Food, Onsens, and Unforgettable Moments: A Weekend in Niigata

Niigata day 1

Hey there! Today, we're off to Niigata to meet my long time friend. It's actually our first time meeting in person after chatting for over 5 years. Back in 2018, when I was last here in Japan, I couldn't travel to Niigata. It was quite far from where I was staying, and I was stuck in school mode back then. Then, bam, COVID-19 hit, and life took a wild turn – crazy times, huh?

We traveled on the Shinkansen to get to Niigata, and let me tell you, it's not your everyday train ride. This high-speed beast zooms at 320 km/h and it’s a bit more luxurious compared to normal trains! It was my first time riding the Shinkansen. The journey lasted about 2 hours, but it didn’t feel like it because I was soaking in some stunning views and working on my blog. Multi-tasking pro right here, haha! We arrived at 10:25 a.m., eagerly awaiting my friend's arrival. There was a little mix-up about which side of the station we had to meet at, thanks to some construction chaos. My friend had to do a bit of a marathon walk around the station. But, then, off in the distance, I spotted her and her adorable baby strolling our way. The joy of finally meeting face-to-face was simply priceless!

After reaching Niigata, we hit the road and headed towards my friend's parents' place. But, before we got there, we made a fun pit stop at a nearby mall for some lunch. As we walked through the mall, my friend had this idea – let's do some Purikura! If you haven't heard of it, Purikura is this fun sticker booth thing that prints out portrait stickers against fun backgrounds and frames that you get to choose. Oh, and it's got this magical power to make your eyes look huge in the photos – trust me, it's hilarious! We also couldn't resist the temptation of the arcade hall in the mall. So, we spent some time goofing around there, reliving our childhood memories.

Lunchtime was an adventure in itself! We found ourselves at this busy food court that was like a mini culinary world. Seriously, they had all sorts of cuisines to choose from. We decided to eat at a fresh udon place, and let me tell you, those noodle bowls were absolutely delicious! We couldn't resist our sweet cravings, we wrapped up our meal with a trip to none other than "31" – that's what they call Baskin Robbins in Japan. Did you know that Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors and that you can even spot the number in their logo hence the name “31”? If you didn’t, now you know.

After a nice lunch and some mall shenanigans, we hit the road again, and were on our way to my friend's parents' place. Along the way, we passed a charming onsen town named Tsukioka. The moment we stepped out of the car, we were hit by the scent of sulfur. Tsukioka is famous for having over 20 onsens, and these aren't your ordinary baths because the water is piped directly from the geysers into indoor and outdoor pools. As we roamed around, the air itself carried that unique sulfur scent. Here's the cool part – not all onsens are rich in sulfur some have different minerals like salt, radium, or iron. We explored Tsukioka, checking out its old shops, and my absolute favorite was this old-school candy store. It was like stepping back in time with so many quirky and unique candies. Some of them were downright crazy, haha! On our way back to the car, we walked passed an outdoor foot bath, or "ashiyu" in Japanese. This was no ordinary foot bath. It was fed by the geyser too, and the water was 55 degrees Celsius! I couldn't bear to dip my feet in that burning hot water, but Robin, brave soul that he is, gave it a shot. However, he ended up with some seriously red legs, looked like he was wearing socks, because he soaked for way too long haha!

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Tsukioka village, Niigata, 2023

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As we continued our journey towards my friend's parents' place, we were greeted with the warmest welcome. They live in the countryside, surrounded by beautiful rice fields. Their home is a stunning old-style Japanese traditional house, complete with tatami flooring in some rooms. While we were enjoying the cozy atmosphere, my friend had this brilliant idea – let's head to the forest where she used to have childhood adventures by the river. This forest goes by the name "Iki no mori." It's not just a forest, it's also a camping spot. There were no campers around that day because there were bears in the area! My friend gave us a very important tip – if we ever spotted a bear, we were supposed to ring a bell like our lives depended on it to warn everyone in the area.

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Iki no mori, Niigata, 2023

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My friend had a sweet surprise in store for us – a visit to an onsen. How thoughtful! I told her about my tattoos, so she arranged for a private onsen experience just for us. We ended up at the Yumotokan Ryokan hotel, a classic Japanese-style hotel. Let me tell you, for the first time being in an onsen, the experience was so good. It was incredibly soothing and relaxing for my body. The onsen had radium in it, adding a unique experience!

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Yumotokan Ryokan hotel, Niigata, 2023

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Following our incredibly relaxing soak, we joined the whole family for dinner. My friend took on the role of a translator since she was the only one who could speak English. And just in case, we had our trusty sidekick Google Translate to lend us a hand. These people were incredibly warm and friendly, making us feel right at home. My friend's dad suggested we hit up a local place called "snack." It was a cozy little bar in town, and let me tell you, it was fun! We did karaoke! Even though Robin felt a bit awkward at first, he quickly got into the groove. The people there, including the bar owner, were some of the most down-to-earth and welcoming people we'd ever met. We had such a fantastic time that we promised ourselves that the next time we visit Niigata, that bar will be our first stop – especially to see the incredibly nice bar owner again!

Niigata day 2

The day started off a bit late because we stayed up until 3 a.m. What a night! Absolutely amazing! Around noon, we headed to the Niigata aquarium, saying farewell to her lovely family. We were so grateful for their hospitality. On our way to the aquarium, her husband and a neighbor boy joined as well. It was a bit of a nostalgic trip for them. Once at the aquarium, we encountered all sorts of sea creatures. Here's the funny part – my friend and her family had a habit of looking at the fish as if they were sizing up a menu, saying stuff like, "That one looks delicious!" haha! Some of those underwater critters do end up on the dinner plate, after all! As we walked through the marine life and the shimmering waters, it got me super pumped for our upcoming trip to Okinawa! Just a few more days, and we'll be off to that tropical paradise.

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Niigata aquarium, 2023

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After our aquarium adventure, our stomachs started grumbling, so we decided to satisfy our sushi cravings. This marked our second sushi feast in Japan, and once again, we opted for the sushi belt experience – pure yumminess! My friend suggested trying something daring like crab butter, which is essentially crab brain. My immediate reaction was a hard "no," haha! But Robin, being the adventurous one, decided to give it a shot. Let's just say he wasn't a fan – yikes! We treated our group to this meal, and we braced ourselves for a potentially hefty bill, given our previous experience in Tokyo where sushi can get pretty expensive. But we were surprised! When we saw the bill, we were absolutely shocked – it was way more affordable, even with five hungry tummies to fill. Well, that just meant more sushi happiness for us, plus the amazing company made it even better!

The day came to an end and we had to get back to Tokyo. We were so thankful and happy. We hope to see them soon again. Doumo arigatou gozaimasu, どうもありがとうございます, Thank you very much❤️.

Adventure is out there🌟