It’s especially awesome at night. With the lights and all the chatter, it totally has that Japanese nightlife feel.
Harmonica Alley | Review by Derek Ho
Other Reviews by Derek Ho
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Kushiro City Red-Crowned Crane Natural Park (Kushiro Japanese Crane Reserve)
Doors flew open in 1958 at this esteemed park founded to protect and increase the population of red-crowned cranes, a designated Special Natural Monument of Japan. Once on the brink of extinction, the reserve successfully implemented artificial hatching and advanced breeding techniques that saved the species.
Seeing the red-crowned cranes in winter is especially awesome. The snowy scenery with those white cranes just feels so Japanese.
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Yanagawa River Cruise
Located in southern Fukuoka Prefecture, Yanagawa is known as a city of waterways, with a network of canals dating back to the Edo period. Its main attraction is a river cruise through the city aboard a donko-bune punt. Listen to the boatman's commentary and songs while taking in the seasonal scenery and enjoying a leisurely journey.
Most of the boatmen will sing or give explanations (mainly in Japanese).
Even if you don’t understand, it still feels quite charming.
Rain, extreme heat, or cold will definitely make the experience less enjoyable, especially in summer when it gets so hot you start questioning your life choices. -
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gashacoco Ikebukuro
Just about a 2-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station, “gashacoco Ikebukuro” is a specialty shop dedicated to capsule toys. With a sales floor of about 150 tsubo (about 495 m²), it boasts around 1,500 capsule toy vending machines. The lineup spans a wide range of genres, including anime characters, Heisei retro, and food motifs.
I was trying to get an anime character, but I ended up with some super weird food designs instead. It was honestly so funny 😂
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