Category Archive for Tokyo + Japan
Luxury private onsen in Hakone! The Hiramatsu Hotels & Resorts Sengokuhara, Open-Air Museum, Shirakawa-go inn.
After an extremely hectic (but extremely fun) Halloween in Tokyo, Yukiro and I needed to rest and reset. So we went on a royal getaway to Hakone, the famous Japanese onsen (hot springs) resort town about 90 minutes from Tokyo.
It was a dream to stay at The Hiramatsu Hotels & Resorts Sengokuhara, where we had our own private onsen bath in our room, and balcony overlooking the mountains! Read on for our luxurious Hakone experience, which was fit for us queens.
We needed some beauty rest, so we didn’t venture anywhere outside the hotel — other than to the Hakone Open-Air Museum. It’s an inspiring collection of outdoor artworks, including enormous installations like this Symphonic Sculpture.
Here we are inside the 18 meter high tower, which is rimmed by rainbow stained glass. Climb up the spiral staircase to see colorful light reflections, and look out at the peaceful landscapes of Hakone, Kanagawa.
Hakone’s Open-Air Museum has over 1000 works by Japanese and international artists, including over 100 sculptures. I think you can guess why we were tickled by “Hercules the Archer,” which was originally made in 1909 by France’s Emile Antoine Bourdelle.
As you can see, there was also plenty of bright, modern pop art that encourages you to step inside and play.
The Hakone Open-Air Museum is an excellent spot for families and children to spend the day.
Strike a pose, vogue. The heroic European sculptures stand out against Hakone’s dramatic mountain ranges.
The gardens and ponds are dotted with whimsical art and even a labyrinth.
This egg-cellent bench is called Sunny Side Up by Klein Dytham. (Notice the kawaii face in the back.)
When Yukiro and I looked at the sculpture museum map, we immediately honed in on this spread-eagled fellow. Out of all the works — including by Joan Miro and Henry Moore — we wanted to see this random one the most!
Speaking of ass… The Hakone Open-Air Museum has a large, renovated Picasso Pavilion. No photos were allowed inside, but you can imagine an impressive collection of his pottery and lesser-known works in various media (like smiley-face ceramics that resemble emoji).
Come to the Open-Air Museum to be inspired by sculptures as well as Hakone’s natural beauty.
We happily spent the rest of our Hakone trip at The Hiramatsu Hotels & Resorts Sengokuhara — with a balcony view like this, I think you can understand why!
The amenities included a personal onsen in our room, seasonal Italian multi-course meals, outdoor private hot springs, elegant decor including a koi pond… See our video here on @lacarmina Insta for a glimpse of the ritz.
The Hiramatsu Hotels & Resorts Sengokuhara has only 20 rooms. The private baths in each are fed directly with hot-spring water — we spent a great deal of our time enjoying a soak.
The bath looks out at a terrace with majestic mountain and pampas grass field views.
From the room design to the personalized service, every element of The Hiramatsu Hotels & Resorts Sengokuhara was exquisite.
The staff welcomed us with fresh pear juices, and our suite was stocked with Japanese teas.
The hotel’s spaces were filled with fine art like these Picasso flowers.
At dinner, Yukiro and I were waited upon by boys wearing bow ties and white gloves. The Hiramatsu Hotels & Resorts Sengokuhara’s menu features carefully-sourced ingredients from local producers. The chef’s Italian and French inspired courses were scrumptious, as well as a feast for the eyes.
We dined on truffle pasta and delicate fish, followed by a chestnut Mont Blanc with gold foil and foam.
Thank you to The Hiramatsu Hotels & Resorts Sengokuhara for treating us like queens! This five-star experience is a must for anyone looking to splurge on a peaceful, private Hakone getaway.
While in Japan last fall, I got to visit another new region — Shirakawa-go. As I wrote in my article for Going.com, “Shirakawa-gō is famous for its farmhouses, which are called gasshō-zukuri (“prayer-hands”) because the silhouette resembles two palms pressed together.”
Thanks to Japan Tourism Board, I got to do a very special stay in one of these gassho houses! I spent the night in one of Shirakawa’s famous historic homes, which was converted into a family run inn. As you can see, these are traditional style rooms with tatami mats and sliding doors — at night, you sleep on the floor on a futon.
