Otaru Orgel Doh Main Hall
This music box specialty shop has branches in various locations such as Otaru, Hakodate, Furano, Yokohama, Kamakura, and Kyoto. Its main building, which is the main shop, was built in 1915 (Taisho 4) and is designated as a historic building by Otaru City, preserving the remnants of the good old days.
The first floor is filled with endless music boxes, and the second floor has some unique displays. The whole place has a charming vintage European vibe—perfect for photos!
HUB Shinjuku Ward Office Street Branch
The HUB Shinjuku Ward Office Street Branch has garnered plenty of buzz, particularly among the 20s and 30s crowd as a place for a casual drink at easy prices. The pub is complete with mounted monitors so you can keep up with the latest sports, especially soccer and rugby. Inside the HUB it's all about drinks and mingling while watching the game.
Whenever there's a soccer match, I always come here with friends to watch the game and have some drinks! They have a great selection of cocktails, and the place has a real British vibe. Perfect for group dinners, birthday parties, or just hanging out with friends.
HUB Roppongi Store
Get lost in all the British pub atmosphere at HUB Roppongi Store. The menu at this go-to casual hangout lists over 100 varieties of drinks including beer and cocktails in addition to a full line-up of tasty snacks like Fish & Chips. Inside you’ll find the pub is fully furnished with several monitors so you can keep up with your favorite sports while enjoying a drink.
I really love the atmosphere here. They even decorate the hallway with a timeline of history, which is a unique touch!
Ishikawa Prefecture, Former Sono House Garden: Wagashi Making & Tea Ceremony Experience
Known as one of Japan's three major confectionery hubs, alongside Kyoto and Matsue in Shimane Prefecture, Kanazawa boasts a long-loved history of tea ceremony thanks to its history of samurai. Along with this pursuit, a custom of wagashi, classic Japanese sweets, continue to appear in tandem with tea ceremony here. Even today, wagashi remain a staple in celebrations such as weddings and prayers for safe childbirth in Kanazawa, boasting one of the highest consumption rates in the country. Among wagashi, 'nerikiri', a type of unbaked sweet, is particularly delicate and beautiful.
A lot of travelers like to choose these traditional wagashi as souvenirs, but besides buying ready-made ones, there are actually many places in Kanazawa where you can try making them yourself. Highly recommended!
Machi-ya Kanazawa Kikuno-ya: Tea Ceremony and Geisha Experience
Kanazawa's tea house districts, originating in the 19th century, include the Higashi, Nishi, and Kazuemachi areas, still vibrant today. Many travelers to Japan come seeking the chance to meet a real geisha and see teahouse culture for themselves, but chances to do so are still highly exclusive due to the area custom of 'ichigen-san okotowari' (first-time patrons not allowed). In contrast, the Tea Ceremony and Geisha Experience found at Kikuno-ya offers a chance to step into the world of teahouse culture and authentic Japanese tea ceremony.
You can really experience teahouse culture and authentic tea ceremony here! The building is well-preserved, and they offer cultural activities like flower arrangement, Noh chanting, and kimono dressing. It's honestly a great experience.
Renkeiji Temple
Located between Hon-Kawagoe Station and the warehouse-style streets, Renkeiji is a Jodo sect temple with origins in the Muromachi period. During the Edo period, under the devout Buddhist Tokugawa Shogunate, it was recognized as one of the "Kanto Juuhachidanrin," a prestigious Buddhist study center, and was permitted to display the Tokugawa hollyhock crest. The principal image is an Amitabha Buddha statue from the Kamakura period.
There's also a statue of Binzuru in front of Renkeiji Temple. If you touch it, you can pray for good health!
Hachimanzaka Slope
Hachimanzaka, named after the Hakodate Hachiman Shrine that once stood at the top of the hill. The beautiful cobblestone street stretches straight out to sea, lined on both sides by neatly maintained roadside trees, and offers a view of Hakodate Bay and the Mashu Maru, the memorial to the Seikan-Hakodate Liaison Ship, both of which are moored and on display.
Walking along this street, you get to experience the unique parallel slope of Hachimanzaka, paved with stone bricks. The Hachimanzaka I walked on is actually the most popular street in Hakodate. I really recommend coming here to soak up the artsy vibes!
Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward
The Old Public Hall of Hakodate ward, a Western-style building constructed in 1910, underwent extensive conservation and repair work in 2021, restoring it to its original beauty.
Here, you can watch an animation with a 360-degree view that shows what the inside of the building looked like before the renovations. It's a great way to learn more about this important cultural property that blends Japanese and Western styles.
Atami Sun Beach
This beach is a swimmers’ favorite in summer with a dozen firework shows above the ocean. The shore is lined with palm trees along 400m with the beautiful white sand against the blue sky and the waves are calm in the shoal. You will fall in love with this exotic-looking beach.
The beach is really clean, and there are lots of surfers here in the summer.
Natadera Temple
Founded in 717 by Taicho, this is a temple dedicated to the Hakusan faith that conveys Jinenchi (wisdom of nature) to the present day.
The garden scenery inside the temple is really worth taking your time to appreciate.