Are you tired of sitting under your heated blanket and endlessly scrolling through your phone? Are you looking for some winter fun? Then why not take a day trip and visit one of Shimane`s ski areas? Both Kotobiki Forest Park in Iinan and Miinohara ski area in Okuizumo are local places that you can enjoy.
Kotobiki Forest Park is a great place for a family trip or group of friends to visit and enjoy a day of skiing or snowboarding. There are classes available for first timers or people who need a refresher course, along with skies and snowboard rental sets. Depending on the amount of snow and weather, there are several different course ranging from beginning to more advance participants. Lastly, there are several different facilities that are available including a restaurant that serves several different Japanese dishes, a shop in case there was something you might have forgot or need, and even a play area for kids.
Miinohara ski area in Okuizumo is a great place for families or for those skiers who have not skied in a while. However, you will need to bring your own equipment as there are no rentals available. Also, there are no classes available for first timers so you will need your friends or family who are willing to help you.
Hopefully, there will be lots of snow in the mountains this year and a lot of time to enjoy the mountain air. If you are making plans to go for a day of enjoyment, I do recommend checking on the ski conditions and availability.
Matsue
If you want a plethora of chicken options, Hiro- Chicken with Bone in Matsue is a great place to go boasting a menu of chicken dishes from roasted to fried, soups to and other fair. One recommendation is the young chicken with bone (Honetsukidori waka) which I’d liken to a roasted chicken, perfect for take out.
Izumo
If you want a few different types of chicken, one fantastic alternative to the normal fast food joints is a little yellow hut called Kiiroiomise which is marketed as a chicken and lemonade stand. They only offer takeout, but have some of the tastiest fried chicken breast (munekara) I’ve had in Izumo. They also offer special sauces to match your tastes. On December 24th and 25th they will be offering their Christmas chicken box, so make sure to preorder yours.
Masuda
When you’re on the hunt for Christmas dinner, you don’t tend to think someone is going to recommend a Chinese restaurant, I understand. But if you’re looking for chicken, Senkyuu Chinese Restaurant in Masuda has a great offering of deep-fried chicken, which pairs well with their Tianjin rice set.
Unnan
When you talk chicken, tandoori seems to fly under the radar. But Ganesha Indian Cuisine in Unnan brings the spice serving up their roasted chicken marinated in yogurt and spices. They also serve up fried chicken, chicken tikka, chicken chowmien, and several chicken curries, including my favorite, the butter chicken.