This week, we travel to special places in Japan in search of unique cross-cultural adventures. Experience different dream-like worlds and cultures, without leaving the country. Stay at “mystical” inns which will transport you to a different era. Enjoy delicacies synonymous with different cultures, and learn some interesting cultural facts at the same time.

In the first adventure, visit a “mini Bali” in Izu Peninsula. Take a train from Tokyo Station to Usami Station in Izu. The journey takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. The mystic island of Bali in Indonesia is said to be where the Gods live. Visit an elegant hot spring resort by the sea in Usami with a charming tropical atmosphere. Take a walk along the sandy beach as you enjoy the lovely spring breeze and the soothing view of the calm sea. Let the relaxing Balinese music and gentle smell of incense soothe your senses. There is a restaurant at the resort which serves authentic Balinese dishes, and which boasts a superb sea view. The chef is Indonesian and whips up mouthwatering dishes such as nasi goreng, which is Indonesian fried rice. This popular dish comes with satay - which is very much like yakitori (Japanese skewered chicken) - and delicious thick peanut sauce. After enjoying the authentic taste of Bali, go to Kawana Station and take a taxi to the Bali market in Izu. Visit an Asian sundry shop, which recreates an atmosphere of an artistic Ubud village in Bali. Here you will find several items directly imported from Bali, such as durian candy, made from the infamous tropical fruit with a strong smell.

Next, make your way to the popular Anda Resort Izu Kogen in the Izu highlands, which is surrounded by the sea and mountains. Artistically built in Balinese-style, even the furniture in the lobby has been directly imported from Bali. The relaxing inn is well known for pampering its guests with its warm and generous hospitality. For a start, you will be served free sweet red bean soup when you check in. Other free treats include cold green tea and ice lollies, which are provided at the lobby, and even free drinks in the guest room’s fridge! Another draw of the inn is its superb view; you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Izu Oshima Island from the inn. There are various types of rooms you can choose from. There is the Balinese-style room with a high ceiling and Balinese furniture; a semi suite with a canopy bed; and even rooms with comfortable Balinese-style tatami mats. Some rooms come with a separate semi-open air bath outside the room, where you can indulge in a stylish bath in a Bali-like atmosphere. There is also an open-air Balinese bath in the courtyard, which guests can reserve for free. The inn offers several types of other Balinese spa services and massages guaranteed to relax you instantly. Dinner is served at the resort’s tropical restaurant Pelesir. Another treat awaits you here – you can choose from over 50 kinds of drinks, and yes, they are free too! The luxurious meal consists of eight dishes, including dessert. These include an appetizer, Asahi crab salad, fish steamed in banana leaf with Thai sauce, and grilled beef with a Japanese-style sauce. The chef also makes different kinds of breads everyday and extra helpings are free. The next morning, enjoy a buffet breakfast featuring a variety of Japanese and Western dishes. As the inn is located near the sea, sashimi is also served. The inn's generosity continues right till the end of your stay – you will be given free mandarin oranges when you check out. Next, take a taxi to Shaboten Park, where you will find cactus from all over the world and a variety of animals. Among the animals are squirrel monkeys from South America, and capybaras from the Amazon River. End your trip of Izu by going to Mt Omuro and admiring the superb panoramic view from the top.

The second adventure takes us to Izumo in Shimane Prefecture. Izumo, which faces the Japan Sea, is believed to be “the country of Gods”. The mythological city from ancient times is full of rich nature. As you explore the area, you will be transported back to an ancient world, while enjoying the atmosphere of the Jomon and Yayoi era. Take a 30-minute bus ride from the airport, and admire the tranquil scenery of Izumo as you make your way to Izumo-taisha shrine. The main shrine is located at the bottom of a leafy slope. The shrine is renovated every 60 years. After praying, you can draw a written fortune here. Next, visit the ancient Izumo history museum. Various artifacts portraying the theme of mystic romantic Izumo are displayed here. You can even see a model of the main shrine of Izumo-taisha as it was during the Heian era. After this, learn how to make comma-shaped beads at a workshop in the museum for 250 yen (S$3.70). These beads used to be the accessory of powerful ancient clans.  Normally made of agate or jade, the workshop uses agalmatolite instead. For lunch, you can drop by a café near the museum. The staff don ancient-style costumes and even the cutlery has ancient motifs. You can try some healthy dishes such as herbal medicine curry with ancient rice, or the ancient rice ball set lunch.

After lunch, make your way to an ancient inn, where you can stay the night. Take a train from Izumo-taisha Mae Station to Shobara Station. Look out for an inn with an ancient roof. The inn, which has been built as a high-floored mansion, has an air of fantasy and stateliness. From the minute you step in, you will feel as if you’ve entered an ancient world. The inn features ancient Japanese-style wooden stairs and a thatched roof. It has a special room, Shoen, and only one group can stay here per night. Guests are first given a welcome treat – delicious homemade acorn bread. It is served with tea made of eight kinds of medicinal herbs. The owner was inspired to build this ancient style inn when he went to see the Koujindani ruins, which was discovered after 2000 years in 1983. A total of 358 copper swords was excavated during that time, and this discovery fuelled the inn owner’s interest in ancient times. He then went on to recreate this ancient high-floored house, a pit dwelling, and a high-floored warehouse. The house is used as a guest room, the pit dwelling is a restaurant, whereas the warehouse is used to display the ruins. The warehouse also houses the owner’s collection of bronze-ware unearthed in China. After this historical tour, go to the hot spring in the main building of the inn. The Yunokawa spa is touted as one of the best beauty spas in Japan. After a relaxing bath, put on the ancient Kantoui robe provided by the inn. You can wear this as you go to the pit dwelling, where dinner is prepared. You will feel as if you’re entering a cave, and are a powerful clan member from ancient times! Enjoy a luxurious meal of ancient delicacies, prepared by the master who has been cooking ancient dishes for 20 years. Start with the appetizers - foxtail millet balls and boiled wild plants. There is also an ancient dish called “So” which is made of boiled milk. Have it together with the ancient cheese Daigo. Other items are horse head snapper sashimi, raw deer meat sashimi with homemade unrefined miso sauce and skewered fish. The main dish is Kojin hot pot filled with various delicacies of Izumo. Sip on some unrefined sake as you sit around the fire and enjoy this delicious ancient meal. The next morning, a deluxe Kaiseki course breakfast is served at the restaurant on the first floor. After breakfast, relax on the inn’s terrace and admire the panoramic view of the rice fields.

The third adventure takes place in Shirakawa City in Fukushima Prefecture. From Tokyo Station, travel for 1.5 hours by the Tohoku bullet train to Shinshirakawa Station, the entrance to Michinoku. At the station, you will see the statue of famous poet Basho Matsuo. Is it said that the poet started his journey from Shirawaka City. There is a beautiful and luxurious resort in this area called British Hills, which resembles a mid-century English village. Take the hotel bus from the station and admire the view of a tasteful town with the Shirakawa Comine castle during the journey. You will notice the scenery changing as you enter Tenei Village in Fukushima, and you will feel as if you’ve entered a foreign country or another world altogether. It takes about 40 minutes to reach the resort, which is spread over 23 hectares of land. Do note that staff at the British Hills hotel speak only English, and payment is made using British pounds. So you will have to exchange your yen for pounds. The check-in time is 3pm, so make use of the time to tour the place. The hotel has a library which guests can use. It houses a collection of old original English books, some dating back to 100 years ago. At the end of the library, there is a meeting room often used for filming movies or TV dramas. The whole atmosphere is that of a Victorian mansion. One of the most romantic rooms is a VIP room, with a British mid-century style interior and furnishings. If you’re hungry, you can have lunch at the hotel’s traditional English pub before you check in. It serves typical British fare such as fish and chips. Enjoy the authentic British taste of delicious deep fried fish, accompanied by tartar sauce.