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Green-spored Parasol
Due to prolonged rainfall, there has been a massive outbreak of the poisonous mushroom *Green-spored Parasol* across the country. Although this species is naturally found in tropical and subtropical regions, global warming has caused its range to expand northwards. The problem is that it resembles the edible parasol mushroom and grows in populated areas such as city parks and embankments. Along the Kamogawa River, it was found growing in clusters near Marutamachi Bridge. It contains potent gastrointestinal toxins; if ingested, it causes symptoms of poisoning such as severe vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Please take care not to eat it…
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Relaxation salon Nekonobiiiiru
Kyoto has many acupuncture and moxibustion clinics, but relatively few massage parlours compared to other cities. I used to travel all the way to the highly competitive area around Osaka Station, but my recent favourite is ‘Nekonobiiiiru’. It’s a reasonably priced Taiwanese-style foot reflexology parlour, which is quite rare in Kyoto. It used to have a Taiwanese café attached, but as of this month, it’s operating as a massage-only establishment. We do have a foot reflexology machine at our guesthouse, but when I’m tired from walking, having my calves thoroughly massaged makes my body feel much lighter.
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Chaos at Kyoto Station
The crowds at Kyoto Station show no sign of abating. There is a constant stream of foreign tourists who, at the Shinkansen ticket gates, tap their smartphones without displaying a QR code, or attempt to pass through using their EX Reservation Details (EX利用票) only to be blocked. On top of that, there are long queues at the ticket machines. Today, I had to wait for nearly 20 minutes. Online bookings for the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen lines can be made via smartphone. https://smart-ex.jp/en/index.php Recently, there has also been an increase in incidents involving large suitcases. There have been cases…
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Trouble in private lodging which is called MINPAKU in Japan
It has become a hot topic that a Chinese tourist who stayed at a private accommodation, which is called MINPAKU, made a reservation for one person, when in fact six people stayed at the accommodation. Accommodation facilities in Kyoto City are obliged in principle to check in at the front desk in person according to the Ryokan Business Appropriateness Ordinance, so problems such as more people being accommodated than planned basically do not occur. However, in Osaka, where a special zone for private lodging has been set up, tourists at most private accommodation establishments check in by themselves using keys from…
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Snow in Kyoto
Kyoto is extremely hot in summer and extremely cold in winter. Our guesthouse is a renovated old private house built in 1940, but it is not what is known as a Kyomachiya (traditional Kyoto townhouse); the Building Standard Law came into force in 1950, and no matter how old the house is, it cannot be classified as a Kyomachiya if it has been renovated at least once since then. However machiya houses are relatively cool in summer, they can be incredibly cold in winter as they have no insulation and are constructed to allow outside air to pass through to…
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Kaki-no-tane
Kaki-no-tane is one of Japan's most popular snacks. These soy sauce-flavoured arare with a spicy chilli flavour are called kaki-no-tane because of their resemblance to the seeds of the persimmon tree. Above all, the combination with peanuts is popularly known as kaki-pi. Kaki-pi go well with beer and are popular as a snack. They are sometimes offered free of charge as a coffee snack in coffee shops. They are sold in supermarkets and convenience stores throughout Japan and are also reasonably priced.So it is one of the most recommended souvenirs. One of the major concerns of the Japanese public is that the…
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Shinkansen (bullet train)
Shinkansen trains are very popular with foreign tourists. Even on the platforms, people often get carried away with taking videos and are often warned about it. One of the most popular photo spots is Tokyo Station. You can see the Tohoku, Hokuriku, Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen trains in various directions for 150 yen for an admission ticket, so I guide visitors to Tokyo on group tours. I think the most beautiful is the Tohoku Shinkansen E5 Series Hayabusa, falcon in Japanese. Hayabusa was once the nickname used for the sleeper express linking Tokyo and Kyushu for nearly 50 years. In the past,…
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