Gina C's Reviews Page 6/12

Rikugien Gardens is best known for its weeping cherry tree. Every cherry blossom season, when this enormous tree is in full bloom, pink flowers cascade down its branches like a waterfall of blossoms, creating a truly dreamlike scene!

Rikugien is a traditional garden filled with Japanese charm. Besides admiring the cherry blossoms, you can stroll along the garden paths and enjoy the elegant atmosphere of a classical garden. The soft pink blossoms against the surrounding greenery create layers of beautiful scenery!

When traveling in Nagoya, if you're planning to visit Osu Shopping Street, you can also stop by the nearby Osu Kannon Temple! Osu Kannon is a well-known temple in Nagoya. Its official name is Kitanosan Shinpukuji Hoshoin Temple. It has a long history and is also an important local center of worship. The temple's most striking feature is its red exterior, which, together with the solemn atmosphere, makes you want to stop and admire it as soon as you approach.

Besides shopping and trying all kinds of food at Osu Shopping Street in Nagoya, you definitely shouldn't miss Japan's classic street snacks! This time, I bought taiyaki at the shopping street. It's shaped like a cute sea bream and looks appetizing. Walking through the bustling shopping street and looking for tasty food along the way is one of the great pleasures of traveling in Japan.

I had planned to visit the Miyama Folk Museum in Miyama, Kyoto, to learn about the history and everyday culture of the area's traditional thatched-roof houses. Unfortunately, it happened to be closed this time, so I couldn't go inside, which was a little disappointing! Still, just walking around the village of Miyama gives you a strong sense of the Japanese countryside.

Miyama's most distinctive feature is its traditional homes with thatched roofs. Together with the surrounding forests, mountains, and natural scenery, they make you feel as though you've stepped into an old village where time has stood still.

Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto is one of the city's most iconic historic sites and is as famous as Kinkaku-ji. Although it doesn't glitter like Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji has an understated, elegant beauty and is filled with the spirit of Japanese Zen. As soon as you enter the temple grounds, you can feel the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere.

The temple's most distinctive features are the Ginshadan, made of piled white sand, and the tall Kogetsudai. Their simple shapes are full of artistic beauty. Together with the surrounding gardens, moss, and green trees, the entire scene looks very elegant, making you want to slow down and take in the beauty of the Japanese garden.

The railroad crossing in front of Kamakurakōkōmae Station is an iconic location from the anime Slam Dunk! I'm sure many people immediately think of the scene in the opening where Sakuragi Hanamichi and Haruko meet as soon as they see this place. As one of the classic locations from Slam Dunk, it's definitely worth making a special pilgrimage here!

The blue ocean is right next to the crossing, and with the Enoden train slowly passing by, the whole scene is filled with the youthful feeling of a Japanese anime, as if you've actually stepped into an animated world. There are also many visitors who come specifically to take photos. Everyone wants to capture the iconic moment when the train passes, and seeing this familiar scene in person is truly exciting!

I bought Meiji Macadamia Chocolate in Japan, and as a chocolate lover, I really couldn't pass it up! The outside is coated in rich milk chocolate, with a macadamia nut inside. The combination of chocolate and macadamia nut is so flavorful!

The most appealing part is the beautiful view of Kobe Harbor. You can see the red Kobe Port Tower from afar, and together with the boats on the water and the surrounding buildings, it creates a distinctive harbor landscape.

When visiting Kobe, I highly recommend making time to walk around Kobe Harborland. You can not only enjoy shopping but also experience the relaxed pace of this port city.

Jozankei Onsen in Hokkaido has the distinct atmosphere of a hot spring town throughout its streets. Walking along the Toyohira River, you can see hot spring inns and unique little shops. The streets aren't too busy, making it a pleasant place to stroll and slow down to enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Along the way, you'll also find foot baths that are characteristic of hot spring towns. When your feet get tired, you can sit down, soak them, and enjoy the warm hot spring water.

At Jozankei Onsen, we could see colorful carp streamers hanging above the river from the car. They looked very cute fluttering in the wind and added a lively atmosphere to the otherwise quiet hot spring town.

Looking out along the gorge, the carp streamers swayed in the wind between the mountain scenery and the hot spring town, creating a scene that felt very characteristic of spring in Japan.