Latest news with #Seiji
SoraNews24
27-05-2025
- SoraNews24
Japan's second-most-beautiful day-use hot spring might be underrated【Photos】
Shizuoka seaside town offers an amazing experience even if you're not staying overnight. Living in Tokyo, you tend to get in a pattern of thinking in terms of train lines for cool places to go in your free time. Doing too much of that, though, means you'll miss out on some awesome outside-the-train-line-defined box, as our Japanese-language reporter Seiji Nakazawa was recently reminded. The other day, Seiji was talking with a buddy who's really into motorcycles, and the subject of onsen (hot springs) came up. Seiji's friend says that there's one place in particular he and his fellow two-wheeled enthusiasts like to ride to and take a nice long soak. Though it's affiliated with a hotel, the Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan, as the place is called, is open to day-trip users too, and Seiji's friend highly recommended it. The problem, though, is that Seiji doesn't have a motorcycle, or a car, and with the Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan being located out in Shizuoka Prefecture, and not within walking distance of any train station, Seiji figured he was out of luck. After doing some checking, though, Seiji found out that there is a free shuttle bus from the nearest station, and you can get to that station from Tokyo in just about two hours. That's how Seiji ended up on the Izu Kuyko Line, heading towards Izu-Kogen Station after riding the Shinkansen from Tokyo's Shinagawa Station to Atami. It's also possible to make the trip without having to transfer by taking the Odoriko express train from Shinagawa straight to Izu-Kogen, but the total point-to-point time and price is about the same either way you go. Stepping out of the train and onto the platform, Seiji was already feeling invigorated by the clean countryside air. Near the station's Yamamo Exit he found the place to wait for the Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan shuttle bus, with the posted timetable showing one to three buses per hour between 9:50 a.m. and 8:15 p.m. From the station, the bus heads up a mountain road, and arrives at the hot spring about 15 minutes later. It wasn't just Seiji's friend's recommendation that had drawn us to this place, though. According to the rankings on Japanese travel site Jalan, the Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan has the second-most beautiful view in all of Japan for a day-use hot spring. So what kind of view does it offer? Well, while you have to take a mountain road to get to this place, the backside of the building offers… ……an absolutely stunning ocean view. It's especially awesome when you're sitting submerged in the outdoor bath, since the tub has an infinity pool-type design, where the edge visually blends into the ocean. The view from the indoor bath is no slouch either… …nor is the one from the sauna… …but it's the outdoor baths that really earn this place it's second-most-beautiful day-use hot spring in Japan honors. The view is so incredible that Seiji describes it as something you don't just see, but as something you feel. With the wind, sky, and sea all simultaneously seeming to calling out to him, he felt all of his accumulated big city stress melt away. The Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan charges an admission fee of 1,600 yen (US$11) ordinarily, or 2,000 yen during peak seasons, so it's not the cheapest day-use hot spring around, but it's definitely one of the most beautiful. For those looking to splurge a little more, they also have private family/couple baths with attached changing areas, which cost an additional 3,500 yen per hour on weekdays or 4,500 yen on weekends and holidays. We've been talking about the day-use baths so far, but right across the street from the Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan is the Akazawa Onsen Hotel, which has its own baths. The hotel wastes no time giving you a glimpse of its views, with windows that look out over the bay from the lobby. The restaurant's dining area has a great view too… …and, of course, so do the guestrooms. Guests staying at the hotel also have access to the Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan's baths, but the hotel's own are stunning too, if more modestly sized. But even if an overnight stay isn't in the cards, the day-use hot spring baths are an experience you'll never forget. Location information Akazawa Higaeri Onsenkan / 赤沢日帰り温泉館 Address: Shizuoka-ken, Ito-sho, Akazawa 170-2 静岡県伊東市赤沢１７０−２ Website Akazawa Onsen Hotel / 赤沢温泉ホテル Address: Shizuoka-ken, Ito-shi, Akazawa Ukiyama 163-1 静岡県伊東市赤沢字浮山１６３−１ Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Hype Malaysia
