Latest news with #Toba
Metro
17-05-2025
- Metro
I holidayed like a local in Japan and didn't touch Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto
From Tokyo's neon-lit streets to the world-leading restaurants of Osaka, Japan is the destination of dreams for millions of travellers. But after a record-breaking year for tourist arrivals in 2024, the country is grappling with overtourism, and the challenges that come with it. Kyoto has been dubbed the 'seventh ring of hell' as its cobbled streets buckle under the weight of surging visitors. And, in a crack down down on 'paparazzi tourists', the government is considering raising departure tax. Yet there are whole swathes of Japan that remain largely undiscovered. If you're willing to veer off more well-trodden tracks, you'll be rewarded with ancient hot springs, volcanic mountains and verdant forests — practically untouched by international travellers. From the rolling hills of Nasu Highlands to the striking shrines of Nikko, I took the road less travelled in the Land of the Rising Sun. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Here's my top tips for holidaying like a local in Japan, including the best onsens and and the small but charming spots that are worth your time. Hot springs are big business in Japan. Known as onsens, they are essentially baths of volcanic spring water replete with natural minerals that claim to provide health benefits from stress relief to clearer skin. Onsens are part of Japan's self-care culture, but popular spots like Kurokawa and Beppu have become stiflingly crowded since the advent of TikTok. A quieter alternative is Nasu, a sprawling mountain village where onsens have been on the go since the 8th-century. They are believed to be among the oldest in Japan. Located on the eastern slope of Mount Nasu, my top choice is Shika-no-Yu, the village's oldest onsen which is still open to the public. Bear in mind that all onsens require you to be totally naked (they're gender segregated) and people with tattoos may be refused entry. Some resorts also have in-house onsens (check before booking). Bettei Kai, one of the locally-owned hotels I stayed at, had a private onsen I'd recommend to anyone. As well as hot springs, Nasu, in the Tochigi prefecture north of Tokyo, boasts excellent hiking, skiing and artisanal cheese (the region is one of the biggest producers of cheese in Japan). Did you really go to Japan if you didn't visit any shrines? Across the country there are thousands of fascinating historical sites, most with no entry fee. The crowds at temples like Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha cause headaches for everyone, but you can wander in peace at Sessho-seki in Nasu. Known as the Killing Stone and a short walk from the Shika-no-Yu onsen, this shrine is essentially a huge lava rock on the slope of Mount Nasu. Legend from the Muromachi period has it that a fox with nine tails disguised itself as a beautiful woman and tried to kill the Emperor Toba. After fleeing to Nasu, the demon vixen was vanquished and turned into a stone, late named Sessho-seki because many creatures died from the poisonous air it emitted. This place has been designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty. While it's stunning, be warned that there is a strong smell of sulphur in the area from the rocks. In nearby Nikko, a one-hour drive, you'll find the UNESCO World Heritage site Toshogu Shrine, as well as Futarasan-jinja Shrine and Rinnoji Temple all within walking distance of each other. At the latter two are 'matchmaking' temples for couples who want to stay the course (not sure what happens if you're single). Another good choice is the Unganji Temple, a working monastery where monks train. It's free to wander the grounds. I'm not a natural cyclist , but Japan's countryside sparked a love affair with bikes, namely the e-bike variety. I recommend a tour with Rider Experience Inc, a multi-day cycling tour operator that takes you to 'hidden Japan'. Packages include slow e-bike journeys, a foodie bike tour from Nasu to Nikko and a 12-day trip around the Tohoku region for the professionals among us. My group cycled through bamboo forests, rice villages and the haiku field, once frequented by Matsuo Basho, one of Japan's most famous Haiku poets. If you fancy it, you can try writing your own Haiku, inspired by the dramatic landscapes that surround the field which influenced Matsuo. One of my favourite parts of this trip was riding through Nikko Kaido Cedar Avenue, registered by the Guinness World Records as the longest tree-lined road in the world. A one-day private tour which includes lunch, harvesting experience and souvenir, as well as the renting of bikes is ¥38,500 Japanese Yen (£202). There are also shorter alternatives, such as a three-hour tour which costs around £35. This is definitely worth it, especially if you do the Kitomana forest route where you may see Mount Fuji at sunset towards the end of your cycle. Book via the Rider Experience website (all guides speak English). The Japanese Highlands has exceptional natural beauty, with vibrant bursts of crimson, orange and yellow that rival the cherry blossoms the country is better known for. But there are specific places you can go to for the perfect shot of Momiji — red maple trees that come to life towards the end of the year. This includes the Shiobara Onsen area. While most go for the hot springs, it's also a great place to stop and take in the view. Pedestrian suspension bridges span the river nearby and offer sweeping views over the water and surrounding forest. The scenery is particularly beautiful from late October to early November during the autumn leaf