America Mura

A popular place among young people in Kansai and the birthplace of many trends, America Mura is a place where many Kansai youth and teens hang out. Despite being beign only 300m by 500m in area, there are numerous import & second-hand stores, general stores, cafes, galleries, music instrument shops and more – a chaotic […]

羽田空港　展望デッキ

羽田空港では3つターミナル全てに展望デッキがある。 入場料もなく、眺めも良いので搭乗時間まで時間を潰すには良い場所かもしれない。 ここは小さな男の子連れのファミリーにとっては素晴らしい場所だろう。 のべつまくなしに発着する飛行機を間近に見ることが出来るので、普段は走り回って君達の言うことなど全く聞かない彼らも、ここでは大喜びで歓声を上げるだけで、基本的には良い子でいてくれる。   3つのターミナルの展望デッキは向いている方角がそれぞれ違うため、見ることの出来る景色が全て異なる。 各ターミナルの展望デッキの特徴を以下で記す。 第1ターミナルの展望デッキ(国内線/6階＋屋上) 高層ビル群や東京湾、(天気が良い時は)富士山など360度のパノラマを楽しむことが出来る。 ここは西向きのデッキなので夕陽が素晴らしく、また南側にある大きな工業地帯の夜景も美しい。 第2ターミナルの展望デッキ(国内線/5階) 東京湾を行き交う船や大きな橋など湾岸エリアのパノラマを楽しむことが出来る。 が、ここで一番素晴らしいのは、日没後のイルミネーションだ。 約4000個のLEDによる照明が滑走路の光と合わさって非常にロマンチックだ。 屋内には滑走路を見ながら食事ができるレストランもあるので、デートにも使える。 第3ターミナルの展望デッキ(国際線/5階) 滑走路までの距離が遠いため、飛行機が離着陸する際の迫力が国内線ターミナルの展望デッキと比べると少し落ちる。 ただ、第1ターミナルビルや管制塔など飛行場らしいものが良く見えるし、国際線ターミナルだけあって世界中から飛んできた色とりどりの航空機を見ることが出来るので、一番「飛行場にいる」と感じることが出来る場所だ。

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。

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 […]

Osaka Ohsho Dotonbori Main Store Gyoza Dumplings

The store’s main dish, gyoza, was made into a model approximately 1,100 times its actual size and has remained there since 2012. The attention to detail makes the gyoza very realistic as if it has been cooked – so real that you might want to eat it! Size 4m tall, 3.5m wide

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 […]

Animate Osaka Nipponbashi

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

Seseki Hot Spring

This is an open-air bath with a wild atmosphere springs up on the edge of the waves on the beach and can only be bathed at low tide. *At high tide, the bathtub sinks into the sea. Soaking in the bathtub made of rocks will make you feel as if you are one with the […]

Shirogane Blue Pond

The pond’s crystal blue appearance, as though something had melted in the water, and the decayed larch surrounding it gives the pond a mysterious aura yet awesome vibe. The blue pond suddenly rose to international fame when it was once selected as one of Apple computer’s wallpaper. Now, this pond is by no means old. […]

黒門市場

Tsubetsu Pass Observation Facility

Tsubetsu Pass is the highest of the four passes around Lake Kussharo, at 947 meters above sea level. It offers a 360-degree panorama with an unobstructed view of Lake Kussharo below, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Shiretoko Mountain Range, and Daisetsuzan. If your timing is right, be sure to see the sea of clouds and […]

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 […]

Katsuren Castle Ruins

Tochoji Temple

Tochoji Temple was first founded in 806 by Kobo Daishi (774-835)—the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, a form of esoteric Buddhism—and a very famous high priest in Japan. It it also the first temple he founded. It houses the Fukuoka Daibutsu, the largest wooden seated statue of Shaka Nyorai in Japan. Made from […]

Lake Notoro

Lake Notoro – a massive saltwater lake spanning 580,000m2 connected to the Sea of Okhotsk – is home to primeval flowers along the lakeside, famous especially for the infinite sea of red from the Salicornia europaea (also known as Sangocho) in autumn. Mid- to late-September is the best time to visit, when the deep red […]

Yumoto Saigriyu

This is the only public bathhouse in Noboribetsu Onsen. Because you can bathe in hot spring water quality for a very low fee it is very popular. Although there is only an indoor bath, visitors can enjoy two types of spring water: alum spring (myobansen) and sulfur spring (iōsen). The facility is still new, having […]

Kanno Farm

The flower fields spread on a hill along Hanabito Kaido Road (Route 237), 2 km west of JR Bibaushi Station. More than 30 kinds of flowers, mainly lavender, are in full bloom from mid-June to mid-October Vivid flowers cover the entire hillside, and from the roadside you can look up to see the flower garden. […]