Hello from Hokkaido! It has already been 10 days since I got here, I'm having the the best summer. This summer is cooler than usual too, 20-25Ā°C (68-77Ā°F). It's sooo nice! Here's what I've been up to so far. Enjoyed a relaxing onsen stay at this hotel in Abashiri (with a private in-room onsen) Found a delicious melon from a local supermarket just for 1,280 JPY (vs. a famous Furano melon: 4,000 JPY) Took my son to these amazing playgrounds Sushi x2, yakiniku, omakase dinner, etc... So sweet...
13 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, Our Uber is picking us up in 40 mins to go to the airport. And I'm typing this on my laptop while my husband's rigiously cleaning the house š oops We are off to Hokkaido for 3 weeks! Before I go, I wanted to share 2 quick things with you. 1. Follow along on my Instagram! Iāll be posting daily on my Stories to show you how a local spends summer in rural Hokkaido. You'll see my road trips to small towns, relaxing onsen stays, delicious local food, and lots of family-friendly spots....
23 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, Iām flying to Hokkaido next weekend and Iām sooo excited! Today, I want to share the one thing I always bring to my road trips in Hokkaido. Itās this. āØ Roadside Station Stamp Booklet āØ Have you ever heard of Roadside Stations (Michi no Eki) in Japan? Theyāre rest stops found all over the country, and Hokkaido alone has more than 120. I love stopping by wherever I go. Each one showcases the townās unique specialty products and fresh produce from local farmers. Great spots to break...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, Today, I want to share something special with you. I made a short video (just 2 mins!) because I wanted you to actually see itš§” Watch here! ā¬ļø If youād rather read, keep goingā¦ā¬ļø My familyās Airbnb in Hokkaido is now open! š Weāve been preparing for months, and Iām so happy to finally share it with you. Itās the house I grew up in. A private home with a backyard, in a quiet neighborhood. Itās in my hometown Kitami, a perfect location to travel around Eastern Hokkaido while having a...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
But I'd hate for you to realize later that you missed itš So, just quick one: the discount on the Eastern Hokkaido Insider Guide ends tonight. In case you've been meaning to grab it but life got in the way, here's your last chance! Price goes back to $39 tonight. Save $15 ā Get the guide for $24 Hope you have an amazing trip with this. See you inside! Best,Yuuka
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, Imagine thisā¦ Tonight after work, you sit down with you tea (or wine), and open my guide. By the time you go to bed, your 10-day Hokkaido trip is planned. Not a rough idea, but an actual plan with real places and a real route. That's exactly what this traveler did: And this is exactly why I made the Eastern Hokkaido Insider Guide. Because I donāt want you spending a whole weekend Googling, ending up with a hundred tabs open and still no real answer. Because I donāt want you missing...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, Can I tell you something? It still gets me every time someone tells me my guide actually changed their Hokkaido trip. And over 260 travelers have used my guides over the past few years. That number blows my mind š¤Æ Iām so lucky to be able to show people the part of Hokkaido I grew up in. I keep every message people send me, so let me share a few from recent travelers. Right now you can get the $15 discount on my guide until Tuesday, June 30. After that, it goes back to the regular...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, I get this question a lot. āHey Yuuka, whatās actually inside your guidebook?ā This is a fair question, so hereās an honest answer. None of it is ābest of Hokkaidoā content. Itās where Iād take a friend if they visited me in my hometown. For example... A soba restaurant run by my high school friendās family, trying to survive in a town with fewer than 4,000 people. A roadside station in a small coastal town youād probably drive past, but I want you to try the local snack there that...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, Not sure about you, but Iām suffering through another heatwave in Switzerlandā¦ Itās been over 35Ā°C (95Ā°F) every day, without AC. In my city, no one has AC at home because you need an official permit to install one, and itās very hard to get š So Iām dying to fly back to Hokkaido in a monthā¦ if I can survive until then. And pne thing that gets me really excited about summer in Japan is FESTIVALS. Every summer (and also autumn), Japan is full of local festivals. We have many in...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read