One of the best parts of staying in a Shirakawa-go minshuku is the homemade dinner, which you eat by the hearth with other guests. The local delicacies included tofu, Hida beef, ayu sweetfish, and a variety of vegetables and pickled sides.
During daylight hours, I wandered Ogimachi Village, which has dozens of these gasshō houses along with temples and rustic fields. I walked up the hill to Shiroyama Tenshukaku Observation Deck to take in the views of the fairytale village below (don’t the farmhouses look like they’re made of gingerbread?)
Built with cedar beams and pampas grass without any nails, these homes are functional (resistant to the extreme elements) while harmonizing with their natural surroundings.
While waiting for dinner, I put on my yukata… and transformed into Sadako! I entertained myself by channeling the vengeful Japanese woman that crawled out of the well in The Ring / Ringu movie.
Watch my Sadako impression in action (as well as footage of wandering around the quaint village) in my @lacarmina Insta reel about Shirakawa-Go!
Would you dare to sleep in one of these 200 year old homes, if Sadako is lurking about?
I leave you with Shirakawa Hachiman, a picture-perfect Shinto shrine. Grateful that I got to visit this UNESCO Heritage Site along with Hakone, with support from JNTO.
Some writing updates… I wrote a guide to Japan’s many Hello Kitty attractions for the tourism board! From kawaii cafés to bullet trains and hotels, you can plan an entire trip around the famous cat.
I also celebrated a writing milestone… I have an article in the February print issue of Travel + Leisure Magazine! I wrote about my experiences in Fukushima, known as the kingdom of sake (including visiting breweries run by the descendants of samurai). Thank you to all who made my research & travels in Tohoku possible.
See my travel writing and Joey Wong’s photos in the February 2024 issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, or online here.
PS – I’ve been uploading lots of videos from my journey to @LaCarmina Instagram — please check them out for ideas on things to see and do in Tokyo and beyond. Can’t wait to go back and explore more of Japan, hopefully this fall and Halloween!
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Satanic Goth Osaka, Japan! Buddhist Hell Temple Senko-ji, Demon shrine, Satanist Gothic metal Bar Midian, Farplane.
I think you can tell I had a hell of a time in Osaka, Japan! Around Halloween, I explored the most Satanic haunts in the city — including this demonic Namba shrine, Senko-ji Buddhist hell temple (there’s a video about my visit here...)
and devilish Rock Bar Midian — a joy to reunite with owner Fu-Ki after many years! Read on for my in-depth Goth Satanic Japanese guide to Osaka.
Let’s begin our journey through the underworld at Senko-ji hell temple, located on the outskirts of Osaka! I wrote about Asia’s bizarre hell parks and temples for National Geographic — in a nutshell, these are themed around gruesome-meets-kitschy depictions of Hell, as described in Buddhist mythology. Visitors to Buddhist hell temples like Senko-ji get to preview what it is like to suffer in the lowest realm of samsaric existence.
I descended into this temple of doom with Per Faxneld, one of the world’s leading Satanic scholars (he’s a Swedish professor/researcher/lecturer, and author of books including ”Satanic Feminism”). Check out our journey in this Insta reel as well.
Although Buddhist Hell isn’t connected to the Biblical Devil, there are a lot of visual and narrative parallels. If you accumulate bad karma in this lifetime, you can expect to be tortured by red-faced, horned demons in the Buddhist version of hell, which look a lot like Satan.
How to visit Senko-Ji Hell Temple: from central Osaka, it’s about 40 minutes by train to Hirano Ward. This historic outskirt of the city seemed to be populated entirely by older folk, which inadvertently gave the area a horror movie vibe!
Address of the Osakan hell temple: 4 Chome-12-21 Hirano Honmachi, Hirano Ward. We entered through this gate found inside the decrepit Hirano Honmachi shopping arcade.
You can visit other Buddhist hell temples throughout Japan, such as the hell museum at Izu Gokurakuen, and the hell cave at Kōsanji Temple in Kyoto. Generally, they’re filled with dioramas, statues, art, and interactive exhibits that communicate teachings of Buddhist hell — and give you a glimpse of the fiery fate awaiting sinners.
Many of these attractions are on the cheesy side — like these cutaway boards that let you pretend to be Enma or Yama, judge of the afterlife and king of hell! If you’re more of a “goody two shoes,” you can put your finger into the red thread “love knot” that binds you to the enlightened Buddharupa.
