Japan - Kobe: Lost on Mount Rokko National Park

Once upon a time, there were 3 Unfit Runners who wanted to perform some fat cleansing after feasting on a copious amount of booze, oysters and Kobe beef. Wondering if the holy water of Arima Onsen can cleanse them of their sins, they decided to embark on a journey to the North, via the treacherous slopes of Mt Rokko  via a series of train, bus, ropeway and a cable car with the plan of not walking more than 500 meters during the entire journey.

In preparation of the journey, the heroes decided to gorge themselves silly with Kobe beef, leading to extreme food coma, resulting in them deciding to have a 1 hour Siesta (Afternoon Nap) before venturing into the Holy Lands.

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Japan - Hiroshima : Garden City without the Stress of Tokyo

SG Unfit Runners have been planning to go back to Japan ever since our last trip made in 2009, when we did an ambitious whirlwind tour covering 7 cities within 2 weeks. This time round, we were determined to explore more of the underbelly of Japan, covering Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka and Tokyo, over a period of 17 days. Our first stop: Hiroshima.

Hiroshima is a place which I am sure everybody will be familiar with. It is the city where the first atomic weapon was unleashed on a populated area. A thriving metropolis and port on the western side of Japan, Hiroshima has almost everything that Tokyo has to offer, but with a lot less crowd. There is little jostling or squeezing even during peak hours in the city, well connected local rail and tram network and it has its fair share of local cuisine that made many of my facebook friends drool with envy when I posted pictures of its famous oyster dishes.

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