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
2 Exquisite New Drops From Kurono Tokyo & Vacheron Constantin Are For The Gods!
Very rarely does a timepiece evoke utter awe. That's why it's such a treat when not one, but TWO, exquisite watches emerge at the same time to dazzle one and all. From a chronograph commemorating a legend, to a sensationally-complicated first-rate creation – here are two new timepieces we're simping over. Kurono Tokyo's Jubilee Sensu EOL 'Shiraai' The beloved Japanese watchmaking brand Kurono Tokyo is back, along with the iconic 'SENSU NOS' watch, but in a brand new design! In honour of its founder, Hajime Asaoka, who is celebrating his 60th birthday, the new Jubilee Sensu EOL 'Shiraai,' a distinctive anniversary watch, will be unveiled later this month. 'Shiraai' is represented by the Japanese characters '白藍,' which denotes a whitish blue hue that appropriately reflects onto the dial in the form of an icy, metallic finish. Since the watchmaker started using a similar colour on his designs, it has been white; the last instance of this was on 'Seiji' in 2021. Additionally, a chrysanthemum-wave-like pattern has been used in place of the traditional guilloché found in the earlier 'SENSU NOS' models. The radiant colour of the dial is elegantly intertwined with the guilloché's radial-like effect. The recognisable 'SENSU' power-reserve indicator completes this, and highly polished steel domes serve as accents. To complete this distinctive dial design, black Kanji script is painted at each hour marker. The CaI.9133PWT, a movement that has been specially modified in-house at Asaoka's modest Tokyo workshop, powers this exquisite watch. Only a small number of the original movement have been supplied to Kurono Tokyo for this release, and it is already out of production. To reduce the number of indicators on the dial, Asaoka eliminated the caliber's original date function, just like they did with the 'SENSU NOS' watches from the previous year. The limited-edition Jubilee Sensu EOL 'Shiraai' anniversary watch is set for release later this month, but you can pre-order your unit as early as 21st May for US$2,230 (~RM9,544). For more details, visit Kurono Tokyo's official website. Vacheron Constantin's Overseas Grand Complication Openface Watch The Overseas Grand Complication Openface watch, the first minute repeater in the Overseas collection, has been unveiled by Vacheron Constantin – and watch aficionados are suitably impressed. It's the result of a major effort to incorporate a grand complication mechanism into a sophisticated case. The watch has a titanium construction, a sapphire crystal dial, and a case diameter of 44.5 mm. The dial features an openworked design with hands and indices made of 18k white gold. A splash of colour is added to the watch face by the chapter ring and the sophisticated blue day, date, and month counters. The 2755 QP movement, which has a power reserve of about 58 hours, is visible through the watch's open caseback. The movement has multiple intricate complications despite its thin 7.9 mm thickness. These consist of a tourbillon, a power reserve indicator, a perpetual calendar, and a minute repeater. Vacheron Constantin also gave special consideration to the centripetal regulator's appearance, which is a gold arc-shaped bar that holds the regulator in place. The initials of Jean-Marc Vacheron, who founded the Maison in 1755, are engraved on the circular-grained inertia weights beneath it. Because the minute repeater is activated by a sliding mechanism, water resistance usually poses a problem for watches with this feature. Vacheron Constantin made sure the Overseas case is water resistant for this particular model. This was accomplished by modifying the case design to fit the calibre. 18 months of research and development went into this process, which included completely redesigning the caseback to fit the minute repeater mechanism while maintaining the series' distinctively thin curves. The Overseas Grand Complication Openface is a limited edition and will be a sought-after piece in any collection. If you'd like to enquire about it, visit Vacheron Constantin's official website.
