori 700ml in Dan Murphy’s nationwide $55RRP

If you enjoyed this story, you should check out some of our other articles on Okinawa:
– How to get to Okinawa and why it’s worth the effort
– The Heart of Okinawa: what are Power Spots and how do you find them?
– What is it like in tropical Japan? Postcards from Okinawa

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One thing that strikes you when you arrive in Japan is the weird diametric sense of time you get here.

On one hand, there’s the ultra-modern high-tech non-stop vibrance, the bright lights, high-speed trains and excitement of Japan. But on the other hand, there’s a beautifully quaint old-world feel to the country.

And they work perfectly together.

On the busiest broadest neon-lit Tokyo street, there’ll be a dimly-lit cosy izakaya or a little ryokan with a dark-wood entrance and moss-clad shrine.

Or as you board the bullet-speed Shinkansen train, you can pick up a traditional bento from the station to munch on as you ride across the country, tilting round bends at 320km/h.

Meanwhile, in little towns barely on the map, an ancient sushi bar will have touchscreen menus and high-speed wifi.

It’s an anachronism that makes sense.

3 things you need when you arrive in Japan

Perhaps the best thing about Japan is just how accommodating the country is. Things are organised to make life easier.

As long as you know the system and the tricks, you’re sorted.

These three things will make your life so much easier as you explore this truly amazing country.

Rail passes

Japan’s rail network is incredible. It’s so comprehensive. It will take you to the furthest points on the map from river valley onsen towns to mountain peaks in the ski fields.

These passes are only available to foreign-passport holders, so it’s a purely tourism-driven programme.

National Rail Passes

Having a JR Rail Pass is easily your best bet.

It includes trains right across the country, as well as Shinkansen and a couple of ferries.

Often buying tickets for each train journey is confusing, stressful, fiddly and complicated. As well as more expensive, but this Rail Pass covers you for your whole trip.

Buy your rail pass here.

Regional Rail Passes

If you only want to travel in a specific region or prefecture, buying a JR Regional Rail Pass is way cheaper. You just select the area you want to travel in, pick how long you want your pass to last for and pay.

You can even drill down deeper and choose smaller areas within the six main regions to save more money.

The only downside to this type of pass is if you go beyond the region you’ve paid for, you need to get a different ticket.

Or you can drive. Here are our tips on driving in Japan.

Buy your JR Regional Rail Passes here.

High-speed internet in your pocket with portable wifi

Having access to the internet when we’re in an overseas destination is a must, but finding a shop and working out the best price for a sim card and data prices is one of the least fun things to do on holiday.

This pocket wifi device gives you unlimited internet across Japan, allows 10 people to use it at the same time and gives up to 187.5mbps.

All you do is book your wifi rental here then pick it up at the airport of your choice. It’s so simple and way cheaper than most in-shop deals.

You can rent a pocket wifi on its own or include it with your JR Rail Pass tickets.

Peace of mind with an airport meet & greet

I remember the first time we arrived at Tokyo’s Narita Airport like it was yesterday – it was actually about 12 years ago! We didn’t know where to go, we didn’t know how to buy train tickets or get into the city.

It was only the charity and grace of a complete stranger that we managed to find the right platform and transfer to Shinjuku.

The JR Rail Meet & Greet service gives you total peace of mind and takes the stress out of those first few moments in Japan – and they’re so formative when you’re on holiday.

On our last trip to Japan, we arrived at Narita in Tokyo, heading south to Okinawa. We thought it would be pretty straight forward but it turns out it was really complicated, with a transfer across the city to Tokyo’s other airport.

If only we’d had a Meet & Greet!

You can book your Meet & Greet here.

A local meets you at arrivals, helps with your rail passes, wifi collection and your onward journey.

It means you can focus on enjoying every minute of your time in this extraordinary travel destination.

For more of our stories about Japan and what we’ve discovered on our time here, check out our library of stories on Japan here.

This story includes affiliate links that will not affect you or change the price. But we’ll get a little bit of money if you buy anything.

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Okinawa is Japan’s most southerly prefecture. Its string-of-pearl archipelago reaches almost within sight of the shores of Taiwan. And its ancient culture makes it as different as it is far from its mainland kin.

We love the fascinating blend of Ryokyu (Okinawa’s original name) and the wider Japanese cultures you find in here. It one of the many things that make Okinawa a wonderful travel destination.

However, getting to Okinawa isn’t necessarily the easiest thing in the world. Here are our tips for navigating your way to Okinawa and making the most of your trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.

How to get to Okinawa and why it’s worth the effort:

Direct flights to Okinawa

Flights to Japan – especially Tokyo – are becoming ever-more frequent and affordable. But flying directly to Okinawa isn’t always that easy.

If you’re in China, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore, you’ll be able to fly direct to Naha, Okinawa’s international airport (and Japan’s 7th busiest).

