Japan In Spring

Above, Matsushima's Godaido Temple. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Around about now, it is cherry blossom season in Japan. I was able to see them back in 2006 during my bullet train trip to Sendai and Matsushima from Tokyo.

There are other things to see and do during springtime in Japan and Good Housekeeping has posted a guide to them.

They begin with:

With ski season in Hokkaido (the northernmost island) in full flow in winter, picturesque floral phenomena in spring, dazzling firework festivals in summer and fiery-red leaf displays in autumn, Japan is truly a year-round long-haul destination.

Japan's ever-popular cherry blossom season, when the sakura flowers come into bloom and decorate the country with delicate pink petals, does make springtime an obvious choice for visiting, however, and it wouldn't disappoint for those wanting to partake in hanami (the custom of admiring the beauty of the flowers).

But there's plenty more to spring in Japan than just cherry blossom, as you'll find out in this essential guide. From catching the plum blossom (there's not only cherry!) to colourful street parades, discover why spring is one of the best times to visit Japan. Be wary of busy Golden Week, though, about which we'll explain. Here's everything you need to know about Japan in spring... 

To read more, go here. 

Good Housekeeping: Best Camping Coffee Makers

Above, my Stanley camping percolator. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Coffee! Must have coffee in the morning!

That includes while out on the road camping somewhere. When I camp at a RV park or campground with full hook-ups, I use my 5-cup Black & Decker drip coffee maker. If I am dry camping (no hook-ups), I use a Stanley camp percolator.

Good Housekeeping has a list of 10 best camping coffee makers. Neither of mine are on the list, but they work just fine for me.

They start with:

As much as we love our elaborate at-home coffee setups (Coffee grinders! Espresso machines! Pour-over coffee makers!) most of those tools are not exactly portable. If you’re heading into the great outdoors and want a good cup of joe, you’ll need to take a different approach. That's why we set out to research and test the best camping coffee makers that prioritize portability, durability, and brewing convenience without sacrificing taste.

The Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab has spent decades testing kitchen appliances and coffee makers, including drip coffee makers, single-cup brewers and French presses. When we test coffee makers, we round up the best models on the market and narrow down the field before testing for aspects like ease of use (like filling the water tank and brew basket and cleaning the carafe and filter after use, if applicable). We also take temperature readings during and after the brewing process, as well as during the keep-warm cycle. And of course, we rate the flavor of the resulting cup of coffee.

While we haven't formally tested every one of the camping coffee makers on our list in the Lab, we've selected many of our road-tested top picks from top brands in our other coffee maker categories, vetted user reviews, and know what to look for when it comes to buying the best: Material, price, durability, and ease of use. Here, we prioritized camping coffee makers that are easy to clean, lightweight for their category, reasonably priced, built to last and that brew a great cup of coffee efficiently.

To see their list of best camping coffee makers, go here.