Ameyoko Shopping Street
The Ameyoko Shopping Street, affectionately known as "Ameyoko," stretches approximately 500m between JR Ueno Station and JR Okachimachi Station, with around 400 shops lining the street. It features a variety of businesses, including food and confectionery, clothing, general goods, and jewelry stores.
Ameyoko has awesome food like tekka don, Meat Oyama, and takoyaki. Plus, there are super cheap drugstores and must-buy snacks at Futaki no Kashi & Shimura Store! 👍
Miho no Matsubara Culture & Creativity Center Miho Shirube
It is a facility that conveys the value and charm of Miho no Matsubara, which is registered as a constituent asset of Mt. Fuji World Cultural Heritage, and the importance of preserving Matsubara. Miho no Matsubara pine tree grove and the majestic view of Mt.Fuji are projected in a video theater, and the Miho no Matsubara Matsubara pine tree grove as a scenic spot, as well as the worship of Mt.Fuji, the legend of Hagoromo, which became the setting for Noh, a traditional Japanese performing art, Muromachi period drawings, and Edo period drawings. You can understand Miho no Matsubara through six themed exhibition rooms, such as the relationship with art represented by ukiyoe.
Miho no Matsubara is a place full of both cultural and natural value. There’s the ocean, a beautiful pine forest, and of course, Mt. Fuji. The legendary Hagoromo Pine, where the story of the celestial maiden is told, is here too!
Kakuda Misaki Lighthouse (Hanganfuna Kakushi)
This lighthouse stands on Cape Kakuda overlooking the magnificent Sea of Japan. The observatory at the foot of the lighthouse offers a magnificent view of the horizon. A short climb up the mountain trail behind the lighthouse provides a beautiful contrast between the white lighthouse and the azure sea below, and beyond that, the view is spectacular as far as Sado Island.
Niigata Kakuda Beach has such a great summer vibe! If you love the ocean, just watching the waves here is super relaxing.
Hiyoriyama Park
Located in the center of Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, this park stretches across the 56-meter-high Hiyoriyama area. It is known for the wonderful view from its elevated position and attracts many tourists.
Hiyoriyama Park is really unique and has a long history. You get to see the charming port city views, and it's also a famous spot for cherry blossoms. I totally recommend it!
Mt. Inasayama Observatory
At 333m above sea level, this observatory stands at the top of Mt. Inasayama at the center of Nagasaki City. The observatory with a cafe and restaurant offers a view over Nagasaki Bay, Unzen, Amakusa and Goto Islands.
Inasayama Observatory in spring is amazing—you can enjoy cherry blossoms while taking in the gorgeous scenery. So beautiful!
Tora-no-o Zakura
The "Tora-no-o Zakura" in front of the Kannondō Hall built within its precincts is one of the "Aizu Gozakura", famous cherry trees representing Aizu, along with "Ishibe-zakura" in Aizu Wakamatsu City, "Usuzumizakura" in Misato Town, "Sugino-itozakura" in Sakashita Town and "Oshikazakura" in Inawashiro Town.
The Toranoozakura in front of the Kannondō Hall is definitely worth seeing and remembering. You really have to come here to enjoy the cherry blossoms! 🌸
Eiraku Dam
This dam is rich in nature and has been selected as one of the "100 best places for greenery in Osaka" and "100 best places for water source forests". A circular path is maintained for 2 km around the dam, allowing visitors to enjoy hiking and walking while experiencing nature in each of the four seasons.
During cherry blossom season at Eiraku Dam, the Okuyama-Amayama Nature Park upstream holds a big festival. There are crafts and food for sale, available only during the cherry blossom season!
Sensoji Temple
This iconic destination in Asakusa sees as many as 30 million visitors each year. It stands as a well-loved mainstay in Tokyo, all while hosting a number of annual traditions like the first temple visit at New Years, Setsubun and more across the year.
After passing through Kaminarimon, you'll enter the approach to Sensoji Temple, called Nakamise Street. There are some old shops here, like Kimuraya Ningyo-yaki, a long-established store from the Meiji era, and Ichibanya, which makes senbei grilled over charcoal. These make fantastic souvenirs—highly recommended! 😍
Yamato Museum (Kure Maritime Museum)
A museum introducing the Yamato, the world’s largest battleship during World War II. Visitors can also learn about Kure’s history and science and technology. The 1/10-scale battleship Yamato, the symbol of the Yamato Museum, has been recreated based on original blueprints, underwater survey footage, and crew testimony. It continues to share the importance of peace and the excellence of science and technology with future generations.
On the third floor of the Yamato Museum, there's a hands-on workshop where you can try out ship simulation controls and learn about different science principles related to ships. It's a great place to bring kids—they'll learn a lot and have fun! 👍
Banna Park
The prefectural forest park is located on 230m high Mt. Banna in the center of Ishigaki Island. There are exotic tropical trees, a plaza where children can play freely in the great outdoors, and the best ocean view of Ishigaki Island can be seen from the observatory. There are many butterflies and plants that can only be seen in Yaeyama, making it a paradise for nature lovers.
At BANNA Forest Park, you can see all kinds of plants, and the observation deck gives you a panoramic view of Ishigaki City. You can also see Nagura Bay and Taketomi Island from here—the scenery is fantastic!