Jul 28, 2018

Steam Locomotive & Farm stay in Shizuoka

Hello, Welcome to our blog!

This is Hirokane at Local Travel Partners.
We are a travel agency  in Shizuoka City,(near Mount Fuji) Japan.

Today, I would like to introduce "Farm Stay" in Honkawane town, 
Shizuoka prefecture


Our guest from France.
She enjoyed 2 nights at this farmers' house last June.

The lady wearing the red apron is Ms.Watanabe, the host of this farmers' inn.
They held a vegetable B.B.Q for this vegetalian guest.

You can visit this place by taking the  Oigawa Railway.
We recommend to board this Steam Locomotive at Shin Kanaya Station.


Oigawa Railway Steam Locomotive


Normal train on Oigawa Railway Line


In April,  enjoy the beautiful views of teaplantations in this particular area.



12:45 Arrive at Shimoizumi Station 
(Please check the latest time table before starting your travel.)


This is very rare Japanese old style post box that we seldom see anymore.

The farmer can pick you up at this  station.


Some farm houses can accept overseas travelers.
You can enjoy vegetable harvest experience, cooking dinner with farmers,
making soba noodles, sleeping in traditional Japanese tatami rooms,  communicate with locals, go to onsen / Japanese hot springs, e.t.c.


Traditinal Japanese tatami room
Guests spend the night in this room.


 Do you know  "Kotatsu"?
This is a Japanese style heater. very comfortable!




Green tea and handmade orange confectionery


The view from the farmers' house
Please note there are  no convenience stores around there.




Hanabi (fireworks) with local people


You can also enjoy visiting Kawane Onsen.
Would you like to  spend a leisurely time like her?


If you are interested in farm house stay, this area is recommended.
It is easy to visit it by train and people are very warm.

We can introduce and arrange  a farm house on request.
Please feel free to contact us when you  need arrangements.

Thank you!





















Jul 7, 2018

Shimizu private tour Customers' Voice

We visited Shimizu during a cruise.

I am handicapped and cannot manage the stairs into a bus.

Thus we needed a private tour and I came about Local Travel Partners.

This was perfect.

The communication and planning before the trip with Hirokane Ishikaki were phantastic.

He always responded quickly and appreciated my special needs.

Our guide on that day, Tetsuya Nakazawa, was so kind and caring and we had a wonderful tour.

Compared to a bus tour we saw much more in a shorter time but I could still go on my pace without having to hurry.



(Our guests from Germany, Thank you for joining our tour and thank you for your warm comment! Hirokane)




Shimizu private tour Customers' Voice

Wonderful day couldn’t have asked for a better day Bethany you so much

(Our guests from Australia. 
Thank you for joining our tour and your warm comment!  Hirokane )




Shimizu private tour Customers' Voice



We had an wonderful day in Shimizu Port. 
The booking process was easy via email and Hirokane was always quick to reply. 

Our guide for the day was wonderful Tetsuya? (sorry I can't remember how to spell the name correctly). 

We were all provided with a small gift at the beginning of our tour, the taxi was immaculate, we were provided with information throughout the tour on the various locations we visited and we were even given a sd card from our guides camera at the end of the tour as a lovely memento of our day. 

We visited the Nihondaira Plateau and Kunozan Toshogu Shrine and also a local tea farm. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants a relaxing day tour.


(Our guests from Australia, Thank you for joining our tour and Thank you for your warm Commnent! Hirokane) 




Jul 4, 2018

Tokaido Hiroshige Museum (Ukiyo-e museum) in Shizuoka City

Hello, Welcome to our blog.

I am Hirokane at Local Travel partners, a travel agency in Shizuoka City, Japan.
We have been supporting travelers from overseas since 2016.

If you have a plan to travel around Shizuoka or Mount Fuji area, 
you can count on us!

Today, let me introduce one of the most popular spots among overseas travelers.



A museum of ukiyo-e(Japanese woodblock prints) 
where you can discover  the art of Edo period(1603-1867).

"Yui" drawn by Hiroshige Utagawa

Ukiyo-e was a popular art form during the Edo period and 
remains a unique art of Japan.

Have you noticed the 3 people on the upper left?
2 of them are travelers and are enjoying this beautiful scenery.

On the other hand, the man walking in the back with firewood is a peasant.
He is used to climb this mountain and is not interested with this scenery anymore.
He is just climbing without enjoying the view.


Satta Pass,  today
Even now you can enjoy this spectacular scenery.


Hiroshige Utagawa, a renowned artist of the time, created about 1,400 ukiyo-e prints, some of which are on display at this museum.

His representative work is "The 53 stations of the Tokaido Road"
From Edo (Tokyo) to Kyoto there were 53 stations and he drew up all the stations
that you can enjoy now in this Art Museum.


Mariko Station


And now. Chojiya, the oldest restaurant in Shizuoka City.
 You can enjoy traditional meals as ancient travelers did. 


The museum is a popular destination for art lovers, as not only you can see representative works by Hiroshige, 
but there are also famous works mimicked by Van Gogh.




You can also try your hand at make an ukiyo-e print yourself here, a simple and fun activity that will help you deepen your knowledge of the art form.
(Our guests from France)


(Our guests from the Philippines)
Ukiyo-e will be completed by adding color ink  one by one.
 black, blue, green, red, 
They are painting black ink on the mold.

After that, they apply the white paper on this mold and rub it
to let the ink on the paper.

The gifts at the museum's shop include  ukiyo-e mortif that make great souvenirs from your visit to Shizuoka.

Access: 2 kilometers from JR Yui station