Utoro Gyokyo Fujinbu Shokudo
The restaurant is managed and run by fishermen’s wives, and their dishes using freshly landed seafood are very popular. Lines are inevitable. The most popular dish among Japanese tourists is the sea urchin rice bowl topped with sea urchin, but tourists are more likely to order the salmon oyakodon (rice bowl topped with salmon and […]
Ogi-machi Castle Ruin Observation Area
This observatory was built on the site of the castle of Ujikatsu Yamashita, a vassal of the Uchigashima Tameji clan who ruled this area in the 15th century. The front of the observatory is a precipitous cliff.
Tomita Shuzojo
Located in Naze, it is easily accessible, but costs 1,000 yen to visit.
Gokayama Gassho Minshuku Yusuke
It is the largest gassho-zukuri building used as a lodge in the Ainokura village of Gokayama. Only one party per day is allowed, so you can relax and unwind. The owner’s wife is known for her delicious cooking. Visitors are welcome to tour the building from 10:00 to 15:00, even if they are not staying […]
Munakata Taisha Okitsu-miya Yohaisho
A shrine built in the 18th century near the northern tip of Oshima to worship Okinoshima Island, which is off-limits to visitors. It stands in the middle of the slope facing the coast, with the magnificent ocean spread out below. On a clear day, Okinoshima Island can be clearly seen floating on the horizon. The […]
- Area
- Munakata Taisha and Fukuoka
Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Umeda Store
Yodobashi is a large domestic electronics store chain, and this store has the highest turnover in Japan (approx. 120 billion yen) and the largest floor space (approx. 30,000 m2). There is a great selection of items and multilingual staff, and also around 30 affordably-priced restaurants and cafes on the 8th floor.
- Area
- Osaka North and 大阪府
Osaka Eki-Mae Building（Basement）
There are four large buildings on the south side of JR Osaka Station, each joined underground. The 1st and 2nd floors underground include a food court with reasonably-priced high-quality restaurants, making the area popular with office workers both for lunchtime and dinner. Many of the businesses have been there for a long time, giving it […]
- Area
- Osaka North and 大阪府
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。
オモニ
- Activities
- グルメ and お好み焼き/たこ焼き
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 […]
Kottaro Marsh Observatory
This observatory is located at the northeastern edge of Kushiro Marsh on a small hill. Compared to other observatories in Kushiro Marsh, the view from this observatory is “inferior”. However, if you are lucky, you can see beautiful Japanese cranes. The nearby road is a narrow gravel road, so be careful when driving.
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 […]
Super Kids Land Main Store
A shop specializing in anime/manga characters – mainly figurines and plastic models. The first floor contains figurines, while the second floor contains Gundam products. The large Gundam at the entrance serves as a landmark.
- Activities
- ショッピング and アニメ・漫画・サブカルチャー
Kobe Harborland Onsen Manyo-Club
This onsen facility located in the Promena Kobe building is open 24 hours a day. You can enjoy a variety of activities other than bathing such as dining, massages, and games. For 1620 yen, you can also stay the night after 3:00am. At the top of the building on the 18th floor, there is a […]
Outer Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Kokyo Gaien)
Free to roam at anytime the Japanese black pine trees and beautiful green grass laid out in the open space is a nice scene to take in. Interestingly, during the Edo period, this area was occupied with houses of senior statesmen. Below are the main viewing attractions. Nijubashi 2 bridges connect the outer gardens over […]
- Area
- Tokyo Station Area and Tokyo
Shin-Marunouchi Building
An Office building and shopping complex in one. The building with a luxury feel occupies over 150 fashion forward shops and leading restaurants. On the 7th floor, labeled ‘Marunouchi House’ are 9 restaurants and a terrace with a brilliant open view of Tokyo. There are a few restaurants that are open into the early morning, […]
The Imperial Palace
The Tokyo Imperial Palace – residence and palace of the Emperor – holds all sorts of official events; the Imperial Household Agency is located on Imperial Palace grounds too. If you include the outer gardens of the Imperial Palace, a total of 2.3 million sq m of flush greenery sits in the middle of Tokyo, […]
- Area
- Tokyo Station Area and Tokyo
Amami Oshima Shuzo
It is located in the town of Tatsugo in northern area.
Senkō-ji (temple)
Senkoji Temple, founded in 806, is a Shingon sect of Buddhism and a symbol of Onomichi. The founder was the most famous monk in Japan, Kōbō Daishi (saint) or Kūkai (monk). Midway up the mountain on a cliff top, the vermilion-lacquered main hall constructed using the overhang method, or butaizukuri, and the same vermilion-lacquered dragon […]
Ohatsu Tenjin Dori Street
The local pub district in Osaka. The Ohatsutenjin Shopping Area has 80 restaurants of bountiful variety, the narrow roads lined by long-established shops with good reputations. Known as the “bar street,” the 20 or so restaurants are well-known amongst the locals.
- Area
- Osaka North and 大阪府
時分時
- Activities
- グルメ and お好み焼き/たこ焼き
Kobe Port Tower
This crimson tower, looming at a height of 108 meters, is another landmark of Kobe. From the top of the observatory, you can see everything from the Rokko mountains to the ocean. At dusk, 7000 LED lights illuminate the tower. Every season, the light patterns also change.
Ogi-machi, Shirakawa Village, Ono-gun, Gifu
- Area
- Shirakawago, Gifu
1293 Ito, Oshima, Munakata City, Fukuoka
- Area
- Munakata Taisha, Fukuoka
- Activities
- 神社仏閣
8-1-2 Kitaichijo Nishi, chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
- Activities
- 家電量販店
1-1, Ofukacho, Kita-ku Osaka-shi, Osaka
- Area
- Osaka North, 大阪府
- Activities
- 家電量販店
(3-1、2-2、1-3、3-56) 1-chome, Umeda Kita-ku, Osaka
- Area
- Osaka North, 大阪府
- Activities
- レストラン街
9th Floor Promena Kobe, 1-8-1, Higashi Kawaki-chou, Chuo-ku, Kobe,
- Activities
- 温泉
1-1, Chiyoda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Area
- Tokyo Station Area, Tokyo
5101, Imadomari, Nakjin Village, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa
- Area
- Nakijin Castle Ruin, Okinawa