But if you’re coming from anywhere else in the world, you’ll have to get a connecting flight south. The good news (if you’re flying from Tokyo) is there’s a chance you’ll see Mount Fuji from your plane window!

Connecting flights to Okinawa

Of course, lots of flights and lots of flight companies leave Tokyo for Okinawa.

But here’s the problem.

There are two main airports in Tokyo – Narita International and Tokyo-Haneda International – and not all airlines use the same airport for Tokyo arrivals and Okinawa departures.

JAL for example has international flights arriving into Narita, but its connecting flights to Okinawa fly from Haneda. And it can be a 2-hour trip between airports.

Triple-check your connecting flights and flight times to make sure you know which airport you need to be in and that there’s enough time between flights if you have to reach the other airport.

If you want to make things super easy after a long flight, you can organise a concierge meet-and-greet to find you at arrivals and help you to your next flight or wherever you want to go.

Click here to go to the JR Pass site where you can book this arrivals angel.

How to get from Narita Airport to Haneda Airport

As you’d expect with Japan’s biggest city, there is a multitude of ways to travel between Narita Airport and Haneda Airport.

The best option we found, which was affordable, convenient, quick and simple, was to book seats on the Narita Limousine Bus. You can book seats in advance or simply pay when you get there.

This direct coach service takes between 60-90 minutes (depending on traffic) and costs around $30pp each way.

Uber/Taxis are another option, but they’re not cheap in Japan. In fact, a study on taxis around the world names Tokyo as the most expensive.

Trains leave Narita for the city very regularly and are affordable. However, to get to Haneda, you’ll have to change trains – possibly more than once. Not ideal when you’re lugging bags around.

If you’re planning on getting more use out of the honestly amazing train network throughout Japan, it’s really worth looking into getting a JR Pass.

You can save a lot of time and money with a National Pass – here’s a link to buy yours before you go.

Making the most of your Tokyo time

When we first arrived in Tokyo, we flew into Narita, but booked a night in a hotel near Haneda airport so we wouldn’t have to rush for our Okinawa flight the next day.

We took the Narita Limousine Bus to Haneda, checked in then hopped on a train into the city.

The Kelkyu-Kuku train goes from Haneda Airport to Higashi-Ginza Station in about 35 minutes and costs around $7 per person each way, then it’s about a 10-minute walk to the centre of Ginza and the heart of Tokyo’s shopping and cocktail bar district.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi, which is obviously much quicker.

How to take a taxi in Japan

While I’m on the subject, taking taxis in Tokyo is quite an experience. The cars themselves look quite boxy and old, but they are in fact quite modern.

But there’s a process to using taxis here.

• Always approach the taxi from the curb side, never from the traffic side.
• You won’t be able to flag taxis down in the street in Ginza. You can only catch one at a taxi stand. Other parts of the city, you’ll be able to just hail taxis in the street though.
• Don’t try to open the passenger door yourself – the doors are automatic, and the driver will open and close them for you!
• If you can’t speak enough Japanese to give directions, show the driver on a map and they’ll take you straight there. You don’t have to worry about taxis ripping you off in Japan. It’s not their style. But drivers’ English isn’t always very good.
• Taxis often don’t accept credit cards, so cash is the best option. At the end of the trip, check the metre and put the cash in the little basket at the front of the car.
• Don’t try and tip the driver. Tipping in Japan can be seen as an insult. Don’t risk it.

Of course, an easier way round it is to book an Uber.

Arriving in Okinawa

Unlike Tokyo, public transport in Okinawa isn’t great, but like Tokyo, taxis here are just as pricy. So if you want to get around easily, you’ll need to hire a car. It’s not too expensive and the rental companies will meet you at the airport to take you to the offices.

Driving in Japan – especially Okinawa – is easy and fun, though the GPS system they have there is quite strange. You often need a ‘map reference number’ to locate a place, but the people at desk of your car hire company should be able to explain it.

Here’s our story on how to hire a car in Japan and what to expect.

Okinawa is home to much of Japan’s military defence. It’s also home to a large and controversial contingent of USA military. Because of this, Okinawa’s Naha Airport hosts lots of fighter jets.

Keep your eyes peeled for them taking off and landing while you’re at the airport. It’s quite something to see.

If you’re looking for more of our stories in Japan, click here.

And for other stories on Okinawa, check out:

15 things you have to eat in Okinawa
The heart of Okinawa: Power Spots and where to find them
Where to stay in Okinawa – Okuma Resort review

It sounds like a lot of bother to get to Okinawa, doesn’t it? Well, perhaps it is, but the extra effort to get to Okinawa is definitely worth it. After all, the road less travelled is the road less worn.

And that’s certainly true of Okinawa.

The post How to get to Okinawa and why it’s worth the effort appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Have you ever arrived in a place and felt that burden of long-haul travel lift from you and disappear?

Like Mr Miyagi rubbing his hands together and healing Daniel-san, so Tokyo’s streets massage away our travel fatigue leaving us with bright eyes and minds ready for adventure.

