I feel I live a healthier life every time I visit Japan, and I always sleep and wake up early.
Today, everyone has an extra motivation to wake up early.
To eat this pre-breakfast ume porridge. Was it fantastic? Not really, but I suppose it’s all part of the experience of staying here.
Because of the chilly weather, the excellent taste of the porridge was amplified 50x.
The morning air is crisp and cool, carrying the subtle scent of fallen leaves. The sun rises slowly, casting a soft golden light that filters through the trees. A gentle breeze rustles through the foliage, creating a soothing symphony of rustling leaves and distant bird songs. I feel contentment and peace as I sip my coffee and enjoy the moment of ‘nothingness’.
Our breakfast is served at 8 a.m. During the check-in with the service crew, you can choose from 2 sessions.
It was a good spread, and you will be full. (They give you rice to finish you off).
The food was not too bad. 7/10. (After many ryokan stays and such dinners and breakfasts, your mouth will tend to be a little more picky.)
After breakfast, we quickly went for another dip at the onsen before saying goodbye to this short but nice stay at Hoshino Resorts KAI Alps.
We are about to commence our 2nd leg of this Nagano, Hakone, Izu, and Tokyo tour.
We will spend the next three nights at Gotemba, near Mount Fuji. From Hoshino Resorts Kai Alps, it is about 3.5 hours drive to our hotel.
But before that, we will take a short detour to a place I look forward to visiting.
Tenka Chaya 天下茶屋
The name alone evokes images of inns from martial arts novels, where the most skilled pugilists gather to spar and compete for the highest martial arts honour.
If you are doing a self-drive, please make sure you mark this place to visit. Firstly, it’s a very scenic spot; secondly, because of the relatively difficult accessibility, there is less crowd here.
When we reach, they are almost closing.
We ordered the Houtou noodles. Their menu is limited, but then again, the food was not the reason we visited.
Houtou noodles are a traditional Japanese dish. These thick, flat noodles are similar to udon but wider and often served in a rich, hearty miso-based soup. The broth is typically filled with seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin, mushrooms, leafy greens, and sometimes meat like chicken or pork.
My only regret is that I need a longer lens to capture the grandeur of Fuji-san.
That famous Instagram street: Honcho Nichome Shotengai
Still, with some time to spare before the last light, we visited this spot where tourists are known to cause traffic nuisance by posing in the middle of the road.
Besides visiting those tried-and-tested locations, part of the fun is exploring the area on foot and finding new spots for photo opportunities.
By now, the sky was getting dark, and we made our way to Hotel Clad.
If you want a room with a Mount Fuji view and easy accessibility to the Gotemba Premium Outlets, Hotel Clad is the premier choice.
Dinner was uneventful. We visited the food court at the Premium Outlets and ordered a few items to share.
Good night, everyone. During November, there is a 50% chance of rainfall. Hence, we need to check the weather forecast and be flexible with outdoor plans whenever the weather is good.
As per the hotel concierge, tomorrow will be a good day!
Click below for day 7!
coming soon
Click below to read about the rest of my trip!
Autumn in Japan, Two Weeks Self-Drive Travel Itinerary (Nagano, Hakone, Izu, Tokyo)
