Yamate Italian Garden Park (山手イタリア山庭公園) - Part 1

I had to visit the dentist again. However, as it was my day off, and before heading home, I decided to explore around downtown Yokohama. It was a beautiful, albeit hot day, but to walk under a blue sky was so refreshing. Plus the hot, sunny weather reminded me of my days in Bangkok; I guess I have become a bit of a desert flower -- one who blooms best under the sun.

After researching, I selected Ishikawa Cho station. From this station, you can walk to many famous points in Yokohama city -- Motomatchi shopping street, Chinatown, etc. As I love architecture, gardens and great views, I headed up the hill to see Yamate -- which was famous in the late 1880 ~ 1920's as the residence of choice for foreigners living in Japan. Here, many restored Western houses can be enjoyed for free. ^_^

Let's take a close look at two of these homes -- Diplomat's house and Bluff 18 Ban-Kan.
The distance from the station is about 350 meters -- all uphill -- and the route is well signposted.

Map showing the route from Ishikawa Cho station to 

Yamate Italian Garden Park (山手イタリア庭公園.)

After hiking up the hill, I reached the first house: 外交官の家　(Gai-kou-kan no - ie | Diplomat's house).

Outside:

A kind staff worker met me outside and gave me slippers (you mustn't wear your outside shoes while touring the inside) and a free paper fan (well, it was a hot day!). Photos are allowed inside, so I'll share the most interesting points.

Main dining hall:

Living room:

My favorite room -- the sunroom....looks ready for Uno! ^_^

The view from the sunroom was quite special. From the window, one can enjoy all the famous sights of Yokohama -- Bay Bridge, Landmark Tower, and the rear garden:

I was surprised to find an interesting arrangement of flowers tucked in an alcove, near the living room; the flowers were inside an oversized martini glass!

I loved this design idea!

Upstairs, I checked out the bedrooms, bath and home office. The brass beds reminded me of my room as a child -- I had something very similar:

The Diplomat's house also featured a large garden. The view again, was spectacular! Here, you could see Yokohama's Bay Bridge and the Marine Tower...

The final shot shows the architectural style of this restored home. According to the staff, the home was designed by the American architect, J.M Gardiner. Hard to believe this is Japan, no? ^_^

Check in again tomorrow to see the other house I visited, Bluff 18 Ban-Kan.

Yamate Italian Yama Garden Park & Gaikan-no-le (Diplomat's House) is located about 350 meters uphill from Ishikawa Cho station (JR Negishi line). Admission is free. Open 09.00 ~ 17.00 every day except every 4th Wednesday & holidays. Information in English is HERE. 
日本語の情報はここです。

Miyagase Dam - Part 3

....the final installment in a trilogy regarding this dam in central Kanagawa, concludes. Parts 1 and 2 are HERE and HERE. 

After arriving at the bottom of the dam, my friend and I explored around the area a short distance from the dam itself. This place is really scenic!

View looking back at the dam from a bridge:

Walking straight ahead, we could see a lovely white arch bridge:

While on the bridge, looking to the right, was a waterfall. The sound of the water falling was so relaxing. ^_^

On the way back, I snapped a photo of a passing train, which shuttles passengers from the dam site to a park. Riding this train is not free. The cost was about ¥250~¥350. (sorry I can't remember the exact amount)

Miyagase Dam is highly recommended as something different to do in Kanagawa. It's free and an ideal spot for families (of which, we saw many!) Are you impressed with Kanagawa, Japan yet? ^_^

Miyagase Dam is located in central Kanagawa, about 1.5 hours from Yokohama. Admission: free. Activities available: restaurant, museum, view points, park and playground for kids -- all free. Access: Take the Odakkyu line to Hon Atsugi station. Change to the Kanachu Bus No.5 to Miyagase. The dam is a short walk from the bus stop. 
The wiki page is HERE. Kanachu Bus site is HERE. 

Miyagase Dam - Part 2

...a day trip to this dam in the middle of Kanagawa prefecture, continues. 

After walking from the car park, we arrived at the main gate to Miyagase Dam. My friend took this photo at the welcome sign:

We studied the map of the area; there were so many things to see and do. As we had limited time, we decided to view the dam, look out point and a waterfall. We also agreed to come back again another day to travel to more locations and sightseeing spots at this location.

