The Official Stay Japan Traveler Summer 2020

T H E O F F I C I A L
STAY JAPAN
T R A V E L E R
FEATURES
Ohakozaki
Guesthouse &
Hiking Trail
Live Like
Royalty in
Marina Kawage
S U M M E R 2 0 2 0

Credits
Editorial Director
Giovanni Perez
Senior Director
Cory Rotolo
Content Editor
Kenneth Valencich
Illustrator
@vege.pop
Content Writer
Alex Loke
Daiki Shimizu
Emi Chubachi
Joanne Jamieson
Editorial Assistant
Caroll Hirose
Charleen Lay
Lilly Rose
Teresa Fong

1
O N C O V I D - 1 9
To our readers, thank you for your support. We at STAY JAPAN are always
looking to increase your curiosity towards this beautiful country. In the
meantime, in Japan, as all over the world, COVID-19 might stay with us for a
long time. At this time, we would like to introduce you to the "new lifestyle"
given by the Japanese Government.
Maintain social distancing
Maintain a minimum of 1 meter (average 2 meters) between individuals. The
number of people in a facility might be limited. Some shops might even use an
application to help contact you when your turn comes to enter the shop,
restaurant, etc.
Wearing a face mask
Disposables or washables are fine, just keep in mind to use the appropriate one
for the season, especially in summer.
Hand-washing
You can easily follow this one and can even find alcohol-based disinfectants
almost everywhere in the public sphere.
Keep these in mind for when the time comes to enjoy Japan again. Until then,
we will continue giving you more reasons to love this incredible place.

EDITOR'S
LETTER
Yukata
Hot, hot, and more hot is how Japanese summers are.
Don’t forget your UV protection, cool disposable sheets, a
comfy towel, liquids, and, of course, a hat. Let’s explore the
beauty of the season.
Summer comes with so many exciting activities, some
more challenging than others, like hiking, climbing, or even
Nordic walking. If you are into moving around, you’ll have
so many mountains and landscapes to conquer. Just don’t
forget to bring the right equipment! If you don’t feel very
confident, a guide or the right application will help.
Next is the festivals. You’ll be fascinated with the huge
variety. Some will be dancing parades; others a parade of
floats with enormous paper 3D figures on top; drums of many
sizes, ranging from hand drums to ones with over four meter
wide faces; and rhythms that will captivate you to dance and
sing along. No matter the prefecture, town, or village, you
will be able to blend in with these amazing festivities.
Another way to feel the season, which would make for an
unforgettable time, is to wear a summer kimono or Yukata.
Yukata is made of a light cotton cloth. This is perfect for hot weather.
There are many different, beautiful, patters to choose from. Whether
you buy or rent a Yukata, the experience itself won't change. You can
also find them at a reasonable price from many kimono shops.
However, properly wearing it can be a little challenging. You might
need some assistance from a professional, if it's your first time wearing
one. It's common to arrange a kimono stylist that will fix your kimono
and hair for you. They will also add matching accessories and flowers in
your hair. If you're wearing Japanese sandals, be sure to wear the
appropriate tabi, Japanese socks with split toes, for them, or have some
band-aids in your bag. You’ll need them after a few hours.
After you are ready from top to bottom, a walk through a beautiful
park, by the river, or around a pond would make a wonderful frame for
your pictures. If you want to have an especially memorable time with
your partner or friends, a Japanese style restaurant would be the way to
have a true Japanese experience. Of course, a cozy cafe would do the
trick too.
Summer, although it may be hot, is full of exciting experiences for
you to discover!
2

