Traveling further south from Seta no Karahashi Bridge (a bridge that appeared in many historical took place) in Ōtsu City, you will find Ishiyama-dera (石山寺). The temple is one of the three Kannon sanctuaries in the Heian period (the other two are Kyoto‘s Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺) and Nara‘s Hase-dera (長谷寺)). Another title earned by the temple […]
Ishiyama-dera: The Stunning Kannon and Literature Sanctuary Read More »
At the west shore of Lake Biwa on the Hira Mountain Range (比良山系), the Biwako Valley (びわ湖バレイ), situated at an elevation of 1,100 meters, is a famous ski resort in Kansai. From spring to autumn, it is also a well-known mountain resort. In addition, in July 2016, a long-waited observatory called Biwako Terrace (びわ湖テラス) was
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When you arrive at Aomori, if you are looking for a destination where you can enjoy the nice hot springs of Japan and magnificent ocean views at the same time, take a short train ride to Asamushi Onsen (浅虫温泉), northeast of Aomori’s city center. Moreover, you can indulge in abundant negative ions in the forest
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While the world was panicking about the once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, in March 2021, Aomori Prefecture proudly welcomed another world heritage title. The Sannai Maruyama Special Historical Site (三内丸山遺跡) that completely overturned the understanding of the Jōmon civilization was registered as a part of Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (北海道・北東北の縄文遺跡群) as a World Heritage.
Japan’s New World Heritage Sannai Maruyama Historical Site Read More »
If you are looking for a stunning place to visit in Japan that hasn’t been commercialized and has an abundance of nature, consider dropping by Kinasa in Nagano Prefecture! The quaint village is just around an hour away by bus from the city center of Nagano. It is also adjacent to both Togakushi and Hakuba,
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Okususobana Valley (奥裾花渓谷) is one of the most scenic spots in Nagano. Located in Kinasa Village‘s north, the picturesque valley was chosen to be one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan. Especially in October, when the 5 km valley is decorated with vivid fall color, it receives numerous visitors for the masterpiece created by mother
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Takashima City (高島市), northwest of Shiga Prefecture, is a trove of photogenic spots. There is a torii gate standing in the ocean-like Lake Biwa, a 4 km long cherry blossom road, a garden full of lilies covering a part of a mountain, and much more! The city is less than a 45-minute train ride from
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Ōsaki-ji (大崎寺) is a temple standing at the cliff in the middle of the 4 km Kaizu Ōsaki‘s cherry blossom road. It was erected by the revered monk Taichō (泰澄) in 702. At the time, it was a branch temple of Nara’s Kōfuku-ji (興福寺) and had as many as 39 monks’ temple quarters around the
Ōsaki-ji: A Temple at the Cliff of a Cherry Blossom Road Read More »
You probably all know about the great torii gate standing in the sea in Miyajima/Hiroshima, but did you know you don’t need to travel all the way down south for a similar view? Just north of Kyoto in Shiga Prefecture, Shirahige Shrine (白鬚神社) is another shrine in Japan that has its torii gate in the
Shirahige Shrine and the Torii Gate in Lake Biwa Read More »
Nagahama, the second biggest city in Shiga Prefecture, is rich in history and nature. Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s success in becoming the leader of Japan in the second half of the 16th century was said to have started from here. The city at the northmost of Shiga Prefecture is next to both Fuki and Gifu Prefecture, making
Nagahama: The City Where Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Legend Begins Read More »
