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![Hey guys 🥰 long time no see! It finally happened - I moved into my new house in Nagano!
I wanted to share a bittersweet moment from a couple of days ago. One of my neighbors, who always brought me tons of apples and homemade vegetable tempura, didn’t know I’d already moved out (I couldn’t reach him because he was away on a trip). Then he sent me a message saying he was making tempura and would bring it over around 6:30 pm… 🥺 I felt so sad reading that - not just because I already miss my neighbors, but because I realized how much I’m going to miss that whole community. They made the last year and a half so warm and welcoming, and they’re a big part of why I fell in love with this region 🥺 And of course, his tempura is seriously the best 😆]()
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2025-10-11 17:15:00
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![The first one is Kokonoe Zakura, a tree believed to have been personally planted by the emperor 650 vears ago.
Only one branch is well enough to bloom once a year.
🌸Joshoko-ji Temple, Kyoto]()
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2025-10-02 15:56:21
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The first one is Kokon..
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![Thank you so much for trusting me with your trips🫶]()
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2025-09-27 15:40:00
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Thank you so much for ..
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![Japanese Folklore says it’s the secret procession and humans aren’t meant to witness it ✨
Do you have something like this in your country?]()
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2025-09-25 10:56:40
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Japanese Folklore s..
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![And finally, it’s cooling down, especially at night, which means one of the best times to visit Japan is almost here 🍂]()
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2025-09-19 15:35:00
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And finally, it’s co..
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![Hey guys, haven’t been posting much lately - house building takes up so much time, and now festival rehearsals started too (every evening 8–10 pm).
Yesterday I finally had a chance to explore some new locations around Joetsu.
The noodle dish in the video is called Tokoroten - it’s a traditional jelly noodle made from seaweed 🌿 You can get it sweet or sour. If it’s your first time, I’d say start with the sweet one. But this time I went for the sour version, and it came with three kinds of sauces and a bit of mustard on the side. Ngl it felt a bit weird but in a good way 😄 This spot is called 日本一うまいトコロテン, and it’s located in Joetsu, Oshimaku Shimotate.
And the place with a cute snowman, slippers and soba - that’s Roadside Station Yuki-no-furusato Yasuzuka ❤️]()
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2025-09-11 16:15:00
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![This summer was SO HOT in Japan...
Who else is excited for winter?
Definitely me 😍
Filmed this last December]()
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2025-08-31 11:17:02
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This summer was SO HOT..
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![Recipe 🍎
(No step-by-step video for this one as I didn’t plan to post it, so I’ll try to catch it next time ❤️)
Crust:
Best way is to pulse 150 g flour, 10 g sugar, pinch of salt + 80 g cold butter in a food processor until crumbly (so the butter doesn’t warm up from your hands). I actually did mine by hand - totally works, just keep the butter as cold as possible.
Wrap and chill 30 min.
Roll out, press into tartlet molds (I didn’t have proper tartlet molds, so I used single-use aluminum cups in case it all would decide to fall apart but in the end it all worked out just fine), poke the bottoms with a fork so they don’t puff up.
Chill again for at least 15 min, then bake at 170 °C (340 °F) for about 12 min until lightly golden.
Cool.
Custard:
*I highly recommend watching a quick YouTube video on how to make creme patisserie if you’ve never done it before - it’s one of those things that’s hard to explain fully in text, but once you see it, it makes sense.
Whisk 2 egg yolks, 15 g sugar + 15 g corn starch in a bowl until smooth.
Heat 250 ml milk until steaming.
Slowly pour a bit of that hot milk into the yolk mix while whisking constantly.
Pour everything back into the pan and cook on medium, whisking all the time, until it thickens into a smooth cream and take off the heat as soon as it starts boiling (tinies bubbles start to appear), stir in vanilla.
Cover with cling film touching the surface (extremely important!), chill.
Apples
I cut the apples into cubes for ease.
Toss in a pan with a squeeze of lemon + a little cinnamon for 2–3 min until softened but not mushy. Cool. (You can, of course, swap the apples for any fruit you like - berries, pears, peaches, whatever’s in season.)
Assembly
Fill cooled crusts with cooled custard and place the apples (or other fruit) on top.]()
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2025-08-27 15:49:24
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![Just some August days in Nagano 🍃]()
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2025-08-21 16:25:00
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Just some August days ..
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![🌳The first one is Daisugi - a really interesting forestry technique where it looks like a lot of trees are growing from one. You can find these all over Kyoto, but l’ve noticed they’re most common in the northern part.
🌸 The second is Kokonoe Sakura, a tree believed to have been personally planted by the emperor 650 years ago.
Only one branch is well enough to bloom once a year.
🌲 The third is the Pine tree of “Yuryu,” one of the Japan’s greatest pine trees. Despite being only 2 meters tall, it spreads out over an impressive 50 meters wide.]()
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2025-08-21 13:09:50
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🌳The f..
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![If you’re in Kyoto on August 16, you can catch the Toro Nagashi in Arashiyama around sunset, followed by the Gozan no Okuribi at 8 PM 🥰]()
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2025-08-14 16:35:00
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If you’re in Kyoto o..
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![All seven public hot springs in Kinosaki Onsen town are completely tattoo-friendly - no matter the size of your tattoos or where they’re located 🥰
I’ve created an extremely detailed online travel guide for this Onsen town with 1,300 years of history - it is accessible by public transport and a wonderful choice for all four seasons.
Just a reminder - no phones allowed in public onsen. I filmed in a private one, so it’s totally fine ❤️]()
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2025-08-13 15:55:33
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All seven pu..
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![I guess since I filmed and posted this, it technically wasn’t a day off 😆
This little coastal town is called Itoigawa (just 1.5 hours from Nagano by car).
It’s not the tropical paradise kind of vibe like Okinawa - more like quiet fishing villages with wooden houses, surfers on windy days, and beaches that are almost empty on weekdays. Nothing fancy. Just peaceful scenery and delicious local seafood, usually caught the same morning!
❤️Had to re-upload this video again because the music glitched last time.]()
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2025-08-12 17:05:00
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I guess since ..
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![Yep, it’s always about the food 😂]()
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2025-08-08 17:05:00
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Yep, it’s always abo..
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![This place is called Tsubame Onsen and in Japanese, tsubame means “swallow”. Did you notice the swallow carvings in the video?
I love how places in Japan often pay tribute to their names or local legends. You’ll spot little swallow ornaments all over the area.
This is one of the most beautiful wild hot springs l’ve ever been to, tucked between the mountains with almost no one around... except, according to the signs, maybe a few bears 🐻 So if you’re heading into the mountains, don’t forget a bear bell 🔔]()
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2025-08-03 05:13:54
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![My favorite time to visit Japan ⬇️
Most people dream of coming during cherry blossom season - and yes, it is magical. But there are a few things to keep in mind:
🌸It can be really unpredictable. Even with all the sakura forecasts, there’s always a chance you’ll arrive too early or too late.
🌸It’s also arguably the most crowded (unless you’ve done your homework… or just used my guides 😄) and expensive time of the year.
🌸And if you come too early, the trees are still bare and the scenery can look a bit grey.
So unless seeing cherry blossoms is the absolute main goal of your trip, it might be worth considering other seasons.
My two personal favorite months are May and October.
If you’re coming in May, definitely try to book after May 10. Before that, it’s Golden Week in Japan - a string of public holidays when locals travel a lot, which means higher prices and more crowds. But after that, everything becomes perfect: the weather is warm (but not hot), the crowds thin out, and the scenery turns incredibly lush and green.
It’s also the season of Ao Momiji - bright green maples! If you’re heading to Kyoto, check out Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. Their garden is especially beautiful this time of year, with the maples at their most vibrant green.
And then there’s October (especially the second half). It’s NOT red maple season yet (which means fewer crowds than in November), but you can already feel the autumn vibes. The leaves start turning yellow, typhoon season is usually over, and the weather is just perfect. It’s that time when you want to walk around all day just because of how nice it feels outside.