STAY
JAPAN
DOUBLE ART
PAGE
OR TO INSPIRE YOU TO
FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

OHAKOZAKI GUESTHOUSE
& HIKING TRAIL
Visiting Kamaishi City is like returning to
your hometown. No matter where you
explore in Kamaishi, there is always
someone willing to help you, feed you, and
talk to you. This is especially true for my
host and her assistant, who are both named
Sasaki-san. The conversation we had
together was an unforgettable one. I also
took part in a three-hour nature hike on the
Ohakozaki mountain trail that leads straight
to the picturesque Senjojiki rock formation.
| Ohakozaki Guesthouse
The interior of Ohakozaki Guesthouse
The house is located off of the Sanriku
Coast in Kamaishi City. It was once a
preschool that had unfortunately been
heavily damaged by the 2011 Tsunami,
with barely any of the structure
remaining. After a few years, Sasaki-san
renovated it into a guesthouse. The
house boasts a spacious living room that
can easily fit large groups. There’s also a
fully equipped kitchen, a shower room,
a bathroom, and two restrooms.
Down the hallway, there are two large bedrooms. One bedroom has four medium-sized beds
with their own little personal area. This room also comes equipped with an air conditioner
unit and a small area for studying and lounging in the corner. The second bedroom has two
bunk beds. The room is also equipped with the same essentials as the first room.
5

| The Food
Sasaki-san made grilled fish glazed with a sweet
Japanese sauce; a side of various fish delicacies; a
miniature nabe-pot of fresh fish and clams; a
Kamaishi traditional vegetable soup called zaku
jiru; a side of egg custard, or chawa-mushi; and, to
top it all off, crab miso-soup.
While eating, I listened to the first-hand accounts
about the day the tsunami hit. Sasaki-san was
caught in the middle of the storm, causing her to
lose most of her valuables. They both mentioned
being given a thirty-minute warning to run to
higher ground because of the possibility that a
tsunami was headed their way. They explained
how hard it was to have to leave everything
behind, only to return and find everything gone.
The best part of my
whole guesthouse
experience was
talking with Sasakisan
while she made
food. The food was
both delicious and
healthy.
G I O V A N N I
The Sasakis'
What stood out to me the most was that
Sasaki-san, the main owner of the
guesthouse, returned to Kamaishi within 6
months after the deadly tsunami and
opened a diner. There were neither
convenience stores, nor places to eat at the
time, so she took the initiative and made
food for all of the returnees who spent day
after day trying to recuperate their houses
and valuables. Although I couldn’t imagine
what she must have felt during the scarring
tsunami experience, her helpful heart and
acts of kindness definitely made me think
about my life actions more.
62

| Ohakozaki Hiking
Trail
The last portion of my trip was hiking
through a trail that reached the edge of
Iwate. The trail was created by Tohoku
Park Rangers, a non-profit hiking
organization, along with the Japan
National Park Rangers.
Throughout the trail, I saw various types
of trees and plants, along with a jawdropping
beautiful ocean view.
It took about an hour and a half to get to
the end. Along the way, I was hoping to
see a few animals. Unfortunately, I didn’t.
Instead, I got to see fresh reindeer tracks.
The park ranger was kind enough to
explain the different trees and leaves.
They call this leaf hou. They used it for
carrying things in Japan many years ago,
before they invented bags, because of its
versatility. Its large size made it perfect
for wrapping items, but it's also easy to
throw away, since it's biodegradable.
7

| Senjojiki Rock Formation
Another plant used many years ago was kuro moji.
Kuro moji's herbal scent and taste made it a great
natural toothpick. When I chewed on a piece of kuro
moji, my mouth instantly became fresh. The park
ranger mentioned that many old-style Japanese
movie actors chewed kuro moji.
Ohakozaki trail leads to a small white lighthouse that overlooks the beautiful landscape
of the Ohakozaki Peninsula. We were in the middle of returning to the starting point
when we came across Senjojiki: A magnificent view of over 1,000 geological rocks that
naturally formed from the crashing of the waves coming from the Pacific Ocean. From
Ohakozaki, I could also see three picturesque bays: Otsuchi Bay and Yamada Bay to the
north; and Kamaishi Bay to the south.
A few of the members of the group got a
special greeting from the ocean because
they were too close to the edge. They
were drenched with water and were
advised to be careful, or else they'd be
swimming in the sea!
The Ohakozaki trail took about 3.5
hours, making it a great day-hike.
Around half an hour of the hike was just
experiencing the surrounding nature.
The best time to go hiking on this trail is
before or after winter, because of
temperature can sharply change due to
the high elevation. If you go while it’s a
little chilly, but you don’t have to worry
about silly mosquitoes feasting on you.
8

| Extra Notes
I feel like I discovered a new favorite area. Four days was not enough time to explore all
of Kamaishi City. I highly recommend visiting Kamaishi City if you enjoy boat rides,
hiking, seafood, and interacting with the locals of Japan.
Although still in the reconstruction phase, their push to get back into the tourism scene
is outstanding. The number of attractions and activities that have been created over the
past year, along with hosting the famous 2019 Rugby Cup, should put Kamaishi City on
everyone’s radar for places to visit.
Check out STAY JAPAN to book a stay in Kamaishi and enjoy the same
experience as Gio.
9

