川越氷川神社
約1,500年前に創建された、長い歴史と高い格式のある神社だ。 主祭神は素戔嗚尊で、他に素戔嗚尊の妻と子供、妻の両親という合計五柱の神々が祀られている。 これらの神々は一つの家族で、そのうち夫婦が二組であることから、川越氷川神社は「家族円満・夫婦円満・縁結び」に大いにご利益があるとして人々から信仰されている。 特に縁結びが非常に有名で、多くの女性たちが良縁祈願に訪れる。 また、370年以上の歴史があり、毎年10月中旬に約1,000,000人もの観客が集まるほど人気がある川越氷川祭はこの神社の例大祭だ。 1849年に竣工した現在の本殿の建物には、全面に精巧で素晴らしい彫刻が施されている。 また鳥居は高さ約15mと木製の鳥居としては日本最大級の大きさで、扁額の文字は、日本人の間では非常に有名で人気のある幕末の武士、勝海舟(1823〜1899年)によるものだ。 川越氷川神社がユニークなのは、歴史と格式のある神社であるにもかかわらず、絶えず新しい取り組みを行なっているところだ。 メインの参拝客である女性たちが喜びそうな、楽しくてフォトジェニックな企画やイベントを多数打ち出し続けている。 参拝客に喜んでもらい、より信仰心や親しみを持ってもらうとともに、コツコツとお金を稼いで、神社の維持/発展にそのお金を使おうとする前向きな姿勢と努力には感心してしまう。 新しい取り組みに関しては、具体的には以下だ。 ＜絵馬トンネル＞ 参拝客の願いが込められた絵馬が約20ｍに渡って吊り下げられ、まるでトンネルのような形となっている。 本殿の脇にあり、フォトジェニックだ。 ＜鯛みくじ＞ 日本では縁起が良い魚である鯛をモチーフにしたおみくじを、小さな釣り竿を使って釣り上げるのが楽しい。 ＜縁結び風鈴＞ 「天の川に恋の願いが届くように」というロマンティックなテーマで、夏季(7月上旬〜9月上旬)限定で行われる祭事。 この時期、たくさんの参拝客たちが(主に恋の)願い事を書いた短冊を風鈴にかけて祈る。 色鮮やかなガラスで出来た2,000個の風鈴が、涼やかな音を立てながら風に揺れる様子は、綺麗で心が洗われる。 君がすれっからしだったとしてもきっと恋をしたくなる。
Ginza Maison Henri Charpentier
Run by a famous and long-established sweets shop. Patrons get to enjoy artistic table desserts in a sophisticated setting. Their most popular menu is the Crepe Suzette, a crepe that melts in your mouth like silk the moment you bite into it. The finishing touch of the flame performance before you is a nice touch.
- Area
- Ginza / Yurakucho and Tokyo
Umaito
Located on the B1, 9th and 10th floors of KITTE Hakata, this restaurant zone contains about 50 stores. Unlike other commercial facilities, the number of local Fukuoka restaurants is low here, and has a higher number of famous restaurants and chain shops from other areas is high. The first basement floor is a collection of […]
- Area
- Hakata-Station and Fukuoka
Futatsu no Umiga Mieruoka & Kahsiken Pass
It is a place where one can view two oceans at the same time: the East China Sea on the left and the Pacific Ocean on the right. The view is nce since it is located near the top of the mountain. However, the location is a little difficult to find, so please be careful. […]
- Area
- Amami Oshima and Kagoshima
Namba Parks
Directly connected to Nankai Dentetsu Namba Station, Namba Parks is a huge, multi-building landmark. In the commercial tower, there is high quality clothes and other various goods, with over 250 shops and restaurants in total. It contains the largest cinema complex in Osaka, as well as a verdant rooftop park.
Rokatei Otaru Canal Shop
A confectionary store famous for their “Marusei Butter Sand”. The first floor is a shop while the 2nd floor is a self service cafe. Buy just 1 sweets and you get 1 free cup of coffee. Sweets are sold for as low as ¥90! It’s a bargain deal!