Until our trip to Okinawa – the southernmost prefecture of Japan – we always just thought it was Tokyo being – well – Tokyo. But that was before we knew about Japan’s Power Spots. And they’re all over the country – from Hokkaido’s Mount Asahidake in the north down to Okinawa’s tropical islands.

And Okinawa is full of them.

But what is a Power Spot?

A Power Spot is a place of spiritual energy the Japanese have believed in and worshipped for centuries. Locals believe these special places have healing properties that energise you and refresh you.

They are based around feng shui principles and are in places that people feel the earth’s energy ‘welling up’ out of the ground.

This idea isn’t restricted to Japan either. Places like Stonehenge in England and Uluru in Australia have garnered similar reputations. Theories of ley lines – ‘roads’ of energy – pass across the globe often crisscrossing these significant landmarks.

Where are the Power Spots in Okinawa?

Power Spots are often in places of natural beauty or unusual natural features. Crystal clear springs, funny shaped rocks, woodland paths covered in moss and lichen, ancient trees, waterfalls, this sort of thing.

Okinawa – especially the north of the main island – is full of natural beauty. Smaller Power Spots are also often where old Ryukyu shrines are, and Okinawa has more shrines than any other prefecture.

In the north of the island, which is where we spent most of our time, are two significant Power Spots.

Daisekirin Zan

Daisekirin Zan is a national park area based around a 200 million year old limestone karst – the only one in Japan. The peculiar rock formations, the immense wall coming out of the forest and the lookout over Cape Hedo, Okinawa’s northernmost point, make this well worth visiting.

There are several trails that lead you through the park and showcase the most interesting features. There’s even a rainforest area thick with banyan trees that is absolutely stunning.

Entrance is ¥820 for adults and ¥520 for kids between 4-14.

Hiji Falls

Okinawa’s highest waterfall, Hiji is already a special place. But the walk through the forest following the river the falls issue into makes this place even more beautiful.

The walk along the river becomes a climb as you draw closer to the falls, and there are a number of flights of steps you need to ascend before you get to Hiji proper, but the effort does pay dividends.

Entrance is ¥500 for adults ¥300 for kids under 15.

For a full list of known Power Spots with Google map geo-tags, check out this post on Ono Okinawa.

Is there a ‘special power’ in these places?

I’m inclined to say yes. There are parts of Okinawa – and these two places especially – that do feel like there’s an earthy potency to them. Perhaps it’s from the earth itself. Perhaps it’s the energy of all the people who have visited creating a vibe to the place. A self-fulfilling prophecy.

Whatever it is, there’s certainly something special about these parts of the world. In fact, as we explored the banyan tree forest in Dasekirin Zan, Mrs Romance whispered: “I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see fairies here.”

The statement shocked me a bit; she never says anything like that and usually leans towards the sceptical side of things. She also hates moths so the idea of little winged people fluttering about would not normally be her disco at all.

Still, there’s definitely something magical about some of these places. And the locals buy into it big time.

As we were driving around the island, we found a little café – actually a coffee plantation and roasters as well as a brewhouse – by the side of the road. We spoke with the lady there and told her where we had been.

Her eyes lit up and in broken English she asked whether we had felt anything at the Power Spot. It’s clear that the local Ryukyu very much believe. It’s part of their culture handed down to them from the mystic ages.

And if it’s good enough for them, it’s certainly good enough for me.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, you should check out our other stories on Okinawa here.

Have you ever been to a Power Spot or somewhere like Stonehenge or Uluru? Did you feel the spiritual presence of Mother Earth or were you left unmoved? Tell us in the comments below.

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It’s sometimes hard to know what’s polite and what’s not in other people’s cultures. It can be even harder in Japan, a country famous for its protocols on politeness, respect and honour.

It can seem like you’re constantly trying to avoid the pitfalls of embarrassing yourself and everyone around you with a clumsy cultural mistake.

Watching what locals do or even simply asking is a good way to save face. If you’re genuinely confused with what you’re supposed to do, a quiet question to the right person will probably clear things up with no drama.

Japanese people seem much more aware of body language than westerners are; they’ll know that you’re confused or unsure without even speaking to you. We’ve had people come up to us in the busiest train stations and help us with tickets or show us the way without us even asking.

Knowing how to travel in Japan and how to behave there will help you make the most of your time in this beautiful, mysterious country.

Here are our top 10 travel tips for Japan:

Travel tips for Japan – 10 things you need to know

1. Language – useful expressions

We always try to learn a few basic words in the local language wherever we go. It’s not only polite it also opens a lot of doors quicker than just relying on English.

Especially with places like Japan where they don’t expect ‘gaijin’ (foreigners) to know their language, being able to greet and thank people in their own language makes them really happy.

This is our top travel tip for Japan because it’s made our time there so much better. We just wish we could understand and speak more!