O H A K O Z A K I
G U E S T H O U S E
Sponcered by
S T A Y J A P A N
Hakozaki is a fishing village where you can experience a variety of different
activities, interact with the locals, and feel at home.
You can try freshly caught local seafood prepared by the host. The guesthouse
was re-designed by the city to raise the level of tourism in Kamaishi City.
KEY FEATURES
- Hiking
- Fresh Seafood
- Boat Riding
- Beach
- Fishing
- Local Culture

H O W T O L I V E
L I K E R O Y A L T Y
F O R T H E W E E K E N D I N M A R I N A
K A W A G E , M I E B Y L I L L I A N S E I L E R
I often daydream about the day I would become so rich that my days would consist of
horseback riding on the beach, sailing the sea on a yacht, and feasting on high quality
barbecue in comfortable sunshine. One can only dream, right? Except… I recently did
just that, while skipping the whole “become-filthy-rich” prerequisite. You may
wonder, how is that possible? Well let me tell you about Marina Kawage, a hidden
gem on the Mie coast. Here, you can live out your fancy, rich fantasies, even if only for
a weekend!
11
We’re making the same face together, how
cute! I was always a bird lover growing up,
but after getting up close and personal
with the beautiful horses at El Caballo, I
started to second guess my animal
favoritism choices. After suiting up in my
fabulously flattering horse-riding gear, I
had the pleasure of riding on an adorable
pony called Poco. My friend and I got to
| Jomon-style Cooking
enjoy riding the horses under a shelter to
avoid the rainy weather that day. On a
sunny day, you also have the option to trek
on the beach with the horses! Check out
First on the itinerary: horseback riding! their website at: https://elcaballo.jp

My favorite part about the cruise was
the scenery before us. I was amazed
at how crystal clear the water was.
Fog from the cloudy weather
engulfed our vision when we moved
to the tip of the bow, which I found to
be utterly mystifying. Sunny or
cloudy, witnessing how vast the
ocean was and pretending to be
sailors drifting into the unknown
was a memorable experience.
The inside of the yacht had a
comfy atmosphere adorned
with a warm wooden interior
and crimson carpeting. It was
perfect to relax in after we had
our fill of excitement at the
front of the boat. We grabbed a
cup of Nachan orange juice and
warmed ourselves up by the
heater.
13

It’s time to get spiritual at Takada Honzan.
After an action-packed day, we wound down with a serene visit to a nearby Buddhist
temple not to far from Marina Kawage. We had the place to ourselves, since no one
else thought to come during a rainy day. I’m not a fan of overcrowded places, so this
worked out nicely for me.
Want to read what Lillian ate in Mie? Check out STAY JAPAN MEDIA.
14

P R I V A T E V I L L A
Z A O G U E S T H O U S E
Sponcered by
S T A Y J A P A N
The lodge is surrounded by trees and is great for relaxing with nature. Inside, you'll
find a spiral staircase, comfortable furnishings and bedding, and a quiet place to
enjoy a vacation with friends or family.
KEY FEATURES
- Near 3 Ski Resorts
- Hot Spring Bath
11
- Close to Zao Fox Village

