Travel

Day 2 in Niigata, Japan

mariethebaguettes

I had 3 Weeks in Japan, so why did I spend 4 days in Niigata which is a relatively unpopular tourist destination while completely skipping popular cities like Hiroshima, Kobe, & Osaka? Because I had the incredible opportunity to have my friend be my own personal tour guide and stay in her home there. Read about my first day here: Day 1 in Niigata, Japan

Breakfast at Saffron Bakery

Saffron Bakery in Niigata, Japan
Cute baked goods from Saffron Bakery in Niigata, Japan
Alllll the carbs at Saffron Bakery in Niigata, Japan
Apple Pastry from Saffron Bakery in Niigata, Japan

We started our day with breakfast at Saffron Bakery where I was in carb-lover, baked good heaven. Marie : Bakery :: A Kid : Candy Store. Bam, haven’t used analogies since your SATs, huh? Thought I’d help you brush up that skill. You’re welcome.

Shirone Grape Garden

Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
Goat at Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
Grape Guide Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
Families picnicking Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
Father & Son feed a goat at Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
A fresh picked grape at Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
Fresh peaches & pears at Shirone Grape Garden in Niigata, Japan
Full of carbs, we then went to a magical place where perfect bunches of grapes of all varieties hang from just over your head just waiting to be snipped. As a cultural aside, I was totally impressed with the restraint of Japanese people, not a single grape was missing – even from the bunches in the well trafficked main entranceway. Even I, a master of self-restraint, had to fight the urge to reach up and pick these perfectly plump parcels of perfection (have I mentioned I like alliteration? There’s another word you probably haven’t encountered since high school English). 
In addition to grapes they had tons of other different fruits and vegetables to pick, fresh ice cream, and goats to feed. It was an absolute family day outing paradise.

Murakami Day Trip

Onsen at Sunset Inn Shiomiso in Murakami, Japan
Post-onsen manju treats in Murakami, Japan
Salted salmon “sake” in Murakami, Japan

After our grape picking adventure, we headed to the town of Murakami (also in the Niigata prefecture) to visit beach-side Shiomiso Onsen, try some sake (salted, dried salmon – not the alcohol), and pick up some manju. You can read about My Day in Murakami here.

Traditional Sukiyaki Dinner

After our lovely day trip to Murakami, we returned back to the city of Niigata for a lovely dinner of Sukiyaki (a hot pot style dish of thinly sliced meat & vegetables). The traditional way to enjoy it is to top it with a raw egg, so of course I did! This is the most umami flavored dish I’ve ever had. So oishii! (delicious)

My first full day in Niigata was chock full of traditional Japanese experiences! It’s hard to imagine that my friend had another full day of activities planned for us tomorrow because I feel like we’ve already done so much.

Want to see what else I did during my 4 days in Niigata? Read about my other days:

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