In winter, Japanese grass has this unexpected yellow shade that you would spontaneously associate to hard sun and dry weather. Maybe this color is the reason why people thought of having an open-air zoo here, in Oita, for the nature looks a bit like savannah - except the cool wind, of course. Actually, the illusion was pretty good. It was amazing to see exotic animals in the middle of Kyushu, perfectly adapted to the landscape...

Guess where I am now ?

Yes, this is Japan!

I am not a specialist, but animals here seem cleaner, better fed and happier than in any other zoo I have visited. If it wasn't for the tourists feeding them vegetables from the bus, you could wonder if they feel any difference with their original surrounding.

Fancy legs

Bigger and smaller animals living together

But my favourite part was the kangaroo park. Have you ever touched a kangaroo? Its fur is the softest thing ever !

Keep calm and be a kangaroo

"Hey, dude..."

So phlegmatic

There is all kind of animals in Japan...

What is your definition of hell? Spending your priceless lifetime to perform unpleasant tasks, to stay alive ? Oops, no, they call that "work". Restlessly pursuing illusions, hopelessly expecting to find your soul sister on earth ? Nope, this is "love". But let's get back to a more traditionnal image of hell : steaming rocks, burning lakes, sulfur mists all around, thunder noises coming from the depth of the ground... In Oita, Kyushu, there is a place called Beppu, where you can visit eight different hells. The Japanese volcanos, which also make sweet and relaxing hot spring bath, are responsible for these "curiosities" of nature. There you can feel the power of Earth ! Let me show the way through hell...

The way to hell : Oita volcanic region

When you get close to Beppu accross the countryside, the lanscapes start to steam. Rivers are steaming, rocks are steaming, and so do the watercourses and the fields. Everywhere under your feet, the power of volcano is boiling.

The hells are now divided into eight touristic venues, also featuring exotic animals like hippo, flamingo or crocodiles, apparently very happy to rest in the natural hot waters. I have to say I had another vision of hell, but anyway. Let me show you the parts I prefered.

Hell, no. Come on. Let's be serious.

Umi-jikoku : the sea hell

With its 98° blue steaming waters, Umi-jikoku is from far the most beautiful hell ever. What is impossible to describe is the strong smell of rotten eggs (sulfur, actually) lingering around. You can also small real eggs, because boiling it directly in the pool is so much fun, isn't it.

Hard eggs on the way

Umi-jikoku is partly covered with water lilys and large leaves that can bear more than 20 kilos. If you dare, you can put your baby on it.

Oniishibozu-jikoku : the mud bubbles hell

This is the clay in the ground that gives to this hell this very special white color. After umi-jikoku, I found this hell the most impressive.

Yama-jikoku : the mountain hell

Kamado-jikoku : the "cooking pot"

Pretty, isn't it ? It's a pity it's really too hot to take a bath...

... but a foot-bath will go !

Shiraike-jikoku : the white pond hell

Chinoike-jikoku : the blood pond hell

Exotic looking plants enjoying the micro-climate...

Your Eurydice, a bit drunk with sulfur steams

Tatsumaki-jikoku : the geyser hell

This last hell geyser is bursting every 40 minutes with a real devilish sound.

Did you enjoy the visit ? Next time, let's go and see a bit of heaven, for a change !

Tokyo trees are shamelessly exhibiting their sexy red hair and their blushing underleaves. No decency, no moral, no modesty. Flaming gingers, hot blondies showing off in the city. Lust, lust, and lust. It's like their one and only intention is to fulfill the guiltiest color fantasies of the public. So dirty little minds we have. Don't hide anything, guys, we love your autumn porn show!