Chayamachi
Chayamachi is the trendiest part of Kita, located on the north side of Hankyu Umeda Station. With fashion stores that feature some of the most popular brands amongst people in their 20s and 30s and street-level stores, it is the birthplace of many fashion trends. There are also many trendy cafes that are great if […]
Omotesando Shopping Street
The main street of Miyajima. About 70 restaurants and souvenir stores line both sides of the 350-meter street, with many stores selling oyster dishes and momiji manju (steamed buns) in particular. Be warned: Most of the stores close around 17:00. Many old traditional houses called kominka remain on Machiya Street, a back street running parallel […]
Nishi Umeda
If you’re looking for high-quality luxury goods in Osaka, Nishi-Umeda is the place for you. Recently extensively developed, the area feels fit for a celebrity with the ultra-luxury Ritz Carlton Osaka, fancy restaurants and vast shopping facilities containing flagship stores for famous fashion brands. In Herbis Plaza Ent, you can find Gucci, Tiffany, Omega, Emporio […]
- Area
- Osaka North and 大阪府
Osaka Castle Park
- Area
- Osaka Castle and 大阪府
Miraikan (The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation)
Here at Miraikan visitors can learn about and experience the cutting edge scientific research coming from Japan, Space, and Earth. A lot of the exhibits you can participate in and experience.
Tokyo Ramen Street
Customers wait in line to eat at one of the 8 popular ramen shops that are setup here. A few of the shops are open in the morning, if you are inclined to eat ramen for breakfast.
- Area
- Tokyo Station Area and Tokyo
Monja Kura
The umami from the soup stock packs a punch thanks to the butter used to grill the monjayaki. The special broth and milk used to make a cream sauce style monjayaki is most popular, often calling for lines. The shop also deserves praise for the large volume of monjayaki compared to other shops.
- Area
- Tsukishima and Tokyo
- Activities
- お好み焼き/たこ焼き, グルメ, and 日本料理
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 […]
レストラン ル・ミディ
飛騨牛をフレンチテイストで味わうことが出来るレストラン。 オーナーシェフの田上氏は、フランスの三つ星レストランなどで修行を積んだ後、独立してこの店を開いた。 この店は、ステーキ肉には高い等級の飛騨牛のみを仕入れ、それを一番美味しい状態になるまで約2週間かけて熟成させている。 ステーキ以外にも、飛騨牛の肉の特性を活かしたメニューや、地元の食材を使ったメニューが豊富に揃う。 ランチ時には、セットメニューが2,000円程度からあり、ステーキセットも4,000円程度で楽しむことが出来る。 店のお洒落な内外観は、パリにあるビストロを彷彿させる感じだ。
Animate Osaka Nipponbashi
The highest-class shop for anime goods in all of west Japan. Events and fairs are frequently held here.
- Area
- 大阪府
- Activities
- ショッピング and アニメ・漫画・サブカルチャー
Otaru Music Box Museum
The largest music box shop in all of Japan. Inside the brick building built in 1912 is a 9 meter atrium and an attic filled with the warm presence of wood.Around 3,400 various kinds of music boxes are on display and sold. It’s grand sight,Within walking distance from the flagship is a workshop where you […]
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway
Known for being the best herb gardens in Japan, it is also the most easily accessible night view viewing spot in the mountains. You may choose to either watch from the bullet-train or go up 400 meters to the peak on the ropeway near Shin-Kobe Station. The gondola lift on the ropeway holds up to […]
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.
Atomic Bomb Dome
The architecture was originally constructed in 1915 as a promotion hall, Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall Hiroshimaken Sangyo Suishokan, but it almost entirely destroyed due to the explosion of the atomic bomb that took place 600 meters above sea level on August 6th 1945. (※The 30 some employees who were working inside the building at […]
Statue of Liberty
Copying the shape and size of the statue of liberty in Paris, France, the replica in Odaiba is made out of bronze. It sits facing the waterfront at Aqua City Odaiba. The 11 meter tall, 9 ton statue is about one third the size of the Statue of Liberty in New York. For whatever reason […]
2-8-20 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo [building: Yonei 1st floor, basement floor]
- Area
- Ginza / Yurakucho, Tokyo
KITTE Hakata, 9-1 Hakata Station Chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
- Area
- Hakata-Station, Fukuoka
- Activities
- レストラン街
Akaogi, Tatsugo-cho, Oshima-gun, Kagoshima
- Area
- Amami Oshima, Kagoshima
2-2-22 Umeda Kita-ku , Osaka (HERBIS PLAZA ENT) /1-8-16 Umeda Kita-ku , Osaka(Hilton Plaza Osaka)
- Area
- Osaka North, 大阪府
- Activities
- 百貨店
Razona Kawasaki plaza 1F - 4F, 72-1 Horikawacho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa
- Area
- Kanagawa
- Activities
- 家電量販店
2-3-6 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
- Activities
- 博物館
1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo [Tokyo Station Ichibangai basement floor]
- Area
- Tokyo Station Area, Tokyo
Animate Building 1-2F, 1-1-3 Nipponbashi Naniwaku, Osaka
- Area
- 大阪府
- Activities
- アニメ・漫画・サブカルチャー