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 […]

Lake Mashu Observatory No.1

There are three observatories on Lake Mashu, but this one is the most popular and famous. Located at the top of Lake Mashu’s outer rim at an elevation of about 520 meters, the observatory offers a panoramic view of the deep blue waters of Lake Mashu, Mt. Oakandake, the Kushiro plains, the Pacific Ocean and […]

Osaka Castle Park

Animate Osaka Nipponbashi

The highest-class shop for anime goods in all of west Japan. Events and fairs are frequently held here.

THE GUNDAM BASE TOKYO

A comprehensive store of Gundam plastic models. The encompassing 2,000 m2 of space is divided into ‘Shop’, ‘Builder’s’, ‘Factory’, and ‘Event’; an absolutely wonderful space for Gundam fans. Conversely, if you’re not into Gundam, it’s a place with no meaning.

Kani Doraku Crab

Found above the entrance to crab restaurant Kani Doraku Dotonbori is a large model crab, the arms and eyes move and the body is large, giving a striking impression. It is rumored that if made into crab stew there would be enough to feed 16,000 people. Originally made in 1962, the sign has been remade […]

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 […]

Ueno Farm

The garden is considered to be Japan’s “holy place for gardening” and is visited by tourists and gardening enthusiasts from all over Japan. Over 2,000 varieties of carefully selected flowers and plants suited to the northern climate have been planted on the 13,000 sq m site. The garden, which was created through a process of […]

Nakijin Castle Ruin

Dotonbori Glico Sign

Major Japanese manufacturer Glico put up the sign in 1935. The version currently on display is the sixth rendition, remade in 2014. The sign’s happy-looking, smiling male athlete raising both hands and his left leg after scoring is considered symbolic of the city of Osaka itself. From 30 mins after sunset until midnight the sign […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Bank of Japan Otaru Museum

Former Bank of Japan Otaru Branch Museum of Finance Famous for designing Tokyo Station, Kingo Tatsuno was the man behind the plans for this building. Inside are contents relating to the history of “Wall Street of Northern Japan” and an exhibit of the work content when it was a branch of the Bank of Japan.

Hilton Niseko Village

This spacious, beautiful, and resort-like onsen facility is located in the large-scale luxury hotel, Hilton Niseko Village. The open-air baths offer an outstanding view of Mt. Yotei, the symbol of Niseko. It also faces a large pond with many colorful carp swimming in it, giving the baths a spacious feel. The water flowing directly from […]

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 […]

Houkoku Shrine(Osaka)

Visiting this shrine will supposedly bring you success and good luck in the future. It is a 5-minute walk from the south side of the castle tower and was where Toyotomi Hideyoshi was deified. A 5.2-meter tall statue of this commander stands just right past the torii gate of the shrine.

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.

Sugi no Baba

This is a 500-meter walkway leading from the Akizuki Museum to the Akizuki Castle Ruins. It was once lined with cedar trees and used by samurai warriors to practice horsemanship, hence the name “Sugi no Baba.” The cedar trees were replaced by a large number of cherry trees in celebration of Japan’s victory in the […]

Tsutenkaku

Tsutenkaku is the symbol of Shinsekai, and it is even called the “Eiffel Tower of Naniwa (Osaka)” – likely an over-exaggeration. It was built in 1912 but deconstructed in 1943 after experiencing a fire, and rebuilt in 1956 with a great increase in height from 64 meters to 103 meters. The 5th floor is known […]