Day 5: Mt. Aso, Helicopter Ride, Kusarenri Observatory, Mt. Aso Museum, Daikanbo Observatory. Journey to Mount Aso: A Scenic Adventure Today’s drive to Mount Aso is an exhilarating adventure, characterized by a series of steep hairpin turns over a 1.5-hour journey. This drive can be quite challenging, especially for those unfamiliar with mountain roads, so we strongly recommend that drivers ensure they are well-rested the night before embarking on this … [Read more...]
DIY Japan – 8D7N Kyushu Self-Drive Trip (Part 2: Kumamoto & Takachiho Gorge)
Day 3: Nagasaki to Kumamoto, Kumamoto Castle, Josaien, Shimotori Shopping Arcade. On Day 3 of our journey, we departed from Nagasaki and embarked on a 1.5-hour drive to Kumamoto. Kumamoto is significantly larger than Nagasaki and has a vibrant atmosphere which reminded us of bustling Sapporo. Hotel: We chose REF Kumamoto by VESSEL HOTELS, a modern, contemporary hotel in the heart of Kumamoto city, adjacent to Shimotori Shopping Arcade. We had slight difficulty locating the hotel carpark at … [Read more...]
DIY Japan – 8D7N Kyushu Self-Drive Trip (Part 1: Nagasaki)
After a five-year hiatus, we found ourselves back in Japan to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We decided to avoid the bustling cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka (in Honshu) and embarked on an 8-day, 7-night self-drive, free and easy adventure across the tranquil landscapes of Kyushu which took us through Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Yanagawa, Itoshima, and Fukuoka. We enjoyed the casual vibes of Kyushu while taking-in the splendour of nature. We will share our travel tips and … [Read more...]
Hokkaido Hotel Review – Hinode Hills Niseko Village
One of the many reasons we are delighted about the reopening of Japan’s borders is that we can share about one of the finest hotels we have stayed-in in Hokkaido: Hinode Hills Niseko Village. We will always remember the warmth and comfort we got at Hinode Hills. Part of YTL Hotel group, we stayed at Hinode Hills Niseko Village during our very last trip to Hokkaido pre-COVID in December 2019. It was newly opened then and we were among its first guests! Unfortunately, as March … [Read more...]
DIY Nagoya Japan with Kids – Itinerary and Recommendations
We have been to Japan multiple times and have covered the ‘major’ cities, including the three major amusement parks (Click here for our post on our itineraries and experiences to 16 countries including Japan). Legoland Japan, really takes the cake with some seriously good activities. On our last trip, we decided to visit Nagoya before going to Hokkaido, as we wanted to discover a new city other than Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. We were so thrilled to find Autumn blooms at … [Read more...]
DIY Family Travels with Kids – Itineraries | Reviews | Tips
16 Countries from Canada to Cambodia, Japan to USA, Scandinavia to Indonesia, Iceland, Finland, New Zealand, Thailand, (and God-willing many more 'lands'!). Cities include: Bali, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Hokkaido, Kyoto, Osaka, Penang, Queensland, , Reykjavik, Siem Reap, Tokyo. Activities include: Ski lessons in Hokkaido, Self-Drive Iceland, Self-Drive Hokkaido, Farm stays in Taiwan, Northern-lights and Santa Claus Park in Finland. Theme Parks include: Disneyland (Anaheim); Tokyo … [Read more...]
Learn Skiing in Niseko – Journey of a Beginner Skier
“I like Coach Iku…she stayed with me to help me and makes sure that I learn.” Just like that, Buddy, all 5 years old of him, summarized his ski experience at Hanazono as we were having dinner on our final night in Niseko. It’s obvious that this has been on his mind. We enrolled our kids, Buddy and Dana in the children's ski programme at Niseko International Ski School (NISS) in Dec 2019. Our cautious little guy is not as gung-ho as his older sister. As parents, we know that … [Read more...]
Skiing with NISS – Diary of a Ski Girl
When we first started our daughter Dana in skiing 4 years ago in 2015, we had no idea she would come this far. After all, coming from sunny Singapore, our kids only get a chance to ski once a year perhaps (if we can afford a trip to a snowy country that year). However, we were pleasantly surprised. What started out as a recreational activity for our daughter then has turned out to be a sport she has taken to quite seriously. She last skied in Hokkaido two years ago in 2017, where she … [Read more...]
How to Dress Kids for Winter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwzJbrqUiOg&t=21s Thick and big won’t do the trick Believe it or not, I’m not naturally inclined towards winter vacations, in particular trips involving snow due to the sheer amount of ‘logistics’ involved. But once there, when we see so much joy on our kids’ faces, all these inhibitions just melt away. From trial and errors, we realized that wearing copious amount of thick puffy jackets will only add weight to our family’s luggage yet they may not … [Read more...]
Hokkaido Ski Resorts – A Comparison
'Niseko', ‘Rusutsu’ or ‘Tomamu’ Which one? Hokkaido is one of the top Winter destinations for many families. Travellers come from all over the world to experience a white winter filled with ‘Jap Pow’ – the famous fine powder-like snow in Hokkaido. Top among the ski resorts in Hokkaido are Niseko Village, Grand Hirafu, Rusutsu and Tomamu. Since we have many readers writing in to ask which is the ‘best’ place to ski, we have summarized our recommendations of 3 resorts which we've stayed in this … [Read more...]
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