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This week’s B ME Bites Trivia Question:

Welcome to Edition #66 of B ME Bites! This leg of the adventure was peak Japan-chaos-in-the-best-way — Samurai streets in the suburbs, elegant gardens, matching-outfit dogs, a Pokémon Centre heartbreak, a tail-light disaster, sweet potato surprises, and an ice cream apology that absolutely made our day. And yes… there were still bears. There are always bears……

(Reminder: B ME Bites is now landing in inboxes fortnightly - well mostly 😉 - while its new sister newsletter, Effortlessly Organic Living, takes the opposite week.)

Japan Adventures Part 6 — Valley Views, Samurai Vibes and the Day Pokémon Said No

Sweet dogs, sweet potatoes, sweet hosts… and one very bitter Pokémon moment

From Samurai streets to Spam sushi (yes, you read that right…..), this stretch reminded us that travel is never predictable… and that’s exactly why it’s magic.

Samurai Streets and Sweet Potatoes

The day started heading north toward Kanazawa. We stopped for a break at the lovely Hirugano Highland Service Area, where we found a small lookout from where you could see a beautiful view of the valley below. The biggest highlight? A couple strolling around with three tiny dogs in matching outfits — Japan never misses when it comes to adorable.

Once in Kanazawa, our first stop was of course the Pokémon Centre. On the way, we passed a huge two-level model train set where visitors could pay to operate different sections.

From there, we wandered into Kanazawa’s Nagamachi Samurai District and visited the Takada Family Samurai House Remains — a restored samurai residence tucked quietly into the neighbourhood. The house itself is simple and traditional, but the stroll garden is beautiful, with a pond fed from the nearby canal and carefully shaped pines framing the view. Walking through the rooms and looking out over the garden, it felt like stepping briefly into the everyday life of a middle-rank samurai family, right in the middle of modern Kanazawa.

Before heading back to camp, we stopped at a grocery store for supplies and were greeted with a true Japanese surprise: fresh cooked sweet potatoes kept warm in a hot box next to other ready-to-go foods. Naturally, we grabbed one to try. Yum!

Back at Neo Camping Ground, the private bath had been such a highlight that we had immediately booked another. After days of long drives, humidity, and almost two weeks on the road, that deep soak felt like heaven. Neo had quickly become one of our favourite stops — peaceful, friendly, and absolutely unforgettable.

A peaceful moment by the river at Neo Camp Ground — one of those scenes that stays with you long after you’ve left:

Toyota Wonders, Pokémon Heartbreak and Campsite Kindness

Our next stop was Nagoya, beginning with the enormous and fascinating Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. The museum was packed with hands-on displays — from early textile machines that told the story of Toyota’s beginnings, to sleek modern robots assembling car parts with mesmerising precision. The interactive demonstrations brought the company’s evolution to life, and a few exhibits were so captivating we couldn’t resist filming them for you to enjoy too.

Watching this cotton spinning demo was like seeing the very beginning of Toyota’s story come to life:

Fun fact: Toyota was originally “Toyoda”, after the company’s founder, Kiichiro Toyoda. Yes — we definitely thought of Baby Yoda.

And in classic Japan fashion, the robots weren’t Toyota robots… they were Kawasaki robots building Toyota cars. We loved that.

A little peek inside Japan’s world of robotics — precise, smooth, and surprisingly soothing to watch:

A note for travellers: There IS parking at the museum. We couldn’t see a sign for parking and ended up in a tight external carpark where Snow Panda’s tail-light met its tragic end. So close to returning the motorhome accident-free… so close. Meltdown moment number 1! To make matters worse, when we walked into the museum driveway, we saw the parking signs and realised we could have actually avoided the debacle entirely. 🤦‍♀️

From there, we made a dash to the Nagoya Pokémon Centre, but fate had other plans. A special event meant they were using a ticketed entry system, and the earliest entry time was 1:00–1:30 pm — far too late for us to reach the campsite before closing. Nataasjia was devastated. Meltdown moment number 2!

(Travellers: always check the Pokémon Centre website for ticket-system days!)

We had our moment, collected ourselves like responsible adults (or tried to), and continued toward the campsite. We made a notable stop along the way at Michi-no-Eki Enakyo, home to its own waterfall and — much to our horror/amusement — Spam sushi. That’s right. A slice of Spam on rice, wrapped in seaweed. We didn’t try it… but if you’re a Spam enthusiast, Japan has your back. In fact, I looked it up later and discovered entire videos and recipes teaching you how to make it. Yes, really. I’ve linked one so you can experience the shock for yourself.