But these phrases will help so much:

– konichiwa = hello / good afternoon – this you one you can pretty much use any time of day though.

– oh-hayo gozai masu = good morning – the ‘u’ at the end is very softly spoken and almost silent.

– konbanwa = good evening

– sayonara = good bye

– mata ne = see you later – this is more informal but still common.

– sumi-masen = excuse me / excuse me – really useful, this is definitely worth remembering.

– origato = thank you. This is more like ‘thanks’ and more informal.

There are a couple of more polite forms of thank you that are good to remember:

– origato gazai mas = thank you – more polite

– origato gazai mashita = thank you very much – the most polite. The last part looks a bit funny, but you pronounce it “gazai-mash-ta”.

– hai = yes – often accompanied by a little bow.

The word ‘no’ is not commonly used and Japanese people try to avoid it.

2. Polite behaviour

This could be a whole post on its own and I’d still be missing huge chunks of the culture. Just from what we’ve seen and heard, these are some of our findings.

Do:

– use the polite language we’ve detailed above.

– smile and bow when you greet people.

– sit down to eat, even if it’s a snack.

– use chivalry. Things like opening or holding doors for people will earn you a smile and a bow.

– keep your voice down. Most of the time, Japanese people really don’t like loud voices or shouting, especially in the street and in shops and restaurants.

– put your cash on the counter or in the basket when you’re shopping. Don’t try to pass the money to the cashier.

Don’t:

– shout or use bad language in public.

– tip. Even if you have the best dining experience imaginable, don’t try and tip. The staff will take offence.

– cut in on lines and queues or bump people in the street.

– eat on the street – especially when you’re walking. Even convenience stores will have a little area where you can stop and eat your snack.

– litter.

– blow your nose unless you really need to. People either sniff or have a special cloth they hold on their nose if it’s a bit runny.

– embarrass people on purpose. If you want to make sure the person knows you’re just kidding with them, you can smile and say ‘jo-dan’. This means literally ‘joking’.

If we’ve got anything wrong or missed crucial bits out, please tell us in the comments below!

3. Road rules

Drivers in Japan are polite and generally law-abiding. Speed limits aren’t as strictly adhered to, and red lights are seen as a test of skill and timing!

Parking is very strict though, so don’t try to get away with not paying for a ticket. Parking fines can be very expensive and there’s no such thing as free street parking.

For more information about driving in Japan, check out our post on driving safely in Japan here.

For more info on renting a car in Japan, click here.

4. Google app

The Google Translate app is a life-changer for travel. It’s so clever. Download the language package you’ll need before you go and you’ll be able to use the app without any internet.

The camera function is amazing. Line up the text you want to translate on your phone’s screen and the app will automatically translate it into English live! This app saved our bacon so many times in Japan.

It’s not perfect, but it gets it right a lot. We still don’t know what ‘error oil’ is by the way.

There’s also an option to use the phone’s microphone to translate what you’re saying or what someone else is saying, and you can also hand write words on the screen to translate, but we haven’t tried those functions properly yet.

5. Safety

Japan is incredibly safe. Theft is almost unheard of (though word is that bicycle theft is a bit of a problem in cities) and violent crime is quite uncommon too.

I’ve heard stories of people leaving the mobiles at a bus stop, realising, riding the bus back to the stop ages later and no one had even touched the phone.

On the other hand I have also heard that there are some creepy men out there who like to ride busy trains in peak times and push themselves up against women in the crowd. There are other grosser versions of this too, so stay aware or travel at quieter times in metropolitan areas.

6. Taxis

Taxis are incredibly polite – well, the drivers are – in Japan. When getting in or out of a taxi, don’t try to open the door. The driver will press a button and the door will open.

Also, only get in and out on the left side of the car. They get a little alarmed when you try to use the right side where other traffic may be.

When you pay, you can use credit card or cash. The driver will pass you a little basket to put the cash into. Don’t try and hand them the money.

7. Onsen

Onsen – the Japanese hot spring baths – are full of potential to upset people and make a fool of yourself!

These baths are a really important part of the Japanese culture. People go to an onsen to relax, to socialise and to spend time with family.

There are loads of rules (none of which are written down for you) about using onsen. They’re mostly segregated – men in one section, women in another – and they’re mostly fully nude.

First you wash your body very thoroughly in the shower cubicles, then you take your naked butt and ‘modesty towel’ and soak in the hot pools of thermally heated natural spring water for as long as you want. It’s beautiful. And a bit awkward.

Rules: don’t stare, don’t point and – of course – don’t touch! These aren’t swimming pools, you wade or you sit. The modesty towels are to cover your bits when you’re walking around, and to rest your head on when you’re basking in the water. Do not put the towel in the water.

Here’s our full post on onsen and what to do – we’ve also got a local’s tips on where to go for great onsen.

8. Pedestrians

City streets are busy in Japan, so following the system is important.

Everyone walks on the left side, the same as the cars on the road.

