Linda Liao's Reviews Page 67/75

Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory features milk and cheese in many of its distinctive sweets. Its most famous product is the Salt & Camembert Cookie. The cookies are crisp, with rich cheese and a hint of saltiness, creating a distinctive sweet-and-savory flavor. They're usually sold at airports and can be purchased directly at duty-free shops, making them a great Japanese sweet to bring home as a souvenir.

Yawataya Isogoro Shichimi Togarashi is a famous seasoning from Nagano, Japan, with a rich aroma and moderate heat. In addition to chili peppers, it blends spices such as sansho pepper, shiso, and dried citrus peel, giving it a complex flavor. Sprinkling it on ramen, udon, or grilled meat adds aroma and depth to the food, leaving you wanting more.

This time, I happened to find a limited-edition package at the Suica Penguin specialty store in JR Ueno Station. It was especially cute〜

Kirin Afternoon Tea has a rich tea aroma and a smooth taste without being too sweet. It's especially refreshing when served cold. The subtle black tea aroma is very relaxing, making it just right for an afternoon break. The overall flavor is natural, and you can add a few fresh lemon slices to make lemon tea with more depth of flavor.

The fried tofu in these soup noodles has a sweet flavor and tastes delicious after soaking up the broth. The udon noodles are springy and chewy, and the broth is rich and smooth. The sweet and savory combination is quite distinctive. A warm, satisfying bowl when you're feeling a little hungry〜

When visiting Karuizawa in the fall or winter, the temperature is noticeably colder at night. After soaking in the hot springs, we had dinner at Sonmin-Shokudo in Hoshino Resorts Karuizawa and warmed up. The restaurant mainly serves Japanese home-style food, with a wide selection of rice bowls, set meals, noodles, and side dishes, leaning toward traditional Japanese regional cuisine.

Many local ingredients are used, paired with simple Japanese seasonings that let their natural flavors come through. Hot rice and hot pot dishes are especially welcome on cold fall and winter nights, and the restaurant has a comfortable atmosphere.

Kumoba Pond, a famous fall foliage spot in Karuizawa, attracts many visitors every autumn. When I visited last time, it happened to be a warm winter, so the maple leaves turned red much more slowly than in previous years. Fortunately, the weather was on our side, and the leaves finally began taking on their fall colors a few days before our departure, so the trip wasn't left with any regrets.

The lake was calm and picturesque, with wild ducks gliding leisurely across the surface. Their graceful reflections in the water were mesmerizing. If you have enough time, consider walking around the lake to enjoy the scenery and fall colors from different angles. Every view is incredibly romantic.

Every fall, Hoshino Resort holds its “Red Leaves Library” event, inviting travelers to connect with nature in a different way during the crisp autumn season. Unlike a typical library where you have to sit quietly in a fixed spot, here you can choose any position you like—sitting in a comfortable chair or lying in a playful hammock, with a view of the fall colors whenever you look up.

I especially like the hammock design. Once you lie down and gently sway with a book in your hands, listening to the wind rustling through the leaves, you rediscover the feeling of “reading slowly.” The autumn sunlight isn’t harsh, the cool breeze feels just right, and you’re surrounded by red, yellow, and orange leaves. Before you know it, you’ve blended into the scenery, warmly wrapped in a golden blanket.

This is probably the most refined hot spring I've ever visited〜 Hoshino Onsen Tombo-no-Yu is very spacious, and even with quite a few people, it doesn't feel crowded or noisy at all. My favorite part was soaking in the bath while admiring the natural scenery through the large floor-to-ceiling windows. My whole body slowly warmed up as I looked out at the quiet forest. It was truly relaxing.

My last visit was during the fall and winter season, when they happened to be offering a limited-time “apple bath.” Bright red apples floated in the hot spring, and a subtle fruity fragrance drifted through the steam. The scene was so romantic it almost didn't feel real. I heard that these apples were purchased from farmers in Aomori and had cosmetic imperfections or weren't suitable for sale. This gives the fruit another purpose while adding some limited-time seasonal fun to the hot spring experience.

Tombo-no-Yu also has an open-air bath where you can enjoy different scenery in each season. Soaking in the piping-hot spring during fall and winter is especially nice—looking up at the sky and listening to the subtle sounds of nature around you, your body feels warm and your mind becomes calm. It's more than just soaking in a hot spring; it feels like giving yourself time to truly clear your mind.

My first impression of Maruyama Coffee was that it felt like a little café tucked away in the forest, with a relaxing, elegant atmosphere. At the front is the takeout ordering area, and the shelves are filled with all kinds of cute coffee products and souvenirs. The drip coffee bags were especially appealing, with beautiful packaging that makes them perfect for taking home to enjoy or giving as travel souvenirs.

I originally thought the café was small, but once I entered the seating area, I discovered it was much more spacious than expected. My favorite feature was the wall of bookshelves in the back, filled with hundreds of books. It makes you feel like you never want to leave once you sit down. Ordering a rich cup of coffee, finding a book you like, and quietly spending the afternoon there sounds so relaxing.

If I have the chance to visit again, I'll definitely choose a window seat. It feels like the best seat in the café, where you can sip your coffee while watching people come and go outside. There's no need to plan anything special. Spending a quiet afternoon here can become one of the most soothing moments of the trip.

I visited Harunire Terrace in late fall and happened to catch a rare sunny day. The warm sunlight felt especially nice, so I decided to have soba at the well-known Sekireibashi Kawakami An. I preferred the restaurant's outdoor seating to sitting inside. Enjoying the food while soaking up the sun made the whole afternoon feel leisurely. The restaurant also thoughtfully provided blankets and electric heaters by the seats, so even in the slightly chilly late-fall weather, it was very comfortable.

Their signature duck dipping soba had a firm texture and a subtle buckwheat aroma. Dipping it into the warm duck broth brought out layers of fragrant duck and savory broth, making it warm and satisfying. The freshly fried tempura was crispy outside and tender inside—simple but delicious. Looking at the photos makes me miss the perfect sunlight that day and the relaxed feeling of dining outdoors.