Senko-ji temple is part of the Kōyasan Shingon sect, and dates back to the Edo period (1603–1867). The popular hell hall was added in 1989. The monks and volunteers that run the temple are good-natured about the hellish elements — the head monk said my Satanic horns were “kawaii!” We bought a 100 yen ticket, which gave us entry to the Hall of Hell.
We were intrigued by this push button gizmo that predicts whether you’ll end up in Buddhist hell. Answer questions such as “do you waste time and money” to see where you’ll be reborn in your next life!
To enter into the inferno, we had to scan the QR code on our ticket. Ominous doors slid open…
… revealing this rather Satanic scene! That’s Enma or Yama, ruler of Hell, with the”king” kanji stamped on his hat. Stand before him for your judgement and punishment.
We struck the gong in front of Enma — and it activated smoke, red lights, eerie music, and a glitchy video, much like in a haunted house.
Crouched next to the fanged red demon is Datsue-ba. As Per Faxneld wrote, she’s “an old woman who’s said to sit by the Sanzu River in the Buddhist underworld, torturing souls as they attempt to cross the river. Datsue-ba is believed to make adult souls strip off their clothes, and if they have no clothes, she strips them of their skin instead.”
At Buddhist hell temples and parks, the statues are are cartoonish yet graphic: you might see people getting their limbs lopped off and intestines pulled out. In Asia’s version of hell, there’s always a giant wok filled with victims screaming as they are boiled alive in peanut oil — see above!
We watched a 10-15 minute video that expresses the terrors of hell, especially the creative punishments awaiting those reborn into the lowest Buddhist realm of existence. At the same time, leave it to Japan to add some cuteness to the experience… The exit sign looks like a round, kawaii demon.
Outside, you can also stick your head into this rock to hear the sounds of sinners screaming in “Hell’s Cauldron”. (Watch my reel on @LaCarmina Instagram about my Senko-ji visit, to see what it was like!)
Ironically, the realm of the gods is located underground at Osaka’s Senko-ji. We descended the stairs into a cave lit up with a giant LED rainbow mandala surrounded by Buddha statues. Take off your shoes, sit cross-legged and feel the power of chi.
Senjo-ji also has this koi pond with a fierce statue of Ippon Fudoson (Fudō Myōō, the wrathful destroyer of evil). The watery mist at his feet add a theatrical element to the hand-washing ablutions.
I wore my devil horns and Satanic Bar Midian t-shirt to the temple. Senko-ji isn’t a popular tourist attraction, so there were only a few other Japanese visitors on the grounds.
If you’re curious about the evolution of Asian hell gardens (first built next to Buddhist monasteries to communicate concepts of hell) and how they evolved into massive, kitschy theme parks, check out my article in National Geographic.
The “heavenly” section has peaceful Buddha statues wrapped in red cloaks… but there’s a demon lurking in the shadows!
If you’re intrigued by the Satanic side of Osaka, come to the Jigokudo or “hall of hell” of Senko-ji! I’d love to return to see the monks perform a fire ritual.
As Per Faxneld put it, “It’s well worth the trip, offering a fascinating glimpse into the multifaceted ways that Buddhist groups may attempt to offer lessons in morality.” Watch our Instagram reel of SenkoJi to see video footage of this fascinating hell temple!
Speaking of Japanese Satanists… I rode the train with No-Face (from the Spirited Away anime film) at Parco! This photo spot is located at Donguri Kyowakoku (Studio Ghibli Store) on the 6th floor of the Shinsaibashi department store. There’s also a photo area with Totoro holding an umbrella.
Per Faxneld and I fit right in with this naughty spirit. (If you haven’t seen the Spirited Away movie, it’s a must.)
If you need more proof that Osaka is Satan-friendly… Here’s the devilish Namba Yasaka Jinja! The 1975 design of the Shinto shrine is retrofuturistic fierceness.
Although the shrine looks like Lucifer’s maw, Namba Yasaka actually represents a roaring lion. You can purchase themed special ema, or small wooden plaques, and write your wishes and intentions on the back.
Rowrrr! I’m wearing an “ANOEL” faux fur shrug that I got at Laforet Harajuku because… well, how could I not.
Osaka’s famous lion looks a bit like a dragon or demon. Legend has it that the fanged guardian deity swallows evil spirits (somehow, Per and I survived).
