Claire Chang's Reviews

Fukuchizan Shuzenji Temple

This temple is located in the Shuzenji Onsen Town, where the scenery is beautiful from season to season. The temple is called Fukuchizan Shuzenji, short for "Fukuchizan Shuzen Bannan Zenji." The temple is also known as the setting of "Shuzenji Monogatari" written by Okamoto Kido, a writer active in the Meiji era.

• Shizuoka
• Shrines & Temples

A peaceful and historic temple.
You can really feel the simple charm of the small alleys here.
Walking around, you get a sense of the dramatic history that took place here...

Try the Dokko-no-yu hot spring—it's legendary!
The Hojo era was full of drama (with Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo Masako's son).
The Five Bridges of Love are romantic and long-lasting.
There's Togetsu Bridge (Love at First Sight),
Kokei Bridge (Admiration),
Katsura Bridge (Connection),
Maple Bridge (Closeness),
and Takishita Bridge (Peace).

It's really worth taking a stroll here and even staying overnight at a hot spring.
On a midsummer night, check out the nearby Red Frog Park—you can see tons of natural LED lights (fireflies)!

On the right side of the temple, there's a pudding shop. I recommend grabbing a pudding and giving it a try!

Amanohashidate

Amanohashidate is one of Japan’s Top 3 Scenic Spots, along with the bay of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture and Miyajima in Aki, Hiroshima Prefecture. Across the length of this 3.6km landbridge you’ll find 5000 pine trees planted across its 20m-170m wide shores.

• Kyoto
• Nature Spots

Amanohashidate means 'Bridge to Heaven.' When you look down from the mountains on either side of the sandbar, it really does look like a pathway connecting heaven and earth.

Highly recommend these spots:

☆ Kasamatsu Park:
Take the cable car from Fuchu Station (about 4 minutes) to Kasamatsu Park for a great view of the sandbar. Don't just ride the cable car—be sure to stroll along the pine forest path too!

☆ Looking through your legs:
For over a thousand years, locals have bent over and looked at the bay between their legs to enjoy the most beautiful view. This pose is called 'Matanozoki.' When you're here, try this fun local tradition!

☆ Rotating Bridge:
This bright red bridge rotates 90 degrees to connect Amanohashidate Park. Whenever a boat needs to pass, the bridge turns, lets the boats through, and then rotates back so people can cross again. The whole process takes about 5 minutes—it's really interesting and worth seeing in person!

Thatch Roof Fuki-kae Experience

The thatch roofs of Miyama are characterized by soft rounded curves and a beautiful and even configuration that extends to the edge. It is necessary to do a "fuki-kae" to replace the "kaya" of the roof once every 20 years. Experience the Satoyama lifestyle through the "fuki-kae" process that is filled with the wisdom and sense of beauty of people's lives.

• Kyoto
• Experiences Facilities

A peaceful mountain village.
Every visit here leaves me feeling refreshed and relaxed.
You can get here from Kyoto by train!

The unique architecture features wooden houses with thatched roofs. The walls, doors, and windows are all made from wooden planks—no nails or metal, just thick straw ropes holding everything together.
The sloped roofs help snow slide off easily, and the rooftops even use special shrine-style features to prevent snow from piling up.

Miyama's thatched village houses are of the Kitayama style, blending different traditional Japanese designs. They're built to withstand heavy winter snow and still show off Kyoto's delicate architectural beauty.

The countryside here is super simple and pure, with no commercial activity at all. These are real homes, so you really get a sense of the quiet, rustic lifestyle people used to have, living deep in the mountains, cut off from the world.
It's a different vibe compared to Shirakawa-go or Ouchi-juku.

☆ Scenery in all four seasons:
Spring: gentle breezes and fresh greenery
Summer: lush green mountains and sprouting rice
Autumn: cool winds and golden rice fields
Winter: snowflakes falling, peaceful and white

☆ There are a few cafés and small restaurants in the village:
Cafe Miran
Cafe & Gallery Saika
Sakaya Pizza Cafe
Kichinojo (sells bread)
Soba Restaurant Kitamura (next to the parking lot)

Juhyo (Rime) in Zao (Yamagata Prefecture)

Zao in Yamagata Prefecture is one of the largest mountain resorts in the Tohoku region. In winter, Zao is a mecca for winter sports, and many tourists come to enjoy the "juhyo," or tree ice formed by snow and ice on the trees.