Map #1 (click to view details):

Map #2 (click to view details):

There are two ways to get to the bottom of the dam -- via cable car or an elevator. As the elevator was free, we took that. 

Cable car:

Before heading down, you could enjoy views all the way to Yokohama from the top of the dam! I could easily see the Landmark Tower from this point. 

Yokohama is way in the back there....

The elevator showed via a display, the depths we would travel. My ears popped due the difference in air pressure!

Elevator depth: 

Once reaching the bottom, vistors must walk through a tunnel before emerging outside. This tunnel is great on a hot summer day; the inside was a cool 18 C! Near the elevator entrance, we even noticed some ice crystals on the ceiling. 

The tunnel:

Outside, I could get a great photo of the entire dam: 

I found a unique sign that compares the size of the dam to many famous landmarks in Japan -- Tokyo Dome and Tokyo Tower, for example. 

Information sign:

Click to read the details

Please check again tomorrow for more photos from Miyagase Dam.

Miyagase Dam is located in central Kanagawa. Admission is free. Access: Take the Odakyu line to Hon Atsugi station. Change to the Kanachu bus No. 5 to Miyagase. You can walk to the dam from that stop. Miyagase Dam's Wiki page is HERE. 

Miyagase Dam - Part 1

Due to the current summer holiday schedule in Japan, my work has slowed down quite a bit. As I had some free time, my friend invited me to spend the afternoon at a local dam, called: Miyagase.

This place was really beautiful! I took many photos of this spot, so for the next few posts, I will feature this hidden gem in Kanagawa prefecture.

Before heading out, we stopped to pick up some refreshments. I tried something new: Salty Watermelon by Pepsi. The taste was true to the name....

While driving, I spotted something I had never seen in Japan before -- a bus which had a bike carrier on the front. While these buses are very common in my home country of Canada, Japan has yet to catch on to this trend. In the countryside of Kanagawa, it was nice to spot such a bus:

The drive to the dam passed over many lovely bridges. I felt like Meryl Streep in "The Bridges of Madison County".

One bridge:

After an hour's drive, we arrived at the dam site. I was so impressed with the view from the car park alone! A man made lake could be seen....

More views of the man-made lake and cutenekko:

We began walking toward the entrance to the dam. I snapped this shot of the top of the dam:

Be sure to check back tomorrow to view more photos of the dam itself and other interesting points. ^_^

Miyagase Dam is located in the countryside of Kanagawa, about 1.5 hours drive outside of Yokohama.  Access: Odakyu line to Hon Atsugi Station. Take the Kanachu Bus No. 5 to Miyagase. 
The wiki page is HERE. 

Hiking Enoshima Island

I went to the beach (again!) near Enoshima island last week. It was bit too windy though, so after swimming, I asked my friend if she wanted to hike around Enoshima island for a bit? We spent about 3 hours there. Here are some highlights...

View from Enoshima island looking to the shoreline...


Some people fishing....


My friend wanted to go to her favorite restaurant for a beer. We were lucky, as it wasn't crowded, and could enjoy a seat outside. Check out the view from our table!

View from my seat (looking right):


View looking down: 


I ordered something many of my Japanese friends have been recommending: かき氷(shaved ice) with Blue Hawaii syrup. The taste was so refreshing on a hot day!

Shaved ice: a popular treat during Japanese summers....

 Enoshima Island is still my favorite spot in all of Kanagawa. I hope you enjoyed it too. ^_^

Enoshima Island is located about 30 minutes from Yokohama. Access: Odakyu-Enoshima line to Katase-Enoshima station. Walk from the station to the island in about 15 minutes. There are many shops and small cafes / restaurants, so just bring some money and enjoy! Average cost: ¥400 + ($4 / 150 Baht)

Further information about this island can be found HERE (Travel Guide) and HERE (Wiki page). 

湘南平 Shonan Daira

I recently got to visit a very hidden view point in Kanagawa, called Shonan Daira.

It's at the top of a mountain near the coast and offers amazing views of both the coastline and mountains  of Kanagawa.

I traveled there at night, after dinner, so it was difficult to get a photo of the view. Here was my best shot:

View looks toward Enoshima and the Miura peninsula 

A stone sign post at the bottom of the stairs marks the entrance to this spectacular viewpoint:

Once you climb the stairs and reach the top, visitors are treated to unspoiled views of Enoshima, Miura, Odawara, and even Atami from this point. If you visit during the day, you may be able to see Odawara Castle and Mount Fuji.