Cyclists ride on the pavement in Japan, not on the roads. If you see a bike coming, move further over to the left. If you hear a bike bell ring behind you, move over.

Check out this prank video of a guy walking around with a bell. Very funny but it shows how conditioned people are to respond.

Also people don’t J-walk in Japan. Everyone waits until the walk sign flashes up.

9. Riding the trains

Trains in Japan are so punctual it’s actually a thing of real beauty. The platforms have marks on the floor where the doors will be. You stand in front of the doors, people get out and walk left and right of you, then you get on. It’s how it works – don’t mess with the system.

Get your JR Pass for national and regional trains throughout Japan here.

Buses are just as punctual. The bus stops have signs showing where each bus is and they have signs inside the bus telling you which stop is next. It’s so easy.

10 Eat everything anywhere all the time

If I were to recommend you a place to eat right next to one of the busiest train stations in the city, you’d probably laugh at me. In Tokyo, that’s where I’d eat. Even in places that – at home – you would never expect good food, in Japan, it’s probably amazing.

Even the shittiest, most run-down (but not dirty) little shack on the side of the road will probably turn out the best grub you’ve ever eaten.

Probably our favourite travel tip for Japan: try everything, whenever you can and as much as you can. The food in Japan is amazing.

We hope these travel tips for Japan help. It’s a wonderful country to explore, with so much culture and history. You’re always guaranteed an adventure there.

Do you have any other travel tips for Japan? Have we missed anything vital you want to include? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How to travel in Japan – 10 things you need to know appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

We love driving ourselves around when we travel. It gives us that feeling of independence you can’t get with a tour or even relying solely on public transport.

We decided to hire a car on our recent trip to Okinawa in Japan’s sub-tropical south. Okinawa doesn’t have much public transport and taxis can be quite expensive. In fact the price of a week’s car hire was the same as a return taxi ride from our hotel in the north of Okinawa Island to Naha Island in the south.

For all these reasons, we decided to hire a car in Japan. It turned out to be the best thing we could have done.

Check out our post on how to win at car hire.

Here are the things we learned from our experience we think will help you if you decide to hire a car in Japan too.

How to hire a car in Japan and what to expect

Car hire in Japan is relatively inexpensive, and the roads are well maintained and safe. People obey the road rules here quite strictly even though there aren’t as many highway cops visible as other countries.

Here’s our post on driving safely in Japan.

International driver’s licence

You’ll need an international driver’s licence to drive in Japan. This is a registered certificate to say that your domestic driver’s licence is valid and you’re able to drive in other countries.

You don’t need to take a test; you just pay for the licence from your country’s national auto association as part of the 1949 Geneva Convention. However, Belgium, France, Germany, Monaco, Slovenia, Taiwan and – ironically – Switzerland do not have this agreement.

Booking a car

We booked our car online before we left Australia. There are lots of car hire companies in Japan; most of them offer services in English.

If you’re picking up a car from the airport, make sure you find a rental company that has a free shuttle service.

Picking up your car

In the office, the staff will go through your rental agreement and paperwork. They will ask for your international driver’s licence, domestic driver’s licence and your passport.

They will also give you a huge amount information about the car, the road rules and the local area.

After you’ve signed for the car and chosen your insurance level (we risked it and didn’t take the extra cover as our travel insurance covers a lot of rental car stuff).

Next the staff member will probably point to where you need to go to collect the car… and then go with you to it to inspect it. They’ll go round the car checking for existing damage the same as you do with all rental cars.

Make sure you get them to set up your car’s GPS – ours was set in Japanese at first, and changing it to English was confusing even for her!

Japanese GPS systems

I don’t know if this is normal, but our car’s GPS didn’t work by street addresses or locales. It worked by ‘map references’ – whatever that is – and phone numbers!

I honestly don’t know what you do if you don’t have the map reference or the phone number.

Parking in Japan

Parking in Japan is tricky. There’s no such thing as free street parking here away from shopping centres, supermarkets and tourist sites.

If you get a parking ticket, you need to pay it or the rental company has the right to fine you! The rental company is very clear about what the parking tickets look like and will show you a picture of one when you sign for the car.

There are even parking metres that come with clamps! You park over the clamp, a bar comes up under the car and when you go to leave, you pay and the bar drops again. Scary stuff – because if you forget to pay, the clamp will basically rip the bottom of your car out!

Getting gas in Japan

Most gas stations in Japan are full service, so you just stay in your car and a little fella comes out and pumps the petrol for you. There are usually 3 types of petrol available: diesel, premium and regular – green, yellow and red pumps.

The attendant will probably try and get you to pay with cash, but you don’t have to. Be persistent if you’d prefer to pay by card. They will be able to do it.

You can even try asking in Japanese: “Credit Card wa tsukaemasuka?”

Returning your rental car

Usually you need to return rental cars with a full tank of gas – though we’ve had ones where we had to return the car with the same amount of petrol as when we picked it up.