P.S. Not sure when to visit? I wrote about every month in Japan to help you choose the perfect time for your trip! Check the highlight TIPS ❤️]()
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2025-07-24 17:05:00
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![Planning to create similar previews for each of my travel guides (there are 8 now!). They might help you choose which days to include in your trip 🥰
The “Secrets of Kansai” guide is very special to me… When I lived in Kyoto, I visited all these places countless times. Each one is easily accessible by public transport and has its own unique vibe.]()
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2025-07-19 16:35:00
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Planning to crea..
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![When I lived in Kyoto, I didn’t even know who my neighbors were. Moving here changed everything. People actually stop to talk, check in, share news.
*Not saying it’s like this everywhere in rural Japan though.]()
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2025-07-15 16:35:00
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When I lived in Kyoto..
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![If you asked me to describe Japan in just 3 words, for me it would be:
1. Safety
2. Food
3. Discovery
If you are traveling around Japan, you’ll experience something new every single day. And the fact that Japan is so compact only adds to that. Everything is so accessible, yet every place feels like its own little world.
What would your 3 words be?]()
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2025-07-10 17:15:00
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If you asked me to desc..
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![One of my favorite Ghibli movies is From Up on Poppy Hill. It captures something I really love - Japan’s seaside towns. Everything feels slightly different from regular villages: the houses, the air, and the food. Seafood is good everywhere in Japan, but for the best flavors, you’ve got to head to the coast. This time I had crab miso soup, sashimi, and one of my all-time favorites - monkfish burger.
I’ve been posting these slightly longer vlogs for a while now, and honestly, feels like I’ll never get tired of them. Do you enjoy this kind of format, or prefer shorter videos?]()
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2025-07-09 17:15:00
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One of my favorit..
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![And it’s just this never-ending cycle🤣
Also I wanted to try out fishing in the mountains of Shiga kogen for a while and now I am thinking of inviting his family and go together.]()
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2025-07-02 17:10:00
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And it’s just this n..
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![Did you notice the swallow carvings in the video?
This place is called Tsubame Onsen and in Japanese, tsubame means “swallow”. I love how places in Japan often pay tribute to their names or local legends. You’ll spot little swallow ornaments all over the area.
And of course, the onsen part of the name is there for a reason as this is one of the most beautiful wild hot springs I’ve ever been to, tucked between the mountains with almost no one around… except, according to the signs, maybe a few bears 🫣
So if you’re heading into the mountains, don’t forget a bear bell 🔔]()
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2025-06-30 17:25:00
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Did y..
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![There are several spots near Kyoto that hold a really special place in my heart. I’m planning to make mini vlogs or posts about each one:
📍Kyoto by the Sea (Amanohashidate, Ine)
📍Shiga Prefecture (Mt Hiei, Omihachiman)
📍Uji (matcha town)
📍Kayabuki no Sato (a charming traditional village)
📍Ohara
If you’d like to visit any of these places, I’ve created detailed online travel guides for each of them - they’re all easy to reach by public transport and beautiful in every season ❤️]()
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2025-06-26 17:05:00
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![And sometimes they include tips on how to store everything, along with sweet handwritten thank you notes 🥰]()
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2025-06-15 16:35:00
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And sometimes they inc..
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![The list of guides that you can find in my profile:
📍Kyoto for First Timers + Nara (4 days)
📍Secrets of Kansai (4 days)
📍Best Day Trips from Tokyo (3 days)
📍Nagano Prefecture guide (4 days)
📍Kyoto by the Sea (2 days)
📍Osaka Guide (3 days)
📍Tattoo-friendly Onsen Town (2 days)
📍Rural Japanese Village (1 day)
By getting the Unlimited access now, you will get ALL new guides for free.
Every spot in the itineraries is easily accessible by public transport ❤️]()
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2025-06-11 17:11:26
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On average, Anna Exploring Japans Secrets gets 28.2K likes and 187 comments per post. (Historical)
