Trip on Rambling Record

The Seto inland sea as a backdrop

Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Day 1

We arrive in Marugame after an easy trip. We visit the small MIMOCA museum, which features a few lovely paintings and a temporary exhibition about the mural Freedom that decorates Ueno Station in Tokyo. The whole restoration process of the mural is detailed here. We have a late lunch, then pick up a rental car. We head west toward Chichibugahama Beach. On the way, we spot the Tsushima Shrine below the road and decide to stop. The shrine is closed, but the setting is charming—and pleasantly quiet.

Hiroshima getaway

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Day 1

We take the shinkansen from Kyoto Station around 8:30, and I finish my night’s sleep during the ride. I get mixed up with the timetable and we miss our stop… We get off at Shin Yamaguchi Station and catch another train back in the opposite direction. We finally arrive in Hiroshima around noon instead of 10:30 a.m. The day’s schedule is fairly light, so no worries.

Back to West Lake

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It has only been 3 months since my last visit to Hangzhou, but I’m happy to be back.

As soon as I arrive, I meet again the cluttered sidewalks with cars parked everywhere, loud conversations drifting through the streets, and the smells of simmering dishes. Because it’s Chinese New Year season (this year falling on 17 February), red and gold decorations are up all over the city.

I recognize the neighborhoods around the botanical garden and West Lake. The hills and ponds come back to me easily, as do the buildings and shops. Getting around by public transport is smooth, using Alipay—the Swiss-army-knife app that does almost everything.

Hangzhou

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Arrived on the previous evening, we headed straight to our hotel in the Qing Zhi Wu district. This area had long been neglected by residents, but the city helped owners renovate the buildings and convert them into hotels. As a result, there’s now a good concentration of accommodation and restaurants in this neighborhood next to the botanical garden, which we visit the very next day.

Day 1 – Botanical Garden and a walk around the university

The street leading to the botanical garden’s north entrance is lively. Cars and scooters are parked everywhere—along the roadside or on half the sidewalks—much like the rest of the city.

Kohechi

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Kohechi is one of the three Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes. It’s the most mountainous of the three and links Koyasan to Hongu Taisha. See:https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/kohechi/

I spent the night at the Nosegawa Hotel, tucked away in the Kii Mountains. The staff were welcoming, and the place had everything a hiker might need: hot baths of course, a shuttle service from Koyasan, drop-off at the trailhead, a picnic option, etc.—very convenient. The baths clearly weren’t off-limits to people with tattoos, because almost everyone had one! One guy had a tattoo covering his entire back. Judging by the style, I think he was a Yakuza… I didn’t ask for confirmation.

Koyasan

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

After leaving at 6:30, we take a bus to Saiin, then the train to Awaji. We change at Tengachaya, then again at Gokurakubashi. This third train only has four cars but large windows—perfect for enjoying the scenery comfortably seated. We finish the journey with a funicular to Koyasan Station, then a bus that drops us off at the Daimon Gate around 10 a.m. Phew!

We walk around the gate, then stroll along the main road. We pass Kongobu-ji and its iconic pagoda. The weather is beautiful and the autumn colors are vibrant.

Mount Haku

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

+1350 m / -1350 m / 14 km

We’re off work this Friday. We leave Nijo Station at 6:59 and transfer at Kyoto Station to the Thunderbird, a limited express train that runs all the way to Tsuruga, at the northern tip of Lake Biwa. From there we take a local train to Fukui. Once there, we pick up a rental car and drive to Bettodeai, the starting point of our hike. We arrive around noon.

Of azure and ochre

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Day 1

The hardest part is renting the car. I had booked a compact, but there isn’t one available. After a 30-minute wait, an employee shows us a black Jeep. We walk around the vehicle together, and I spot a nasty gash in one of the tires. Goodbye Jeep. Another 30 minutes go by while they clean a different car. This time it’s a gray DS7. It’s big, but at least it looks roadworthy.

Paris as a tourist

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A trip to France usually means passing through Paris. It’s the perfect chance to visit a few places in the capital.

We start at Place de la Bastille, then move on to Place des Vosges and Saint-Paul. Crossing the Seine, we reach Île Saint-Louis and soon find ourselves on the forecourt of Notre-Dame. We were hoping to visit the cathedral after its renovation, but the line stretches all the way to Petit Pont. I hadn’t realized that August 15 is a religious holiday—another time, then! We take a break at a café in Saint-Michel, then head to Saint-Sulpice. Walking back, we stop at Saint-Germain-des-Prés church. I had never been inside before—what a great surprise! It too has benefited from a recent restoration, and the paintings are dazzling.

Ayabe

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

It’s fireworks season. Each city holds its own display on a different date, so it’s possible to see fireworks every weekend throughout July and August. This year we choose Ayabe. We wander around the town in the sweltering heat, then, as the day fades, we climb up to a park on higher ground to watch the show. The structure is rather classic: a succession of “chapters” where the pace builds until a mini “grand finale.” In one of the chapters, a few shells explode into the shape of a smiley face (a circle, two eyes, a smile)… meh, I’m not convinced. The finale, on the other hand, is spectacular!

