Himeji Castle
This castle is a World Heritage Site and a Japanese castle masterpiece. The main keep, built by Ikeda Terumasa in the early Edo period, has a five-story exterior, one basement level, and six stories above ground on the inside, making it the largest Edo period castle tower still standing.
Himeji Castle's main keep is the largest and most complete in Japan. It's truly a precious historical site.
Tokyo Disneyland
Known and loved as the “kingdom of dreams and magic”, this full-scale themepark is just a 15 min. train ride from Tokyo Station.
Just a heads-up: No matter where you buy your tickets, you can't enter during special operating hours, like New Year's Eve events or private corporate events!
Nishitetsu Grand Hotel
Nishitetsu Grand Hotel has been representing Fukuoka City since its foundation in 1969. It is located on the corner of Meiji dori and Tenjin Nishi dori, very close to the Tenjin subway station. A door man welcomes guests at the entrance and the hotel has a sophisticated and dignified atmosphere.
Nishitetsu Grand Hotel is in the Tenjin shopping area—such a great location! The room rates are affordable and the breakfast is pretty good too. No wonder it gets such high ratings! 👍
Meigetsudo "Hakata Torimon"
"Hakata Dontaku" is a festival held on May 3 and 4 every year, during which the city bustles with people. The people who parade around in Dontaku costumes, playing the shamisen, flutes and drums are called "Torimon" in the Hakata dialect, and the name "Hakata Torimon" is derived from this.
Hakata Torimon makes a great souvenir—there are so many options, and everyone loves them, no matter their age! The ones made with domestic red beans are especially good, kind of like kusa mochi or mochi with sesame. 👍
Engetsu Island
A landmark of the Nanki-Shirahama area, familiar as the subject of paintings, photographs, and postage stamps. The official name is “Takashima” but it’s commonly called “Engetsu-jima” because of the sea cave (hole) near the center of the island.
Engetsu Island is beautiful no matter when you visit, but it's especially stunning at sunset. You can really see the wonders of nature here.
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.
Eiraku Dam is surrounded by mountains, and the cherry blossoms reflected on the water look just like a watercolor painting. During cherry blossom season, lanterns are hung up at night, lighting up thousands of cherry trees. It's so beautiful and super romantic!
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.
There are so many affordable eats around Sensoji Temple! There’s always a line for the popular snacks like Kagetsudo melon bread, Asakusa croquettes, Asakusa strawberry daifuku, Suzukien, and Asakusa Kuugetsu strawberry dango. Every time I come here, I end up with my hands full of souvenirs—such a great haul!
Japan Mint Bureau Ministry of Finance (Mint Museum)
The Mint Museum converted a building originally built as a thermal power plant in 1911 (Meiji 44). The brick exterior was maintained throughout the transformation to this date. In 1969, the museum opened to the public to display valuable coins and other items stored by the Mint. Later, with the motto of "a people-friendly, environmentally friendly, and attractive museum," the museum introduced the latest techniques to its exhibits and facilities to make it more accessible. As a result, the museum underwent a major renovation and reopened in April 2009.
Every spring, the cherry blossoms around here are absolutely gorgeous, making the beauty of the flowers really stand out. This is a super popular spot for locals in Osaka to visit during cherry blossom season!
Kishiwada Castle
The symbol of Kishiwada, known as the town of "Danjiri", is the residence of the Okabe family Kishiwada clan with 53,000 stones. The shape of the main enclosure and the Ninomaru is similar to the "chikiri" that winds the thread of a weaving machine, so it is also called "Chikirijyo".
The cherry blossoms around Kishiwada Castle are softly lit up at night. It feels so romantic! 💕