The Inaka of Chiba

Out in the Inaka (Japanese for "boondocks") are some of Japan's best-kept secrets. Take Chiba, for example. Chiba is often considered Tokyo's "poorer cousin", existing just to the east of Tokyo but without the incessant bright lights or overwhelming reputation of the capital.

However, in Chiba there are traditional parts of Japan that you just can't get in Tokyo. We hiked out there on the weekend to visit our friend Tatsumi, who lives in Oami, in the centre of the prefecture. His house is completely surrounded by rice fields; miles of marshes with orderly rows of green tufts sprouting from the water (a bit like Sesame Street's Bert's mound of hair, only a different colour). Within a 10 minute drive of his house is one of the best surf beaches in Japan, Kujukuri beach. The day we went it was windy and quite cold, but in summer, that place is gonna light my rocket.

And yet, Oami is hardly backward. There is a shopping mall, a slew of good restaurants and most importantly, at least one karaoke bar. Tatsumi took us to a great pub, the "West End", a wood cabin with U.S and Australian memorabilia lining the walls and one of the best selections of international beer I've seen in this fine land. Although popular amongst the locals, the pub was impossibly located in the middle of rice fields and to get there you had to navigate some of the narrowest "roads" I've ever seen.

In the Inaka of Chiba, it's certainly to your own benefit not to drink and drive, cos one wrong slip and you end up eating a mouthful of marshy water...

Shidax Karaoke