On a trip to Mt. Fuji, it's hard not to be drawn to the cute appearance of these FUJIYAMA COOKIES 🗻! The cookies are shaped like Mt. Fuji, so they make a memorable travel souvenir. The packaging and shape alone are perfect for photos.
The cookies have a light buttery aroma and a crisp texture. They aren't too heavy and go perfectly with coffee or tea. The Mt. Fuji shape is also very distinctive, making it obvious that they're souvenirs from a trip to Mt. Fuji.
Milk Road
The Aso caldera is a vast crater and somma volcano with a circumference of approximately 128 km around its perimeter. Across its northwestern outer ridgeline you’ll find a 45km stretch of scenic highway nicknamed “Milk Road”, found across the Prefectural Road 339 and Highway 45.
While driving around Aso, Kumamoto, I specifically planned to take the “Milk Road”! The scenery along the way was a wonderful surprise. Driving along the highland road, with vast grasslands and mountain views on both sides, felt so open and completely different from the scenery in the city.
What attracted me most about this road was the natural scenery along the way. There was no need to rush from one attraction to another. Just driving slowly and looking out the window at the Aso mountains felt very relaxing. Whenever I came across a beautiful view, I stopped to take pictures, and every stop brought a different surprise.
There are also quite a few farms, scenic viewpoints, and rest stops along the way where you can buy milk, ice cream, and local dairy products. Drinking fresh milk while looking out over the Aso highlands really made it feel like a trip to Kyushu.
Milk Stand Akihabara
Milk Stand Akihabara is a specialty shop for bottled milk located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. This long-established stand has been in business for more than 70 years since it opened in 1950. It is on the 3rd floor of JR Akihabara Station, on platform 5 of the JR Sobu Line. Its signature items are bottled milk varieties from regions all across Japan.
When traveling in Japan, you sometimes come across little shops with a lot of character, and Milk Stand is one of them! The tiny shop is right inside the station. It doesn't have any fancy decor, but it has an authentic, everyday Japanese feel.
The most interesting part is simply buying a bottle of cold milk and drinking it. It's simple, but it feels like a little ritual. The cold milk goes down smoothly, and its light milky flavor is very pleasant. A bottle is just right when you're tired from walking around.
I really like this small Japanese experience of “drinking milk at the station,” especially taking pictures with the glass bottle. It has a nostalgic Showa-era feel.
MILK STAND LUCK Okachimachi
MILK STAND LUCK Okachimachi, located in Taito-ku, Tokyo, is a specialty shop for bottled milk. This is a standing-only kiosk where you can drink your milk on the spot. It is located just outside the North Exit ticket gates of JR Okachimachi Station. The shop’s specialty is bottled milk. Milk from regions all across Japan is lined up in the display case.
While walking around Okachimachi, I found this tiny MILK STAND LUCK! The shop isn't big, but it has the distinctive feel of a small Japanese station kiosk. The moment I saw the milk bottles, I thought they were so cute that I couldn't resist stopping to buy one.
This time I had their signature milk. It had a rich milky aroma and was cold, smooth, and not overly sweet. A bottle when you're tired from walking around is simple but very comforting.
What I like most is this kind of little shop that feels like part of everyday life in Japan. It isn't a particularly flashy tourist attraction, but it offers an interesting little experience during the trip. Drinking milk and standing there for a short break somehow made it feel even more like traveling.