Fairy floss also made an appearance — unexpected, colourful, and very un-Japan… or maybe very Japan? Either way, we didn’t buy it, but we had a giggle.

Driving through grape-growing regions was a surprise — the vines were trained overhead in high canopies, with workers standing upright beneath them in the shade. Ingenious and beautiful.

Shōsenkyō Auto Campsite — Kindness and the Coolest Toilets

We arrived at Shōsenkyō Auto Campsite, our reservation showing that we had booked a double site we didn’t actually need. Unfortunately, the assigned location was far from amenities and required climbing some very dubious stairs. Midnight toilet runs + questionable steps = absolutely not.

We asked for a change, and they kindly moved us closer.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. One of the staff stood outside holding two small ice creams — an apology gift for the mix-up (which was entirely our fault). Japanese kindness strikes again.

The site itself was beautiful: surrounded by nature, with amazing views. The amenities ranged from ingenious tin-shed toilets and showers to a brand-new wooden building with traditional “remove your shoes” interiors. The contrast between the two was hilarious — and yes, of course we tried both. The new building won.

And naturally, because it’s Japan: another warning about bears.

We fell asleep with full hearts, tired bodies, and one ear open.

🌸 Travel Lessons So Far

• 🚐 Long drives are never “just drives” in Japan — lookout points, samurai streets, and unexpected grocery-store snacks turn simple travel days into adventures of their own.

• ♨️ Simple comforts make all the difference — a hot bath after days in a motorhome, a quiet riverside campsite, or a second chance to revisit a beautiful spot like Neo can feel like luxury.

• 🧭 Plans shift, surprises happen — a broken taillight, ticketed entry you didn’t expect, or Spam sushi at a Michi No Eki — but the best moments often come from the things you didn’t plan.

💬 What’s one tiny, unexpected moment from your travels that ended up making the whole day better?

🔦 Next Up

Buckle up—this is where the landscapes change and the adventure levels spike. Sendai, Aomori, and Hokkaido are calling!

In Case You Missed It: B ME HQ Weekly Recap

🌿 Effortlessly Organic Living – Edition #4

Clean Shampoo Bars for Travel (and Plastic-Free Living)
This edition explored one of the simplest low-tox swaps you can make — especially when travelling. Clean shampoo bars are not only lighter and leak-proof, but they also help cut down on plastic waste and bathroom clutter. If you’ve been curious about trying one, this guide gives you everything you need to choose the right bar and make the switch without the guesswork.
✨
Read it here: Effortlessly Organic Living 4: Clean Shampoo Bars — Travel Light, Skip the Plastic

🌅 B ME Sunrise Bite of the Week:

Day 70 - Grey Skies, Peaceful River

No sunrise colour today — just a thick blanket of cloud over Neo Camp. But the river outside our window made up for it with soft, soothing soundscapes and one final moment of stillness before hitting the road again.

Grey skies, calm river, zero bears… we’ll take it. 🌫️🌲

🎥 Watch “Grey Skies, Peaceful River – Final Morning at Neo Camp” on YouTube

📺 Explore the full journey on the B ME Sunrise Bites YouTube Playlist
(Remember to hit subscribe!)

🎯Weekly Challenge

This week’s chapter was all about surprises — the sweet ones, the frustrating ones, and the downright weird ones (looking at you, Spam sushi).

🕶️ Your mission, if you choose to accept it:

Do one thing this week that pushes you just outside your comfort zone — something that excites you and scares you a tiny bit. Growth usually shows up right where comfort ends.

If you need some help, feel free to hit reply - let’s help you get started if you’re stuck!

B ME Bites is deliberately sent on a Friday morning (Aussie time) so that where ever you are in the world, you have the weekend to give yourself the gift of implementing a small change towards a better you. What will that small change be? Is there a change that you have been trying to make and haven’t yet succeeded? Give it another go, applying the above - you can do it!

Resource Roundup

Below is a resource list that has been created with you in mind. Whenever something new that could be helpful is discovered or created, it’s added to the list, so check it out from time to time. If you’re strapped for time, once you open the page below, click on Resource List in the top menu, then click on the “Health Tools” link for a list of items that could be helpful on your path to a better you.

The answer to this week’s trivia question is:

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Until next week, keep taking one S.T.E.P.S step at a time! (If you missed the issue explaining The S.T.E.P.S Formula, you can check that out here)

Warm regards,

Shari Ware Chief Encouragement Officer at B ME Bites

PS - Here’s a little Friday funny for you! (Watch it on YouTube)

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