Besides the famous Akiu Onsen, if you are looking to enjoy a hot spring session in Sendai, Sakunami Onsen (作並温泉) is another great option to consider. Although the hot spring town has less exciting things to see and do, the weakly alkaline onsen is gentle on the skin and is nicknamed the Beauty-Making Onsen (美女づくりの湯)!
The Top 10 Places to Visit or Stay in Sakunami Onsen Read More »
If you love whisky and would like to tour around a Japanese whisky factory, jump onto a train and head to Sendai city‘s outskirts and visit Nikka Whisky Sendai Factory (ニッカウヰスキー 宮城峡蒸溜所). The distillery holds factory tours throughout the day to show visitors how their delicious whisky is made. And the best thing is that
Nikka Whisky Sendai Factory: Sendai’s Hidden Gem for Alcohol Read More »
Naha (那覇), Okinawa Prefecture‘s capital, is a city filled with various types of attractions. With a peerless public transportation network, getting around tourist posts in Naha is considered hassle-free. And because the Naha Airport is located close to the city center, you can still fully enjoy what Naha has to offer even on your last
The Ultimate Guide to Okinawa’s Capital, Naha City Read More »
If you are not in a hurry, an activity that you have to try is coral dyeing! While coral fossils seem to be something that can be easily obtained in Okinawa since the island is surrounded by ocean, picking up or buying natural coral is forbidden by law. So there is only one place you
Shuri Ryūsen: Where You Can Experience Coral Dyeing Read More »
Did you know that there is a jungle-like area in Naha City? The area is also incredibly close to Yui Rail’s Shiritsubyōin-mae Station (市立病院前駅) and Gibo Station (儀保駅)! Sueyoshi Park (末吉公園) has a very spacious ground of around 19 hectares. Taking many by surprise, a large part of the park looks just like a tropical
Sueyoshi Park: The Hidden Jungle Park in Okinawa’s Capital Read More »
The Japanese and Chinese cultures and architecture share many similarities, and Naha is probably the Japanese city that has received the most impact from China. In fact, Naha’s sister city is Fuzhou in China. So if you would like to kill two birds with one stone by visiting a Chinese garden in Japan, Fukushūen (福州園)
Fukushūen Garden: The Must-Visit Fusion Garden in Naha Read More »
If people were to ask what is Okinawa‘s most famous shopping attraction, the answer would be Kokusai-dōri Street (国際通り) in Naha! It is hard to believe that the 1.6 km street, now filled with more than 600 shops and businesses, used to be just an unpaved road that stretched through vast fields and wetlands when
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In addition to the buildings in the Shurijō Castle Park, Shikina-en Garden (識名園) was another spot that was registered as a part of the World Heritage, Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryūkyū (琉球王国のグスク及び関連遺産群) in 2000. The villa complex, also a designated Special National place of Scenery Beauty, has architecture and gardens
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A nice spot to stop by after your visit to the Shurijō Castle Park is the Shuri Kannon-dō (首里観音堂). The temple just a 10-minute walk from Tamaudun (玉陵) is one of the six temples around the castle that survived the turbulence in the last 400 years. In addition, the temple that the Ryūkyū imperial family
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It might come to you as a surprise, but there is a spot in Okinawa where it is said that the Goddess of the Sun in Japanese mythology, Amaterasu-Ōmikami (天照大御神), once briefly stopped by before she headed off for Ise (伊勢). And that holy spot happens to be at the side of Naha‘s city center!
Okinogū Shrine – The Site Where the Goddess of Sun descended Read More »
