Shiroi Koibito Park: Chocolate Factory

A theme park for sweets operated by one of Hokkaido’s most famous sweets makers Ishiya Seika

Seven Stars Tree

On the northern side of Highway 237 stands a single Japanese oak tree in the middle of the rolling hills. The tree suddenly earned fame in 1976 as the world’s 4th largest tobacco manufacturer, JT, used the tree as the package image of their Seven Stars cigarette brand. That’s pretty much all there is to […]

GENIUS TOKYO

This is one of the largest discos in Tokyo, located in Ginza. As a long-established disco (though this is its 13th year), it has been consistently lively. Because of its location, many customers work in Ginza, and on weekends the floor is packed with businessmen and office workers on their way home from work. The […]

Kumanoyu Hot Spring

This is an open-air bath built by the local people on the side of the Rausu River. Two separate rock baths are available for men and women in a primeval forest. The men’s bath is very spacious and has no enclosure, so visitors can enjoy bathing while viewing the mountain stream and virgin forest. The […]

Fukugi Tree Road

The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living

This museum, located along the Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street, is a life-size replica of the streets of Osaka during the early 1830s of the Edo Period. Many tourists love to dress up in kimono here for just an extra 500 yen (in addition to the admission fee), then take many photos along the photogenic streets. It’s […]

Asahiyama Zoo

It is one of the most popular zoos in Japan, with approximately 1.4 million annual visitors. Encompassing the 152,000m2 zoo are over 110 species of 650 different kinds of animals, but there aren’t any “superstar” or rare animals like pandas (although there are red pandas here). And while there are animals from Hokkaido, there is […]

Kuidaore Taro

The Kuidaore Taro doll dressed in red and white striped clothes and large black and dark rimmed glasses holding a taiko drum is considered a very famous and popular figure in Kansai. It was originally the mascot of a large restaurant chain Osaka Meibutsu Kuidaore which was established in 1949 and went on to achieve […]

Kushiro City Marshland Observatory

The Kushiro City Marshland Observatory is the best-maintained observatory near the city and the airport, and is located at the western edge of Kushiro Marsh. From the observation deck on the third floor and the rooftop, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the marshland, Kushiro city, and the Pacific Ocean. The first floor has […]

Toya Sun Palace Resort & Spa

Bathe in a variety of baths at this luxury hotel. The open–air bath overlooking Lake Toya offers a great view and a sense of freedom. It’s like an infinity pool, where the surface of Lake Toya and the surface of the bath seem to merge into one. The large indoor bath is like a “semi–open–air […]

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 […]

ニライ橋・カナイ橋

県道86号線から国道331号線へ下っていく途中にある、全長約660mの絶景スポット。 高低差約80mの断崖の上下を、連続する2つの橋が、大きくカーブを描きながら結んでおり、通るとまるで空中をドライブしているかのような感覚になる。 ちなみに上(山側)がニライ橋で、下(海側)がカナイ橋 ※ニライカナイとは、現地の言葉で「海の向こうにある理想郷」という意味だ。 ニライ橋・カナイ橋をドライブする場合は、海を見下ろす絶景を眺めることが出来る、山側から海側へと下るルートを採るべきだ。 ※海側から山側へと上るルートはあまり眺めが良くない。 なお、ニライ橋・カナイ橋のドライブには、橋の上は駐車禁止で、かつ急なカーブが多い道であるため、運転者はじっくり絶景を見ることが出来ないという“致命的な”欠点がある。 車を運転する君は、トンネル(ニライ橋・カナイ橋の頂上付近)にある展望所に行け。 この展望所は、海からは多少遠いが、標高が150mもあるので、ニライ橋・カナイ橋の全景や太平洋を見渡すなどの素晴らしいパノラマビューを楽しむことが出来る。

Kushiro Marshland Norokko Train

This special sightseeing trolley train departs from and arrives at JR Kushiro Station once or twice a day from late April to early May and from late May to mid-October. From the leisurely train ride from Kushiro Station to Toro Station, roughly 50 min., one can enjoy the breathtaking views of Kushiro Marsh from the […]

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

A throng of red brick warehouse buildings made over 100 years ago face the bay.  Now, they exist as commercial complexes. Inside you will find around 40 shops, sweets vendors, and restaurants.

Noboribetsu Grand Hotel

Noboribetsu Grand Hotel is an elegant hotel with a European atmosphere and is also called “Noboribetsu’s Guesthouse. It offers three types of baths: open-air baths, indoor baths, and private baths. Enjoy three types of hot spring water quality (sulfur spring, iron spring, and common salt spring). The open-air rock and cypress baths present you with […]

OWL OSAKA

About: A high-quality and trendy nightclub with a white owl as its logo. The lighting and interior design is extravagant and the sound quality is also good. Many world-class DJs perform here. Although always busy at night, before the last train in particular the energy in the club peaks and people tend to get excited. […]

Former Public Hall of Hakodate Ward

A colonial style building built in 1910 as a public hall. The 1st floor isn’t all that impressive. The 2nd floor, on the other hand, has a massive hall that is worth seeing. From the balcony of the 2nd floor, visitors can see a beautiful view of Hakodate Bay.

Sora Cinema Chitose

Osaka Tenmangu Shrine

This shrine is where the Tenjin Festival, one of the three greatest festivals in Japan, is held. The shrine has a long history stemming from 650, when Emperor Kotoku built Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace. The “Shrine of General ” was founded to the northwest of the palace as a guardian deity. In 949, the God of […]