• Yamagata
• Nature Spots

Zao's 'snow monsters' (Juhyo) are amazing!

I've visited Zao about five times with tour groups, and this was the luckiest trip—clear blue skies and the mountains full of snow monsters welcoming us. It was so unique and fun.
I'd love to visit during the nighttime illumination and see the mysterious snow monsters at night. Highly recommend checking out the night view if you can!

To enjoy these beautiful snow monsters, you need to take two ropeways:
First: The Sanroku Line (Juhyo Kogen Station)
This is a large ropeway that takes about 7 minutes (fits 53 people).

Second: The Summit Line (Jizo Sancho Station)
Then, transfer to a round ropeway (like the ones in Maokong), which takes about 10 minutes (fits 18 people).
There's a ski area at the bottom, and lots of visitors take the ropeway up and ski down from Juhyo Kogen Station!

※ The temperature at the top ranges from 0°C to -10°C. Be sure to bring hand warmers, gloves, scarves, earmuffs, a warm hat, and a thick down jacket.
There's a café next to the summit station—perfect for a warm drink and a quick break.

Canal City Hakata

On the vast 43,500m² premises, a shopping mall, movie complex, theater, amusement park and two hotels cluster. Its symbol, a 180m-long canal, crosses along the center of the space lined with colorful buildings.

• Fukuoka
• Commercial Buildings

When you visit Fukuoka, most tourists check out Canal City Hakata.
You can also catch the water fountain show here!
At night, there's a fountain show with lights and sound effects, plus a 3D projection mapping show.

If you're looking for food, head to Ramen Stadium on the 5th floor for authentic Japanese ramen—there are 8 different ramen shops, each with their own regional flavors.

Every time I bring a group here, I always introduce them to the most popular ramen: Ichiran Ramen. It's on the north basement floor of Canal City Hakata, and it's a huge favorite among Taiwanese visitors.
Add a soft-boiled egg—it's so delicious! Highly recommended.
If you like spicy food, try their special spicy sauce (it's got a real kick!).

And here's something unique: This is the only Ichiran Ramen in all of Japan that serves ramen in a square bowl!

Oga Peninsula

In northwestern Akita, a peninsula rich in nature sticks out into the Japan Sea. It is known nationally for Namahage of Oga which was registered as an UNESCO iIntangible Cultural Heritage in 2018. Namahage of Oga is a traditional event that takes place in over 80 areas of Oga Peninsula on the new year’s eve.

• Akita
• Famous Places

The Japanese pronunciation of Oga is (O-GA).
Oga Peninsula is in Akita Prefecture, Tohoku, jutting out into the Sea of Japan. It's not very easy to get to, so it still keeps its unique local customs.

I led a tour group to Tohoku and stayed at a hot spring hotel by Lake Tazawa in Akita. During dinner, someone suddenly appeared wearing a fierce mask, straw clothes, holding a knife and a wooden bucket, and scaring everyone with a deep, raspy voice.
That's when I learned about the Namahage legend in Tohoku. It was fascinating, and now I always share this fun story with my tour groups when we visit.

Actually, Namahage is kind of like Santa Claus, but the opposite. One rewards good kids, while the other warns and scolds lazy or naughty children—and even reminds adults to work hard and not slack off!

I'm looking forward to visiting Oga Peninsula again next time I'm in Akita, Tohoku...

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

Kotohiragu Shrine has always been a sacred place in the hearts of Japanese people—everyone should visit at least once in their life. Located halfway up Mt. Kotohira in Kagawa, Shikoku, it used to be called Konpira Daigongen. Back in the Edo period, even though travel was restricted, people were still allowed to visit shrines, so it was always crowded with worshippers.

This shrine is said to be the toughest to visit in Japan because you have to climb 1,368 steps...
In November 2019, I brought a group here and told myself I had to take on the challenge! (The toughest climb I’ve done before was the 999 steps at Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie.)

There’s a trail here, so it’s a bit easier.
365 → 785 → 1,368
From the main approach to the main shrine, you climb 785 steps. If you want to go to the inner shrine, you climb another 583 steps, for a total of 1,368.

