Keiō Amusement Passport
Centered around the Keio Line connecting Shinjuku and Hachioji, and the Inokashira Line connecting Shibuya and Kichijoji, Keio Electric Railway operates four train lines in the area. With the Keiō Amusement Passport in hand, visiting the three major amusement parks along these lines gets even easier: Yomiuriland, Tokyo Summerland, and Sanrio Puroland.
You can buy the pass right at the major stations along the Keio Line, and it’s really easy to use.
Echizen Soba no Sato
A multi-purpose facility operated by Takefu Seimen, founded in the Taisho era and marking its 100th anniversary in 2025, and known as the birthplace of Echizen soba. Enjoy carefully crafted Echizen soba made from buckwheat grown on large company-owned farms in Fukui and Hokkaido and milled in-house.
They specialize in handmade soba with a clean, light flavor. The buckwheat aroma really stands out, and the noodles have a firm texture without being mushy. The dipping sauce isn't overly salty either.
It doesn't try to be fancy, but you can tell they take soba seriously. If you're in the mood for a simple bowl of soba that goes down easy, this place probably won't disappoint.
Nagasaki Prefectural Saikaibashi Park
Spanning across Sasebo City and Saikai City in Nagasaki Prefecture, this park boasts the iconic Saikaibashi bridge.
The scenery here is stunning! You get amazing views of the big bridge and the deep blue sea. In spring, you can see cherry blossoms, and in autumn, the fall leaves are gorgeous. It’s perfect for a walk, picnic, or just relaxing—a really peaceful spot!
Toyama Glass Art Museum
The museum houses a collection of over 400 pieces of contemporary glass art from Japan and abroad, mainly from the 1950s onward. Located in the six-story Toyama Kirari complex, the museum serves as a center of communication in the "City of Glass," introducing the appeal and possibilities of glass expression and its various forms of beauty.
The whole building has an amazing design. There are so many types of exhibits, and every glass artwork is incredibly detailed.
I-YOKAN SHIKA SHINAI！
A famous confection from Ehime prefecture. Madeleines made from a moist batter that contains sweet and sour iyokan. By added concentrate iyokan juice to the batter, giving it an expressive juicy mouthfeel and the refreshing taste unique of iyokan. Also, by mixing the finely chopped iyokan peel into the batter, you can really feel the taste of the source ingredient.
I absolutely love this flavor! The madeleine is so moist, and the tangy citrus taste is just perfect. Pairing this cake with coffee really brings a sense of happiness!
Azabudai Hills
Azabudai Hills, is the megaplex hub that opened in Azabu in November 2023 with some 150 shops for fashion, culture, and unbeatable food across its floors. The central plaza and halls throughout feature fresh greenery and wide open, luxe vibes to bring you the best of dining and shopping.
This is honestly a great place to spend half a day or even the whole day. There are delicious restaurants, and you can check out the teamLab immersive digital art or visit a gallery to walk off your meal. Then, grab a coffee and a snack—such a relaxing and happy day!
Uji City Botanical Park
Located in the hilly region of the southwestern part of Uji City, this botanical park spans approximately 10 hectares. At the park's entrance, the "Tapestry of Flowers and Water" stands proudly as Japan's largest terraced flower bed. With a width of 62 meters and a height of 18 meters, this magnificent display features 3,675 planters.
During cherry blossom season, Uji City Botanical Park is the perfect spot to get up close to the soft pink blossoms stretching right over the walkways. You really feel connected to the flowers here!
MIHO MUSEUM
It is an art museum standing in the green mountains of Shigaraki located in the southern part of Shiga prefecture. It houses about 3,000 pieces of ancient art from Egypt, Greece, Rome, West Asia, South Asia, and China, as well as Japanese art such as Buddhist art and tea ceremony art. About 250 of them are exhibited at all times.
The collection here is impressive, but what really moved me was the museum building itself and how it blends with the surrounding scenery!
ROKKO Forest Sound Museum
The ROKKO Forest Sound Museum, located on top of Mt. Rokko, is a museum exhibiting a collection of antique music boxes, automatic organs, and karakuri dolls made in Europe and America from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Visitors can enjoy automatic performances of music based on seasonal themes in the popular program "Concerts without Performers.
Turns out there are music boxes set up all around the park. Just pull the string gently and they'll start playing automatically. You can also order food and eat outside on the benches, enjoying the 'sounds' while you eat. Super relaxing and soothing!
Minoo Falls
The name "Minoo Ohtaki" (Minoo Falls) comes from the resemblance of the cascading waterfall to the farming tool "Mi". The waterfall has been selected as “One of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan”, and the beautiful scenery can be enjoyed throughout the year. In 1986, Minoo Park, where Minoo Falls is located, was selected as “One of the 100 best Forests for Forest Relaxation Therapy”.
This is the best spot near Osaka to see autumn leaves.