Yasaka Shrine
The shrine’s deities are Susanoo-no-Mikoto, Kushiinadahime-no-Mikoto, and Yahashira-no-Mikogami, and it is the head shrine of approximately 2,300 Yasaka Shrine and related shrines with Susanoo-no-Mikoto enshrined scattered throughout Japan.
Stopped by after visiting Kiyomizu-dera!
You can really soak up that classic Kyoto vibe here, including the surrounding area!
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 so famous that it gets insanely crowded.
If you’re going to Kyoto, it’s one of the first places you’ll want to hit.
This is an absolute must-see!
Kabukicho
Kabukicho is the entertainment district that sits just steps from the east exit of Shinjuku Station. It’s a major hub for izakaya pubs, amusement centers and nightlife spots to enjoy after hours. With neon signs lit up through the entire night, it’s earned the nickname of “the city that never sleeps”.
The city that never sleeps. A busy entertainment district where tons of people gather.
Maybe there are a lot of foreign tourists? It feels like there aren’t many Japanese people around.
It doesn’t seem very safe, so it’s not somewhere I’d want to go on a regular basis ^^+
Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar
The Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar, operated by Odakyu Electric Railway, is an all-seat limited express train with a history of more than 80 years, having its roots in the "Weekend Onsen Express" that operated non-stop between Shinjuku and Odawara in the 1930s.
Direct from Tokyo to Hakone! I just sat back and rode in comfort, and before I knew it I was at Hakone-Yumoto.
Most Romancecars depart from Shinjuku, but the “Metro Hakone” that runs through to the Chiyoda Line is super convenient too!
Yanagihara Chigusa Garden
This ward-run park sits between the Sumida River and the Arakawa River in Tokyo’s Adachi Ward. The grounds are divided into three themed areas-“Spring Plaza,” “Summer Garden,” and “Autumn/Winter Hill”-each designed so visitors can fully enjoy the seasonal blooms.
A little urban oasis that suddenly pops up in a tight residential area.
Depending on the season, different flowers and plants welcome you! It’s not a huge park, but it’s a precious space where locals can relax and unwind.
Senjujuku Shopping Street
A shopping street located in the heart of Senjujuku, a post town established along the former Nikko Kaido in the early Edo period. In November 2025, four shopping streets unified their names and made a fresh start as Senjujuku Shopping Street.
This shopping street runs north to south and is just a few minutes’ walk from the west exit of Kita-Senju Station. It’s lined with lots of restaurants and prepared food shops.
I keep coming back to Mamekokoro, the coffee bean shop. I also recommend the Don Remy outlet for cupcakes!
Senju Asahicho Shopping Street
Located in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, this lively shopping street stretches for about 500 meters from the north exit of Kita-Senju Station. Adachi Gakuen Junior and Senior High School sits along the left side of the street, which is why the area is also known as Gakuen-dori (School Street). Near the station, the street is lined with many eateries offering great value, popular with students looking for filling meals on a budget. As you walk farther along, you’ll find more long-established specialty shops and independent stores, as well as everyday businesses such as clinics and beauty salons. The shopping street is home to around 140 registered shops in total.
A shopping street that runs straight east from Kita-Senju Station. There are lots of small shops, and it still has that old-school neighborhood vibe.
While many shopping streets around Japan are turning into shuttered ghost towns, this one is still plenty lively, and locals use it as part of their everyday routine.
I’ve heard there are plans to build high-rise condos near the station as part of redevelopment, but I really hope this current atmosphere sticks around! I don’t want it to turn into another bland, generic area you can find anywhere.
Koedo Kawagoe Ichibangai Shopping Street
"Kawagoe," which thrived as a crucial point for transporting food such as rice and vegetables to Edo using the "Shingashi River," still retains its historical charm. The town is lined with traditional storehouses, preserving the vibes of yesteryears. Owing to these traces of the past, it's fondly referred to as the modern-day Little Edo.
Koedo Kawagoe has such an old-school streetscape. Walking around is really exciting!
There are tons of shops lined up on both sides of the main road people use every day (it’s also a bus route).
Traffic is pretty heavy, so be careful not to step too far out into the street!
Teradomari Chuo Suisan Marunaka Shokudo
Teradomari Chuo Suisan Marunaka Shokudo is a Japanese restaurant on the second floor of the fresh fish market at Teradomari Chuo Suisan in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture. It serves fresh seafood dishes run directly by a fish market.
It’s lively and bustling! There’s also a large parking lot nearby, so you can shop and eat without any worries. Eating inside is great, and taking it to go and eating outside is great too!
Drum Gate and Hospitality Dome (Kanazawa Station)
Kanazawa Station, the gateway to Kanazawa, is bustling with visitors as the Hokuriku Shinkansen arrives and departs, making it a hub for Hokuriku tourism. The eye-catching Drum Gate and Hospitality Dome, completed in 2005, are located at the Kenrokuen Gate (East Exit) facing the city center.
A huge, torii-like gate at Kanazawa Station.
It’s even bigger than I expected, and it totally blew me away!
It was raining, so I took photos from under the roofed area.