Sanuk Canadian

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. ...

....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...

...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 diffe...

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 impress...

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 fr...

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...

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...

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 ...