Tokunaga Tea House: Ureshino, Saga Prefecture

Ureshino town in Saga prefecture is a famous producer of Japanese tea. It is located in a basin surrounded by foggy mountains and is ideally suited to growing tea with its fresh air and clean water supply. The Tokunaga teahouse is a specialty shop that sells a wide variety of green, brown and black teas, including the most sort after tea of the lot, namely Matcha. 

This Traditional tea has a specific tea called Tamaryocha ( curly tea ) due to its unique rounded profile of its tea leaves. These leaves have a strong aroma and umami taste. There’s no other region in Japan that sells this type of tea. If you didn’t know, a green tea has a unique taste, and that includes its astringency, bitterness, and most importantly it's Umami There are many health benefits, including catechin, fluoride, caffeine, and most importantly theanine.

What I love about bringing customers to the Tokunaga tea house is that they have an English speaking tea sommelier who originally comes from Slovenia. She is friendly, polite, and most importantly very professional about her craft. It is here where you can get down to the nitty-gritty of the many different elements that go into tea producing and obviously drinking. They have a wide variety of products so be careful, it’s very difficult to leave this place without stocking up on all your favorites. But don't worry they make the decision making process easy by allowing you to sample and compare the dozens of types of tea that they have in stock including many original ones not sold anywhere.

A real tea experience that must be tried to be believed.

Please check out the Tokunaga Tea House on this map below:

Please click on these photos below to enlarge:

interesting varieties

gift packs galore

Products galore

Smell test

lots of samples

A private audience with a real pro

Please click on this video to see more of the Tokunaga Tea House:

2025- YTD

Hello All,

Just thought I would give you an update on how everything has been progressing this year. The team (Dion, Jon, Elisa and myself) have been extremely busy over the last 6 months and as we speak are generally fully booked for the whole of November and most of December. Obviously we are currently in one of the peak seasons in Japan as a result of the amazing cool weather and subsequent Autumn foliage.  This respite from the draining summer heat is more than welcome and its nice not to be drenched in sweat after a 10 minute stop at a local attraction.

My daughter Elisa, has slowly but surely started building up her clients in the Tokyo, Yokohama and Shimizu regions.  I am careful not to give her too much part time work as she still needs to focus on her studies and bring home the good grades. She might not LOVE working for me (I can be a hard boss and father when necessary) but the flexibility that touring offers and the fact that she is a strong communicator and effective translator has really allowed her to showcase her skills.

Here are a few photos of her in action.

I am sure you will appreciate her efforts and passion to promote Japan to the world.

In Nagasaki at the Hario Radio Towers

Ready to explore at the Akiyoshido Caves

Meeting the clients at a Tokyo hotel

Yatai food carts in Fukuoka

Having a bite to eat on her walking tours in Tokyo

Chiran Peace Museum: Chiran Town, Kagoshima Prefecture

The Chiran peace Museum in Kagoshima Prefecture is one of those locations that leaves a lasting impression on you for many years to come. The museum is located in a very rural part of the prefecture and down on the southern point of Kyushu Island allowing its strategic location to attack the advancing allied forces through the Okinawa Islands. The region of Japan was very important to the Japanese War Machine as Nagasaki was the hub of the Imperial Navy and Chiran was the hub of the Imperial Air force.

The museum has attempted to commemorate the army pilots who were known as the kamikaze pilots with stories of personal comments to their parents before their suicide missions in the days to come. When I first visited this museum over 20 years ago, there was limited if not any English whatsoever. However, today, I’m proud to announce that there has been a real impetus put on the fact that as foreigners, we are only told one side of the many World War II stories. It is these personal accounts and heartfelt messages of the young soldiers to their parents that really give you an indication of what it was really like during that faithful time. The peace museum tells about the true situation of that time to provide posterity and devote itself to contribute to permanent world peace.

20 years ago, only the Japanese visitors would leave the premises with tears in their eyes, now with the English translations and interactive displays, It is pretty much a certainty that all visitors will leave this attraction with a profound effect and a deeper understanding of the opposition during this turbulent time. The Chiran peace Museum has been able to collect many artifacts over the years with the highlight being several Japanese zero fighters that are permanently encased inside and also outside in the memorial park. One of the zero's has been left intact and shows the damage it occurred during one of the many air forays into enemy territory. A real find!

This is a true World War II historical significant site that has been able to mend many fences and bring Japan back to where it stands today. A trusted and respected ally of the west and one of the hottest destinations to visit in the 21st century. 

Please check out the Chiran Peace Museum of the map below:

Please click on these photos below to enlarge:

Main building

Important military locations

The entrance

Peace Fountain

Kamikaze Pilots

Japanese Zero Fighter

Peace Bell

Sleeping quarters

Peace Cranes

Damaged Zero

Please look at these videos below to see more about the Chiran Peace Museum.

Ritz Carlton- Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

One of the things that I have to do as a guide is to recommend places of interest, whether they be attractions, restaurants and of course accommodations.  It is very hard to do this if you have not visited these locations and experienced them for yourself.

I have stayed in Ritz Carlton hotels around the world but when the Fukuoka Ritz Carlton opened in June 2023 it was absolutely on my wish list of places to stay.  However one of the customs and standards of practise in Japan is that anything new always commands a higher price and a certain level of attention above and beyond what is expected in the west.

As a result yours truly had to wait approx. a year to enjoy the fruits of ones labors and at the same time feel comfortable partaking in a stay that is on average way above the normal circumstances of pricing.  

May I say that the stay was incredible. I know now why so many friends, associates and customers of Tour Nagasaki had complimented the Ritz Carlton Fukuoka to such a high standard. The check in, the rooms, the ambience, the interior design, the gourmet experiences, the views, the hospitality, the facilities and the spacious rooms just keeps making this stay better and better.

I will recommend this hotel from now on in a heart beat especially for Marriott Bonvoy members and those who want to experience 5 star exquisite luxury and comfort in downtown Fukuoka City.

Check out the Fukuoka Ritz Carlton on this map below:

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

Lobby

Elevator Entrance

My room

Bathroom

Very spacious

Incredible views

Huge beds

Ritz Carlton robe

Tea anyone

Champagne on ice

Japanese asthetics

Japanese artistic 

Entrance

I will be back

The building

Restaurant at night

Please click on these videos below to see more of the Fukuoka Ritz Carlton: