Nagamegawa Pontocho Hana
Nagamegawa Pontocho Hana is ideally located just a minute's walk from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station and Keihan Gion Shijo Station, right along the Kamo River in the historic geisha district of Pontocho. This restaurant offers a modern take on traditional Kyoto kaiseki cuisine.
Every dish was carefully prepared, offering both amazing flavors and beautiful presentation.
Hiroshima Botanical Garden
Spanning a vast 18.3 hectares, this botanical garden gathers about 200,000 plants from around 10,000 species worldwide. The "Great Greenhouse," a symbolic feature of the garden and among the largest in Western Japan, showcases a year-round bloom of colorful flowers, primarily orchids, creating a tropical atmosphere.
There are so many different kinds of plants here—it's a great spot for a family outing.
Daisen Makiba Milk no Sato
Daisen Makiba Milk no Sato is a leisure facility located within the Daisen Pasture, offering views of the famous Mount Daisen. Operated by the Daisen Dairy Agricultural Cooperative, known for its Shirobara milk, the facility allows visitors to see cows grazing up close in the pasture area. The restaurant serves dishes rich in homemade milk, butter, and cream, along with ingredients sourced from Tottori Prefecture.
You can try fresh dairy products made right here, like milk, cheese, and ice cream. Watching the cows relaxing on the green grass just feels so peaceful.
Ginzan Onsen
This hot spring resort was developed along with the Nobesawa Silver Mine which prospered in the Edo Period. After the mine was closed, it was turned into a therapeutic onsen resort until a flood destroyed it in 1913. By early Showa Period, local businesses have helped restore the village close to the current landscape with western-style wooden multi-story buildings on either side of Ginzan River.
Ginzan Onsen is surrounded by stunning mountains and peaceful nature. It's such a relaxing and refreshing place to visit.
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
Fushimi, located at the south gate of Kyoto City, is one of Japan’s three major areas producing Sake; the others are Nada in Hyogo Prefecture and Saijo in Hiroshima Prefecture. Many brewers’ buildings have white colored-walls around this area, which gives the area a traditional brewer’s atmosphere from the Edo period.
It was nice to quietly enjoy some sake and pass the time.
Kankaiji Onsen Hot Spring
This hot spring resort, which has existed since the Kamakura period (1185-1333), is located on the upper slopes of the Asami River, which flows from Mt. Tsurumi into Beppu Bay. The area offers a panoramic view of Beppu City and Beppu Bay, and there are many hot spring inns with open-air baths with spectacular views.
The open-air hot spring at Suginoi Hotel was fantastic! I soaked three times during my stay.
Ryusei-no-Taki Falls・Ginga-no-Taki Falls
The Ishikari River is a first-class river that flows through the central-western part of Hokkaido and empties into the Sea of Japan. Sounkyo, located along the Ishikari River, has a large gorge with many waterfalls falling from the cliffs over a distance of 24 kilometers. Two of the most beautiful waterfalls are "Ryusei-no-Taki Falls・Ginga-no-Taki Falls."
Ryusei and Ginga Falls are iconic spots in Sounkyo Onsen. One is powerful and dynamic, while the other flows gently—they each have their own vibe. There's a shop next to the parking lot where you can buy fruit to enjoy back at your hotel in the evening.
Daisetsuzan Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway
Located at the center of Hokkaido, Daisetsuzan, a mountain range of eight volcanos, is called the ‘’god’s playground.” One of them is Mt.Kurodake, rising 1,984m above sea level. A nature hike along alpine plants and Ezo chipmunks in spring and summer, gorgeous fall foliage in autumn, and ski or snowshoe hike in winter. Daisetsuzan is fun to visit throughout the year.
I specifically booked a night at Sounkyo Onsen, but the next morning the ropeway was closed due to heavy snow and wind. That was a bit disappointing. 😭
Kaiyukan
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020, this aquarium is located in Osaka. The aquarium, which recreates the natural environment surrounding the Pacific Ocean, is home to a total of 620 species and 30,000 living things.
No need to worry about the weather here, which is awesome! 👏