The Tale of the Floating Noodles (Kyoto)

Last August during the Mountain Day holiday weekend, I ventured to the riverside village of Kibune in Kyoto to try their legendary floating noodles. These somen noodles are very unique because they float down a bamboo shoot directly to your table and are chilled to cool you down during summer season. It’s definitely a dining experience worth having if you enjoy Japanese food! In this article I will be highlighting my summer experience in Kyoto and will hopefully inspire more people to travel here.

*For reference, Mountain Day is a relatively new national holiday that was announced in 2014. It honors the mountainous terrains of this country and most Japanese companies give this day as paid holiday (making it a three day weekend most years). It occurs August 11th. Be aware that this weekend is usually travel-heavy, but you can still see and do a lot if you plan your trip accordingly.

Floating Noodles at Hirobun (in Kibune)

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Kibune is a popular resort destination that attracts large numbers of Japanese couples and families each year (which I didn’t realize beforehand), but is also home of the famous Hirobun restaurant that serves floating somen noodles from a bamboo shoot. As the noodles float to your seat, you can stealthily grab with your chopsticks and eat them with soy sauce. Though people make it out to be a challenge, it’s actually not that difficult and the restaurant staff will adjust the speed if they see you are having trouble. The last batch of noodles is marked pink so you know when your course is over. We paid around 2000 yen for a noodle course with dessert and enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

The main con of this was the three hour wait time… Unfortunately this activity is so popular in the summer that it attracts hundreds of people per day and there are limited seats at the floating somen table. There is no reservation system, so you must show up in person to write your name on a wait list in order of who arrived first. We arrived around 12pm and already there were many people ahead of us. However, the plus side is that there are so many things to see in Kibune that you can easily leave and come back when it is close to your turn.

While we waited, we walked around the river, tried some ice cream from a local confectionery, and hiked by the Kibune Shrine Okumiya so we could test our luck. There is also the nearby Kurumadera Temple and hotspring that you can visit to kill time. If you think about it, three hours in nature really goes by quickly. It would be a lot more mundane if we had to wait that long for a restaurant in the city. At first I hesitated about waiting, but now I’m so happy that I did because I got to experience pretty much everything Kibune has to offer.

Getting to Kibune

From Kyoto Station, take the Nara Line Rapid Miyakoji to Tofukuji Station, then the Keihan Main Line Semi-Express to Demachiyanagi Station Station, then the Eizan Main Line Local to Kibuneguchi Station. From here you can take a local bus to the shrine. Though it involves a few transfers, the journey only takes about 1.5 hours and costs 1020 yen making it the perfect day trip from Kyoto.

If you are looking for more travel recommendations in Kyoto, please check my Arashiyama, Amanohashidate, and Aesthetic Dining Experiences in Kyoto articles!

Sweet Twist: A Vintage Ice Cream Store in Shimokitazawa

Trying unique and adorable ice cream stores scattered across Asia has become a huge hobby of mine. As I was thrift shopping for clothes in Shimokitazawa (which has much better selection than the overcrowded Harajuku), I stumbled upon Sweet Twist–a vintage ice cream store selling a variety of soft cream, gelato, and crepes with customizable toppings.

Like most sweets stores in central Tokyo, the store is tiny, but the bright pink exterior and colorful signs advertising a variety of desserts seemed extremely inviting. Not to mention the fluffy mascot that’s printed on all of the cups is the epitome of cute!

I decided to try the strawberry topped soft cream first. Like the name implies, the ice cream is extremely light tasting and sweet. The strawberry topping tasted much like strawberry chocolate so I really enjoyed the taste. Since the portion size I ordered was small (I regret not doing the 2 scoop option), I decided to try the raspberry gelato as well. They have a variety of flavors like green tea, coconut, chocolate fruits, etc. and you can choose extra toppings for just 50 yen. I liked the ice cream slightly better due to its sweetness, but I imagine everything here is really good!

The interior design with the neon pink flamingo and framed photos of Audrey Hepburn and other nostalgic icons was also a pleasant experience to take in. This neighbor hood has a lot of vintage shops that you should definitely check out if you have the chance. I will definitely be back here in the future to try more delicious flavor combinations!

