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.

Imperial Palace East Gardens (Observation of Inner Palace Grounds)

Part of the Edo Castle was turned into the Imperial Palace East Gardens when constructing the palace for the Emperor. It is necessary to register at Otemon (gate), but reservations in advance is not necessary and it’s free! *The inner grounds is massive, use the map below to get your bearings. Below are the main […]

Senso-ji

The oldest temple in Tokyo.   Though the temple has the same characters as “Asakusa”, it is read “Senso-ji”, not “Asakusa-dera”. In the year 628, 2 fishermen (brothers), built Senso-ji to enshrine the the bodhisattva of mercy and salvation after going out to nearby Sumida River and catching a statue of the bodhisattva Kannon with […]

Design Pocket Osaka Main Store

A shop that specializes in making fake food models. There are over a thousand different kinds of food models that look exactly like the real thing. You can also take a tour to find out more about how they are made.

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 […]

Mojiko Station

Mojiko Station opened in 1891 and was the “gateway” to Kyushu’s railroad network until 1942, when the undersea Kanmon Tunnel was opened to traffic. The current station building was constructed in 1914, and in 1988 it became the first railroad station in Japan to be designated as an Important Cultural Property. * Mojiko Station and […]

Kinryu Ramen “Kinryu”

The green dragon sticking through the red wall is very lifelike and looks as if it could move at any moment. Put in place in 1992. The sign itself could almost be considered an elaborate art piece due to its intricate details.   Size Approx. 6m in length  

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 […]

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.

Mojiko Port

Jigokudani(Hell Valley)

Jigokudani is the aftermath of a volcanic repution that took place 10,0000 years ago. The crater you see today has diameter of 450 meters and an area of 11,000 square meters, and is the most popular tourist attraction in Noboribetsu Onsen. Located in the northeastern part of Noboribetsu Onsen, Jigokudani or “Hell’s Valley” gets its […]

Carl Ojisan

“Carl Ojisan” is a simple, farmer-like bearded old man and the character that represents the “curl” snack. The sign was originally made by large food company Meiji Seika in 2008. On the hour, Kerota a frog comes out of his hat. Although once popular, in recent years the snack’s popularity has slumped and it is […]

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 […]

黒門市場

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。

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。

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.