SoraNews24
13-05-2025
- SoraNews24
We visited a 'terrible' Japanese hot spring hotel near Narita Airport
With negative reviews flying about, we took it upon ourselves to discover the truth about this much maligned bathhouse. Japan is well known for its hot springs and, if you were hoping to get a last minute soak in before your flight, or simply can't wait to take the plunge the moment you land, you'll be pleased to know that there are some hot spring facilities within easy access from both Narita and Haneda airports. However, as our regular hot spring-going, sauna-loving Japanese-language reporter Seiji Nakazawa was searching for a new place to try out, he discovered reviews of a hot spring facility near Narita Airport calling it 'awful' and 'shockingly bad'. There was even a suggestion that the place would be closing down. Intrigued to find out for himself, he hopped on the next train to Narita Airport. Despite all the negativity surrounding the facility, he tried his best to withhold the desire to read further into those reviews, worrying that they would influence his own impression of the hot spring before he had a chance to experience it for himself. There's a free shuttle bus from Narita Airport to Tokyo Yurakujo, so if you happen to be at Terminal 1, get on at Bus Stop 16, which seems to be the location for many of the hotel buses in the surrounding area. Seiji checked the time: 3:21 p.m. Not too late nor too early, so the next bus shouldn't be long. He found the timetable and looked up the next bus to find it was at… 4:35 p.m. ▼ Wait… Why are there so few buses?! There's less than one bus per hour to a hotel that's near one of the biggest airports in Japan. It is a free shuttle bus, though, so it goes to stand that it might be difficult to cover costs if they send out too many buses. With the next bus over an hour away, Seiji walked over to the taxi stand to ask about the fare, only to learn that it would take about 5,000 yen (US$34.92) to get to Tokyo Yurakujo. There's also apparently a bus from Keisei Narita Station, but it runs even less frequently than the airport bus, so that seemed to be a no-go too. With little other choice, Seiji hunkered down for a wait lasting little over an hour until he could finally board the shuttle. He arrived at the hotel at 4:59 p.m., so even though the ride was just 25 minutes or so from the airport, it felt like it took 1.5 hours. The grounds of the International Resort Hotel were massive. The bus passed through the front gate and went up a slope before finally arriving at the front of the hotel. With the infrequent access and large grounds, when Seiji stepped off the bus he felt like he had arrived on some sort of remote island, completely isolated from the outside world. Walking through the garden was quite a surreal experience: everyone Seiji seemed to pass was a foreigner, which only compounded the feeling that he was somewhere other than Japan. Passing by a charming pavilion, a huge building came into view, which could easily have been mistaken for a wall or a factory. However, when he walked around to the front he discovered that this monolith was in fact his destination on his trip: Tokyo Yurakujo. Much like its name suggests (jo means 'castle'), the facility was massive. Directly in front of the entrance was what seemed to be a never-ending fountain, which as he walked along he soon discovered to be next to a bridge that led into the main entrance of the building. The whole atmosphere of the place was different from a normal hot spring. Walking through the entrance, Seiji came face-to-face with what everyone expects from a hot spring: a… chandelier? Someone on the interior design team obviously got their plans mixed up and converted the reception area into a ballroom, because that's exactly what it looks like. Heading up to the counter, he paid the fee and received his towel and lounge wear, which is great for people who don't carry towels around with them. The entrance fee is 1,800 yen on weekdays, and 2,200 yen on weekends and holidays. At the back of the locker room is a relaxation area, and beyond that is the bathing area. Another thing that was pretty unusual was that the path that runs from the locker room to the relaxation area was a footbath, which also happened to be completely in darkness. It's unclear why the hotel considers blind footbath corridors to be an essential feature, but for those unwilling to risk breaking their necks wading through the water, it is possible to get to the relaxation area from the opposite side of the locker room, although that does require you having to go via the ballroom again. However, it is a good opportunity to brush up on your waltz or tango. Is the relaxation room equally stately? Well.. not quite. Gigantic, yes. The Edo-style design of the dining area, game corner, stage, and various attractions combined with the cyber-colored lighting to give the area an eerie vibe, which could be described as being Neo-Edo. ▼ With regular events being held.. ▼ … there was even a shrine… ▼ … and a horse-drawn carriage! The whole street of amusements seemed to be on another level when compared to your typical hot spring or public bath, but there was still a commonly seen lounge area with manga to read. After getting to the end of the amusement street, Seiji finally reached the bathing area. Inside, there were about three indoor tubs of varying sizes, a cold bath, and a sauna. Outside, there was a main open-air bath and three small, round bathtubs for individual bathers. For Seiji, the sauna experience is everything and, while he enjoyed it, he wasn't blown away by it. However, he was impressed by the availability of reclining chairs for his post-sauna relaxation. Both baths and saunas were average by Seiji's standards, so not really bad enough to warrant the negative reviews. Was there