Sōhonzan Shitennōji

A temple with a long history, a rarity in Osaka. It is the first ever state-sponsored temple in Japan built by order of Prince Shotoku (574-622) in 593. He was also a magnificent statesman who is revered by Japanese even today. Shitennōji has been destroyed countless times by fire caused by wars, lightening, and typhoons, […]

Sarakurayama Observatory

Sarakurayama has long been famous for its excellent views. From the base of the mountain, take the cable car and slope car to the summit, which is 622 meters above sea level, in about 10 minutes. *The cable car and slope car run every 20 to 30 minutes. At the top of the mountain, there […]

Umeda Sky Building / Kuchu Teien Observatory

The high-rise Umeda Sky Building was constructed so that the two individual buildings join at the top to form a design that looks like a floating spaceship. With a global reputation, every year the building is visited by over a million tourists and was once featured in a British magazine article on the “Top 20 […]

Mojiko Port

Yunohana Hotel

A total of 5 baths including cedar and rock bath are located on the 1st floor; the open air bath is on the 2nd floor. Both are right next to the sea boasting great views.

Doraemon Wakuwaku Sky Park

Themed after Doraemon’s “himitsu no dogu” (secret gadgets). Various attractions and a strange photography spot are inside the park, as well as a shop and a cafe.

Lake Kussharo

Lake Kussharo, with a circumference of 57 km and an area of 79.3 km2, is the largest caldera lake in Japan. It was formed about 30,000 years ago inside the Kussharo Caldera, which is the largest caldera in Japan, measuring about 26 km east to west and 20 km north to south. Incidentally, the word […]

Fukugi Tree Road

Toyosu Market

Osaka Castle Gozabune Boat

Take a 20-minute spin along the inner moat of Osaka Castle on this tourist boat, and you’ll be able to see Japan’s highest stone wall from a close proximity. Long ago, only those of a high status were able to ride this special boat layered with gold foil.

Kushida Shrine

The shrine is widely known and beloved by Fukuoka citizens as “Okushida-san”, the chief guardian of the city of Hakata. The shrine is also the site of Hakata Gion Yamakasa, a summer festival famous throughout Japan, and Hakata Okunchi, an autumn festival. Located near the southern entrance to the Kamikawabata shopping street, the shrine is […]

Madame Tussauds Tokyo

Hollywood stars, famous sports athletes, musicians, historically important people, and others are on display as full bodied figures; over 60 personalities are on display. You can touch and take pictures with the figures.

Lake Akan Ainu Kotan

In a corner of the Lake Akan hot spring resort, there is the Ainu Village, the largest Ainu village in Japan, where about 30 houses and 120 people live. The Ainu Theater Ikoro (where Ainu dances are performed), two museums introducing the culture, souvenir stores selling wood carving goods, and restaurants that serve Ainu local […]

Lake Oyunuma

Oyunuma is a gourd-shaped swamp (1 km in circumference) formed after a volcanic reuption created this crater and hot water accumulated at the site. Such a large scale hot spring swamp is extremely rare in the world and is highly valued academically. Sulfur spring water as hot as 130 degrees Celsius gushes out from the […]

Lake Notoro

Lake Notoro – a massive saltwater lake spanning 580,000m2 connected to the Sea of Okhotsk – is home to primeval flowers along the lakeside, famous especially for the infinite sea of red from the Salicornia europaea (also known as Sangocho) in autumn. Mid- to late-September is the best time to visit, when the deep red […]

Giraffe Resort

The largest club in Kansai fits over 1400 people. Many foreigners visit the 4-floor building with a giraffe sign out the front. The 2nd and 4th floors have different genres of music playing, with the 2nd floor in particular being high tension (3rd floor is the VIP room). It opens and closes early so it […]

Kushiro Zoo