Park Hyatt Tokyo
Park Hyatt Tokyo, located between the 39th and 52nd floor of the skyscraper “Shinjuku Park Tower” with an iconic triangular roof top, is fairly close to the Shinjuku Station and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
All the rooms are on high floors, so the view is great. Having breakfast while looking out at Shinjuku Gyoen really puts you in a fantastic mood!
Hakone Amidaji Temple
This temple is located in the middle of Mt. Tonomine, a sacred place where Buddhist asceticism was practiced for about 600 years. It is an ancient temple of the Jodo Sect of Buddhism, founded in this area in the early Edo period by Priest Tanzei, known as a Mokujiki Yugyo priest.
This temple is famous for its hydrangeas and is hidden deep in the mountains. The path from the entrance is really steep, so you'll need some stamina and strong legs to reach it.
Shirahige Shrine
Standing in the northwestern part of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, this is the oldest Shinto shrine in Omi, which is said to be over 2,000 years old. The vermilion-lacquered Otorii gate stands in the middle of the lake across Route 161, reminiscent of the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture, and is called the "Itsukushima of Omi”.
The location is pretty remote and not easy to get to. If you want to walk over to the torii gate for photos, be extra careful—there's a lot of traffic on the road.
EDO WONDERLAND
Nikko Edomura is a theme park where guests can experience what it was like in the Edo period (1603-1868) in the present day. The vast grounds are made to look like an authentic townscape, with features like olden highways, inns, shopping streets, ninja villages, and samurai residences. In the dress-up area, guests can change clothes and transform themselves into Edo residents like ninjas, samurai, and feudal lords. Furthermore, there are so many hands-on experiences available to enjoy!
The whole place is filled with Edo period vibes. You can even dress up as a character from a period drama and walk around the park without feeling out of place. It really feels like you're the main character in a time-travel show!
Sanrio Puroland
Guests can meet Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty and My Melody at this indoor theme park. Sanrio characters put on authentic performances like shows and parades that mix stories, dances, and songs together.
The weather wasn't great, but luckily everything here is indoors, so we didn't even need the raincoats we brought 😊