Marufuku Coffee Sennichimae Main Shop
Once the setting for novels and frequented by famous actors who colored the Showa era screens, Marufuku Coffee Sennichimae Main Shop was once synonymous with Osaka's coffee shop culture.
A nice quiet spot in the middle of the bustle, and the bread was delicious.
Yumekaze Plaza in front of Todaiji Temple Gate
This is a facility consisting of restaurants and retail stores in Nara Park known for its wild deer. It is located in front of Todaiji Temple, famous for the Great Buddha within a walking distance from World Heritage Sites such as Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Mt. Kasuga Primeval Forest, Kofukuji Temple, and Nara National Museum, making it the perfect place to stop by during sightseeing.
The pudding is really popular, and there’s a Great Buddha on top of the bottle cap.
Daisen White Resort
Daisen White Resort is a snow resort located on the northern slopes of Mount Daisen in Tottori Prefecture. The resort is divided into four main areas: Kokusai, Goenzan, Nakanohara, and Uenohara, offering a total of nine diverse courses that cater to everyone, from beginners to advanced skiers.
Its most stunning and truly irreplaceable feature is the incredible view of skiing toward the sea.
When you stand on the snow-covered ridge and get ready to head down, the view suddenly bursts wide open—stretching out before you is the endless Sea of Japan.
Karoichi Tottori Port Seafood Market
Karoichi is a vibrant seafood market set adjacent to Tottori Port (Karo Port) that’s making a splash with the local catch from the harbor. Swing by here for freshly landed, succulent seafood from Karo Port across all year including hatahata fish and mosa shrimp in spring and autumn, premium iwagaki oysters known as Natsuki and white squid in summer, and Matsuba crab in winter.
The happiness of walking in and being surrounded by the smell of the sea is just amazing.
It really makes your eyes light up and your appetite kick in.
This place is right by Tottori Port, and the seafood delivered fresh from the daily catch is unbelievably fresh.
Especially during the much-anticipated Matsuba crab season, it's packed with delicious things to enjoy.
Kurayoshi Shirakabe Dozo Gun
This is a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, where old merchant houses and storehouses built between the Edo and Taisho periods are lined up along the Tamagawa River. The area flourished as the castle town of Uchibuki Castle in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), and during the Edo period (1603-1868), samurai residences were built around the camp, making it a historical area with a beautiful townscape, also known as "Little Kyoto”.
Walking along the stone-paved streets of Kurayoshi Shirakabe Dozo Gun on a weekday, there’s this peaceful feeling, as if time itself has slowed down for you. It’s truly one of the best parts of traveling.
Although it was a little disappointing that some of the specialty shops were closed, on the other hand, that actually made it the perfect time for a slow, relaxed stroll.
Mizuki Shigeru Museum
Mizuki Shigeru wrote one of the most famous manga comics, GeGeGe no Kitaro. His memorial museum is located in Sakaiminato City, his hometown. A 14-minute walk from JR Sakaiminato Station along "Mizuki Shigeru Road" will take you to the museum.
After its full renovation and upgrade in spring 2024, the overall space feels much more open and fluid.
What makes it especially moving is that it doesn’t just showcase the lively, mysterious world of yokai from GeGeGe no Kitaro. Through precious original manuscripts, old photographs, and immersive displays, it also leads visitors step by step into Shigeru Mizuki’s extraordinary life, one marked by many hardships yet always filled with humor and a childlike spirit.
Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary
Stretching across the borders of Tottori and Shimane prefectures, Nakaumi is one of Japan’s premier wild bird habitats, home to about 40% of all bird species recorded in the country. Located on the northeastern shore of this brackish lake, Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary is a 28-hectare wetland reserve designed to provide a safe haven for waterbirds and an ideal spot for birdwatching.
This park sits right next to Nakaumi and has wonderfully wide, calm wetlands and reed beds.
The best part is how thoughtfully it’s designed. The main building, the Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary Nature Center, has large glass walls and indoor viewing seats, and the environment is clean and comfortable. It’s a great place for birdwatching.
Conan Street
This sightseeing street is in Hokuei Town, Tottori Prefecture, the hometown of Gosho Aoyama, the creator of the popular manga series Detective Conan. Stretching for about 1.4 kilometers from Conan Station (JR Yura Station) to the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory, the street is packed with attractions that can captivate visitors of all ages.
Even inside the station, there are Conan-themed train cars, and that instant feeling of being surrounded by mystery and childlike fun is so exciting. If you love Detective Conan, you definitely shouldn’t miss this.
Kanemochi-Jinja Shrine
It is Japan's only shrine with such a fortuitous name. The shrine enshrines Ame-no-Tokotachi-no-Mikoto, Yatsukamizuomizunu-no-Mikoto, and Omizunu-no-Mikoto, the deities of land management, fortune, and nation-building.
If you’re looking for good fortune in money matters, this ancient shrine hidden in the mountains of Hino, Tottori Prefecture, is absolutely a top spiritual spot in Japan for financial luck, winning big prizes, and success in business.
Daisen (Tottori Prefecture)
At 1709m above sea level, this is the highest peak of a polygenetic volcano in the Chugoku District. Selected into Japan’s 100 great Mountains and Japan’s 100 Scenic Places, it is the symbol of Tottori and is designated as the Daisen Oki National Park, which includes the surrounding Hiruzen Area, Oki Island, Shimane Peninsula, and Mt. Sanbe Area.
In winter, the snowy scenery makes this a great destination for skiing.
In summer, the starry sky and the Milky Way make it a wonderful place for camping, slowing down, and taking deep breaths among the stars and the forest.