Day 1: Autumn with Wendy & Lin :)

Despite reminding ourselves not to take any red eye flight, we were on it again. :))) We arrived in Haneda Airport at 6am...we definitely needed some perk-me-up.

It was to the car rental company to pick up our car after breakfast, officially starting our momijigari vacay to Nikko. The drive was approximately 3 hours. The timing was perfect and we arrived on time for traditional soba lunch at Santate Soba Nagahataan. 

Santate Soba Nagahataan is one of the most famous soba restaurants in Nikko. This place serves nothing but buckwheat soba, so if you are one who loves variety, you need to manage your expectation when visiting. :)

As for dessert, we had kiwis! :D

Details of Santate Soba Nagahataan:

365-1 Nagahata

Nikko 321-1108 

Tochigi Prefecture

T: +81 288-27-2488

Day 3: Back at Yabuhan for Chilled Soba :)

When you are in Otaru, you need to try the soba at Yabuhan. It's Lin & my second time here and we are still loving it. :) Be prepared to queue...

Nothing beats having chilled soba during summer. :) And together with tempura..... :D

Details of Yabuhan:
047 Quiet Street
Shop No.19 0032 2-chome
Otaru
T: 0134 33 1212
11.00am - 8.20pm

Day 3: Having Fun in Hakone :D

When you are early, you get window seating! Woohoo! :D We're filling up our tummies before checking out. 

I'm pretty excited this morning as we are going to try something new...pottery! :D

Hakone Crafthouse is nestled within Gora Park. We were early for class and had time to explore the park. :)

We're not doing wheel pottery today. 

Rather we chose hand sculpting pottery. ;) It's like playing with Playdough! :D

Our creation will be fired in a kiln and Crafthouse will courier them to us once they are ready. There's something to look forward to when we get back to Singapore. :D

We didn't expect to climb up a slope to reach Naraya Cafe for lunch *.*

We got distracted by the cafe's retail store! :)))

The cafe has an alfresco area where you can soak your feet in the hot spring. :)

A perfect day for pumpkin soup. :) And I'm in the mood for pizza too. :D

And the signature gourd babies with sesame paste. :)

I prefer my gourd baby with soft serve! :D

Our last stop in Hakaone was the pampas grass field. :D

We drove back to Tokyo for dinner at Afuri in Roppongi. Nothing beats a bowl of refreshing yuzu ramen after a long day out. :D My type of comfort food. :)

Our day 3....we maximised it fully. :)

Details of Hakone Gora Park Craft House:
1300 Gora, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0408, Japan
T: +81 460-82-9210
Operating hours: 9am - 5pm
Details of Naraya Cafe:
Japan, 〒250-0404 Kanagawa Prefecture, Ashigarashimo District, 箱根町Miyanoshita, ４０４−１３
T: +81 460-82-1259

Details of Afuri:
Japan, 〒106-0032 Tokyo, Minato, Roppongi, 6 Chome−2−31, 六本木ヒルズノースタワー
T:+81 3-3408-1880
Operating hours: 11am -11pm