Top 5 Autumn Colour Spots in Tokyo and Kanto

Tokyo has an almost endless number of spots for viewing autumn leaves, from quiet neighbourhood parks to large Japanese gardens. Even after living in the country for over 5 years I am still coming across new spots, and hope to find even more this year. Plus it’s not just central Tokyo, as the mountains in west Tokyo and nearby Saitama have a large number of easy to access spots.

Here are my top 5 spots in and around Tokyo. 

Mount Takao 

Mount Takao is one of the most well known mountains near central Tokyo, and is the best mountain to go for autumn leaves. This mountain, as well as many of the surrounding ones, is covered in golden and red leaves. I had a great time hiking up to the top, then coming halfway down to enjoy a beer and all-you-can-eat food in the beer garden. There is a large selection of routes, so it’s good for any age or type of hiker. There is also a cable car that can take visitors half way up.

Access: Take the Keio line to Takaoguchi station.
Best Time: November
Admission: FREE

Mount Takao

Takahata-Fudoson Temple 

While this place seems to be reasonably well known to local tourists, it didn’t have any foreign tourists. The whole complex, with its stunning pagoda surrounded by autumn trees and hill forest covered in golden and red leaves, is well worth the journey. There are also some great shops for souvenirs, stalls selling traditional Japanese sweets such as Taiyaki and lots of little temple buildings and gardens to explore.

Address: 733 Takahata, Hino-shi, Tokyo 191-0031
Best Time: November to early December
Admission: FREE

Takahata Fudoson Temple

Inokashira Park 

A great place to see how the Japanese crowds like to enjoy autumn colours. This famous park gets full of all kinds of performers, dancers and artists, as well as stalls trying to sell all kinds of trendy souvenirs. Inokashira Park is therefore a great place to see beautiful red and golden leaves in a casual, but fun atmosphere.

Address: Kichijoji, Tokyo
Best Time: November to early December
Admission: FREE

Showa Kinen Park 

This former military base was turned into a massive park during the boom years, and the amount of money really shows. I have been here many times, both for autumn leaves and cherry blossoms, and always run out of time! It really is one of the biggest parks I have ever been to, but could better be described as a ‘park of parks’. There is a traditional Japanese garden, a few forests, modern gardens and much more. All these sections, as well as the outside promenade, are filled with stunning autumn colours.

Address: 3173 Midoricho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-0014
Best Time: November to early December
Admission: Adults 410 yen, Children 80 yen

Showa Kinen Park

Heirin Temple 

This place really took me my surprise! This temple is not well known outside Japan, but it should be. Get away from the tourist buses and explore a real temple during the autumn colour season at Heirin Temple. There are lots of little temple buildings and mini Japanese gardens, plus a large forest to enjoy. All the areas are full of golden and red leaves, with different varieties of trees, so you will have a good chance of seeing something good.

Address: 3 Chome-1-1 Nobitome, Niiza, Saitama 352-0011
Best Time: November to early December
Admission: FREE

Heirin Temple

Matthew Baxter 

Matthew is a blogger and website designer who has lived and travelled in Japan for over 5 years. He writes the Japan budget travel guide Cheapo Japan, a website dedicated to showing tourists how to enjoy Japan without burning all their money away. Please check out http://www.cheapojapan.com/ for lots of super useful tips and guides.

McDonald’s Japan Halloween Burger

McDonald’s Japan has joined the club by releasing a black burger for Halloween. Hot on the heels of the recent Black Kuro Burger from Burger King Japan comes the new Ika Sumi Burger from McDonald’s.

McDonald’s own dark burger is just in time for Halloween. The burger is called the “Ika Sumi Burger” or Squid Ink Burger, and is its Goth burger to rival that of Burger King.

They have also released a new chicken burger which features Camembert cheese, and a new McFlurry with pumpkin sauce.

Here is a brief description of each Halloween menu item.

The Ika Sumi Burger (Squid Ink Burger) 

The Ika Sumi (Squid Ink) Burger features two beef patties, cheddar cheese, and crispy fried onions, with a special yellow smoky & spicy Chipotle sauce. The burger also contains a black squid ink sauce. All this yumminess is contained within buns dyed with black sesame seeds. The black for Halloween is meant to represent a black witch, which plays mischief on the burger.

You can pick one up at your local McDonald’s Japan restaurant for 370 yen (USD$3.40).

Halloween Ika Sumi (Squid Ink) Burger

The Camembert Chicken Burger 

The Camembert Chicken Burger is the second Halloween burger and features a chicken fillet, lettuce and creamy white Camembert cheese sauce. All within standard white buns. Very scary! The white of the burger (buns and cheese sauce) is meant to represent a white ghost, with the burger dressed up in a white ghost costume.

This burger also sells for 370 yen (USD$3.40).

Halloween Camembert Chicken Burger

Pumpkin Oreo McFlurry 

The third item on the Halloween menu is the Pumpkin Oreo McFlurry. It features pumpkin sauce in the regular oreo cookies & cream vanilla ice-cream Oreo McFlurry. You can try it for 276 yen (USD$2.55).

