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Golden Statue of Oda Nobunaga
The statue of Oda Nobunaga, a Sengoku period warlord who hails from the city of Gifu awaits just in front of JR Gifu Station. Nobunaga staked a claim on Gifu as his operational base during his quest to unify Japan and is even credited with naming the area "Gifu”.
It was my first time visiting Gifu City, and there are statues of Nobunaga everywhere.
Gifu Castle on Mt. Kinka is definitely a must-see spot.
Tokorozawa Sakura Town
Tokorozawa Sakura Town, located in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, is a complex facility that opened in November 2020. The vast site includes a museum, restaurants, stores, multi-purpose hall, and shrine.
There's a shrine, hotel, cafes, restaurants, and a shopping mall—all designed by the famous architect Kengo Kuma. It's a perfect spot for a relaxing date. The 'Bookshelf Theater' on the 4th and 5th floors has walls lined with bookshelves. If you love books and anime, you could easily spend the whole day here.
Itsukushima Shrine
Itsukushima Shrine stands on the island of Itsukushima, which is also known as the island of gods. It is said that the shrine was founded in 593 by Saeki no Kuramoto, and the 3 goddess “Ichikishimahime-no-Mikoto,” “Tagorihime-no-Mikoto,” and “Tagitsuhime-no-Mikoto” are enshrined there. Famous for granting a wide list of benefits, these three goddesses as are worshipped as the goddesses of the sea, transportation, fortune, and art.
The experience of seeing the Great Torii Gate is totally different at high tide and low tide. It's best to check the tide schedule online before you go. Also, just like in Nara, there are lots of deer living on the island.
Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlet
Kobe-Sanda Premium Outlet is the largest outlet shopping mall in West Japan. The outlet mall is designed as a “open sophisticated town for adults” modeled after Pasadena, a high-class residential suburb of Los Angeles.
This place is huge with tons of brands to choose from. You could easily spend a whole day shopping here. Plus, it's connected to the Aeon mall next door—be careful, your credit card might take a hit!