When you fill up, make sure you keep the receipt from the gas station. The car rental company will want to check it when you hand your keys in.

Driving in Japan is really a great experience. I would be less keen to drive in other countries in Asia, but in Japan the road rules are very clear, the drivers are (mostly) polite and careful, and it’s pretty easy to work out where you’re going.

Car hire companies

There are lots of rental companies in Japan – it’s kind of overwhelming. There are some that are quite clearly for locals only, but most are happy to loan to ‘gaijin’ too.

Our recommendations for car hire companies – and this is only from what we’ve experienced and isn’t sponsored – are Europcar for an international company, and Times Car Rentals for a national one. These guys seem to be affiliated anyway.

We hope this has encouraged you to drive in Japan. It really does open up this fascinating country more.

If you’ve driven in Japan or have more tips on hiring a car there, please let us know. It’s always good to hear more from you.

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We were caught in a trap. Our love of Japanese food had brought us across the South China Sea in the hunt for the real deal, but now we were in Japan we couldn’t find anywhere to eat!

It’s both the curse and the charm of Japan that everything good seems to be so well tucked away – often above street-level.

And the best stuff is the victim of its own paradox: the place is impossible to find and that’s why it’s so cool, but if it’s so hard to find, how does anyone go there?

It was something at the forefront of our minds as we explored Okinawa Island far off the southern shores of the Japanese mainland. To add to the stress, we have a tendency to always find the best place to eat on the last day of our visit, which drives us mad! Thanks #fomo.

By the end of our time in Okinawa, we’d found some amazing places in the north of the island, but the busier southern parts remained a mystery to us.

Thanks to our new friend Balina, who has moved with her lovely family to Okinawa, we’ve got some awesome tips on where to eat in Okinawa.

Where to eat in Okinawa – 5 places locals love to go courtesy of Balina

It’s crazy – everyone talks about how small Okinawa is, but there are sooo many hidden spots that you really need a bit of time to discover it. This list’s a mix of restaurants from super cheap to pricey but that gives a good picture of where to eat in Okinawa.

These are just a few of our favourites – all places we dine at frequently:

1. Ploughman’s Lunch Bakery

A fantastic bakery hidden in the hills near Camp Foster. You park on a large hill, walk down and around another hill, trek up a very steep staircase and then arrive at this magical cove with a beautiful hanging swing and a view of the entire city.

The little café used to be military housing way back in the day and now is owned by locals. You can buy fresh bread and baked goods or enjoy amazing lunches. Their avocado toast is incredible and drenched in olive oil!

2. Yakitori at Kokusai Street Food Village in Naha

Another gem I found while searching for lunch in Naha! This little corner is off Kokusai Street and seems to be where the locals go to eat and drink. It’s the cutest block with lanterns and outdoor seating. All the restaurants have only a few seats inside and two to three tables outside.

We always set aside a few hours to eat at our favourite spot where they serve yakitori: meat on a stick! It’s the perfect dining experience: you eat mouth-watering food and can spend hours like the French way, no rush, just pure enjoyment.

Our favourite is the pork set, and we especially love the pork with scallions yakitori.

3. Coco’s Ichibanya Curry

This is super cliché and the go-to spot for all Americans, but it is absolutely irresistible. It’s the meal that you’ll eat and say is good, but a couple hours later will be wanting more of their curry asap! It’s an addiction. Our favourite meal is the ‘handmade tonkatsu chicken.’

4. Ootoya

This is another chain but Japanese style ‘fast food.’ We love going here because we are always the only non-Japanese, the food is delicious and we just feel like the ultimate locals.

The meals are served as teishoku, a traditional set meal with a main dish, rice, miso soup and pickles. You can add a ‘drink set’ for a small amount and I personally love their coffee. They also have a great variety of desserts!

5. Ufuya

Ahhh this is a special one! This is a shabu shabu restaurant in Nago, inside a traditional Japanese home built in 1901!

There are several other houses that have a little confectionary shop, the waiting area and some other things. They serve agu pork (local wild boar), which is the main speciality in Okinawa.

All the ingredients for the shabu shabu are beyond fresh. Each person gets a tray with Okinawan appetisers, ranging from tofu, Goya (bitter melon) salad, and different types of seaweed and papaya salad. Everything is amazing!

This was one of the few meals on the island when I truly felt stuffed. It’s pricier, but perfect for a special occasion – especially considering how stunning the location is!

Bonus: yakiniku – anywhere!

Yakiniku is barbecue that you do yourself; you order the meats on a tablet and then grill away at your table! It’s a lot of fun. Kids and adults both love it. It’s kind of like Korean BBQ except that you grill it yourself.

These are usually all-you-can-eat, which I’m normally strongly opposed to, but here it is a little classier than your standard buffet. We love to take guests here for the experience and of course the yummy food.

There are so many yakiniku restaurants to choose from: Bamboche, Yakiniku Goen, Haru Haru, Yakiniku Yumemaru and many more.