Halloween Pumpkin Oreo McFlurry

The Taste Test 

Of course, we had to give one of these a taste. It is almost Halloween after all. We headed to our local McDonald’s and ordered a Squid Ink Burger. I know what you are all asking. How did it taste? Well…..it was pretty good. The burger looks awful, but tastes just like a regular McDonald’s burger. The first thing that hits you is the smell of the fried onions as you open up the box. The ika sumi sauce tasted alright and wasn’t too overpowering. The burger had a good spiciness to it due to the Chipotle sauce. The buns were a slight disappointment. Yes, they were dark, but I wouldn’t call them black. Maybe a dark shade of brown is a better description.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but it is not something that I would be ordering again.

McDonald’s Halloween menu will be available until the last week of October.

Halloween Ika Sumi (Squid Ink) Burger Set

Special Halloween Box for the Ika Sumi Burger

The black or as I say dark brown buns of the burger

A peep inside the burger

McDonald’s Japan Website

Winner of Japan’s World Heritage Sites Announced!

Thank you to everyone who entered our competition for a chance to win a copy of the book Japan’s World Heritage Sites by John Dougill.

There can only be one winner, and once again we used the traditional method of selecting a lucky person by randomly drawing a name out of a kabuto (samurai helmet).

I’m pleased to announce the winner is…..

*** Lola ***

Congratulations Lola, you will be contacted shortly so we can collect your details to pass on to the publisher.

Commiserations to those who did not win. Don’t worry as Japan Australia will be announcing another competition very soon. Stay posted!

Selecting the lucky winner from the samurai helmet

Book Review: Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Unique Culture, Unique Nature

Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Unique Culture, Unique Nature by John Dougill, published by Tuttle Publishing is a great guide to Japan’s amazing collection of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is a must have book for any fan of travel in Japan and for people who are looking to explore the must see tourist destinations and attractions in Japan.

Japan is rich in both natural and cultural wonders, and UNESCO has registered 18 natural and cultural sites in Japan. The sites span the north of the country to the south, from the subarctic of the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido all the way down to the Ryukyu Kingdom in subtropical Okinawa.

I love exploring Japan and have been lucky in my over 10 years of living here to have traveled around most of the country. When I visit a region in Japan, one of the first things I look for are its World Heritage Sites. You could call me a temple, shrine, castle and garden explorer as these are typically the places that you will find me in. Japan has these in abundance as well as natural wonders which will leave you speechless.

This book at 192 pages outlines the World Heritage Sites of Japan with large colour photos and detailed text explaining what makes each site so special. It is filled with more than 350 colour photos, illustrations and maps. It is the perfect coffee table book to provide you with an introduction and outline of Japan’s World Heritage Sites. The description of each site contains practical information for the visitor as well as lush photographs and detailed maps. The book is an excellent guide for travel planning in Japan, or as a resource to use while exploring the country.

From Mount Fuji to ancient Kyoto, readers of the book are introduced to temples, shrines, castles, gardens and the natural wonders for which Japan is famously renowned.

The author, John Dougill describes each World Heritage Site in detail, explaining why they were singled out by UNESCO. Dougill traveled the length of the country to visit all of the sites in Japan to research the book and describes his journey in detail in the book. Some of his favourite sites include:

• Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest and most sacred volcano, it is considered the sacred symbol of Japan.
• Himeji Castle, a monument from Japan's long feudal history. Also known as Egret Castle, because it looks like a bird taking off in flight.
• Horyu-ji Temple, the world's oldest surviving wooden structure - a center of Buddhist learning that still serves as a seminary and monastery.
• Hiroshima Peace Memorial, or Atomic-Bomb Dome - one of the few structures to partially survive the atomic blast in 1945.
• The Ogasawara Islands, a remote archipelago of over 30 islands - that is home to rare wildlife and spectacular scenery.

This is the perfect book to keep at home and plan your next trip in Japan, inspire you to visit the country, or just to sit back in your comfy chair and let it whisk you away for a journey across the country.

Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Unique Culture, Unique Nature is the perfect book for anyone interested in the must see attractions and sites in Japan. You can check out the book yourself on Amazon.com

*** Competition Time *** 

Japan Australia has a FREE copy of Japan’s World Heritage Sites: Unique Culture, Unique Nature to give away to one lucky winner, courtesy of Tuttle Publishing.

For a chance to win, please leave a comment below on the following topic, “What is your favourite World Heritage Site in Japan? And why is it your favourite?”

We will select a winner at random and announce the result after the closing date.

Entries close on Sunday, 12 October 2014.

Note: Please do not comment as Anonymous, use a profile such as Google or WordPress, etc, so we can contact you if you are the lucky winner. We will also announce the winner in a future blog post, so stay tuned to Japan Australia.

Good luck and I look forward to reading your entries

*** Competition Has Just Ended ***

Mr Croissant Donut

Mr Croissant Donuts are back with a new series of croissant doughnuts. Earlier this year Mister Donut Japan released their first series of croissant doughnuts, which featured Chocolate and Custard Whipped Cream, White Chocolate and Caramel Whipped Cream and Maple and Angel Whipped Cream. The doughnuts are made from croissant dough that is fried and then oven baked.

