Former British Consulate of Hakodate

Established as the British Consulate of Hakodate from 1859 to 1934. Today, the rooms of the consulate serve as exhibits re-creating what it was like during operation, as well as the history of Hakodate Port. A charming tea room can be found in the former consulate too.

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 […]

Akizuki Castle Ruins

Akizuki Castle dates back to 1203, when the Akizuki clan built Mt. Kosho Castle as their headquarters. The Akizuki clan ruled the area for 385 years over 16 generations, but was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), the supreme ruler of the Warring States period, in 1587 and left the area. At that time, Akizuki Castle […]

YANAGAWA TACHIBANA-TEI OHANA

The Tachibana Residence was built in 1738 by the fifth lord of the Yanagawa domain as his private residence. In 1910 during the Meiji period (1868-1912), a guest house and Japanese garden were built, and today the entire 23,100 m2 site is designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty in Japan.

Rikugien Garden

Rikugien is one of the most famous Japanese gardens in Tokyo and is designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty by the government. See below for details. Rikugien is one of the most famous Japanese gardens in Tokyo.

Niseko Village Ski Resort

This ski resort is directly connected to two luxury resort hotels: “The Green Leaf” and “Hilton Niseko Village,” and is known for advanced skiers. *  The luxury hotel chain, Ritz-Carlton, is scheduled to open in the near future. The layout is vertically long, with steep slopes, and many of the courses are generally difficult. There […]

Hakodate Orthodox Church

Built in 1860, the Hakodate Orthodox Church was the first Russian Orthodox Church in Japan. Its white walls and green roof contrast beautifully. It’s also famous for its booming bell chime before service.

Horie

Horie is perhaps the most refined and high-class area of Osaka, full of shops (including fashion, general goods, furniture), cafes and so on. If the nearby “America mura” is the place for rebellious young people, then Horie is the place for trendy young people. Horie is more open and spacious in comparison to the other […]

Akan Sightseeing Cruise

The Akan Sightseeing Cruise circumnavigates Lake Akan and operates 4 to 11 times a day between May and November. The boat departs from the pier on the south side of the lake and cruises for about 85 minutes, taking in the view of Mt. Oakan and Mt. Meakan, with stops at Churui Island (where the […]

Usu Ropeway

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 […]

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。

Shiroi Koibito Park: Chocolate Factory

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

Izumi Tenku no Yu at Haneda

羽田エアポートガーデンの12階にある温浴施設「泉天空の湯」では、地下約1500mから汲み上げた本物の温泉や、サウナ、岩盤浴などを楽しむことが出来る。 そして屋外の浴場からは行き交う飛行機や富士山などを眺めることができる点は素晴らしい。 ただ、料金が東京にある同じような温浴施設の2倍もかかり、さらに油断していると、深夜1時〜5時までは追加で4,000円もかかってしまうので要注意だ。

Chayamachi

Chayamachi is the trendiest part of Kita, located on the north side of Hankyu Umeda Station. With fashion stores that feature some of the most popular brands amongst people in their 20s and 30s and street-level stores, it is the birthplace of many fashion trends. There are also many trendy cafes that are great if […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

Abashiri Drift Ice Sightseeing & Icebreaker Ship – Aurora

Get up close and personal with this sightseeing cruise from Abashiri Port. The cruise lasts for about 1 hour and runs from the end of January to the beginning of April. All 491 tons of the ship break the ice blocks apart as it marvelously moves forward, and because of its large size there is […]