Nusamai Bridge

Nusamai Bridge is a large and magnificent 124-meter-long bridge that spans the mouth of the Kushiro River. Its location in the city center makes access to it easy. From the bridge, you can enjoy a picturesque view of the setting sun melting into the sea and the Kushiro River and Kushiro Port turning a beautiful […]

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 […]

Janjan Yokocho Alley

The narrow and long Nanyodori Shotengai has a street length of 180 meters from the south to the north, with a width of 2.5 meters that starts from the Dobutsuen-mae Station on the metro, all the way to Tsutenkaku, and it is known as Janjan Yokocho Alley. The nickname Janjan Yokocho Alley comes from the […]

Hachiman-zaka

The picturesque scene of the tree lined hill stretching out to the sea is often used in movies and commercials. A major newspaper even ranked it the No.1 hill in Japan.

Rinku no Yu

Rinku no Yu is a hot spring located in Rinku Pleasure Town SEACLE on the mainland, the opposite shore of Kansai International Airport. The prices are cheap; a good place to visit if you have time until your flight. There are various baths and saunas such as outdoor hot springs and rock baths, and you […]

OWL OSAKA

About: A high-quality and trendy nightclub with a white owl as its logo. The lighting and interior design is extravagant and the sound quality is also good. Many world-class DJs perform here. Although always busy at night, before the last train in particular the energy in the club peaks and people tend to get excited. […]

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 […]

The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living

This museum, located along the Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street, is a life-size replica of the streets of Osaka during the early 1830s of the Edo Period. Many tourists love to dress up in kimono here for just an extra 500 yen (in addition to the admission fee), then take many photos along the photogenic streets. It’s […]

Motomachi Roman Catholic Church

This Catholic Church was built in 1859, but after a fire it was rebuilt – to what you see today – in 1924 as a gothic church. The gorgeous altar in the cathedral was a gift from the Pope himself.

Animate Osaka Nipponbashi

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

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 […]

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 […]

Hakodate St. John’s Church

An Anglican Church built in 1874. The church had burned down several times due to fire; the current church you see now was built in 1979. What’s interesting is from wherever you look you see a cross.

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.

Shiretoko Pass

A 738-meter altitude pass located approximately halfway along the Shiretoko Highway connecting Utoro on the Sea of Okhotsk side and Rausu on the Nemuro Channel side. Popular as a photogenic spot where visitors can enjoy a magnificent view. Mt. Rausu — the highest mountain in the Shiretoko mountains — directly in front of you, the […]

Usu Ropeway

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

Shinpōkan

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 […]