みのさん's Reviews Page 1/4

Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado

Doors are wide open at this brand new mega-retailer, opened at the Jingumae intersection between Harajuku and Omotesando in April 2024. Step inside to find nine different floors from basement to 7th floor rooftop terrace, complete with 75 shops and restaurants to browse, plus a public bathhouse, gallery, library, and so much more.

Aoyama, Omotesando, Harajuku
Commercial Buildings

7 May 2026 See More

I recommend the public bath on the basement level. You can rent towels, and amenities like body soap, shampoo, conditioner, and hair dryers are provided, so you can stop by empty-handed.

It’s an easy way to casually experience Japanese sento culture for under JPY 1,000. There’s also a shop, so you can enjoy a beer or ice cream after your bath.

Hachinohe Art Museum

A municipal art museum that reopened after renovations in November 2021 as a core facility in Hachinohe City’s vision of becoming an “art city.” The museum’s biggest feature after the renovation is the “Giant Room” that opens up from the entrance. This huge space, with a ceiling height of Approx. 18 m, can be freely arranged with movable shelves and partitions.

Aomori
Museums

13 Mar 2026 See More

A beautifully designed art museum that has won numerous architectural awards. Its concept centers on encounters and learning, and one of its distinctive features is that the layout can be changed using curtains and movable shelves.

Be aware that it is closed on Tuesdays.

Also, the curry and chai at the curry shop very close to the museum are excellent, so it might be worth stopping by.

Kakegawa Kachouen

Kakegawa Kachouen is a hands-on theme park where you can enjoy interacting with birds in a garden filled with a diverse array of flowers. The large all-weather glasshouses are temperature and ventilation-controlled so that you can have a pleasant time in any weather or season. You can see 1,000 rare birds of about 100 species and flowers in full bloom all year round.

Shizuoka
Zoos & Aquariums

4 Feb 2026 See More

You can get really close to the birds and actually interact with them. It feels like you’re stepping into the birds’ home as a guest.

The flowers are beautifully in bloom too, and there are tons of photo-worthy spots! When I visited, the lotus flowers were blooming and they were gorgeous.

I was especially moved to see a shoebill—famous for barely moving—actually walking around.

Tokyo Opera City

This complex facility is home to offices, a concert hall, an art gallery, theaters, restaurants, and shops, all next to Hatsudai Station, just one stop from Shinjuku Station.

Shinjuku, Okubo, Yoyogi, Yotsuya
Museums

29 Jan 2026 See More

I go to the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery a lot because I really like the exhibition themes and the way everything is curated.

Another nice perk is that with an exhibition ticket, you can also see the permanent collection and the feature corner for emerging artists.

It also seems that if you show your ticket, some of the restaurants in Opera City offer discounts or other deals.

Mori Art Museum

Roppongi Hills is the landmark in the international, sophisticated city, Roppongi. In the Roppongi Hills, Mori Tower’s highest 53rd floor hosts the Mori Art Museum. Roppongi Hills’ concept is “Cultural Center of the City.” This art museum has an important role as a place for people to share the culture of the era.

Akasaka, Roppongi, Azabu-Juban
Museums

29 Jan 2026 See More

I personally love the exhibition themes and the curation, so I come here regularly.
They’re open late, which is great—you can just swing by after work.
Highly recommended for contemporary art lovers.

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.

Hyogo
Tourist Attractions

29 Jan 2026 See More

This gorgeous castle, also known as White Heron Castle, is absolutely worth seeing!
They even have manhole covers with designs inspired by the castle and the egret orchid (the flower of Himeji City), so keep an eye on the ground too.
In the bar district near the station, I tried the local sake Yukihikoyama.
It’s always fun to taste the local booze when you travel, right? It was delicious.

Kotohiragu Shrine

The head shrine of Kotohira Shrine stands on Mt. Zozu. It is visited by about 4 million worshippers a year. The main deity, Oomononushinokami, has been known since before the Middle Ages as a guardian deity of maritime traffic and a deity that brings a bountiful harvest and prosperity of industry and culture.

Kagawa
Shrines & Temples

29 Jan 2026 See More

Once you make it up all 785 steps, an amazing view is waiting for you. Wear comfortable shoes!

On the approach, there’s a long-established candy shop called Ike Shoten. The owner, Mr. Ike, really knows the history of Konpira-san, so if he happens to be in, you’re lucky—try chatting with him and asking questions. The fruit candy you can eat there is also worth trying. As a souvenir, I recommend Kamiyo-ame (かみよあめ), which comes with a mini mallet so you can take the good fortune home and share it with everyone.

Like the article mentioned, I heard you’ll have some good luck if you can float a 1-yen coin in the water jar near Asahisha, so it’s a good idea to bring a 1-yen coin.

After your visit, I also recommend stopping by Donzo Brewing (呑象ブリューイング) to quench your thirst with a Kotohira craft beer.

Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine

Dazaifu Tenmangu is the head shrine of 10,000 different shrines across Japan dedicated to the spirit of Sugawara Michizane. Sugawara was an acclaimed scholar who was deemed innocent posthumously after being exiled to Dazaifu by Kyoto’s Imperial Court. The main hall was built over his grave and has been preserved as a sacred site of Tenjin worship for over 1100 years.

Fukuoka
Shrines & Temples

13 Dec 2025 See More

This is a famous shrine dedicated to the god of learning. Back when I was a student, I used a special pencil from Tenmangu Shrine and wished to pass my entrance exams (and I did!).

When I visited, the main hall was a temporary structure, but it was designed by the same architect who created the Grand Roof Ring for the Osaka-Kansai Expo. The building blended beautifully with the surrounding plants.

There are lots of different omikuji (fortune slips), but the "water omikuji," where the writing appears when you dip it in water, is especially fun.

As for local specialties, I really like the ume-no-mi hijiki from Etoya. It goes perfectly with rice!

Hitachi Station

Hitachi Station on the Joban Line of JR East, facing the Pacific Ocean, is the central station of Hitachi City. The current station building, completed in 2011, is impressive with its beautiful all-glass structure. The design was supervised by Hitachi-born architect Ms.Kazuyo Sejima, winner of "The Pritzker Architecture Prize.", also known as the Nobel Prize in Architecture.

Ibaraki
Tourist Attractions

13 Dec 2025 See More

The sunrise over the ocean here is a must-see. Wrapped in orange light, the whole moment feels incredibly blissful. I definitely recommend waking up early to experience it!

Homangu Kamado Jinja

Kamado Jinja is a shrine with over 1350 years of history. It enshrines Tamayori-hime, who has been worshipped as a kami (Shinto god) of marriage since ancient times.

Fukuoka
Shrines & Temples

29 Nov 2025 See More

Within the grounds of Kamado Jinja, there's a shrine dedicated to Muso Gonnosuke, the founder of Shinto Muso-ryu Jojutsu, a traditional Japanese martial art. During the Ryuso Festival held in September, you can watch impressive performances by practitioners of the staff and sword who come from all over Japan.

There was also a café near Kamado Jinja that had kawara soba (a specialty from Yamaguchi Prefecture) on the menu, possibly inspired by Demon Slayer, since it was served on a roof tile. It was delicious!