Along the way, I rushed up with five group members—we were determined! The path from the main shrine to the inner shrine gets quieter and more secluded as you go. When we finally reached the inner shrine, all six of us were super happy! After such a tough climb, you have to buy an omamori (good luck charm) to prove you made it to the top—1,368 steps!

We did the round trip: 1,368 x 2 = 2,736 steps.
It felt amazing, like we absorbed the energy of the place. We made it in a limited amount of time! If you’re in Shikoku, you have to come to Kotohiragu Shrine for an energy-boosting trip!

Because it’s so hard to visit, sometimes people ask others to go on their behalf—or even send their dogs! The dogs carry a bag with their owner’s name, offering money, and food for the journey. Travelers along the way take care of the dogs and help them reach the shrine. Over time, these dogs became known as 'Konpira Dogs.'

There’s a bronze statue of a Konpira Dog to honor them. Next to the main shrine, you can even get a Konpira Dog fortune slip. Don’t forget to draw one for good luck when you visit!

[Main Shrine Route]
Monzenmachi → First Slope (113 steps) → Main Gate (365 steps) → Konpira Dog Statue (431 steps) → Restaurant 'Kamitsubaki' (500 steps) → Sagenoki Gate (642 steps) → Shitomochi Shrine (739 steps) → Main Shrine (785 steps)

[Inner Shrine Route]
Main Shrine (785 steps) → Mai Bridge (809 steps) → Tokiwa Shrine (832 steps) → Shiramine Shrine (923 steps) → Chozuya (1,261 steps) → Okusha (1,368 steps)

Takachiho Gorge

Takachiho Gorge is a narrow v-shaped chasm made over thousands of years by the Gokase River’s erosion of Mt. Aso’s volcanic rock. This spectacular place is surrounded by cliffs that average 80 meters in height (reaching up to 100 meters) and extend along for 7 kilometers. Takachiho Gorge has been designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty.

• Miyazaki
• Nature Spots

Miyazaki is a place full of myths, especially stories like 'Tenson Korin' and 'Ama-no-Iwato.'
'Tenson Korin' is about Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, who came down here to rule the world. The first Japanese emperor, Jimmu, is said to be a descendant of Amaterasu.

Takachiho Gorge was formed by lava from Mt. Aso cooling rapidly and being eroded by the Gokase River, creating this stunning V-shaped valley.

You can stroll here for about 40 minutes to an hour.
When you visit, you have to try the local specialties:
- Nagashi somen (flowing noodles)
- Rowboat ride through the gorge
You can also ride the Takachiho Amaterasu Railway, which takes about 30 minutes (10 trips a day, 30 people per trip).

Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle is the famous castle built by Kiyomasa Kato in 1607. It was built using the latest, cutting edge techniques at the time and was the setting of many important moments in Japan’s history.

• Kumamoto
• Tourist Attractions

Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan's three great castles. It was built in 1607 by the famous warlord Kiyomasa Kato and became the Kato family's residence.

The castle is famous for its steep stone walls called 'Musha-gaeshi,' which were said to be impossible for even ninjas to climb. It also played a major role in the last civil war in Japan, the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, where Saigo Takamori himself praised how difficult it was to capture.

Despite its strength, the castle has suffered from natural disasters like fires and earthquakes. The 2016 earthquakes caused significant damage, and full restoration is expected to take 20 years. Even during the pandemic, Kumamoto Castle has been working hard to recover, and by 2022, it reopened for visitors. The castle features both a large and small main keep, which is quite rare.

I've visited Kumamoto Castle several times (2013–2016) and really love the vibe of this city. It has the energy of a big city but still feels down-to-earth. Kyushu is great to visit year-round—cherry blossoms in spring, ginkgo trees in autumn.

If you're in Kyushu, don't miss the chance to see Kumamoto Castle up close. It's absolutely worth a visit! Also, check out Sakuranobaba Josaien nearby, a small castle town area where you can experience local food, history, and culture.

Highly recommended 👍
There's a centuries-old ginkgo tree in front of the main keep, known as 'Ginkgo Castle.' It's said that Kiyomasa Kato himself planted it. The original tree was burned during the Satsuma Rebellion, but the current one grew from new shoots after the fire.