season. Another great area for foliage is Komadome Falls, which falls about twenty metres from a cliff on the Yosasa River. Its name means 'waterfall where even the horses stop'. If you're in the highlands, chances are you're there to hike. My favourite trek was in Heisei-no-Mori, a national park beloved by the Japanese royal family. Nasu Heisei-no-Mori Forest consists of two areas: the Forest Recreation Zone and the Forest Learning Zone. The Forest Recreation Zone is free and open to anyone to roam around and explore. This zone features wheelchair-accessible paths, trails to the observation deck at Komadome Falls, and sheltered rest areas. The Forest Learning Zone which is a big hike with a private guide giving you history and insight into the environment costs around around ¥10,000 (£52, depending on the size of the group). The Forest Learning Zone is only accessible through guided walks with a nature expert as part of the park's conservation efforts. I recommend the latter, especially as our guide was full of enthusiasm and interesting insights (we even found a discarded bear paw on the floor). This hike is not difficult and lasts around 1.5 hours. Get ready to become an expert on chop sticks as these local eateries really are local (but don't panic, you can ask for a fork if you fail). Head to Tensui for delicious soba (buckwheat noodles), served cold or hot with freshly fried vegetable and prawn tempura. Meals cost between ¥1,000 (£5.23) and ¥2,999 (£15.69). Over at restaurant Mizuhokura, expect kaiseki meals (Japanese traditional meals of different items arranged in various dishes), which include fish, rice topped with seaweed, pickled vegetables, fried chicken, tofu, and miso soup (be careful, the last one isn't vegetarian like it is in other eateries). More Trending My meal of local vegetables, egg, rice, miso soup cost ¥1,500 (£7.87). Over in Nikko, we had a private yuba (tofu skin) kaiseki dinner at Takaiya. Our group were the only diners, meaning we got a tailored experience of a traditional Japanese meal. For a banquet cuisine featuring the full works you're looking at prices from ¥7,260 (£38) for lunch and upwards of ¥9,680 (£50.68) for dinner. Our meals – tofu and beancurd inspired meal with vegetables, fish, rice, soup and others – cost slightly more as the restaurant was open exclusively for us, costing ¥12,000 (£62). Getting there Nasu is just over an hour away from Tokyo. You can get the Shinkansen, the bullet train, to Nasushiobara from around £29. If you're doing one of the Rider Experience tours, a taxi from the Shinkansen station to the meeting point will be about £35. Once you're there, you can cycle from Nasu to Nikko meaning you won't need to arrange extra transport (a van carries your luggage to the destination). For non-cyclists, you can take the Shinkansen from Tokyo or Ueno stations to Utsunomiya, then change to the JR Nikko Line. This costs around ¥5,000 (£26.23) – 5,500 (£28.87) and takes just under two hours. For all of this, of course you'll need to get to Tokyo first. Direct flights with British Airways from London to Tokyo cost upwards of £937 based on prices for June 2025 China Eastern also has a route with one stop for £557 for the same dates. Where to stay In Nasu Bettei Kai, a mix between a traditional ryokan and an urban hotel, complete with a private onsen. My room had two futons, so perfect for bigger groups. We also had breakfast and dinner kaiseki at the restaurant for our meals which were delicious and freshly made by chefs on site. Price per person is from ¥52,950 (£277.25) depending on the room. Itamuro Onsen Daikokuya: a traditional Japanese ryokan. This hotel has three onsens, two inside and one outside as well as sauna rooms. Outside there is also a log fire with benches where you can enjoy afternoon tea, surrounded by trees. The price for a Japanese-style delux room with a shared bathroom (bear in mind the rooms don't have a shower, you'll have to go downstairs to the onsen to bathe), cost around £277. In Nikko Kanaya Hotel: a Western-style hotel that could be confused for one in London (there's even the staple taxi cabs located outside). These high-end digs have been graced by famous faces including Albert Einstein, Prince Edward, Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart. At Kanaya: an affordable option with breathtaking views from most rooms. Prices start from £163 and you can opt for a continental breakfast option. It's also a good location, a short walk to the Nikko Toshogu Shrine; Kegon Waterfall is a 30-minute drive away. MORE: I spent 96 hours in 'little London', where life is easier MORE: I visited Turkey's viral beach — it's not what it seems MORE: I found a hidden side to Rome in the 'city that never was'
Global News
25-04-2025
- Global News
For the 1st time, B.C. judge awards custody of family pet in divorce case
