Oyama Shrine (Oyama-jinja) is a unique shinto shrine, located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. The shrine, which is dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, is especially known for it’s unusual, Dutch architecture which was added in the late 1800’s. In 1599, the shrine was established on Mt. Utatsu under the name “Utatsu Hachiman-gu“. It enshrines lord Maeda Toshiie …
Hakata Old Town is a historic area located in walking distance from the busy Hakata Station. The Old Town area contrasts the busy and modern area around Hakata Station by being very quiet and full of ancient temples and old buildings. It’s a great place to enjoy a peaceful stroll in the otherwise busy city …
Omicho Market ( 近江町市場 ) is a large food market in central Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. The market is home to more than 170 shops and restaurants, of which a lot sell seafood, fruits and vegetables. If you want to experience Kanazawa’s amazing, fresh seafood then the highly atmospheric Omicho Market is definitely the place to …
Umi no Nakamichi Seaside Park (海の中道海浜公園) is a huge, all-season family park and day-trip destination located on the Uminonakamichi Peninsula in Hakata Bay, Fukuoka. The park features a large number of attractions aimed primarily at families with children. The attractions of Umi no Nakamichi include numerous flower gardens, a zoo, playgrounds, a water park, sports …
Kanazawa Castle Park in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, is a larger park where the important Kanazawa Castle was located from 1580 to 1871. Today the park contains the few buildings that have survived various fires over the centuries, and a couple of reconstructed buildings which give a sense of the castles style, size and significance. Accommodation …
Tojinbo Cliffs (東尋坊) is a 1km stretch of rocky coastline, found just north of Fukui City in Fukui Prefecture. The rock formations here are famous for their odd hexagonal shapes, making them appear almost man made (in fact they are natural). Tojinbo also has a commercial area aimed at tourists, including an observation tower, several …
Gyokusen’inmaru Garden is a small Japanese garden located by Kanazawa Castle Park in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. The garden is located up against the 22m tall castle wall, and consists of a lake with 3 islands, a waterfall and a circular walking path plus small bridges between the islands. The garden has a small tea house where, …
Maruoka Castle is a small (3-story) Japanese castle located in Maruoka, just north of Fukui City in Fukui Prefecture. It is an old castle and one of only 12 original castles to survive the battles occurring around the Meiji Restoration (1868) and the wars of the following century. This makes Maruoka Castle part of a …
This is a 1-week itinerary for Miyakojima. The itinerary covers a full 7 days, and includes pretty much everything there is to see on the islands of Miyako. Having an entire week available really permits you to experience the relaxed island life. Therefore, this itinerary is less densely packed than the 2-day, 3-day, 4-day and …
With a population of about 738’000, Kumamoto (熊本) is the main city in Kumamoto Prefecture, and the third largest in Kyushu, only surpassed by the cities of Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Kumamoto’s most famous attraction is it’s castle which, until the tragic earthquake of 2016, was the most complete and original of the ancient castles in …
