Japan

The favorite alcoholic beverage in Japan is most definitely the iconic drink known as sake. Fermented rice in pristine mountain water make up this drink of choice which can range in price of up to $100+ per bottle for the finest choices. The city of Saijo, 35 minutes by JR outside of Hiroshima, is said to produce the finest sake in all of Japan and boasts an impressive 10 breweries! Even more stunning is the fact that 8 of them are within a 45 minute walking path of each other starting and ending at the railway station and offer free tastings for visitors. So in an effort to find my favorite sake and put my liver to the test, I visited Saijo for a mass sake consumption marathon.

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For most travelers, Hiroshima can be divided up into two main sites.  Inside the town itself, the major destination is Peace Park, the restored site of the first nuclear bomb explosion during warfare, now dedicated to world peace and the abolishing of nuclear weapons. 

The bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945, exploding at an altitude of about 1800 feet which virtually destroyed the city in an instant.  The most notable feature within the park is the skeletal remains of a large building that survived the initial impact a few hundred feet away from ground zero. 

The park itself is beautiful (and entirely wifi free), however the history behind it and corresponding museum puts a somber mood on the entire area. The second site requires a quick day trip outside of Hiroshima city to Miyajima island, and brings about a much higher spirit.

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The Japanese onsen is something reported by many travel sites as a cant miss experience.  Many of the more popular spas, powered by incredibly hot spring water, are located in the mountainous regions of the country.  Because of this they are highly regarded not just for their therapeutic values, but for the beauty which the onsen is built around.

To me, this sounded like a great experience and something I absolutely had to try.  So when I made the trip north to check out the Nikko temple shortly after my arrival to the country, I knew I had to check one out.

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