Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) The Ushiku Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Ushiku) is a gigantic bronze statue located in Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and was completed in 1993. At approximately 120 meters in height, it was the tallest statue in the world at the time of its completion (and has since become a landmark that ranks alongside other famous Buddha statues around the world). The interior is hollow...

Sendai Uminomori Aquarium (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture) Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) The Sendai Uminomori Aquarium was established in the Sendai Port area as a hub for reconstruction and exchange following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and opened in 2015. Its exhibits, which showcase the marine environment of Tohoku, centered on the seas along the Sanriku coast, are distinctive...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) The Shirakami-Sanchi Mountains is a vast primeval beech forest area spanning Aomori and Akita prefectures, and was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1993. Fujisato Town is one of the bases on the Akita side, and is an area where primeval beech forests, lush streams, and mountainous regions remain untouched by human hands.

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Takato Castle Ruins Park (Ina City, Nagano Prefecture) is a park developed on the site of Takato Castle, which was built between the Sengoku and Edo periods. It is known nationwide as a famous cherry blossom spot, particularly for its Takato Kohiganzakura cherry blossoms. During the Edo period, it flourished as the castle town of the Takato Domain, and in the Meiji period, the castle...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) The ruins of Hagi Castle (Shizuki Castle Ruins) are the remains of a castle built on Mt. Shizuki in the center of Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. During the Edo period, it was the seat of the government of the Choshu Domain (Mori clan). The Mori clan, who entered Hagi after the Battle of Sekigahara, built the castle, and together with the castle town, it was the center of the domain's administration...

Sapporo TV Tower (Sapporo, Hokkaido) Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Sapporo TV Tower is a landmark tower located at the eastern end of Odori Park in central Sapporo. It was completed in 1957 (Showa 32). It was designed by engineers known for their tower architecture at the time, including Naito Tanaka, and stands approximately 147.2 meters above ground.

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Lake Okutama is an artificial lake (reservoir) located in Okutama Town, Nishitama District, Tokyo. Its official name is the lake formed by the Ogouchi Dam. Ogouchi Dam was built to provide water for Tokyo's water supply, flood control, and power generation. It has served as a water source for the Tokyo metropolitan area, both before and after the war.

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Lake Towada is a caldera lake that straddles southern Aomori Prefecture (Towada City) and northeastern Akita Prefecture. Believed to have been formed by volcanic activity approximately 10,000 to 20,000 years ago, it features a beautiful, nearly circular lake surface and deep blue color. The surrounding area is at a high altitude, with a cool climate and beautiful blue...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Gifu Castle is the remains of a castle and its reconstructed castle tower, located on the summit of Mount Kinka (approximately 329 meters above sea level) in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. During the Sengoku period, it served as a base for the Mori and Saito clans as "Inabayama Castle." In 1567, Oda Nobunaga captured the castle and renamed it "Gifu Castle." The castle is...

Overview (History, Features, and Attractions) Muroji Temple is an ancient temple located in Muro, Uda City, Nara Prefecture, quietly nestled deep in the mountains. Said to have been founded sometime between the Nara and Heian periods, it has a long history as a Shingon esoteric Buddhist temple. Its slender and elegant five-story pagoda (a national treasure) and main hall are particularly noteworthy...