Kakunodate, or Kakunodatemachi (角館町), is a town in Akita Prefecture that is known as “Michinoku no ko Kyoto (みちのくの小京都)”, or “Northeastern’s Little Kyoto”. The town used to be the home of the samurai stationed at Kakunodate Castle back in the Edo period (1603 – 1868). Even now, traces of the presence of the samurai remain […]
Kakunodate Town – The Little Kyoto of Northeastern Japan Read More »
While Kakunodate isn’t the most well-known cherry blossom destination in the Tōhoku Region, it is highly recommended. In addition to the cherry blossom in the town center, the cherry trees also lined the Kinokinai River (桧木内川) for two kilometers! Moreover, the cherry trees’ foliage also paints the town in vivid color when the temperature starts
The Cherry Blossom and Fall Foliage Spots in Kakunodate Read More »
If you visit Sendai between late February and late March, head to Tsutsujigaoka Tenmangū Shrine (榴岡天満宮) to adore the lovely plum blossoms. Just like all the Tenmangū shrines in Japan, Tsutsujigaoka Tenmangū enshrines Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真). Because plum blossom is Michizane’s favorite flower, plum trees are planted here and there in the shrine’s precinct.
Tsutsujigaoka Tenmangū and the Plum and Cherry Blossoms Read More »
Just like its name, the houses where samurai used to reside are lining up on Bukeyashiki Street (武家屋敷通り) in Kakunodate! A couple of these 200-year-old traditional houses are open to the public. Finding the differences in the construction of the houses between the home of top-ranked samurai, middle-ranked samurai, and lower-ranked samurai can be really fun!
Bukeyashiki Street – Kakunodate’s Perfect Spot for History Buffs Read More »
If you like Japanese traditional gardens and the country’s magnificent castles, Okayama City, a 45-minute train ride away from Osaka, is an ideal destination for you to visit. Not only is Okayama Castle one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles, but its garden was chosen to be one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan!
The Complete Guide to Okayama Castle and Kōrakuen Garden Read More »
The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter (倉敷美観地区), also known as Japan’s “Little Venice”, is a historical area comprising classical Japanese architecture with a few outside influences such as the Ōhara Museum of Art, which looks like a Greek temple. It is situated along the Kurashiki River in the Okayama Prefecture. The Kurashiki River was originally used
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While the famous Kōrakuen Garden in Okayama was chosen to be one of the Three Greatest Gardens in Japan, we really think Kōkōen Garden (好古園) deserves a lot more publicity overall. Compared to Kōrakuen, Kōkōen Garden in Himeji has a lot more features, including nine small unique gardens that were constructed in line with Edo
The Best Guide to Kōkōen – Himeji Castle’s Stunning Garden Read More »
Nowadays, many Japanese castles have been included in the World Heritage Register. But, when it comes to the ranking determined by the Japan Castle Foundation, there can only be ONE castle that is ranked first place. Himeji Castle (姫路城) in Hyōgo Prefecture was nicknamed the White Heron Castle or Shirasagi-Jō (白鷺城) in Japanese because the
Himeji Castle – The Most Elegant Castle in Japan Read More »
