We have moved west, back to Japan's Northern Alps, and back to Lodge tabi-tabi. We will be making another appearance in Shimoda on October 21st to prep the house for a couple of very special guests. Later this month we will be providing accommodation for Katy and Jamie, the Travel Volunteer Team. They are on a 100+1 day mission to visit every prefecture of Japan and "show the world that Japan remains a safe and attractive destination for travellers from all over the world". We are really looking forward to meeting this adventurous couple. You can follow their amazing journey here.

From October until the end of March, Guesthouse tabi-tabi in Shimoda will be available as a private rental only. You can take over the whole place, 4 bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, the backyard, and all the bikes for 25,000 yen a night plus linen and cleaning fees (minimum 2 nights). So if you are looking for your very own cottage get-a-away, please fill in one of our enquiry forms, or send us an This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If you would also like check out the mountains in the picture above, then come and visit us at Lodge tabi-tabi, Hakuba.

Restaurant Marley has a great big deck where you could sip coffee and read the paper for hours. They serve eggs, toast, pancakes, cereal, yogurt, fruit.....everything a westerner craves on a Sunday morning. This ideal breakfast spot is less than 10 minutes on foot from tabi-tabi, just past the entrance to Ohama Beach. They are also open for lunch and dinner, and serve special dinners which can be ordered two days in advance. Click on the breakfast menu for a larger version.

Breakfast/Lunch: 9:00 - 15:00

Dinner: 17:00 - 20:00

Closed: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

You can also find it on our recommendation maps here and here

At the Ra-Maru Diner in Michi-no-Eki they serve a fish burger made with Shimoda's most popular fish, kin-me-dai (aka splendid alfonsino). ¥1000 may seem a little pricey for a fish burger and some chips, but it's a tasty change from its beef and bun cousin.

Open:10:00 - 17:00

Earny's is a great new Italian restaurant propped up against a rocky island in Shimoda Bay (there is a bridge). We were impressed with their excellent lunch menu. For only ¥1500 we got an appetizer of our choice, picked out a pasta which came with a salad, and then had to choose from a yummy selection of desserts, and finised off with our choice of coffee or tea.

Lunch: 11:30 - 14:00

Dinner: 18:00 - 22:00  (last order 21:00)

Closed: Tuesday

You can find it on our recommendation map here

Just a short stroll from Guesthouse tabi-tabi a Jerk Chicken Shop has opened up. Their cozy nook, Bingo, is situated right next to Kisami's shrine so on late evenings in September you can listen to live taiko drumming, shamisen, and bamboo flutes while filling up on their Jamaican Style BBQed bird, and draft beer.

Open: 11:30 - 20:00

Closed: Tuesday

You can also find it on our recommendation maps here and here.

Here is a picture of the Kisami area of Shimoda. From left to right, Goishi Beach, Ohama Beach, Maiso Beach, Irita Beach, Tatado Beach, and then more rocky coast line.

Southern Izu is covered in Lilies of every kind,but the White Spider Lily has the sweetest fragrance of them all. Keep your eyes open, and put the brakes on when you spot one. Bet you can't sniff just once. 

Yesterday, Matsuzaki held its 12th annual Taiko Festival. It was awesome! (or "saiko"  pronounced psycho in Japanese) 4 taiko groups, 2 dancing dragons, a bamboos flute, smashing symbols and gongs were accompanied by torches of fire, candles in bamboo holders, and the sound of waves lapping on the beach. When the sun disappeared under the sea in front of us, the nearly full harvest moon came up behind us. Nothing short of spectacular! Please join us next year for the  13th annual Taiko Festival in beautiful Matsuzaki!

Luckily, Typhoon Tala did not hit us directly. Although we had to put up with a bit of rain on and off for a few days, we got to enjoy the massive swell brought on by typhoon # 12.