Yee Ming's Reviews

Tenkyōkaku

This villa was built in August 1908 during Prince Arisugawa Takehito’s travels through the Tohoku region, after he was captivated by the beauty of Lake Inawashiro. When Crown Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taishō) visited the following September, it is said that the villa was named Tenkyōkaku after a line in a poem by Li Bai: “The bright lake reflects the heavens like a mirror” (Ming hu luo tianjing). As a former imperial villa, it is the northernmost of its kind in Japan and was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 1979.

• Fukushima
• Museums

Sakurajima Visitor Center

Situated just a 10-minute walk from the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal, the Sakurajima Visitor Center is the perfect place to learn about Sakurajima and Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park, a coveted destination classified as part of the Sakurajima-Kinkowan Geopark. Drop in for videos, dioramas, interactive exhibits, and a deep look into the island’s unique nature and history.

• Kagoshima
• Museums

Former Furukawa Gardens

The gardens were built as the residence of Toranosuke Furukawa, the third head of the Furukawa conglomerate. Taking advantage of its location on the slopes of the Musashino Plateau, a Western-style mansion was built on a small hill on the north side, and a Western-style garden was placed on the pitch, while a Japanese-style garden was placed on the lower ground.

• Akabane, Itabashi
• Parks & Gardens

Kinugawa Onsen

Kinugawa Onsen, located in the upper reaches of the Kinugawa River in Nikko City, is one of the most popular hot springs in the Kanto region. It was discovered during the Edo period, when it was the domain of Nikko's shrines and temples, and at that time was available only to feudal lords and priests on their way home from worshiping in Nikko.

• Tochigi
• Hot Springs & Hot Spring Resorts

Ghibli Park

Whisk away into the whimsical world of Studio Ghibli at the world’s one-and-only destination complete with 5 areas: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke Village and Valley of Witches.

• Aichi
• Amusement Parks & Theme parks

NAGO PINEAPPLE PARK

This theme park, established in 1992, specializes in pineapples. Visitors can appreciate pineapple fields, colorful flowers, and jungle-like plants, and learn about the history of pineapples in Okinawa through lectures and materials about pineapples.

• Yanbaru, Nago, Motobu
• Amusement Parks & Theme parks

Ena Gorge

This artificial lake was created by damming the Kiso River with the Oi Dam about 100 years ago. Both sides of the canyon are lined with strange and monstrous rocks, creating a breathtaking view of the canyon. In spring, about 200 cherry trees bloom in the Sazanami Square, and the lake is vividly colored with fresh greenery in early summer and colored leaves in autumn. The lake is also a popular spot for bird watching, with mandarin ducks, starlings, and a variety of migratory birds flying in during the winter, making it a great place to enjoy the seasonal scenery.

• Gifu
• Nature Spots

Terasaka Tanada(Rice Terrace)

This is one of the largest terraced rice fields in Saitama Prefecture that offers a unique Japanese rural landscape. The total area is about 5.2 hectares, of which about 4 hectares are rice fields.

• Saitama
• Nature Spots

Takao Plum Village

Takao Plum Village consists of eight plum groves: the Plum Tree Road starting from Kamikunugida Bridge over the old Koshu-kaido road, Sekisho plum grove, Tenjin plum grove, Arai plum grove, Yunohana plum grove, Surusashi plum grove, Kogesawa plum grove, and Kobotoke plum grove, and it takes about 1.5 hours one-way to walk through them all.

• Tachikawa, Hachioji, Machida
• Nature Spots