Picturesque Japan

Hi travelers, this is Kumi. If you're staying home and looking for a new activity, why don't you try making miso paste? This is my mom's way. :) /// Ingredients /// soy beans 200g koji mold 200g salt 100g /// Day 1 /// Wash soybeans. Soak soybeans for 18 hours. /// Day 2 /// Simmer the soybeans for 4-5 hours. Skim off foam. While you're doing this, mush koji mold. Add salt. Mix them. Now, let's get back to the soybeans. When the soybeans become soft enough... Strain water (*keep the water) Mush soybeans. Mush, mush, mush... Mush, mush, mush... Once the mushed soybean got soft and cold , add it to the koji and salt. (*if you do this when the soybean is still hot, fermentation won't happen properly) Mix them well. Add the drained water and knead the mixture well. Put this into a bag. Remove the air completely. Put the bag in another bag and leave it for 6 months. ...

Hi Travelers, this is Kumi. I published a Kindle book on Tokyo photo locations in January. Let me show you the chapter of cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. In this book, a traveler/photographer, Cat, asks questions to a guide/photographer, Kumi.   C: Cat - traveler/photographer K: Kumi - guide/photographer * * * * * * * * * C: When should I visit Tokyo to see cherry blossoms? K: That's really hard to answer because the peak season is very different depending on the years. In 2017, cherry blossoms were full bloom around April 10 whereas, in 2018, the peak was around March 25. C: How long the flowers last? K: About a week or so. This website tells you a lot about seeing cherry blossoms in Japan. You can check out the cheery blossom's forecast. https://www.japan-guide.com/sakura/ C: Nice. Now, please tell me where to go and see cherry blossoms. K: If the flowers are full boom, I highly recommend visiting  Chidorigafuchi . https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1736/ ...

Hi Travelers, this is Kumi. How are you? Currently, I stopped offering guiding tours because I live with my parents who are relatively old and may have higher risks than others. I miss guiding SO MUCH! This must be a very difficult time for everyone to decide whether to cancel your trip or not, but if you're still considering traveling to Japan, this article may help you make your decision. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2020/03/06/travel/coronavirus-safe-travel-japan Personally, I really wish you come to Tokyo when you can make the most of it (that means not now ). However, if you are already here or you're flying to Tokyo, you may wonder what is still available. So, let me tell you the some of the places you can still visit as of March 9, 2020. Picturesque Japan's blog articles are intended for enthusiastic photographers, but this may be useful for regular tourists, too. Hamarikyu Gardens https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3025.html *The tea house is NOT available...