A Reflective Day at Sky Mirror Beach (Malaysia)

*Feeling enchanted at Sky Mirror Beach, Kuala Selangor.*

In Malaysia, there is a magical beach that will display a perfect image of your reflection in the water during certain times of the day due to the low tide. Kuala Selangor Beach, better known as Sky Mirror Beach, is a natural phenomena that attracts many creative photographers and those who wish to see this rare occurrence.

Though the official website states that you can only see this twice a month during the full moon and new moon phases, you can actually see it daily with the assistance of lighting. At times the beach is completely submerged underwater and appears uncharted, which is why it is required that you book a tour to go to Sky Mirror Beach. The beach is quite remote and requires a speedboat trip to reach it, but once there you can take in all of its rare beauty!

I booked my tour through Veltra, and I found the tour to be overall satisfactory. Though I road the speedboat with a group of people, I had my own private driver to the pier that was included in the price. He picked me up right from my hostel and got me there early so I could relax for a bit. Once arriving at the beach, they will also help you take pictures with optimal lighting. I brought my portable tripod, but they had light boxes set up on the beach already. You are free to walk around and explore the beach on your own too. Though it’s not really ideal for swimming, there are a lot of interesting sea snails and tiny crabs you can see (and they’re harmless).

Overall, most tour packages are about $100 to see this beach, but I think the experience is worth it. The trip includes snacks, water, and transportation to an extremely rare area of the country from central Kaula Lumpur, so I think it’s justified. I’m not sure where else in the world I can see a magical beach like this, so I’m happy that I took this opportunity!

Exploring the Remote Beaches of Mersing (Malaysia)

*Chasing after Malaysian skies in my Orient shirt.*

During my aesthetic adventures in Singapore, I decided to take a side trip to Malaysia via bus and see some of its beautiful remote beaches. This meant waking up before 6:30am and riding a 6 hour bus from central Singapore to Mersing, but the experience I had made it worth it! The bus was air-conditioned, and getting through customs early in the morning meant we didn’t have to wait as long. Singapore’s Sentosa Island has a number of gorgeous beaches, but the ones in Mersing have the essence of unspoiled beauty.

I decided to book a $28 bus through Easy Book online to get to Mersing, Malaysia, and then took a private boat tour through Let’s Go Island Tours for 450 Ringgit to see the islands. This price was actually a bit cheaper than what I paid for private boat tours in Thailand, and includes some of the same activities like scuba diving and sightseeing. If you get to Mersing early enough, you can take a group boat tour for a much cheaper price. Since I was going to central Malaysia later that night and didn’t have a lot of time, I opted for a private tour.

The private boat I rode was only myself and the captain, so it was quite the adventure! A light storm was approaching so the waves made the boat a bit rocky, but the captain expertly navigated the waters. Our first destination was Lang Tengah Island, where I stopped for Pina Coladas and got to see the Batu Batu Resort area. It was quite beautiful, but the beachfront was actually very small and the weather conditions made it difficult for swimming. However, I still enjoyed walking around and seeing the beach huts and palm trees. I even saw a baby lizard!

After spending about an hour here, the captain took me to another beach at Besar Island behind the resort area that was completely private. It looked like something out of a movie or anime, and I had it all to myself!

Swimming here was definitely the experience of a lifetime. You can see in the third picture that the sky is dark because the storm was approaching, but I fortunately had over 2 hours to swim and explore this beach. The tour was extremely laid back and I could choose where I wanted to be. I was so happy to spend some time alone (besides the captain) on this island!

The interesting thing about Mersing is boats don’t always leave exactly on time; the boat companies all pay close attention to the tide and then set the departure time. Due to this factor, I would recommend staying 2-3 days on these islands so you have enough time to see them. I was able to see a lot on my private tour, but I wished I could have additionally seen Tioman or Rawa Island, which are extremely popular to stay at.

When it started to rain, we headed back to the Mersing Harbor where I waited for my bus to Kuala Lumpur. This was yet another 6 hours bus ride that I booked through RedBus for $15, but I ended up having it all to myself! I don’t recommend booking 2 buses in one day because it’s a lot of travel and it’s nicer to stay on an island in Mersing, but I was on a tight schedule. If I come back here again, I will be sure to take more time in this area.

