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 […]

Dazaifu Tenmangu (Shrine)

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 […]

Hanazono Resort

There are eight courses, but since there are two beginner courses and one advanced course, we’ll call it a ski resort mainly targeting intermediate skiers. But because the resort faces northeast it doesn’t get much sunlight, and the slopes are always in good condition. Also, it is directly connected to the Park Hyatt, a top-class […]

Osaka Tenmangu Shrine

This shrine is where the Tenjin Festival, one of the three greatest festivals in Japan, is held. The shrine has a long history stemming from 650, when Emperor Kotoku built Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace. The “Shrine of General ” was founded to the northwest of the palace as a guardian deity. In 949, the God of […]

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.

Kushiro City Marshland Observatory

The Kushiro City Marshland Observatory is the best-maintained observatory near the city and the airport, and is located at the western edge of Kushiro Marsh. From the observation deck on the third floor and the rooftop, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the marshland, Kushiro city, and the Pacific Ocean. The first floor has […]

Lavender East

The largest lavender field in Japan is operated by Farm Tomita, with approximately 90,000 lavender plants on a 140,000㎡ site. It is open to the public only in July. The view from the observation deck in the center of the grounds is splendid. The lavender fields spread out below you, and you can see the […]

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 […]

黒門市場

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

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 […]

4 Chome Nanba/1 Chome Nanbanaka

There is a relatively large gay town in Osaka centered on the fourth district and Namba-naka area of Namba. There are roughly LGBT 60 clubs/restaurants, with 40 of those being gay bars and many for elderly people. One of the main characteristics of the Minami gay bars is their small and fiercely individualistic character. Foreigners […]

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 […]

Nakatsugu Shrine of Munakata Taisha

Nakatsugu enshrines Tagitsuhime no Kami, the second of the three Munakata goddesses. It is located on a hill on a straight line between Hetsugu on the mainland and Okitsugu on Okinoshima Island. A small river called the Ama-no-kawa flows through the precincts of the shrine, and the Vega shrine and the Altair shrine are located […]