The former capital city of Japan, Kyōto, is a treasure house for holy buildings such as shrines and temples. This time we will talk about one of the most famous landmark of this city and Japan itself, the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine! What’s special about the Fushimi Inari? In Japan’s Shintō …
Gunma Prefecture is famous for the Three Mountains of Jōmō. Each one of these mountains, namely Haruna-san, Akagi-yama and Myōgi-san host respectively a shrine with the same name: this time we will talk about Haruna Shrine, located at the foothills of Haruna-san. What’s special about Haruna Shrine? Haruna Shrine is located in …
If we talk about the sea in Southern Japan Okinawa comes to our minds, but there are other fascinating islands besides the main one: Miyako-jima, close to Yonaguni Island (the southernmost territory of Japan), is one of them. What’s special about Miyako-jima? Miyako-jima is located about 290 km south from Okinawa main island. Among its neighbors we can find Ikema, Oogami, Shimoji and Kurima islands. The latter one and Ikema Island are connected to Miyako-jima by a bridge. Miyako-jima has a tropical climate, it is therefore possible to enjoy the sea charm from February to November (beware of typhoons during the rainy season). In Miyako-jima some of the beautiful beaches of Ryūkyū Islands are located. Yonaha-mae Beach is probably the most popular one in the Island. You can relax and have fun strolling on the white sand and do some snorkeling. This has been chosen as number one on Tripadvisor’s “Top 20 beaches of Japan” for two consecutive years, 2010 and 2011. Sunayama Beach is a gorgeous place too: located on the western coast of Miyako-jima, its name is thought to come from the white sand laying on the shore. Here you can see a natural stone arch. Painagama Beach is the easiest to reach bathing spot from Miyako City. There are several lodging structures and restaurants a few steps from Hirara town central area, so it’s a place where tourist and locals come to take a break. The name “Painagama” doesn’t sound Japanese, it is Miyako-jima dialect indeed: it is thought that “pai” indicates “south” while “nagama” means “long beach”. Very close to the Yoshino Coast, in the Southern part of the Island, there is a coral reef, therefore you can enjoy snorkeling here. By swimming only 5 meters from the coast you can already see coral! Many tropical fishes swim in the water, like Chaetodon Auripes, Chromis Notata, and Zanculus Cornutus. Not far from here there is a place called Agari-Hennazaki if you read in Okinawan, or Agari-Byaunazaki according to Miyako-jima dialect. You can learn much from the top of the light house with a panoramic view of 320 degrees around the island and the sea. Thanks to this view this spot is famous to behold the rising sun and it’s on the “best 100 city parks of Japan” list. How …
Aoshima is a small Island in Shouthern Kyūshū‘s Miyazaki prefecture: here you can feel the tropical atmosphere of this region. What kind of place is Aoshima? Aoshima isn’t far from Miyazaki City, the main city of Miyazaki Prefecture. Its area is about 4.4 hectares wide, with a perimeter of 860 meters. The island is …
In 2013, Japan’s first symbol Mount Fuji has finally been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since then, Mount Fuji has been getting more popular in and outside the country. The Fuji Go-ko are five lakes located by the mountain’s feet! The five lakes of Mount Fuji Mount Fuji takes …
Matsushima, located in Miyagi Prefecture, is one of Tohoku Region’s most visited spots: it is one of the the three most famous landscapes of Japan, together with Amanohashidate, in Kyōto Prefecture. and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture. What’s special about Matsushima? Miyagi Prefecture’s Matsushima is reachable in 30 minutes by train from Sendai’s urban area. While …
Kagoshima, the main southernmost city of Kyūshū Island, is symbolized by its active volcano “Sakurajima“, one of the most famous landmarks of this region. What’s special about Sakurajima? Thanks to its mild climate, the geographic conformation with the volcano and the strong dialect, Kagoshima is often related to Naples (Italy). The two …
Minoo Park is one of the most appreciated places to enjoy the colorful spectacle of the autumn foliage. Ōsaka Prefecture is the second smallest subdivision of Japan, after Kagawa. Even so, in this narrow part of the country, the bustling Ōsaka can still leave space for mountains and a rich nature. …
For the first time we are going to talk about Yamagata Prefecture! Here lays a mountain which faces on the Shōnai plain, a fascinating region that makes you feel like going back in time: here’s Mount Haguro! What’s special about Mount Haguro? Mt. Haguro is, together with Gas-san and Yudono-san, …
If we would be askwd about a typical spot in Hyōgo Prefecture many of us would surely answer “Kōbe”, mentioning places like Arima Hot springs, Kinosaki Hot Springs, or Himeji Castle. In this article we are going to introduce another recommended, yet not so well known spot in Hyōgo: the …