Yoyogi Park

Inokashira Park

Last week on the Japanese morning news, between two essentiel pieces of information like where to find the best pop-corn in town or which combini is offering the most competitive pumpkin pudding, there was a program about this year's autumn leaves. Be strong, because this is going to be a shock : as we had an especially rainy month of October because of the succession of typhoons that stroke the archipelago, the momiji (Japanese maple trees) are not as gorgeously colourful as they are supposed to be. The TV program was even comparing pictures of the same spots between last year and now, and the cruel reality is : 2013's autumn leaves are darker, irrugularly coloured, and more damaged than they should be. The Sunday photographers are bitterly disappointed, and the general public is lost, wondering if some areas have been preserved from the bad weather and could save the week-end letting see decently coloured autumn trees. That's a national tragedy, friends, a real national tragedy.

But don't loose faith. Never give up. The program was also delivering the results of a careful investigation, that revealed the few places where the tradition of watching koyo would be as great as usual. And in the ranking, they mentioned the Showa Kinen Koen that I visited first time last spring - remember the neverending field of cosmo ?... As a pathetic media-victim, I followed the instructions and paid a visit to this beautiful park located close to Tachikawa station. Behaving like a sheep ? Maybe. But have a look at this purely perfect autumn scenes and tell me if it wasn't the right thing to do.

A spoiled season ? Oh, come on...

Not too ugly for a bad year, uh ?

Showa Kinen Koen, the right place to be

And now, my favorite ginkos, my brothers and sisters the blond trees!

There may be a second round, so wait for the next autumn porn serie !

Every year you're dying to see them again : the splendid koyo are coming again soon! Preview!

Made in Taiwan. This is written everywhere on your clothes, your shoes, your batteries, your toaster. Half of your world comes from the other side of Earth. But Taiwan is nothing like an open-sky workshop sending cheap stuff to the Western countries. Taiwan is smart and cool. Taiwan offers similar living conditions with Europe and the USA. Taiwan has a fascinating history, beautiful landscapes, great cultural heritage and fantastic people. Polite and respectful like the Japanese, relax and smiling like South-East Asian, hard-working like the Chinese, curious like the Westerners. I guess that on the long-term, they also reveal the bad sides of all these people together, but for a visitor like me, the attitude of Taiwanese people is really beyond compare. You can't be more welcome anywhere than in Taiwan. These people make you immediatly feel at home and comfortable. I am genuinely amazed.

I have seen extremely few Caucasian tourists during my stay; Taiwan is still pretty unknown from the West. We certainly have the image of "a little piece of China, producing cheap". But the ancient island of Formosa really deserves better than opinion that. Follow me !

Taipei !

Here is the legendary Tapei 101, the main landmark of the Taiwanese capital, which has been the highest tower in the world for a long time. As skyscrappers are quite rare in Taipei, you can't miss it. From anywhere around, you can see it standing like a giant bambooo cane in the skyline. Personnally, I found it is the prettiest high modern landmark I have ever seen.

And from its top, you can admire Taiwan, lost in the mist. Blue hills in the background, regular rows of small buildings, and green oasis everywhere.

You wouldn't sware it when you see it from high, but Taipei is a real human-scale city, not a giant megalopolis like Tokyo or a busy bee hive like Hong-Kong. There is only a few subway lines, confortable distances, and you can reach any spot quite easily. Imagine wide streets like in Bangkok, but as clean as in Japan, busy like in Hong-Kong during open hours and calm like France on Sunday mornings.

(Oh yeah, and yellow cabs like in New-York city.)

By the way, Taiwan's official name is ROC : Republic of China. Not to take for the People's Republic of China, of course. Yes, it's confusing. In the past, Taiwan has been ruled by China, then by Japan, and finally became the shelter of the last supporters of the old Republic of China, while mainland China was taken over by the commmunists. So tiny Taiwan still considers itself as the true legitimate "Republic of China", though the big Chinese neighbour claims it belongs to the People's Republic of China. Complicated, uh.

In this context, you will understand that the General Tchang Kai-check, the former President of this Republic, is venerated like a god. A god with a big house in center town, lucky him.

Tchang Kai-chek Memorial

Taipei has space! Space for memorials, for parks, for emptiness. And it feels great. Don't you think we could record a movie here ?