I will be sure to visit again during the day time to get better photos. ^_^


I found a good video highlighting the daytime view from Shonan Daira. Click HERE to see. (Courtesty of ankolo24)
The Japanese Wiki page for Shonan Daira is HERE. (日本語だけ)

Access: Take the Tokaido train line (JR East) Hiratsuka station. At the north exit of the station, get on "Shonan Daira" bus. The final stop is Shonan Daira view point. Sorry, I don't know the cost. 

There is a really great interactive Kanagawa map HERE. Click the map once to view a local area. Place names inside boxes can be clicked for more information. Very useful!!

Bikes in Japan

Japan is very similar to Europe in that one of the major methods of transportation is the bicycle. People use these 2-wheeled vehicles to go to school, get to the nearest train station and for shopping. They are often equipped with many nice features and are quite different than the bikes you normally find in North America.

I was recently presented with a bicycle and love it to bits. I've nicknamed it my "Porche", since it rides like one without all the high insurance fees and taxes! ^o^

My Porche:


I spent over 2 weeks looking at many bicycles before deciding on this one. It was actually recommended to me by a friend. Here are some of the special features....

Auto light:


The light doesn't require a battery; it uses the rotation of the front wheel to power the light, which comes on automatically in the dark.

Built in lock: 

This is standard on almost all bicycles in Japan. The police recommend owners to buy an additional lock to prevent bike thief.

My bike is a 6 speed. Shimano is the most famous gear maker for bicycles in Japan. They also produce fishing reels. The gear works like a motorcycle accelerator handle, just twist to shift gears:


Finally, in Japan, for an extra ¥500 (about $5) you can register your bicycle with the local police and receive an I.D tag. That way, if your bicycle is stolen (which is a common occurrence here), you only need to report to the local police box and they will search the database for you. It's highly recommended.

***Special Bonus***
It was so hot last week; I didn't want to go to the gym, so I baked. I made my usual banana bread and gave it to a friend. The cookies are a new recipe: coconut sugar cookies. They turned out soft and sweet. ^_^ I posted these pictures for a blog fan who said they enjoyed my baking photos.

Coconut cookies: before...

...and after! 

banana bread

Shimano website is HERE. 
Bicycles in Japan cost between ¥7,500 ~ ¥60,000 depending on the maker and style. The bicycle featured in this post was just over ¥10,000 ($100). There are few bicycle lanes in Japan, so riders often travel on sidewalks, or along the road. Helmets are not mandatory, but recommended. 
The coconut cookie recipe is HERE. 

七沢温泉 Nanasawa Hot Springs

This past Sunday, I visited a little known, very rural area of Kanagawa called Nanasawa. While not famous (perhaps even Tokyo-ites have never heard of it), locals in Kanagawa all know this hidden spot. It's famous for several things: hot springs, hiking trails and wild bears and monkeys! I was a little shocked to learn that there are wild bears less than an hour away from my home. o_O

Due to my work schedule, my friend and I squeezed in as much as we could in the span of 4 hours.

Map of the area. The sign says: "Forest Therapy":

 Another map detailing the many hiking trails and 

scenic spots in the area (click for details):

 View of the mountains and greenery:

We drove up the mountain to visit a temple. It was under construction; currently, they are working to refurbish the roof. Despite that, there were several unique features of this temple...

a huge stone lantern:

 A small bull. The money is an offering:

 A small stone tiger, guarding a prayer spot:

This area had many ancient, tall trees. This particular tree was for people to pray. The tree was unique in that it was hollow, but still quite healthy.

The prayer tree:

Located next the temple's main hall, were two trees designated by Kanagawa prefecture as "living fossils". A sign said these trees were 800 years old!

About halfway down the mountain, we stopped to take photos of the view. Despite the very hot weather, Nanasawa Onsen area was quite cool.

I didn't have time to enjoy the outdoor baths here, but will be sure to visit again and blog about that experience. I hope you enjoyed rural Kanagawa!

A help site for foreigners with information about Nanasawa Onsen is HERE (scroll to the bottom of the page).
A blog about onsens in Japan features the Nanasawa Onsen area. Lots of pictures! View them HERE.