So far, I prefer Yakiniku Yumemaru. It’s in American Village, but feels like you’ve been transported to a different time and place.

Thank you so much, Balina. This list is so helpful and everything sounds delicious. It makes us want to go back to Okinawa immediately!

If you want to read more about our time in Okinawa – from driving tips to where to stay, here’s a link to our library of articles on this beautiful part of Japan.

Have you ever been to Okinawa? Do you have any tips for places to eat there? Do you ever find your favourite place to eat right on the last day of your trip? Talk to us in the comments below!

Images courtesy of Balina from her Instagram feed @globaltrib3

The post Where to eat in Okinawa – 5 places locals love to go appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

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There are things you can eat in Okinawa that you won’t find anywhere else in the country – perhaps even anywhere else in the world.

And perhaps it’s these delicacies that hold the secret to the famed longevity of the people of this isolated island prefecture.

Spread across the South China Sea, Okinawa is closer to Taiwan than the rest of Japan. Its food influences are therefore much more cosmopolitan than the rest of the country.

With culinary injections from China, Thailand and Korea – and since WWII the USA – Okinawa’s kitchens turn out an incredibly diverse range of dishes. All with a Ryukyu twist on these adopted recipes, styles and ingredients.

Here are some of the Ryukyu dishes we discovered and fell in love with while we were in Okinawa.

15 things to eat in Okinawa, Japan

1. Goya – bittermelon

Goya – or bittermelon – is a staple in Okinawa. If you’re a Roald Dahl fan, you’ll know what I mean when I say the word ‘snozzcumber’ – the goya looks just like one. Lumpy and weird. Its very bitter, yet deliciously crunchy with a little sweetness.

In a slaw, goya is amazing. It’s also an excellent amuse bouche palate-cleanser. But Okinawans love it any way they can get it. Especially in what’s called ‘goya champuru’, which basically means ‘mixed goya’… so ‘goya with everything’!

We tried it mixed with a kind of omelette with pieces of chicken in a soy sauce base. Delicious.

2. Umibudo – sea grapes

This is a favourite beer snack in Okinawa. In fact it’s something people eat in Okinawa all the time. Umibudo is a seaweed, but it looks more like green caviar. As each ball pops between your teeth the whole thing seems crunchy, which then turns to a creamy texture. And it tastes like the freshest seafood you’ll ever eat. Delicious.

3. Asa soup – miso

Asa soup is primarily a seaweed soup – just hot water over this very fluffy, wispy seaweed. We experienced this soup at breakfast where we were staying in Okuma and went back every day to have more.

This is Yoshiko Oona. She was born in Okinawa in 1934. The soup was good, but seeing her each morning was more of a motivation for us to come to breakfast!

With the asa soup, you often get to add a bit of miso paste, crouton and bonito flakes. The whole thing is delicious.

4. Hirayachi – Okinawan pancakes

These savoury delights are eaten any time of day. We had them at breakfast and dinner, and to be honest I’d eat them all day long too. They’re very simple flour-egg-and-water pancakes, but mixed with spring onion or garlic chives, which are also a speciality here, and seasoned with bonito, they’re amazing.

Adding a dab of Kewpie mayo is a must.

5. Okinawa soba

The soba noodles and the varieties soup dishes you find them in here in Okinawa are excellent. Rounder, fatter, whiter and more tender than regular soba, the ones you find here are – we think – better too.

You get them like this in a ramen bowl or in a more Thai/Chinese soup bowl with chilli and beansprouts. Either way, they’re not to be missed.

6. Agu – Okinawan boar pork dishes

The wild boar of Okinawa are treasured for their sweet tender meat – especially by us! We tried agu a few different ways. Mrs Romance had it as a slow-cooked dish over salad and rice. I had it in a katsu-don schnitzel style, we also had it in a katsu curry (I don’t know what it is about Japanese curry but it’s addictive), and we also had it in a couple of traditional pork belly styles. It’s amazing.

If you look back at the hirayachi photo, you can see the traditional glazed agu belly on the right. They marinade it in soy and honey, and it’s spectacular.

7. Agu gyoza

Although this is also agu – the same as the previous point – I thought these dumplings deserved their own mention.

We were in a random little supermarket in Nago, essentially the midlands city of Okinawa, and we saw this old guy cooking gyoza. At first we thought he was just cooking them as a kind of expo sample stall you sometimes get. Then we realised he was actually making these gyoza by hand.

He was stuffing, pinching and cooking them for people to buy! He didn’t speak English but said the magic word ‘agu’ and we had to buy some. When we got to the checkout, we could pay for everything else with credit card, but the box of gyoza was a cash-only item!

8. Sata andagi – Okinawan doughnuts

These little crispy clouds of semi-sweet heaven are ubiquitous in Okinawa and are a bit like catnip for the locals. They’re very cheap and very simple, but dearly loved and quite tasty.