something he was missing? Seiji continued to explore the facility after his bath and learned from a staff member that there was a balcony out the back that could be accessed from the manga lounge area. ▼ The sign on the left indicates a fountain-viewing area. The balcony was amazing. There were luxurious chairs with curtains, creating small, private rooms. Sitting in one of the chairs while watching the fountain change color and listening to the classical music felt incredibly elegant. ▼ Seiji has never felt so refined. Despite the average bathing experience when compared to the facility's overall ambiance, the refined atmosphere of the post-bath balcony is something that is truly unique. In conclusion, Seiji felt that it wasn't bad or terrible or at all, so he began to wonder why people had been rating it that way. Having satisfied his desire to have a completely unbiased experience of the facility, he settled back in his chair and checked out what people online were complaining about. The main points were: Empty Bad accessibility Unpleasant route through a dark footbath Sauna but no cold bath Disappointing baths Not a hot spring—just a regular bath Dirty baths and facility Guests were bad Customer service was bad There were even some reviews that were just downright angry. If he had read these before he went, he might have ended up not going. With his own experience under his belt, he decided to incorporate his honest opinions on these points. Wouldn't go so far as to call it 'empty,' but rather pleasantly available. The accessibility was definitely bad. If you don't have a car, then it's a challenge to get there. There are no doubt some people who care about the footbath, but it's not a necessary route. There was a cold bath. Rather than say the baths were disappointing, it was the exterior that was so amazing that the gap between that and the regular baths was too shocking. For those who care about natural hot springs, then not having one would be an issue, but personally it wasn't a problem. Didn't really notice any cleanliness issues. Didn't notice any problems with the guests. Didn't notice any bad customer service. For experiences with guests and customer service, Seiji believes that everyone will have their own opinions and expectations, but when he went the staff explained everything politely. In the case of the cold bath, it might be an instance where it was fixed by the facility in the time between the review and Seiji's visit. Comparing the baths, with the overwhelming quality of the nearby Sora no Yu, it's not difficult to be in an unfavorable position. Looking at the facility overall, the unique atmosphere gives it a distinct charm that makes for an interesting visit. While there is concern that it might go out of business, that's most likely due to the lack of customers. However, losing a place with such a distinctive vibe would be a shame, so Seiji hopes that the business will work hard to welcome more customers. If you want to experience a hot spring hotel full of unique charm, then Tokyo Yurakujo is waiting for you… as long as you don't mind waiting for the bus. Location information Tokyo Yurakujo / 東京湯楽城 Address: Chiba-ken, Tomisato-shi, Nanae 650-35 International Resort Hotel-nai 千葉県富里市七栄650−35 インターナショナルリゾートホテル内 Open 1:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Closed Mondays Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Japanese restaurant chain serves up super thick soba noodles in Tokyo
One of the best places to try a very unusual type of buckwheat noodle. Soba noodles are usually known for being thin and slippery, but sometimes you can find variations on the theme, with one joint serving up an extra wide version that stopped our reporter Seiji Nakazawa in his tracks. He stumbled across the find at Yoshi Soba, a standing soba chain with 10 stores in Tokyo. Not many people know it, but Yoshi Soba is actually run by the popular rental music studio Noah, a fact that's always attracted Seiji, as a band member, to its doors. On a recent visit to the branch in Shibuya, Seiji noticed something unfamiliar when checking out the options on the ticket vending machine. It wasn't actually an item with its own button, but a small card posted next to the top row of buttons, suggesting it might be more of a special service than a standard dish. Stepping closer to read the details, Seiji discovered that the card outlined three different noodle options — flat soba, thin udon, and a mysterious 'Gokuhaba Soba'. Yoshi Soba's noodles are already on the thick, rustic side, but this 'Gokuhaba Soba' boasts a noodle width of one centimetre (0.4 inches), which, to Seiji, seemed staggering. These extra-wide noodles are only available at select locations, though, so he decided to seize the opportunity to try it as Zaru Soba (490 yen [US3.44]), along with a 'Tokumori' (extra-large portion) upgrade for an additional 100 yen. He placed his meal ticket on the counter and when staff came to collect it, he said the words 'Gokuhaba Soba'. The staff member smiled and confirmed his order with a cheery, 'Gokuhaba!', leaving Seiji breathing a sigh of relief that he'd followed the instructions correctly and could now look forward to receiving his unusual meal. Peering into the kitchen, he could see the noodles on the boil, and even from a distance they looked to be much wider than usual. However, when his meal was placed before him, the noodles looked even more incredible — they barely even looked like soba. At first, he wondered if the extra weight of the noodles would make them prone to breaking, but when he lifted them up with chopsticks, they held together and slid easily from the mound. However, after dipping them into the sauce as you would with a regular zaru soba, he found that the noodles were so thick only a couple would fit, raising the sauce level to