Shiroi Koibito Park: Chocolate Factory

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

Goryōkaku Park

If you look at Fort Goryokaku from right above, you’ll see it is shaped like a pentagram. It is the first western style castle and where the last samurais fought the new government army 150 years ago. Today it exists as a park. It’s open from 5am and entrance is free (too generous)! When spring […]

Aidomari Hot Spring

This is the easternmost hot spring in Japan. It is a very “wild” open-air bath, with a bathtub surrounded by a wooden frame dug into the gravel of the shore. Naturally, it is a pleasant experience to soak in the bathtub while enjoying the view of the ocean, but there are no stores, so you […]

Abeno Harukas

Standing proud as the tallest skyscraper in Japan (300 m tall, so it’s not that impressive…the tallest structure in Japan, however, is Tokyo Skytree at 634 m.) On the top floor, presenting a grand view of Osaka roughly 300 meters high, (60 floors up) is the observation deck Harukas 300. Below, a department store stretching […]

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 […]

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.

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.

Asakura Akizuki Museum

This is a museum where visitors can learn about the history of this area (Akizuki, Asakura City). The armor, swords, and guns of the Akizuki and Kuroda families are worth seeing. Paintings and ceramics are also on display.

Salvo Observatory

This observatory stands on a small hill at an altitude of about 70 meters. From here, you can see five large and small lakes and marshes centered on Lake Tangoro, as well as Kushiro Marsh. If you visit in summer, you can see the beautiful contrast between the lush greenery and the blue created by […]

Daiichi Takimotokan

Noboribetsu’s oldest hot spring hotel (established in 1858) located next to Jigokudani. The hotel is rich in hot spring water and has access to wide variety of spring types. The spacious 5,000 m2 bathhouse has a variety of bathtubs of different qualities and temperatures — 35 in total: 18 for men, 17 for women — […]

Mount Io

Mount Io is a 512-meter-high active volcano located between Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo. Its other name is Atosanupuri, meaning “naked mountain” in Ainu. In the past, it was used as a mine to extract sulfur. With the blue sky in the background, the plumes of smoke and the sound of gurgling are quite impressive. […]

Sora Cinema Chitose

黒門市場

Janjan Yokocho Alley

The narrow and long Nanyodori Shotengai has a street length of 180 meters from the south to the north, with a width of 2.5 meters that starts from the Dobutsuen-mae Station on the metro, all the way to Tsutenkaku, and it is known as Janjan Yokocho Alley. The nickname Janjan Yokocho Alley comes from the […]

知念岬公園

太平洋に向かって突き出した岬の先端にある公園で、あまり人が多くない“穴場”だ。 高台にあり、三方が海に囲まれているので、視界を遮るものがなく非常に眺めが良い。 公園の下は、エメラルドグリーンの珊瑚礁となっており、その先はグラデ―ジョンが美しいコバルトブルーの海と水平線、青い空が広がっている。 そして沖縄で“神の島”と呼ばれている久高島も間近に見える。 また、知念岬は東側に向かって開けているので、海から昇ってくる真っ赤な太陽を見ることが出来る“日の出観賞スポット”としても有名だ。 そして周りに光源がほとんどない場所なので、夜は星空や月が非常にクリアに見える。 公園内はきれいに整備されており、赤瓦屋根の東屋や歩きやすい遊歩道があるので、散策すると非常に気持ちが良い。 なお、公園内に売店やレストランなどはない。

Sapporo Beer Garden

展望デッキ(福岡空港 国内線ターミナル)

キャッチフレーズは、“日本一飛行機に近い展望デッキ”。 延べ床面積は約4,378㎡と広々しており、2層構造(3階と4階)の4階からは360度を見渡すことが出来る。 間近で見る飛行機の離着陸の様子は迫力があり、見飽きることがない。 また、展望デッキの床に設置された685個のLEDは夜になるとライトアップされ、滑走路の航空灯とあわせて、綺麗でロマンチックな感じだ。 これだけの内容にもかかわらず、無料だというのも良い。 デッキの4階部分にはビアガーデン「ソラガ・ミエール」が隣接しており、美味しい生ビールや料理などを楽しむことが出来る。

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.