祭 り
まつり
FESTIVAL

ASK
EXPER
the
With Cory and Kenneth
"What is Japan's Main Religion?"
Japan's two main religions are Shinto and
Buddhism, with plenty of others mixed in
alongside them across the country.
Shinto is known as Japan's native religion,
though it wasn't all that well developed as a
concept until much later in its history. The
religion is heavily focused on nature
and kami, which can mean "gods" or "spirits"
and ranges anywhere from Amaterasu, the
goddess of the sun, to a really nice tree. Even
the omamori charm I bought at a shrine
carries a piece of a kami.
Buddhism was imported to Japan from
Korea and China after originating in India.
There are many different sects of Buddhism
and they all have a different style. Zen
Buddhism is all about self-discipline and
drive, while Pure Land Buddhism is about
relying on the powers of one specific Buddha
instead of your own efforts.
23
"What's an example of a typical
Japanese daily meal?"
Results may vary greatly on this, but
something you'll see in every meal is white
rice. Rice cookers are an absolutely essential
piece of kitchen equipment in Japan. Most of
the time, other foods are not put directly on
top of it, but are intended for a person to take
a bite of another dish and then add rice for
texture. However, donburi, or any food that
ends in don (which really just means bowl)
will be contrary to this, with the food mixed.
Next is miso soup, which is soy bean paste,
salt, and hot water. There are many kinds of
miso and miso soup, with anything put into it,
but those are the basic components. It often
has tofu, potatoes, or mushrooms, but the
combinations are only limited to the cook's
imagination and budget. This might be eaten
with one or all daily meals. Check out the
recipes in this issue to see what I mean!
This is the most basic of basic, however, and
there are many different types of meals to
explore in Japan!

24
TS
"Are there really fancy toilets with
music and stuff everywhere?"
There certainly are many of them across the
country. Japan has really embraced the idea
of the bidet. There are ones with spray
functions, music functions, different levels
of flush strength, and even seat warmers.
Each function has a strength selector
available and the heated seats are absolutely
necessary for cold northern winters. A public
toilet once even asked me if I was still there,
which was a bit creepy. However, there are
also much less modern toilets aplenty. Old
style squat toilets are still common in many
places and I was even in a house once where
the toilet was just a hole in the ground. I
wasn't enthusiastic about that one... for
some reason. The man who dropped his
wallet in there was even less happy.
"How central is the fax machine for
official / formal purposes?"
They are, without question, still widely used.
This idea might baffle the imaginations of
non-Japanese citizens, but there are some
legitimate reasons why fax machines are
used over alternatives. A lot of the tech
developed in this country is made with its
aging population in mind, and with the
average age of a Japanese citizen being 48
years old, your friends, family, and
especially your aging boss, are probably
going to be more familiar with older
technology such as fax machines.
Another reason is the perceived security of
transferring data. In truth, email nowadays
are equally as secure as faxes. Nevertheless,
in a country that highly values privacy and
security, fax machines have had a longer
time to gain a reputation than email. In
short, "If its not broke, don't fix it" seems to
be the popular consensus regarding faxes
here!

花 火
はなび
FIREWORKS

Stay Japan presents
FOOD
FOLKS
Food folks is all about expanding your knowledge on
Japanese cuisine. For our summer issue, we turn our
attention to one of the most widely used ingredients in
Japanese culinary arts: miso.
Made from mashed fermented soybeans, miso adds a
distinctly salty and slightly sweet flavor to any meal. It's
also extremely healthy. We present two takes on this
ingredient: one is classic and traditional, the other is a
fusion that puts a Japanese spin on an everyday baked
delight. Enjoy!
Art by: @vege.pop
26

SUMMER MISO VEGETABLES
by Charleen Lay
You’ve probably already tried miso soup at least once. It's savoury, healthy and an almost
essential part of Japanese home cooked meals. Maybe you’re actually a bit of a miso broth
connoisseur and enjoy a fine miso ramen. As much as I love these warming soups, but I find
that sometimes my miso paste languishes in the back of the fridge in hotter months.
Drinking a hot bowl of miso soup, let alone making it, in the midst of a sweltering and very
sweaty Japanese summer just seems like too much effort. These summer vegetables with a
miso mayo dip are the perfect way to enjoy miso no matter the season.
This recipe is actually based off of a dish from one of my favourite restaurants in Sendai:
Gout. All of their Japanese-style western dishes are delicious and full of flavour, but it was a
simple platter of vegetables with a miso dip that completely won me over. The combination
of nutty miso with vegetables cooked to perfection is a dish I must order every time I visit
the cute little bistro.
Since most of the flavour comes from the miso, it’s crucial that you use good quality miso
that you like the taste of. Personally, I love chunky miso with bits of visible soybeans.
Pictured here is a semi-spicy red Sendai miso.
27