For the first time since recent changes to B.C. Family Law, a Supreme Court has awarded custody of a family pet in a divorce. Under changes enacted to the law last year, pets are recognized as family members, not possessions and legal decisions on pet custody will now consider the well-being of the pet, including the care provided and any history of family violence. This ruling involved a couple with a young child and a dog who were getting divorced. In the ruling, it stated that each of the parties shared the dog, Toba, weekly, exchanging her on Fridays. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy However, once the daughter started daycare, the Friday handover wouldn't work and while the wife tried to find alternative arrangements, the court documents state that the husband did not respond to any attempts to communicate. Story continues below advertisement Toba ended up staying with the wife and had been living with her for the past few years. In the case, Justice Maegen M. Giltrow ruled that under the new B.C. Family Law a judge cannot award joint ownership or require shared possession and ruled in favour of the wife. 1:52 Pets are no longer 'property' under B.C. family law 'When a couple comes to the court saying they want shared custody, which is forbidden by the legislation unless there's prior agreement, that's the only time when the courts are going to act on that,' animal lawyer V. Victoria Shroff said. 'Otherwise the court must not order shared access or shared possession of a companion animal.' Legal experts say the changes to B.C. Family law regarding the custody of pets sets a precedent across the country.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top Japan Regional Bank Holds JGB Buying on Bet Rates to Climb
(Bloomberg) -- A trading room about an hour's train ride from Tokyo is on the radar of Japanese government bond investors waiting to see whether domestic banks will resume buying the nation's debt in earnest. Trump Targets $128 Billion California High-Speed Rail Project Trump Asserts Power Over NYC, Proclaims 'Long Live the King' NYC's Congestion Pricing Pulls In $48.6 Million in First Month NYC to Shut Migrant Center in Former Hotel as Crisis Eases As Visitors Discover Ghent, the City Is Trying to Prevent a Tourism Takeover Joyo Bank Ltd., one of Japan's largest regional lenders, is holding off from investing in domestic bonds for now though, according to Yoshitsugu Toba, a managing executive officer at the bank. While his main scenario is for the Bank of Japan to lift interest rates just one more time in July, he also sees the risk that debt yields will climb even further if the BOJ raises rates to around 1.5% at most in about three years. There's keen interest in the market on whether Japan's regional banks will pour back into benchmark 10-year notes, whose yields jumped to the highest levels since 2009 in Tokyo trading on Friday. Those lenders have traditionally been some of the biggest buyers of JGBs that are due in a decade. But they cut their holdings as the BOJ embarked on radical monetary easing to try to drag the economy out of deflation, including pushing interest rates below zero in 2016. Deposit-taking institutions such as banks held more than 40% of Japanese government debt in 2010 but that dropped steadily, to around 11% in the past couple years, BOJ data show. The central bank has shifted to raising rates since last year, but lenders are reluctant to buy bonds while rates still appear to be headed higher. 'We are thinking about buying JGBs when yields climb more,' said Toba, who heads the market team at Joyo, in an interview. Toba said full-scale investment in the securities may not happen until around the latter part of its three-year medium-term business plan period that starts in April. He didn't specify a level for when the bank would start buying. Joyo's securities portfolio stood at about ¥2.7 trillion ($18 billion) as of December, including ¥1.58 trillion in domestic bonds and ¥500 billion in foreign debt. The bank is based in Ibaraki Prefecture northeast of Tokyo and is part of Mebuki Financial Group Inc., Japan's fourth-largest regional banking group by assets. It followed the Japan banking industry trend of buying US Treasuries and other foreign bonds for their extra yield during the years of super-low interest rates at home. The danger of that strategy became clear though when the Federal Reserve began aggressively raising rates in 2022, causing dollar funding costs to shoot up and resulting in losses for Japanese banks. To avoid losing money from rising interest rates, Joyo has opted for more floating-rate products in its foreign bond portfolio including collateralized loan obligations, doubling the portion of floaters to about 60% in the last three years. The bank holds about ¥180 billion worth of CLOs, and Toba said more buying is planned if spreads don't tighten too much. Joyo also holds debt issued by Japanese government-affiliated organizations that are relatively safe but have marginally higher returns than sovereigns, including their five-year to seven-year notes and residential mortgage backed securities, Toba said. He also said the bank will gradually increase investment in domestic stocks and private equity as selling down its strategic holdings of corporate clients' shares will give it space to invest in more risk assets. Japanese policymakers have been pushing companies to unwind cross-shareholdings with allied firms to foster more competition. Unusually for a Japanese bank, Joyo's market team isn't based in its Tokyo office or its headquarters in the prefectural capital of Mito, but in Tsukuba, known for a highly rated university and science research centers. It moved there in 2021 after having to leave its Tokyo building that was being renovated. While a rapid train service that takes about an hour to get into Tokyo has allowed some team members to commute from the metropolis, the location is an issue in seeking market professionals. 'I think it doesn't fall within the target' for those looking for job opportunities in Tokyo, he said, adding the bank is now trying to find people already living in nearby areas. (Adds map of the bank's areas of operation) Walmart Wants to Be Something for Everyone in a Divided America Meet Seven of America's Top Personal Finance Influencers Why Private Equity Is Eyeing Your Nest Egg Can Dr. Phil's Streaming Makeover Find an Audience in the MAGA Era? Anthony Levandowski Keeps on Truckin' ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
