Kashiho Mase: An Izu Wagashi Shop in Atami (Since 1872)
Kashiho Mase, a 150-year-old wagashi shop on the Atami coast of Izu — the Izu no Odoriko sweet, seasonal citrus daifuku, its branches, and what to buy through the year.
Shizuoka
Shizuoka travel guides: Mt. Fuji’s southern side, green tea country, the Izu Peninsula coast, and hot springs between the mountains and the sea.
Kintaro Soba: Mountain-Yam Noodles at the Foot of Mt Fuji (Gotemba)
Gotemba's old mikuriya soba is bound with mountain yam, not water. Kintaro, a farmhouse soba house minutes from Mt Fuji, serves it with a shrimp-tempura rice box.
Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen: Which Seat Both Directions (2026)
Tokaido Shinkansen seat for Mt. Fuji view: Seat E both directions in standard cars, Seat D in Green Cars. The seat letter is fixed to the train, so the same seat sees the same mountain whether you are going Tokyo to Osaka or Osaka to Tokyo. Full 2026 guide with timing, train type, and photography tips.
Japan Sea Sparkle 2026: Where the Bioluminescent Waves Glowed (Itō, Numazu, Enoshima, Gamagori)
Sea sparkle (noctiluca / 夜光虫) bloomed along Japan's Pacific coast in late May 2026. Largest Kamakura event since 2017 (Yuigahama peaked ~22:00). Plus Suruga Bay, Mikawa Bay, Shōnan, Miura. Verified beach list, conditions, photography notes.
Yamaju Masuda Shoten 2026: Inside a 130-Year-Old Katsuobushi Workshop in Yaizu Shizuoka
Shizuoka · Yaizu · Craft A small family workshop in Yaizu still smoking bonito over open fire. The umami in your dashi most likely starts in a workshop like this. A craftsman at one of the workshop’s steaming stations. The…
Michi-no-Eki Fujioyama: The Roadside Station Where Locals Eat Lunch With Mt. Fuji
Shizuoka · Roadside Station · Field Report Michi-no-Eki Fujioyama is not pretty from the outside. It’s a low concrete box wedged against a logistics yard in Shizuoka. I walked in on a Tuesday, sat by the glass wall, and looked…
Mt. Fuji Hut Reservations 2026: All 42 Huts, Booked in English
![Mt. Fuji Huts 2026: Rooms, Meals & Booking Rules [7 Photos]](https://hiddenjapan-gems.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/top2-768x308.webp)
2026 Update: Yoshida Trail gate closes at 2:00 PM (updated for 2026). No mountain hut reservation = no entry. Booking opens in early May. Read the full booking timeline below. Every Mt. Fuji climbing guide tells you to book a…
Kawazu Sakura Festival Guide: Access, Illuminations and a Full Day
While most of Japan awaits the arrival of cherry blossoms in late March, the town of Kawazu in the Izu Peninsula offers a delightful preview of spring nearly a month earlier. The Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival (河津桜まつり, Kawazu-zakura Matsuri) celebrates…
Atami Sakura 2027: Itokawa Promenade, Japan’s Earliest Cherry Festival
Atami Sakura 2026 — Japan's earliest-blooming cherry variety, ~60 trees along the 400m Itokawa Promenade. 16th Itokawa Festival Jan 10 - Feb 8, 2026. Light-up 16:30-23:00. 10 min walk from JR Atami, Tokyo Shinkansen ~50 min.
Atami Plum Blossom Festival: Japan’s Earliest Blooms
Intro While most of Japan is still in winter, the plum trees in Atami are already in bloom. The Atami Plum Blossom Festival (熱海梅園梅まつり, Atami Baien Ume Matsuri) is held in a garden of 469 plum trees in the hills…
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