Tourist attractions--archive--
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Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (Motobu Town, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture)
Overview This large aquarium is located in Motobu Town in the northern part of Okinawa's main island. Its highlight is the whale sharks and manta rays that swim in the expansive "Kuroshio Sea" tank, where visitors can learn about Okinawa's rich marine ecosystem and culture. It's popular with families and divers alike. Highlights: Kuroshio Sea: One of the world's largest aquariums... -
Mount Takao (Hachioji City, Tokyo)
Overview Located about 50 minutes by train from central Tokyo, this hiking spot is located at an altitude of 599 meters. Its lush mountain ranges and ancient temples blend seamlessly together, and it's popular for its seasonal scenery and easy hiking trails. It's a popular tourist destination that can be enjoyed by beginners and families alike. Highlights: There are easy routes via cable car or lift, as well as... -
Mount Koya (Koyacho, Ito District, Wakayama Prefecture)
Overview Mount Koya is a sacred site of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism founded by Kobo Daishi Kukai during the Heian period. It is a religious city with temples, lodgings, and graveyards scattered across the mountain. Characterized by a tranquil landscape where nature and history blend in harmony with the seasons, the area offers a variety of opportunities for worship, ascetic experiences, and cultural heritage tours. Highlights include the Okunoin Mausoleum and memorial towers for warlords of the past... -
Kumamoto Castle (Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture)
Overview Kumamoto Castle is an ancient castle built by Kato Kiyomasa, with its magnificent stone walls and elegant castle tower. Built over 400 years ago, it was damaged in the 2016 earthquake, but has undergone extensive restoration and restoration, and visitors can learn about its history through its interior collections and restored exhibits. It's also a popular spot for its cherry blossoms, fresh greenery, and nighttime illuminations. Highlights: Reconstruction... -
Otaru Canal (Otaru City, Hokkaido)
Overview The Otaru Port Canal, where historic warehouses and stone embankments remain, is a tourist spot where the romantic gas lamps and illuminations at dusk strongly convey the atmosphere of a port town. Attractions: Gas lamps and walking paths along the canal, plenty of photo spots, cafes and souvenir shops housed in historic warehouses, canal cruises... -
Matsumoto Castle (Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture)
Overview: This Sengoku-era mountain castle, with its striking black-painted castle tower, is a designated National Treasure. Its Edo-period appearance is well preserved, and visitors can enjoy its history and scenery through the interior and exterior exhibits, as well as the surrounding moat and gardens. Highlights: View of the castle town from the castle tower, a National Treasure; the upside-down castle reflected in the moat; cherry blossoms and autumn leaves; the steep staircases and weaponry exhibits inside; and... -
Himeji Castle (Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture)
Overview Himeji Castle is a famous national treasure known as the "White Heron Castle," and its white plaster exterior and elaborate defensive structures from the Edo period are noteworthy. -
Shuri Castle Park (Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture)
Shurijo Castle Park is a historical park built around Shuri Castle, the political and cultural center of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Shurijo Castle has suffered repeated damage from war and fire, including the destruction of its main hall in a fire in 2019. However, restoration and reconstruction are currently underway. The red-tiled architecture and stone walled castle are a unique example of Okinawa's culture. -
Ise Shrine (Ise City, Mie Prefecture)
Ise Grand Shrine, affectionately known as "Oise-san," is a special shrine known as the spiritual home of the Japanese people. It consists of 125 shrines, centered around the Inner Shrine, dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, and the Outer Shrine, dedicated to Toyouke Omikami, the deity who governs food, clothing, and shelter. The grounds, surrounded by vast forests and the clear waters of the Isuzu River, are enveloped in a solemn atmosphere... -
Higashi Chaya District (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture)
Higashi Chaya District is a representative tourist destination in Kanazawa that continues to convey the teahouse culture that has continued since the Edo period, and is designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the national government. The streets lined with townhouses with latticed doors are charming, and at night, the lights of paper lanterns light up, giving you a sense of the atmosphere of a former entertainment district...