Retro Taipei

I was taking about human-scale distances. And I prove it. There are hot springs in the North of the city, and you can get access to it with the subway. Yes. Welcome to Xinbeitou hot hot hot springs, with its smelly sulfur smokes and its milky boiling waters...

Xinbeitou hot springs

Even if I was amazingly luck to find myself in Taipei under a perfect sun, let's do not forget Taiwan is most of the time under the sky's waters. The rainy season is long and heavy, and then typhoons are coming regularly to remind everyone it's a tropical zone, b*tch. So no wonder nature is constantly taking over concrete.

Nature in the city

Free and natural hot foot bath downtown, friends ! Yes, we can! Feeling tired after shopping? Let's relax your legs in hot water!

To complete your feet treat, why don't you walk on massage stones? Yeah, I know, it's excrutiating. But God you feel relax and light after that.

Go further to the North with the metro red line, and contemplate the sunset on Tamsui river. Holidays atmosphere guaranteed !

Tamsui sunset

Ok, now let's get a bite of culture. In the beating heart of Taipei, there is a Chinese mansion surrounded by pure gardens that belonged before to a powerful merchants' family, the Lin. Now you can visit this jewel of architecture for free. For free ! All this beauty, for free !

Lin Family House & Gardens

Of course, after this, I felt more a princess than ever. Imagine me walking in these delicate gardens, composing a poem under one of these moon-gates, looking for the reflexion of my lover in the pond's water... In this dress...

Yes, because Taiwan also offers one of the greatest Chinese service : costumed photo shooting. In this kind of photo studio, you can get make-up, hairstyling and dressing up before being photo-shooted like a star. That's just an appetizer. Wait a bit for the professional shots to be delivered at my place! It's going to be spectacular!!

But we still have many things to see in town. For example, temples. Of course the Taiwanese, like the Chinese, don't miss a chance to go to the temple and pray ancestors or gods for success and protection. They light up candles or incense sticks, bring food to the spirits and also have meals there. So Taipei's temples are busy night and day...

Longshan Temple

Tai Hou Temple

But the Chinese roots are not the only reference here. Actually, during the Japanese period, Taiwan has been entirely reorganized, modernized and equipped with infrastructure. The Taiwanese are maybe the only people in Asia who are thinking positively of Japan and the former Japanese "influence". They litterally adore the Japanese culture, food, fashion and way of life, feeling way closer from the archipelago than from mainland China. The Japanese heritage is praised and maintained with great care. I could easily communicate in Japanese with people when they couldn't speak English. And they all said how lucky I was to live in Tokyo. Coming from "Chinese" people, trust me, it's surprising.

Maybe because it's an island too, we could also find a piece of British architecture in this Tudor style house. It has been built by a Chinese businessman in 1913, to entertain his clients. Unexpected, and beautiful.

Taipei Story House

On the other side of the road, that's another piece of cake.

Taipei Grand Hotel

Bang. A very chinese-style palace, absolutely huge, defying the city from the hill. Impressive...

After this Titan house, it's a relief to appreciate little details... Delicate flowers... light soap bubbles... aerian lanterns... a flying bicycle...

Enchanted street life

Maybe you though I would politely decline the opportunity to eat like a cow ? Nope. Taiwan is so full of delicious food and drinks that it is a pity there is only three meals in a day. Honestly, you need more than a long week-end to try everything Taipei has to offer. Here is a few samples of what I could try, but trust me, walking on the street in Taiwan is a permanent frustration. Yummy stuff everywhere. Everywhere. EVERYWHERE.

Rose and lychee bread

Wonton noodles

Benedict eggs and salmon baggels

Chinese dumplings dim-sum

Kumquat juice

As I said, Taipei has something of Tokyo, right. Including the what-the-f*ck theme restaurants culture. We refrained on trying the toilet-theme one (no thanks) but we couldn't resist for the Barbie Cafe. The Barbie Cafe !!

Somebody said pink?

But the final objective of this Taiwan trip was of course to enjoy time with a great friend. And to say hello to another old one.