Not sure if they’re worth quite so much hype as they’re given but they’re worth trying. Oh and make sure they’re fresh or they can be a bit hard and chewy instead of crunchy.

9. Taco rice

Another ubiquitous dish in Okinawa is taco rice. Thanks to the American influence, certain foods have made their way into Ryukyu life. Most restaurants serve this and you can find lots of different taco rice mixes in shops to use at home. Okinawans have really taken this one on and made it their own.

It’s basically mince with Mexican taco seasoning on a bed of rice and/or salad leaves. It’s a bit like chilli con carne… but with an Okinawan twist.

10. Jimami tofu – dessert tofu (plus a lot of other things!)

Jimami tofu – top right in the photo – is a strange product. It’s made with the ‘juice’ of peanuts and is suspended in a kind of sweetish soy liquid. The texture is quite slippery bit not gross and the flavour’s excellent. We didn’t know this was dessert at first but it makes sense.

There’s a lot of other stuff happening on this plate. In the middle is a bowl of sashimi and umibudo, including octopus sashimi, which was really quite excellent. Bottom right is some more asa soup and to the left is benimo (see below) and all delicious things to eat in Okinawa.

11. Benimo – Okinawan purple sweet potato

Could this be the secret to long life? Could this be why there are 5 times more people getting to 100 in Okinawa than in the rest of Japan? Maybe. Okinawans absolutely lust after this root vegetable and it’s full of the superfood antioxidant anthocyanin found in other purple veggies. Bemino is so popular in fact that it has more forms than a government office.

Baked, mashed, ice cream, KitKats, bubble tea, cakes, biscuits… you name it, the Okinawans have found that way to eat benimo. This little piped ball was one of the ways we tried it.

For more detail on Benimo, check out Little Okinawa’s funny yet informative write-up here.

12. Okinawan sugar rice bread

The brown sugar made in Okinawa is a pretty big deal here. There are lots of ways to eat this rich, molasses-flavoured, fine-grained sugar, and this bread is one my favourites. It’s quite dense and crumbly, and very tasty indeed.

13. Okuma breakfast – where you can have it all!

Where we stayed in Okinawa – the JAL Okuma Resort – has an excellent breakfast buffet with lots of Okinawan dishes to try. I’ve mentioned the asa soup and the sugar bread above was from here too, but as you can see from this plate of food, there’s a real mix of Okinawan specialties.

In particular at the front there’s more agu pork belly – this time with a black sesame top, there’s a miso-coated white fish and a delicious mackerel next to that. Behind the fish is a piece of benimo – this time steamed.

14. Sushi

Perhaps not the most uniquely Okinawan dish, but the sushi we got to eat in Okinawa was excellent. Our opinion could also be tainted by the fact we had such a great meal in this little place though.

We were in the north of the island where fewer tourists tend to venture. We found ourselves in a very local, very small restaurant where the waiter and chef were busy chatting the raucous old locals at the bar and enjoying a beer with them. The sushi was so fresh and delicious, not to mention cheap. We’d go back there in a heartbeat and eat there every night if we could.

15. Awamori – Okinawa’s sake

Awamori is Okinawa’s (much better) answer to sake and is incredibly popular. Very much part of the Okinawan Ryukyu culture, awamori is different from sake. Sake is brewed from rice grain whereas awamori is distilled.

It tastes a bit like sake but has its own distinct flavour. It’s stored and aged in clay vessels to improve its flavour and smoothness. You can find some bottles with snakes in the bottom – but these reek of tourist trap. Locals we’ve seen drinking it have it with lots of ice and added water, though you can drink it straight.

Watch out though – awamori can be as strong as 65%ABV!

Bonus: Orion beer

When it comes to beer, the Okinawan favourite – and in fact national favourite – is Orion. This brewery is known for its beer’s cleanness of the flavour and colour. It’s a very easy beer to drink. Kampai!

There are quite a few other uniquely Okinawan foods and dishes we haven’t mentioned here – most of which we haven’t tried. If you’ve got a favourite Okinawan delicacy we haven’t talked about, tell us in the comments below. We’d love to hear more!

Images by Mr and Mrs Romance.

The post 15 things you have to eat when you visit Okinawa, Japan appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Japan is one of those incredibly photogenic countries – even everyday moments there are interesting. Our trip to Okinawa in Japan’s south showed us a side to the country we were never expecting to find.

We decided this would be the perfect opportunity to share the latest in our ongoing Postcards series – Postcards from Okinawa!

Postcards from Okinawa, Japan

This group of tropical islands is nothing like the Japan you usually think of, and it’s produced some amazing photo opportunities. We can’t wait to go back and see more of this fascinating side to Japan.

For more of our coverage of Okinawa, click here to access our library.

We also have more posts on Japan in general here.

Is there anywhere you’ve been that’s exceeded expectations or changed your perspective of a destination? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Images by Mr & Mrs Romance.

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