Grand Park Otaru
Approx. a 5-minute walk from Otaru-Chikko Station. Overlooking Ishikari Bay, this seaside resort hotel connects directly to Wing Bay Otaru, a large shopping and entertainment complex with a movie theater and mall. Rooms, mainly twins, are all at least 32㎡-among the most spacious in Otaru. With 296 rooms across 11 types, choose between ocean and mountain views.
Right next to the Wing Bay Otaru shopping center, so it’s super convenient for grabbing food and shopping.
Mt. Otowa Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Opened in the year 778, the temple was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994. In the 130, 000 m2 area of the precincts spread out on the hillside of Mt. Otowa, there are more than 30 cathedrals and monuments, including national treasures and important cultural properties.
Kiyomizu-dera is one of the must-visit spots in Kyoto.
The scenery and atmosphere are absolutely fantastic and really stand out.
The only downside is the huge number of tourists, which can be the biggest challenge.
Araya Yama Jinja
Araya Yama Shrine has been revered as god of the mountains and industry, which was built in 1534. At the foot of Mt. Fuji, the main hall and the rear hall stand. People tell business owners and entrepreneurs, ”If you don’t want to have trouble with money, visit this shrine.” It is a popular power spot as one of the three shrines for blessings of wealth.
Some people call this a “money-luck shrine,” and a lot of people come here specially to pray for good fortune.
But the location isn’t very convenient. Regular buses don’t come that often, and if you want to visit both the main shrine and the inner shrine, you really have to watch the weather and the season.
Omoide Yokocho
Walk just 2 minutes from the West Exit of Shinjuku Station to find yourself at a retro pub alley. With ticket shops and around 80 different establishments offering delicious food and drinks, it's a great place to enjoy the local cuisine and atmosphere.
The eateries here are really tiny. A lot of them only have counter seats, so you’re packed in shoulder to shoulder and still have to pay a cover charge. It’s really easy to end up spending quite a bit, and it doesn’t feel very good value for what you get.
Sapporo Nijo Fish Market
"Sapporo Nijo Fish Market" is said to have been established in the early Meiji period (1868-1912) when fishermen from Ishikari Beach started selling fresh fish. Today, the market is home to not only fresh fish stores but also fruit and vegetable stores, taverns, etc., and is loved not only by tourists but also by locals as the kitchen of Sapporo citizens.
If you visit Sapporo and skip Nijo Market, you're really missing out. The whole market is super clean and tidy, with no fishy smell at all. Walking around here feels great.
Majime na Tokeiya KAME-KICHI
In Tokyo's Nakano Ward is a luxury brand watch specialty shop called Kame-Kichi. It enjoys a good reputation as a place where popular brands of watches, such as Rolex and Cartier, can be purchased more cheaply than elsewhere. With a regular lineup of about 3,000 timepieces, this shop is top-class.
The prices are way cheaper than in Hong Kong, plus you can get tax-free shopping. Such a great deal!
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
Tanuki Koji Shopping Street, with over 145 years of history is one of Hokkaido’s oldest shopping streets. It’s located in the center of Sapporo, stretching 900 meters from east to west with some 200 different shops. It has an arcade-style covered roofing, meaning you can enjoy shopping, dining, or an easy stroll no matter what the weather.
All the drugstores here are pretty similar, so it's best to compare prices before you buy. Otherwise, you might end up overpaying.