CHOSETSU SAKE I had the chance to attend a guided tour in the Yuki No Bosha factory. Wandering between huge casks and numerous tips I understood that the creation of sake is not a simple thing. What is special about their sake is that the sake is organic and produced using unconventional methods; no water…

GINGER RAMEN I often do my best to avoid ramen during lunch time, as I become very sleep soon after finishing it – I’m guessing it’s something to do with the noodles and the thick soups I often choose. However, today I had a ramen that seemed to me to be the perfect lunch time…

THICK SOBA NOODLE MISO RAMEN As a tourist it is easy to think about only one or two types of ramen, but Japan has such a huge variety of ramen and form my experience, the best ramen I’ve found tends to be in the countryside. Things don’t get much more countryside than the region of…

AKITA INU NO FUN Wandering alongside Tazawa Lake, the deepest freshwater lake in Japan, I ended up in a souvenir shop as the location is ideal for some traditional “omiyage” (souvenirs). Strolling amongst the sweets, a cute little box with an Akita dog on caught my eye. It wasn’t until I’d bought the chocolate biscuits…

INANIWA UDON In Akita prefecture the Inaniwa udon are made in the city of Inakawa. They are usually hand-stretched, and slightly thinner than the type of thick udon we all know and love. Its production requires a meticulous selection of ingredients and lots of skills, so not many quantities could be made in the old…

HONEY PIZZA Tazawa Lake is the deepest freshwater lake in Japan, in a relatively isolated region of Akita, surrounded by picturesque mountains and forests. It’s easily one of my top 5 locations in Japan, as it looks stunning. And surprisingly, just 5 minutes from the lake (by car), you can find several restaurants selling honey…