MISO SUMMER VEGETABLES
Ingredients
Dipping sauce
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons miso
a pinch of shichimi (optional)
Seasonal vegetables
1/8th of a small daikon
1 stalk Asparagus
2 florets Broccoli or cauliflower
Corn (1/4)
2 mini tomatoes
½ stalk cucumber
Tip: I like a variety of cooked and raw vegetables,
but if you’re short on time, an array of raw
vegetables cut into matchsticks are also delicious.
Idea:
For a winter variation, change
up the vegetables and serve
them warm. Steamed potatoes,
pumpkins and turnips are a
great match with the nutty miso
sauce.
Steps
Sauce
Mix the mayonnaise and miso together
well.
*If using, add the shichimi on top.
Vegetables
Gently steam the daikon for roughly 15
minutes or until it Is soft and can be cut
in half with little resistance. You can
steam the corn at the same time.
Steam asparagus, broccoli for roughly 3
minutes each.
Cut tomatoes into halves and cucumbers
into matchsticks.
Plate up all the vegetables and serve with
a generous amount of miso sauce.
28

MISO POUND CAKE
by Alex Loke
Photo by: @littleloke
Modernising Japanese ingredients has become increasingly popular in the western world as
of late. Working full time, I’ve never really had the chance to experiment with my cooking,
but being indoors more often due to the current pandemic has left me looking into my
fridge and wondering what I could do to brighten my day with some sweets.
I love watching food documentaries and I’ve long since been a fan of bakers such as Cupcake
Jemma, but Christina Tosi, the owner of Milk Bar, has lately inspired me to look into
incorporating bursts of umami (deliciousness) into desserts, of which the main ingredient is
miso. Miso is a product of fermenting soybeans with salt and koji. It’s generally salty but can
have different aromas and slightly differing tastes depending on the ingredients used
during the fermentation process.
29

MISO POUND CAKE
Yields: 1 loaf
Ingredients
100 grams shiro miso (5 tablespoons),
alternatively sweet miso (ama miso)*
145 grams buttermilk (2/3 cup)
100 grams grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil
(1/2 cup)
150 grams unsalted butter, melted (1 stick, or
8 tablespoons)
5 large eggs
300 grams sugar (1 1/2 cups)
290 grams cake flour (2 1/3 cups)
60 grams light brown sugar, packed (1/4
cups)
5 grams baking powder (1 1/4 teaspoon)
1 gram kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon) - optional
R E C I P E
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with
a baking mat or baking paper. Spread the miso out
in an even layer, about 1/4-inch thick, on the
baking sheet.
2. Bake it for 10 to 15 minutes, until the miso is
browned and crisped around the edges. It's ok if
there are burnt spots on top. Remove it from the
oven and let it cool slightly.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C. Line a large
loaf pan with baking paper.
4. Scrape the miso into a blender. Add the buttermilk
and oil and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture
into a large bowl. Whisk the melted butter and
eggs into the miso mixture.
5. Whisk the sugar, cake flour, brown sugar, baking
powder, and salt (optional) together in a separate
large bowl.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir
to combine. Use a whisk to break up any lumps.
7. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, run a line across
the centre of the batter with a knife to ensure the
cake splits evenly. Bake until the cake rises and
puffs, about 80 minutes. At 75 minutes, tap the top
of the cake with your fingertips: The cake should
bounce back and the center should no longer be
jiggly. If it doesn’t pass this test, leave the cake in
the oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 45 minutes, then
invert the pan onto a wire rack to fully release the
cake. Turn the cake right side up and let it cool
completely before slicing.
Idea:
Cutting off a few slices
and wrapping them is a
great and unique gift
idea for your
coworkers!
Art by: @vege.pop
30