In the end, the driver dropped me off right at my hostel and I got to see a lot of Malaysia! We went from the border of Singapore, all the way up to Kuala Lumpur. The scenery went from monkeys on the side of the road to bright flashing lights in the center of the city. It felt great to be in a foreign world once again!

Backpacking through Canal City (Otaru, Japan)

I’ve never been to Hokkaido in the summer, but since it’s the only main island of Japan where I haven’t gone swimming yet, I figured I’d explore one of the port towns over the weekend. The advantage to coming to this island in the summer is there is a lot of flower farms in bloom, the weather is near perfect, and there’s tons of fresh ice cream everywhere! Well, actually there’s ice cream here year-round since Hokkaido is known for its dairy, but this is the optimum weather for it.

I took a discount flight through Jetstar by booking it a few months in advance from Tokyo to New Chitose Airport, then took the express train from there to reach Otaru. Otaru is a historic port town with amazing seafood and ice cream. Almost all of the major attractions are within walking distance from the main station, and it has a very bubbly shopping street. There are a number of landmarks and famous buildings, as well as the relaxing stroll down canal street!

I started my trip with a stop at Popura Farm Otaru to try their famous melon bowl ice cream. It did not disappoint. With newfound energy I wandered to the canal street for some photography. It truly looks like something out of a Venetian movie! They offer boat rides here, but since I was trying to steer away from crowds, I opted not to go. Being in this pleasant weather was sure relaxing though.

Next I traveled to the shopping street right down the road and saw some interesting shops! You could buy almost anything here: crab buns, green tea, music boxes, sushi, Sniw Miku goods, art, and more. They also had Peanuts and Hello Kitty themed restaurants. What a happening place. My favorite shop here was LeTAO, because they were giving amazing free samples of cheese cake and cookies here. Shops on this street close around 7pm, so be sure to come early so you can see everything.

At the end of this street was a very unique music box museum! They had adorable sushi cake music boxes for sale, as well as the Orpheus music box you could see (not for sale), which is one of the oldest and most famous in Japan. Although the first floor was a bit of a tourist trap with nothing but souvenirs on the tables, the upper floors had a lot of rare music boxes and were exciting to see. This museum is very small but has a homey feel.

Afterwards I decided it was time to go to the beach! The weather was perfect and I was in an elevated mood that comes with traveling to a new place. I grabbed my swimsuit and took a local bus to to Higashi Otaru Beach, which was one of the closest swimming beaches to Otaru Station. From the photos and reviews on Google Maps, it looked like quite the promising place for a swim. However, I was quite disappointed its overall condition and how small the swimming area was.

This beach is right next to the railroad tracks, so you need to walk a long distance down the side of a highway to get to an area where it’s safe to cross. When I finally got there I noticed the sand was very rough, and there was litter on the beach. I tried to go swimming but I couldn’t get far–there were a lot of rocks and it just didn’t live up to my previous expectations for it. Instead, I decided to make up for it by drinking two mini bottles of wine that I had stored in my backpack and relaxed for a while. This was the first time that I’ve been disappointed by a beach in Japan, but I wasn’t about to let it ruin my trip. I found a rock to sit on and gazed at the beautiful horizon while I rested. From this point of view, it looked like a stunning beach:

Not wanting to accept disappointment, I decided to make my way back to the central city and find a hotspring. Except I was slightly buzzed and couldn’t find the bus stop. I decided to walk on the side of the highway until I found a taxi. But I was on the wrong side of the road. How to cross… That’s when the free shuttle to Otaru Kourakuen miraculously arrived and stopped for me. I decided that’s where I was going next! Adorable otters greeted me at the door, and a dip in the hot springs was exactly what I needed to regain my spirit. I was back again! Back from disappointment.

Afterwards, it was getting to be dusk so I decided to make my way back to the center of the city and grab dinner. I decided on a seafood place near the melon ice cream restaurant and ordered some delicious crab leg avocado sushi. If you’re going to try seafood, Hokkaido is the place to do it!

Feeling extremely satisfied I decided to make my way back to Sapporo where I was staying, just because it has cheaper guesthouse options. I had a very good time here in Otaru though! After living in Tokyo for over three years, I am always glad to spend my time in the scenic countryside.