Ibusuki Onsen (Ibusuki City, Kagoshima Prefecture) — Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Ibusuki Onsen is a hot spring resort town located along the coast of Ibusuki City, Kagoshima Prefecture. Its charm lies in the scenery at the southern tip of the Satsuma Peninsula and its warm climate. It has long been known as a therapeutic hot spring resort, and developed as a hot spring resort after the Meiji period. It is particularly known for its sand baths...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Awaji Yumebutai is a complex located in Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture, designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando. Following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995, it was developed with the aim of restoring the lost natural environment and revitalizing the region. The terraced landscape makes use of the terraced land facing the sea...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Toba Aquarium is a large, historic private aquarium located in Toba City, Mie Prefecture. It opened in 1955. Set against the backdrop of the lush Ise-Shima ocean, it features a wide variety of creatures, from coastal creatures to rare deep-sea fish, marine mammals, and jellyfish. The variety of creatures kept and exhibited is extremely...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Kobe Luminarie is a festival of light symbolizing the repose of the souls of those affected by the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and hope for recovery. It began as a memorial to the victims of the disaster and a prayer for the city's revitalization. It is held annually from early to mid-December in the area surrounding the former foreign settlement and Higashi-Yuenchi Park. It features Italian...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Takasaki Hakue Daikannon is the common name for the white Kannon statue and its surrounding grounds located in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture. The Kannon statue, clad in white robes, is an object of worship for local residents and visitors, and is also a beloved landmark of Takasaki.

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) The Shimanami Kaido is a strait crossing route with a total length of approximately 70 km, connecting Onomichi (Hiroshima Prefecture) on Honshu with Imabari (Ehime Prefecture) on Shikoku. Its official name is the Nishiseto Expressway (Nishiseto Expressway/Shimanami Kaido), and the entire route opened in 1999.

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Obuse Town in Nagano Prefecture is a small town in northern Shinano known for its chestnut-based sweets, Edo-period merchant culture, and ties to the ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai. The townscape of the wealthy merchants who flourished from the Edo to Meiji periods has been preserved...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Rice Field Art (Inakadate Village, Aomori Prefecture) is an art form in which different colored rice varieties are systematically planted in rice paddies to create large patterns and designs. It began with the aim of revitalizing the region and promoting tourism. Its large scale, which uses the entire village, and the patterns that change as the rice grows...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Sugamo Jizo-dori Shopping Street is a popular shopping street in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, commonly known as "Grandma's Harajuku." Along the roughly 800-meter street, traditional Japanese sweet shops, delicatessens, pharmacies, clothing stores, restaurants, and more line the streets, making it a popular shopping destination for older people.

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) The Kyushu National Museum is a national comprehensive history museum located in Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and opened in 2005. As the fourth national museum in Japan after Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara, it focuses on the theme of "exchange" and explores the history of Kyushu's long-standing ties with East Asia.