2. Gurkha Sandals
Gurkha sandals have been featured as the
popular item of the year.
The toes are woven and designed with
space between the straps. Because of this,
Gurkha provides breathability, while the
leather adds a certain style that will be
sure to catch attention.
The first feature of Gurkha sandals is the
elegance of the feet when worn. Casual
styles, such as T-shirts and jeans, will
dramatically change just by incorporating
Gurkha sandals.
3. Body Spray
Fashion isn't just about the clothes!
Who doesn’t sweat in the summer?
If you've been to Japan in the summer, you
know that just taking one shower a day
isn't always enough to prevent the smell of
sweat from emanating from your body.
That's why I recommend body spray as a
must-have item for this summer. There
are various body sprays to choose from,
with even more fragrances to fit your
preference. Body sprays are also
inexpensive and tend to last throughout
the day.
"When you smell good and
look good, you feel good!"
The Writer’s Thoughts
Actually, “The 3 items to take with you
while travelling this summer” that I
picked this time are versatile items
because they're easy to adapt to any
clothes.
Rather than just planning your trip,
paying attention to what you want to
wear this summer may transform your
usual trip into a more enjoyable one.
Many people are looking to travel,
especially now that trips will become
significantly cheaper because of the
“Go To Travel Campaign.” From
Covid-19 to the crazy amounts of
rainfall in the Kyushu area, this
summer is proving to be difficult to
cope with. Nevertheless, I hope that
everyone can enjoy travelling, whether
it's to another prefecture or a local
mom and pop restaurant.
Check out STAY JAPAN and stay
tuned for our next issue to read up
on more of Daiki's fashion tips!
32

Under
at
the
Apron
a s e c a m p I m a r i
B
by Giovanni Perez
1. What kind of atmosphere
does your cafe have?
The house itself was empty for 10
years when we bought it a year ago.
We busily spent every day for 4
months renovating this old
traditional kominkan, or cultural
center, with a general idea of the
end result. The vision was there,
but we had to cope with the
challenge of bringing it back to life.
We like to believe that we
succeeded in creating a very unique
atmosphere. We made a cozy,
relaxing, very homey ambiance
with a nice interior decoration
style, good lighting, nice props
here and there, and an especially
peaceful vibe. The village itself
brings charm and natural
environment to create this time
sleep feeling you quickly get use to
while visiting our place.
33
2. What's the best part about
owning a cafe?
Owning a cafe was not a goal in
itself. We made Basecamp Imari to
have a base in Kyushu, escape
Tokyo's concrete jungle, and look
for creative ways to diversify down
south. It became a cafe and Lodge
in a very natural way, and now it's
part of M Global Japan Activities.
The cafe was a completely new
experience in terms of activity and
still is a challenging one, but being
in the Village of the Secret Kilns
helps bring a good balance. To
answer the question: meeting
people, offering our own branded
style, menu, goods, and
atmosphere are all rewordings; the
fact that our customers likes the
cafe and lodge is certainly
something we appreciate very
much.
3. What are some top
recommendations from
your menu?
We basically do everything
ourselves: homemade cooking.
The Pudding is a favorite, but I
also believe we have the best
Tapioca drinks in all of Kyushu. In
the summer, we introduce French
summer drinks with the Diabolo
series...You’ll have to come and
check them out for yourself. Since
we have a nice terrace outside and
picnic garden space, you feel like
you're in a small French village
cafe terrace.
BASECAMP IMARI is a coffee shop/lodging spot tucked away in Saga Prefecture. The location opened not too long ago
in 2019, its staples include tapioca and pudding, and it's a welcome respite for the weary travelers of Kyushu. Giovanni
Perez from STAY JAPAN interviews the owners to learn about its unique background and how it took off.

