Cathy Cawood

@cathy.cawood

I fell in love with Japan long before I came here in 2003 to teach English, and it has proved to be a lasting romance. I love the history, the traditional architecture, the food, the strange and sometimes ridiculous contrasts, and the beautiful countryside. I lived in Shiga prefecture for one year, and in Kyoto for nine years, and now I live in Machida in Tokyo. I've traveled a little in Japan, but not nearly as much as I'd like to. I like traveling by train, but my favorite way to travel is bicycle.

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Miyama, Kyoto’s Mountain Retreat

Stay in a thatched village farmhouse and explore the natural beauty of the seasons and traditional rural culture in Kyoto Miyama...

Kyoto 352 2

Activity

Hands-on Sushi School in Yamazoe

Yamazoe Village in Nara is the birthplace of Japanese culture. It is also the location of hands-on sushi school Ichiban Oishii..

Nara 1

Transportation

JR Tokyo Wide Pass

JR Tokyo Wide Pass gives you 3 days unlimited travel on JR trains in Tokyo and 10 neighboring prefectures for only ￥10,000

Tokyo 2

Activity

Visiting Mikimoto Pearl Island

On Mikimoto Pearl Island in Toba you can learn all about cultured pearls and Kokichi Mikimoto, the 'Pearl King'. You can..

Mie 7

Activity

Miyama, Kyoto’s Mountain Retreat

Stay in a thatched village farmhouse and explore the natural beauty of the seasons and traditional rural culture in Kyoto Miyama...

Kyoto 352 2

Activity

Hands-on Sushi School in Yamazoe

Yamazoe Village in Nara is the birthplace of Japanese culture. It is also the location of hands-on sushi school Ichiban Oishii..

Nara 1

Activity

Mikan Country in Tanabe, Wakayama

Stay at the Akizuno Garten green tourism facility in Kamiakizu—the heart of Wakayama’s mikan orange country—and enjoy deliciou..

Wakayama 1

Activity

Satoyama Living in Wajima, Noto

The Wajima region is located on the north-western side of Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture of Japan. A rocky coastline borders..

Ishikawa

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Cathy's Japan

Liked by Cathy

Culture

Wagashi Making in Matsue

Kim B

Ever wanted to try your hand at making traditional Japanese sweets? At the Karakoro Art Studio in Matsue, you're able to do..

Shimane 64 2

Culture

Tori-no-Ichi

Gloria Ticconi

The rooster is the tenth symbol in the Japanese zodiac. In Japanese it is often called tori, and it is associated with gain and..

Tokyo 4

Culture

Taiko in Shimogo

Tom Roseveare

Shimogo's Okawa-Keiryu Taiko Preservation Society is a group of local Japanese taiko drummers, whose lively performances are..

Fukushima 2

Activity

Mount Takagawa's Azalea

Steve Morton

Experience the best of nature’s colorful surprises when hiking up one of Yamanashi’s better kept secrets, Mount Takagawa

Yamanashi

Transportation

Japan Rail Seishun 18 Ticket

Cathy Cawood

How to travel on Japan Rail local and express trains, buses and the Miyajima ferry for just ￥2,370 per person per day.

Tokyo 4

Beauty & Spa

Benifuji no Yu Onsen

Meg Sing

Benifuji no Yu Onsen is a hot spring bath at Mt. Fuji's Lake Yamanaka. Picturesque views of red Fuji ("aka fuji") can be seen..

Yamanashi 17 5

Activity

Mt. Fuji & Yamanakako before Dawn

Meg Sing

It is worth the effort to wake up before sunrise to see Lake Yamanakako and Mt. Fuji. Nature is busy and the first bit of sun lights..

Yamanashi 76 32

Activity

Aokigahara

Tinka Weener

Aokigahara is a forest that lies at the base of Mount Fuji, less than 100 miles west of Tokyo. Locally, it is also known under the..

Yamanashi 3

Food

Grilled Marbled Meat in Shibuya

Jeradyne Cheong

Sibuya No Koya roughly translates to mean ‘small hut in Shibuya’. With its wide variety ranging from types of game meat (venis..

Tokyo

Activity

Sakura at Iyashi no Sato Nenba

Mandy Bartok

Weeping cherry blossoms bloom along the paths of Iyashi no Sato Nenba in mid to late April.

Yamanashi 78

Food

Musashi Ice Cream Shop

Amanda Ho

After crossing Kintai Bridge, in the front of Kikko Park, there are at least three ice cream shops. One had about twenty flavors,..

Yamaguchi 2

Culture

Snow Melts at Yokokan Garden, Fukui

Takako Sakamoto

One sunny day in late February, Yokokan Garden in Fukui was basking in the sun with the melting snow dripping from the rooftop.

Fukui 11

Planning

The Best Free Resources to Learn ...

Yannick Vairon

You've decided to learn Japanese. Now you need to figure out how to study. Here you'll find the best free resources to learn..

4

Food

Yuzu Ramen at Afuri

Tom Roseveare

Afuri's trademark signature is its yuzu shio ramen. Think light, thin noodles in a chicken-based broth augmented with yuzu peel...

Tokyo 4

Trans-Hokkaido Autumn Foliage Chase

Takako Sakamoto

Drive through Hokkaido, and enjoy the magnificent autumn foliage here!

Hokkaido 27 2

Blue Lake & Mt. Asahi in Hokkaido

Takako Sakamoto

Mt. Asahi, Hokkaido's highest mountain, and a fascinating blue pond. Enjoy snow at the latest time of the year in Japan, and..

Hokkaido 10

Shiretoko & Lakes in East Hokkaido

Takako Sakamoto

Shiretoko & Lakes in East Hokkaido: On this trip to Hokkaido, I could see things from a different perspective and it was so refreshing!..

Hokkaido 2 17

Biei - Majestic Hills in Hokkaido

Takako Sakamoto

Run through the winding pathways in the patchwork of beautiful fields on the gentle hills of Biei, Hokkaido. So refreshing!

Hokkaido 41 6

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