Tsuru-Ito Red-crowned Crane Sanctuary
A facility dedicated to the protection and observation of the endangered red-crowned crane. Operated by the Wild Bird Society of Japan, it was established in 1987. In winter, wild red-crowned cranes fly in to forage across the vast 10-hectare grassland, making this a rare spot where visitors can observe their graceful姿 up close.
Tsurui Village is incredibly quiet—you can even hear the wind. The atmosphere is so peaceful and relaxing.
Chicken Ramen Donburi
Chicken Ramen, the once-bagged variety now comes in a cup. It features a light and clean flavor derived from all-original chicken stock and roasted soy sauce. The taste is rich and smooth, featuring fluffy heaps of eggs as its main topping.
The chicken ramen broth is rich and flavorful!
Hokuryu Town Himawari no Sato
Hokuryu Town Himawari no Sato is located in central Hokkaido, Hokuryu Town, and is popular for huge numbers of sunflowers in bloom. In 1979, the Agricultural cooperative staff was so impressed with seeing the sunflower field from which cooking oil is taken in former Yugoslavia, the growing of sunflowers in Hokuryu town started with this episode.
I went out of my way just to see the sunflowers, and it was totally worth it! The whole field of flowers is super impressive. I almost got lost in the sunflower maze because it's so big, but it was a lot of fun. If you love sunflowers, you won't regret coming here!
Kusatsu Onsen Netsunoyu
Yumomi dance along with the Kusatsu-bushi song was originally a special way to bathe that patrons of Kusatsu Onsen used to do. Netsunoyu shows this Yumomi as a tourism attraction while keeping the tradition and the symbol of Kusatsu Onsen.
There are several performances every day, featuring folk songs and traditional cultural experiences. Definitely worth checking out!
Motoise Kono Shrine
The shrine was called Yosanomiya in ancient times, and Toyouke no Okami was enshrined there long before the Ise Jingu Shrine was built. During the reign of Emperor Sujin, Amaterasu Omikami moved to the shrine from Yamato Province and was worshiped there for four years.
This shrine has over 2,500 years of history and feels really grand and majestic.
Kyushu National Museum
Dazaifu, where the Museum stands, is an important hub in Japanese ancient history. It was a place to govern the Kyushu Region where lots of exchanges with the world were taking place. With that background, this 4th national museum was opened in 2005 with the unique concept “Understanding Japanese culture formation in the Asian historical view.”
The entire building is made of glass, and the high ceilings inside make the space feel really open. It's set in peaceful mountains, and you can also visit Dazaifu nearby.