4. How long have you owned
the shop?
We opened on June 15th, 2019.
Time flies, really. The lodge part
started a bit later, as the focus was
to first open the cafe, then move on
to the second floor for the last part
of the project. It's now possible to
stay here. We welcome family,
friends, parties of up to 4 or 5
people depending on season.The
Lodge is set for one reservation at a
time, so you'll always be the only
guests beside ourselves, as we do
live there as well. We have one
large bedroom with a double bed, a
single bed, and a sofa bed. There's
also one single room, but it's not
always available. Guests can
reserve directly by calling or e-
mail, also using Airbnb or Booking.
For details check our website at
https://www.basecampimari.com
for production companies to shoot
their photos, commercial videos
(Cm), dramas, Music videos,
promotional videos (PV),
magazines etc...We kept the Showa
style atmosphere and the
decoration there is also quite
something in itself. As a nice
coincidence, it's also located in a
very peaceful and relaxing little
village called Higashi-Matsubara, 2
stops from Shimo-Kitazawa, an
oasis of calm, yet also 10 minutes
away from Shibuya. The origin of
the name started with having a
place to start and create new things
and also being able to return to a
familiar environment anytime
we wanted to. A base for our
company, a base for when we are
not traveling overseas, and a base
for things to happen while always
thinking of the next creative thing
to do. Hopefully we'll be working
on Basecamp season 3 very soon...
different, but the overall vibe of
the place is very different
compared to most of the cafes I
have ever been to. Maybe the fact
that we got so involved in its
renovation makes it special. The
story it carries creates added value.
Like the flats we rent for monthly
stays in Tokyo, we like to work a
lot on the decoration and style. I
guess that, after a while, it shows.
You develop some kind of habits
and patterns that become your
style.
5. What's the story behind
the name of your shop?
6. What sets you apart from
other coffee shops?
We have another Basecamp, but
it's in Tokyo, so this is basically
season 2...Tokyo Basecamp is a
330m2 house that we renovated 5
years ago into a house and studio
I'm not sure, actually. Maybe it's
the fact that we didn't actually
decide to make a coffee shop and
lodge. It all kind of just happened
along the way. The atmosphere is
34

The beautiful nature of Saga prefecture
7. What do you love about
Saga prefecture?
A fantastic location itself, a place
where you have so much within a
40 km radius, with beautiful and
varied sceneries, great food, and
nice people. The funny thing is that
most Japanese don’t think about
Saga as place to visit, even though
there is so much to do and see here.
Let’s keep it a secret until someone
catches on to our paradise.
9. Describe your cafe in 3
words.
Cozy
Relaxed
Peaceful
10. What are the top 3 must
do activities in Saga?
Road trips, nature hunting, rural
experiences with famous tourist
spots all over, sunsets and sunrise
shots! We look forward to
welcoming you!
8. What have you learned
since opening your own
business?
We've owned our company for 12
years now. It's a family business in
a completely different line of work
than what we've done before.
Having Basecamp Imari as our first
cafe was a great project, but it
certainly was a lot of work and
hours spent in one location, until
we got things sorted out and started
getting in the proper swing.
Everything is part of the
experience, I guess.
35
Don't be a stranger! Stay connected with STAY JAPAN.
https://www.pinterest.jp/stayjapan/
@STAYJAPAN
facebook.com/STAYJAPAN

海
うみ
BEACH

S U M M E R
G R O O V E S
WITH EMI CHUBACHI
What kind of music are you listening to these days?
At the end of the year, I made it my goal to go to some live shows or concerts every
month in 2020, but I can't seem to achieve my goal this year.
Now that there are restrictions on going out all around the world, a survey result
has been announced that the number of times music is played on streaming
services, such as Spotify, is decreasing.
Also, because festivals and concerts have been canceled or postponed one after
another, the number of opportunities to enjoy music has decreased significantly
this year.
Fuji Rock, a huge music festival in Niigata prefecture, has also been canceled this
year, and I think many people feel a big sense of loss.
Since we can't go and enjoy the music ourselves, we'll share a playlist of songs by
artists who were supposed to appear at the Fuji Rock Festival, which was originally
scheduled to be held in August.
Feel free to listen to this playlist when doing housework or taking a walk through
the neighborhood!
GET THE PLAYLIST HERE!
37

A Japanese Travel Magazine
A multi-media platform of city guides backed by local experts.
Our guesthouse booking site providing unique stays, as well as
concise, informed, and fun reviews.
Visit Stay How-to Food
There are over
10 prefectures
on our guides
with more
coming soon.
Over 3,000 unique
guesthouses in
both rural and
urban areas
throughout Japan.
Read insider
tips and secrets
to make
traveling easier
in Japan.
Our authors
can be trusted
to direct you to
delicious
eateries
Coming Soon
New guides on
everyday living
for locals in Japan
Start reading now:
via stayjapan.com/media/

Don't be a stranger! Stay connected with STAY JAPAN.
https://www.pinterest.jp/stayjapan/
@STAYJAPAN
facebook.com/STAYJAPAN