Kusatsu Onsen is a hot spring resort in Gunma Prefecture that is one of Japan's three principle hot spring locations. The site opened its new Japanese custard dessert (known as 'purin') shop, Kusatsu Onsen Pudding, on August 24, which serves the most incredibly smooth purin you have ever tried, each inspired by the hot springs.   Once you've stepped out of the nice warm hot springs of Kusatsu Onsen you can refresh yourself with a delicious purin packed full of love from the shop which has created a flavour you can only try by travelling to Gunma and going there. Each and every dessert is made fresh in the shop to further elevate its exclusivity as a local speciality.   Kusatsu Onsen Pudding also makes sure to use local and regional ingredients where it can to help support manufacturers and producers. Their purin is also made with a special type of milk sourced from in Gunma known as Haruna milk. The milk is made as delicious as can be by ensuring cows are raised on a healthy natural diet of grass on green pastures in Gunma bathed in plenty of sunlight.

Yuhata Purin

The Yuhata purin is inspired by the hot spring areas where mineral deposits are harvested, its jelly taking on a gorgeous emerald green colour. It's lemon and lime flavoured, the perfect flavour to enjoy when stepping out of the hot water, and one which goes surprisingly well with purin.

Yumomi Purin

The staple purin of the store, this purin is based on yumomi, a method used for cooling the hot water with paddles from which cold water gushes forth. This velvety delight is made with lots of fresh cream and high-quality vanilla beans from Madagascar for added punch.

Furomage

A pun on the word fromage, with furo in Japanese meaning "bath," the Furomage purin uses a rich cream cheese base which has a seriously smooth texture. It's topped off with strawberry jelly for the perfect combination, packing a perfect balance between sweet and sour.

Yuhata Soft (Milk/Yuhata/Mixed)

Choose from the Yuhata soft serve ice cream which is ramune flavoured and inspired by the flowing water of the hot springs or the Haruna milk-mixed vanilla flavoured Milk soft serve. If you can't pick, then choose mixed for a bit of both. A satisfyingly refreshing pick for when you're done in the hot springs. The shop has plans to sell purin made using bamboo steamers in the near future, so you're pudding can be steamed like yourself after a dip in the water! The wooden spoons used to eat the desserts are also made in the image of the paddles used in yumomi too.

As part of a project to vitalise and develop the town of Hakata in Fukuoka and promote its wonderful culture to the people of the world, the Blue Grotto FUKUOKA Executive Committee is set to hold a special illumination event titled Blue Grotto FUKUOKA at Nakasu Bridge from September 16 to October 6.   This illumination event first began in Nakameguro, Tokyo back in 2014 where it enjoyed great success. The location was then moved in 2016 to Shibuya where over 2.8 million people attended. It was then held outside the Tokyo area for the first time in Sapporo in February 2018 and then in Osaka in September of the same year. This enabled it to become widespread across the country and has consequentially made it become one of the main illumination events of Japan. Blue Grotto will now make its way to Kyushu for the first time with Blue Grotto FUKUOKA. Boats will be prepared for the romantic and magical cruise which will take passengers from Nakasu Bridge to Canal City Hakata and Hakata Bay.   As well as the breathtaking lights, passengers can look forward to a specially-prepared pasta meal made by Nisshin Foods using Blue Grotto brand products.

Located in the beautiful little town of Ichikawamisato in Yamanashi Prefecture is Mitama Hot Spring, a "day-trip" type hot spring, which has just received a double award: it has been listed as one of Japan's Top 100 night views for the first time, and as a Night View Heritage of Japan. Mitama Hot Spring is built on the southern tip of the Kōfu Basin―Kōfu being Yamanashi's capital city－which can be viewed in a breathtaking 180 degree panoramic view from the northern side of the open-air baths. The majority of the hot spring also faces the south which means a breathtaking nighttime view of the city, picturesque against a resplendent sky, as you soak in the warm embrace of the hot spring. During the day, one's eyes can roll their gaze across the Yatsugatake Mountains at the front, and in the direction of west is Mount Kita, the second tallest mountain in Japan after Mount Fuji. Mitama Hot Spring should absolutely be on your bucket list of things to do when visiting Yamanashi Prefecture.