the brim. Tasting them, he found they had a firm bite, with Yoshi Soba's signature chewiness still evident, giving them a distinct texture with lots of buckwheat flavour. As for the soba aroma, it too was similar to the chain's regular-sized noodles. The main difference was the sheer volume, which made the chewiness more noticeable and although it was simple, it was also extremely filling. Seiji doesn't usually seek out super-wide soba as he prefers the original kind, but that being said, he didn't mind these as they helped him to learn something about himself. Eating these made him realise exactly what he wants from soba. Going to the extreme end of the spectrum with extra width made him understand that it creates a fuller mouthfeel that'll appeal to some, but for Seiji, he prefers the lighter texture of thin noodles. Trying something so different worked to deepen his appreciation for his preferred style of noodle, so in the end it was an eye-opening experience, and not just figuratively, as the look of these definitely widened his eyes with their unusual presence. According to the chain, Gokuhaba Soba began as a trial at five locations — Ginza, Nihonbashi, Shibuya, Fudomae, and Ikejiri Ohashi — from 12 April, with plans to roll the option out at all stores by the end of the month. So next time you're looking for a new type of soba experience, you might want to keep Yoshi Soba in mind. Otherwise, you can take things further by trying udon that's more like a sheet of paper than a noodle, which you have to fold to eat. Related: Yoshi Soba locations Photos©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
On-site coverage of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo from our reporter's mother
Seiji's mom gives us her firsthand account. The 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo is now underway, and with an event of this magnitude, you can be sure we're here to bring you coverage that you won't find anywhere else. Naturally, we sent our ace reporter Mr. Sato on the very first day to tell us all about it. However, in the grip of expo fever, he was so excited that he accidentally took all his video with his camera set to inward. ▼ Mr. Sato checking out the Panasonic Pavilion ▼ Mr. Sato spotting a statue of Myaku-Myaku ▼ Mr. Sato looking up in awe at both the Australian and Swiss Pavilions However, in the few correctly oriented shots he took, we could see that there was a huge crowd there on opening day despite the nagging rain and a two-hour line-up that stretched all the way to the nearest station. That was actually a little surprising because a lot of buzz on social media has been describing the event as a disappointment and unable to draw flies. And just as Mr. Sato's Osaka-born colleague Seiji Nakazawa was pondering the situation back in Tokyo, his phone vibrated, notifying him of a text from his mother. ▼ Seiji's Mom (the kanji character for 'mother' covering her face): 'I came to the Expo!' It turned out Seiji's mother was also eager to see the international exposition early and headed there only a few days after the opening. Her message was accompanied by a photo of her standing in front of the Grand Ring, a wooden structure with a circumference of two kilometers that stands as the symbol of the event. As Seiji looked at the photo of his happy mom, he noticed something peculiar. There was only a sparse scattering of people both on top of the Grand Ring and along the path beneath it, lending credit to the Internet rumors. Seiji showed Mr. Sato, who said that the place she took the photo was a little far from the entrance so it was hard to say if the whole venue was devoid of people. Seiji started to worry that if it really was as crowded as Mr. Sato experienced, his mom's aging body might not be able to navigate the seas of people. He decided to ask her for more details. ▼ Seiji: 'Are there not many people? I heard the lines were crazy.' Seiji's Mom: 'Only the places that take reservations.' Not only did his mother not answer his pressing question of whether the place was crowded or not, the answer she gave seemed to defy logic. Why would only the places that take reservations have crazy lines? Seiji told her about Mr. Sato's experience and showed her the picture he took there, to which she replied, 'About 30 minutes.' She was clearly a woman of few words, but it was enough to start giving Seiji a grasp of the situation. While 30 minutes is still a long time to wait, it's only a fraction of the two hours that Mr. Sato stood there for, so the Expo was likely still a big draw but not enough to be a burden on her. Since Seiji's mom was no J.R.R. Tolkien, he asked her to instead use the 1,000 words pictures are known to say. She showed him images of bustling pavilion interiors and line-ups for the escalator to the top of the ring. On the other hand, there were also scenes with unoccupied benches and generally enough room to move about freely. He cross-referenced them with Mr. Sato, who said it looked significantly less crowded than four days earlier when he was there. The fact that Mr. Sato went on a day with miserable weather whereas Seiji's mom was enjoying a sunny day is also relevant when comparing the attendances. Afterward, Seiji was able to learn that his mother could get into the Mitsubishi Pavilion as well as the national pavilions of the Netherlands, Canada, and Poland all by reservation. Some other places she wanted to see like the USA Pavilion were too crowded and had wait times of 90 minutes even on a weekday, but pavilions that didn't require reservations were rather easy to get into. At least it seemed like there was enough to see and do with enough space that Seiji's mom could have a really good time. And when all is said and done, isn't that what the Expo is all about? Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
