11/02/2026 / Last updated : 11/02/2026 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Nasu Sesshoseki and Shimogo Kannon-numa　　那須殺生石、下郷観音沼

Oct. 28th. 2025 Michi no eki Nasukogen　　道の駅那須高原友愛の森 Morning displays Natsukogen Yuai no mori in all its glory. There are a very large number of shachuhaku vehicles and people arriving for the large shop selling the usual veg. and omiyage(souvenirs). The large plaza area has a display of art works in stone and wood. Also, a shop selling various craft works from jewelry to a large, wooden Godzilla. Adjacent to this, sizeable workshops for woodcarving, pottery, rattan work and perhaps other things. Classes are held here, I would suppose. The place is busy for a chilly Tuesday morning. Rubbish bins are provided, one notably full of wine bottles. People waiting for […]
Jizo-numa
22/01/2026 / Last updated : 22/01/2026 d.d Hiking / Walking

Jizo-numa and Nature hiking　　地蔵沼、山形県立自然博物園

Oct. 24th. 2025 Michi no eki Nishikawa　　道の駅西川 A cold night, 10 degrees this morning apparently. Michi no eki Nishikawa is busy as groups of school children are accosting everyone with a questionnaire about how to revitalize their nearby town. Rubbish bins would be my suggestion as there are none at this michi no eki, but the town is different. Bins for cans and pet bottles are tantalizingly visible inside the building. They are taken inside at night. (maybe a precaution due to bears) Iwanesawa-sanzan Shrine　　岩根沢三山神社 We set off for the nearby Iwanesawa-sanzan shrine. This we find is huge but in the late stages of disintegration. This shrine has burnt down […]
Tamagawa onsen
07/01/2026 / Last updated : 07/01/2026 d.d Tohoku region

Tamagawa onsen　　玉川温泉

October 21st. 2025 Morning in Iwaki michi no eki　　道の駅岩城 Michi no eki Iwaki is not a bad place for an overnight stay. The toilets are spacious and reasonable, if a little the worse for wear. It is possible to park close to these facilities, lucky as it was a wet night. Rubbish bins are provided too. The main attraction is the onsen. Not fancy but large and functional, a good place for a bath after 3 night on the highway. ＊Minato no yu onsen ; 650 yen / adult Hachimantai Oonuma　　八幡平　大沼 We set off for Hachimantai. This proves to be another long drive but the weather is cold and wet […]
Mononoke no mori
09/10/2025 / Last updated : 09/10/2025 d.d Hiking / Walking

Mishakaike and Shirakoma no ike　　御射鹿池、白駒の池

May 29th. 2025 Mishaka-ike　　御射鹿池  Michi no eki Tateshina gave us a peaceful night and an overcast morning. Not unusually, we are the last to leave as we set off for Mishakaike. This is an artificial reservoir constructed for agricultural irrigation. The high acidity of the water discourages aquatic life but adds vivid colour to the surrounding vegetation. As a consequence, it has proved popular with Japanese artists and attracts a constant stream of photographers. It is the subject of a famous painting Green Echoes by Nihonga artist Higashiyama Kaii. It really is worth seeing, the lake I mean. On this our second visit, it is still hard to stop taking […]