The donuts were a big hit with their very light and flaky texture so a new range has hit the shelves of Mister Donut across Japan.

The new range features three new flavours; Apple & Custard Whipped Cream, Cherry & Cream Cheese Whipped Cream, and Crushed Marron Whipped Cream.

Apple & Custard Whipped Cream 

The doughnut contains apple and custard with a cinnamon glaze. It is available for ¥194 (USD$1.80).
 

Cherry & Cream Cheese Whipped Cream 

The doughnut contains cherry and cream cheese which is a fresh combination. It is available for ¥194 (USD$1.80).

 

Crushed Marron Whipped Cream 

The doughnut contains crushed marron whipped cream with a marron chocolate coating. It is available for ¥194 (USD$1.80).

We tried the Cherry & Cream Cheese Whipped Cream and were very impressed. The sour cherry and cream cheese was an awesome combination and worked together really well. We will definitely be having this one again before these are taken off the shelf. 

Cherry & Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Mister Donut Japan Website

Black Kuro Burgers from Burger King Japan

Burger King in Japan is Back in Black with the release of a new line of Kuro (Black) Burgers that look very interesting. You may remember that we posted about the Black Ninja Burger last year. These new burgers take the dark side even further with the addition of black cheese. Yes, that’s right, black cheese!

The burgers come in two varieties, the Kuro Pearl and the Kuro Diamond. Kuro (黒) means black in Japanese and these burgers certainly live up to their name with a selection of black coloured ingredients.

They went on sale on 19 September and will remain on the menu for a limited time. Here is a brief outline of the two burgers.

Kuro Pearl Burger (KURO パール) 

The Kuro Pearl Burger features black buns (made from bamboo charcoal), a black pepper beef patty, black cheese (also coloured with bamboo charcoal) and a black Chaliapin sauce (a garlic, onion soy sauce coloured with black squid ink). The Kuro Pearl Burger costs 480 yen (USD$4.40).

Kuro Pearl Burger

 

Kuro Diamond Burger (KURO ダイヤモンド) 

The Kuro Diamond Burger features all of the above with the addition of lettuce, onion and tomato as well as mayonnaise. The Kuro Diamond Burger costs 690 yen (USD$6.30).

Kuro Diamond Burger

Would you be willing to give these a try and turn to the dark side?

Read more on the Burger King Japan Website

Tsukimi Burger is Back for 2014

The Tsukimi Burger is back for 2014 at McDonald’s restaurants across Japan. The Tsukimi Burger is a sure tell sign that Autumn has arrived here in Japan and has long been a favourite of ours at Japan Australia.

Autumn is considered a time to enjoy delicious seasonal food, cooler weather after the summer heat, and koyo (紅葉) which is viewing of the colourful Autumn leaves. The Tsukimi Burger is only available for a limited time during the early Autumn in Japan and made its appearance back on the menu again on 3 September, 2014. It will remain on the menu until early October.

The Tsukimi Burger contains a beef patty, smoky bacon, poached egg and a special sauce (ketchup mixed with Japanese mayonnaise).

The Tsukimi Burger (月見バーガー) is named after the famous Japanese tradition of tsukimi (月見) or moon viewing, which is a festival honouring the bright Autumn moon. The poached egg in the Tsukimi Burger is said to resemble the Autumn full moon. Here is a breakdown of the egg and tsukimi. The egg yolk represents the bright Autumn full moon, while the egg white represents the white sky.

The Tsukimi Burger first made its appearance on the menu way back in 1991 and has been a popular seasonal favourite ever since.

The Chicken Cheese Tsukimi Burger also makes a reappearance this year after its successful debut last year. Joining the Tsukimi line-up in 2014 will be the brand new Kinoko Tsukimi Burger, which is available from 17 September.

Tsukimi Burger 

The original Tsukimi Burger as mentioned above contains a beef patty, smoky bacon, poached egg and a special sauce. It is available for 339 yen (USD$3.20).

Tsukimi Burger

Cheese Tsukimi Burger 

The Cheese Tsukimi Burger is our personal favourite and features the addition of cheddar cheese. It is available for 369 yen (USD$3.45).

Cheese Tsukimi Burger

Chicken Cheese Tsukimi Burger 

The Chicken Cheese Tsukimi Burger is back on the menu again and features a crispy chicken patty and two pieces of smoky bacon. It is available for 389 yen (USD$3.65).

Chicken Cheese Tsukimi Burger

Kinoko Tsukimi Burger 

The Kinoko Tsukimi Burger is new for 2014 and features the addition of mushrooms, kinoko in Japanese to the burger.

MORE TO COME SOON! 

The burgers are only available for a limited time, so rush in if you want to give them a try.

Japan Australia did just that and headed out to our local McDonald’s to get reacquainted with our good old friend, the Cheese Tsukimi Burger.

Cheese Tsukimi Burger Set at our local McDonalds

The Cheese Tsukimi Burger

A close-up look at the Cheese Tsukimi Burger

Under the skin of the Cheese Tsukimi Burger

McDonald’s Japan Website