I got to encounter more majestic lions at The Royal Park Canvas Osaka Kitahama, where I stayed. The hip, boutique hotel seemed designed for me: the lounge played disco music, and guests can pick up free moisturizing face masks and hair elastics, as well as enjoy a free drink for each night’s stay.
After a long day of exploring, I was glad to unwind in my spacious room with lion pillows and a deep bathtub. The Royal Park Canvas Osaka Kitahama strikes the perfect balance for travelers — you get a cosy and artful experience at a great price.
The hotel is in a quiet but central location in Osaka, right by a subway station and next to a convenience store. And be sure to enjoy the breakfast spread, which included eggs, curry, and miso soup. Cheers to The Royal Park Canvas Osaka Kitahama for a marvelous time. #pr
Time to throw the devil horns at Rock Bar Midian in Osaka, a favorite watering hole for Japan’s Satanists and heavy metal headbangers! I was pleased to reunite with Visual Kei rock star Fu-ki, the former vocalist of Blood.
As you can tell from the black-red color scheme and devilish decor, Midian is our type of bar. We listened to heavy metal (and watched music videos on the TV) next to Dracula wine bottles and Baphomet statues. Anyone can request a hard rock or metal song, and Fu-Ki will cue it up – and maybe belt along to it the music!
Midian has a wide range of cocktails with Satanic names — I adore the Diablo, a black currant liqueur, lime and ginger beer mix.
Bar Midian also pays homage to Taiki-san, the wizard of Osaka’s Satanic Shop Territory and overlord of Gothic club Black Veil. Taiki sadly passed in 2022, but the subculture that he cultivated has continued on. While his shop Territory is temporarily closed, it will re-open and people can purchase occult / bizarre / dark talismans from the website. Taiki’s Black Veil parties also live on — there was recently a Halloween edition.
Once again, even in an ominous Satanic space, we get some cuteness mixed in. (Funny story — I learned that several of the tattooed Gothic customers were hardcore fans of Miffy the cute bunny, like me!)
Rock on, Fu-Ki, for welcoming us back to Bar Midian. He speaks English, so I hope you’ll come to sit at his counter and bond over heavy metal!
Order a Satan or Devil’s Beer, and enjoy the rock metal gothic vibe at Midian. It can be a little hard to find, so look for the sign on the left, and head up to the 2nd floor. (Address: 10-16 Doyamacho, Kita-Ku Kano Dai-1 Leisure Bldg. 2F, Osaka)
One more alternative bar before we go…. This is the fabulous Farplane. I went to the new location in Shinsaibashi Parco, but there’s also one in Amemura.
Farplane puts you in a fetish cyber psychedelic space-age universe, with upbeat dance music to match.
The bar is an extension of Farplane Night, a long-running Osaka party that draws in an alien-cyber-alt crowd. (Think colorful hair and latex dresses).
Farplane started as a small alternative boutique in 2005. Although their universe has expanded, it says true to its cheeky-sexy roots.
The Farplane Parco bar (located in the basement) encourages you to get your freak on.
If you’re in Osaka for Farplane Night, it’s a must — an enormous fetish party that might involve burlesque, pole dancers, eccentric performances, and S&M.
I tried the eyeball apple cocktails, to fit with the neon pop theme at Farplane.
Some final Osaka Goth travel tips — check out the cute/Gothic/Lolita clothing stores at Hep Five and Umeda Est, as well the vintage fashion in Shinsaibashi. For more photos and guides to shopping in Amerikamura, see my previous post here.
I encountered some devilish clothes in Amerikamura, and horns in Dotonbori (the street food district).
Dotonbori is known for its iconic neon sights like the Glico running man. This area can get packed with tourists, however…
.. which is why I spoke to Yahoo and Huffington Post about visiting less touristed destinations in Japan. I also wrote about unexpected items travelers should pack for Fodor’s, drawing from my experiences in over 70 countries.
Soon, I’ll be publishing an Essential Restaurants food guide to Osaka for Eater! Of course, I ate my weight in takoyaki and okonomiyaki, as well as Hokkaido soft serve… I love Kansai cuisine.
I’ll leave you with the most Satanic Japanese thing of all… purikura! I think our filtered AI faces are more frightening than any of the devilish places in Osaka.
If you have any questions about Gothic Osaka or Japanese Satanism, let me know in the comments. And for more photos and videos/reels from Osaka, add me on Instagram @LaCarmina!
LA CARMINA