Experiences in Tokyo

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A visa application forces us to go to the French Embassy in Tokyo. We take the opportunity to spend two days there.

The first experience, at the embassy, is rather unpleasant. Only those applying for a visa are allowed inside the building. For companions like me, waiting outside is the only option. I thought there would be an air-conditioned space open to everyone, or at least access to drinking water—but no such luck! The fact that I’m French makes no difference. I sit on a patch of sidewalk in the shade in front of the embassy and wait. Thanks for the warm welcome!

Ishigaki

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Day 1

It’s nighttime when we step out of the airport. A car is waiting for us and takes us a few hundred meters to a rental agency parking lot. We pick up our own vehicle and drive to the city center under a light drizzle.

Day 2

The sky is gray, but it’s not cold. We visit the nearest temple and encounter the shisa for the first time—these cheerful half-dog, half-lion creatures seem to replace the tanuki statues found in the rest of the country. They ward off evil spirits. A team is preparing the temple for the New Year celebrations.

Sunrise on mount Fuji

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

+1400 m / -1400 m / 11 km

Departure by shinkansen a little after 6:30 a.m. from Kyoto Station, arriving at Mishima at 9:20. Then we take a bus to Mizugatsuka Park. There’s a large parking lot, already fairly full, a souvenir shop that also serves as a cafeteria, and, most importantly, the station for the shuttle buses that go up to 2400 m. We wait a few minutes and board. At the top, there’s another parking lot and a cluster of temporary buildings housing various services: gear rental, a café, lockers, and so on.

Road-trip in Hokkaido

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Day 1

We pick up a rental car at Kushiro Airport in the late afternoon and head towards Lake Akan. We follow straight roads through fields and forests, spotting local deers. It’s drizzling. It’s dark by the time we reach the hotel in Akancho.

Day 2

We drive 30 minutes east to the Yamanoyado Nonaka onsen. From there, we begin our ascent of mount Meakan. First through a lovely undergrowth, then over more open terrain. We catch sight of Lake Onneto nearby and continue climbing. We take a break 45 minutes from the summit on a plateau. It’s already late, the sun is blazing, and we’re almost out of water. We decide to head back down after enjoying the view. It’s the start of the trip, better to play it safe.

Trip to the sea of Japan

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

We reserved the last two seats on the bus from Kyoto to Amanohashidate at the beginning of the week. To travel on the first weekend of Golden Week, you either need to plan well in advance or be a bit lucky. Departing from the station around 9 a.m., we arrive at Amanohashidate Station 2 h later. We have lunch nearby and then visit Chionji Temple. We rent bikes in front of the Kaisen Bridge and pedal to cross the lagoon. The path along the sandbar is very pleasant: shaded and bordered by water on both sides.

Kumano Sanzan

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The three temples dedicated to the three sacred mountains of Kumano, in three days!

Day 1

Departure from Kyoto this Friday around 6:30 a.m. then change at Osaka to catch the Kuroshio. We board the train just in time after asking for directions twice: the platform for this train is quite far from those of other lines and is not very well indicated. After Wakayama, the train runs between sea and mountain until Katsuura.

Frozen

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Day 1

It all starts with going to Osaka airport by train. Taking a flight to Sapporo, hopping on a bus to downtown, then changing buses to reach the 1st resort: Bankei (or “ban.K” for the insiders). Renting equipment in the small main building and off to the chairlift!

I left home before 6 a.m. this morning, but it’s almost 4 p.m. already. It’s not really a problem, as the resort offers night skiing. As soon as daylight fades, the floodlights illuminate the four slopes of the small resort. Skiing at night is quite fun, and I can see fairly well. However, the cold is becoming more and more present.

Ski Jam

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Leaving Kyoto around 6:30 a.m. for this weekend organized by my company’s Ski Club. I sleep a bit more on the bus chartered for the occasion. We stop twice at highway rest areas that strangely resemble each other. The final stop is in front of a rental shop a few kilometers from our destination. We leave only 10 minutes later with the equipment, as the rental shop had everything prepared in advance.

Seeing Saint-Malo again

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Leaving with a TGV at 8 a.m. from the Montparnasse station to Rennes. Break in a coffee shop waiting for the connection for Saint-Malo by TER. Little walk within the city and we come out on the battlements and on the Grand Bé.

We have lunch in a “crêperie” and we take a shuttle boat to get to Dinard. We follow the GR 34 for a while and we get back in the city center. In the meantime, the light drizzle turned into a shower and we start getting wet feet. We go back to Saint-Malo by the same means. Another tour of the city and its battlements before having dinner at the Ancrage. A few clouds remain, they mask the setting sun and add to the scenery.