After a mint and tea-tree Taiwan shampoo with skull massage... 

Already thinking of the next step of my Asian tour! Will it be the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos?... Suspense!

After the sea, the mountain! Mount Mitake is a 929 meters high mountain located 90 minutes away by train from Tokyo, and a great playground for the city rats. The perfect week-end deal when you are looking for fresh air and green landscape. Take your bento, grab your friends and let's climb it all!

The royal way

Totoro is hidden in these pictures. Can you find it?

View from the top

Down in the valley

No more 3-days week-ends for September, but October will come soon! Follow me!

Mid-September : the deadline for a sea-bath in Honshu, the main island of Japan. There is still a chance to fly to Okinawa in autumn to get the final touch on your tan, but it's far away, and quite expensive. But the Tokyo sunflowers are lucky : 3 hours away from Shinagawa station by local train (change at Atami; around 4000yen in total), Izu peninsula is waiting, with its white sand beaches, its beautiful coast, its waterfalls and its fresh sea-food... All you need is a three-days week-end as there are so many in september-October, and to make your way between the seasonal typhoons. So if you're the lucky type of girl like me... jump into your swimsuit, baby!

The great thing with the region of Izu is that the shore is not made of dark sand like most of the Japanese beaches. Here the coast is bright, sun-catching, and miraculously clean. For some reason, the tourists seem to respect a bit more their white shores than the dark ones. Look at this transparent waters!

 Nabeta beach

Enjoyyyying

Shimoda city is a small town with a deep historic background because this is the place Perry came in with his black ships in 1853 to force Japan to open their ports (and their economy) to the Western trade. His famous quote "I came here as a peace-maker" is written everywhere, though you could replace "peace" by "pressure". Some see this event as the end of pure, honor-driven and traditionnal Japanese spirit; others as the first step of Japan towards modernity. Anyway : this is Perry Road, a very cute street along the canal with nice jazz bars and small restaurants.

Perry Road

Shimoda, it's also big Western-style mansions along the coast...

... and old-fashion coffee and tea places.

Now, the hotel! We booked at Tokyu Hotel, for we could go by foot from Shimoda-Izukyu station. The hotel also has onsen, and it was a delight to stand in the outdoor bath, totally naked, with the sweet sun beams falling on me...

The view from my room!

Spotted between the palm-trees : our hotel private pool!

Very close, Shimoda Park offers refreshing shadow, stunning sculptures lost between the trees and a great view on the port.

And now, THE major reason to come and spend time in Shimoda... Shirahama beach. Pure, soft, shining ivory sand; transparent waves, green cliffs and SPACE, my friend. Is it Japan for real??

By the way, what should you eat and drink around Shimoda ?

Summer hits : fresh lemon juice and green tea kakigori

Grilled fish and my favourite ikura-don

Greatest sashimi ever

Local cola : Shizuoka cola (green tea flavor) and Fuji-san cola

Hey, next week is a three-days week-end too. Where do you plan to go ?

I am keeping exploring the West side of Tokyo, especially the wide Setagaya-ku. Last Saturday, the sun was shining bright, so I decided to visit Todoroki, on the Oimachi line. There is a charming little trail in an unexpected fresh wooden valley along the stream.And a shrine at the top of the hill, or it wouldn't be Japan.

I was enchanted by the walk, you should really go and have a look, it is a beautiful and peaceful place with plenty of green. It is rare to see such a "wild" nature around Tokyo. I just loved it.

The sakura season is over, but bringing even more light in the spring sky, here are coming the new green leaves! At the very end of the Inokashira line (access from Shibuya), at Kichijoji station, Inokashira Park looks like a green paradise with its long lake covered with swan-boats and its pouring sunshine.

And guess what? It is also the source of the Kanda river, the same Kanda river I was living by during my studies at Waseda, the same Kanda river I was admiring at every season, running along and meeting tanuki and giant turtles by its riverside... The source of the magic of my first steps in Japan!

I know, I am so easily moved to tears...

And once again, bye-bye sakura. See you next year.