As 2022 came to a close, we decided to make the most of colder, darker days, and to really revel in the ways Japan’s wintertime traditions bring opportunities to reset and revive the body and soul.

We started off December with a trip to the heart of Hokkaido, where we stayed at EN - The Suites Furano. The pristine snowy landscapes gave us a sense of endless possibilities as we imagined the year ahead, while also giving us some quiet moments to reflect on all that we’d gone through these past 12 months.

Japan has its own ways of celebrating the Solstice, Christmas, and the New Year, so we got into the spirit of the season and made the most of our holiday break with some good old house cleaning, cooking, eating, and resting.

We also enjoyed heading to some of our favorite places in Tokyo to relax, including Rinshi no Mori park (article here) and Shinjuku Gyoen (video here).

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

Finding Sublime is a mindful journey of discovery in Japan, brought to you by hosts Michele Laudig and Jason Garcia. It’s about slowing down to savor moments of everyday joy and carving out the time for calm, whether basking in nature, appreciating cultural gems, tasting Japanese tradition, or connecting with creative souls.

Japan has so much magic to offer. No matter where you’re from, we hope to inspire you and help you tap into your own sense of awe.

Join us as we explore beautiful, delicious, and delightful facets of Japan through personal stories and meaningful experiences via our website, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

In this episode, Michele and Jason share their story of falling for the natural beauty of the Izu Peninsula, a popular destination not far from Tokyo that’s home to historic onsen towns, lush mountain valleys dotted with waterfalls, dramatic coastlines, and vacation-worthy beaches.

Listen in as they chat about their first encounter with Izu on a hot-springs getaway to the town of Shuzenji (whose namesake temple was founded over 1200 years ago), their unforgettable visit to Kawazu Nanadaru (the 7 Waterfalls of Kawazu), a journey to the sandy shores of Shimoda, and their enduring connection with Jogasaki Kaigan.

From these experiences and more, a little podcast called Finding Sublime was born.

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

Finding Sublime is a mindful journey of discovery in Japan, brought to you by hosts Michele Laudig and Jason Garcia. It’s about slowing down to savor moments of everyday joy and carving out the time for calm, whether basking in nature, appreciating cultural gems, tasting Japanese tradition, or connecting with creative souls.

Japan has so much magic to offer. No matter where you’re from, we hope to inspire you and help you tap into your own sense of awe.

Join us as we explore beautiful, delicious, and delightful facets of Japan through personal stories and meaningful experiences via our website, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

The thrill of the new is undeniable, but what if the “new” is actually very, very old? Itching for another trip, we looked for an unfamiliar destination that would expand our experience of Japanese beauty – both its natural abundance at the peak of autumn, and its rich regional culture and history. For that, we decided that Tohoku was a place we wanted to get to know. We knew we wanted to see some gorgeous fall leaves, but we had no idea how much we’d also enjoy a glimpse at samurai society and its architecture and artifacts. The food, meanwhile, was as delicious as we’d hoped for.

Thanks to a 5-day rail pass for the Tohoku region, we enjoyed stops in Morioka, Iwate (where Ono Sensaisho sells traditional hand-dyed Nambu stencil dyed pieces), Kakunodate (a town in Akita famous for its fascinating historic preservation district of samurai residences), Ichinoseki in Iwate (home to another samurai house, a historic sake brewery called Sekinoichi, and two nearby, destination-worthy World Heritage temples, Chusonji and Motsuji), and Hanamaki Onsen. Yes, we covered a lot of ground.

Tune in for a chat about our first adventure to Tohoku, which surely won’t be our last.

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

Finding Sublime is a mindful journey of discovery in Japan. It’s about slowing down to savor moments of everyday joy and carving out the time for calm, whether basking in nature, appreciating cultural gems, tasting Japanese tradition, or connecting with creative souls.

Japan has so much magic to offer. No matter where you’re from, we hope to inspire you and help you tap into your own sense of awe.

Join us as we explore beautiful, delicious, and delightful facets of Japan through personal stories and meaningful experiences via our website, podcast, YouTube, and social channels.