27 June, 2023

Sendai Zuihoden

Mausoleum of the first lord of Sendai, Date Masamune and his family.










Surrounded by serene pine forest, the hydrangea (ajisai) flowers were blooming blue, purple, pink and white in the peak of summer.












How to get there

Easiest is to hop on loop bus by city of Sendai, Loople bus.



04 June, 2023

Onsen wish list

List of Onsen to visit in Japan:

  • Shima-Onsen, visited December 2022. Guide
  • Sukayu onsen, Aomori. Source
  • Tamagawa-Onsen, Akita. The most acidic onsen. Source
  • Noboribetsu, Hokkaido, visited November 2019.  
  • Arima onsen, Hyoto, visited January 2023
  • Kusatsu onsen
  • Yufuin, Oita, visited
  • Beppu, visited
  • Hakone, visited 2014
  • Ginzan onsen, Yamagata. Inspiration for swordsmith village of Demon slayer, Kimetsu no Yaiba. Source. Visited June 2023 day trip, bathe at Takimikan.
  • Minakami-machi, Gunma. Guide
  • Zao, Yamagata
  • Naruko onsen, Miyagi
  • Kirishima, Kagoshima / Maruo onsen.
  • Unzen / Obama onsen, Nagasaki.
  • Dogo Onsen
  • Shirahama Onsen.
  • Dake onsen, Mt Adatara, Fukushima.
  • Shirahone, Nagano.
  • Gero, Gifu, Takayama, day trip from Nagoya. Guide. Visited June 2023 Suimeikan, Bosenkan, Yamagataya.
  • Kinosaki - walk around town 
  • Tokachigawa, Hokkaido
  • Utoro, Hokkaido, source. Visit to lake
  • Shikotsu-ko-onsen resort, Hokkaido
  • Toyako onsen, Hokkaido
  • Matsushima onsen, Miyagi, Tohoku. Guide
  • Yamashiro
  • Ito, Izu peninsula, visited. 

Guide for top 3 onsen according to Wikitravel

Three Great Hot Springs 三大温泉 Sandaionsen

  • Atami, Shizuoka
  • Beppu, Oita
  • Shirahama, Wakayama

Three Famous Springs 三名泉 Sanmeisen. This list, too, was authored by Hayashi Razan.

  • Arima Onsen, Hyogo
  • Gero Onsen, Gifu
  • Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma

Three Old Springs 三古湯 Sankosen

  • Dogo Onsen, Ehime
  • Arima Onsen, Hyogo
  • Shirahama, Wakayama

Three Baths of Fuso 扶桑三名湯 Fuso-sanmeiyu. Fuso is a poetic name for Japan and this one is credited to traveling haiku poet Matsuo Basho.

  • Arima Onsen, Hyogo
  • Yamanaka Onsen, Kaga, Ishikawa
  • Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma

Seeing experiences with fresh eyes

Given my propensity to seek new experiences, I wanted to start a new series of article that explores experiences that are new, new to me, or...