Japan Tokyo Nightlife and Travel Information

Airasia X fly to Osaka from November 2011

2011-08-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

Airasia X, the long haul low-cost affiliate of AirAsia, will begin flying to Osaka, its second destination in Japan after Tokyo from Nov 30, 2011.

The airline will fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Kansai International Airport in Osaka from 30 November 2011 onwards with four non-stop weekly services.

The Osaka service will be operated on the Airbus A330-300 aircraft with a configuration of 12 Premium Flat Bed seats and 365 economy seats.

This flight is absolutely a good news for tourist who has a big desire to explore Japan but limited in budget. Airasia X has been known for its low cost flight.

Why choose Osaka ?

Osaka is Japan third largest city, and has a great combination between the modern skyline and traditional Japan house.

Osaka’s highlights include Osaka Aquarium, the famous shopping and entertainment district of Minami, Osaka Castle and Sumiyoshi Taisha - one of Japan's oldest shrines. The city is also a gateway to historical Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital renowned for its beautiful temples, shrines and Gion geisha district; and the port city of Kobe, both of which are less than 30 minutes away by train.

Photos of Osaka taken from Airasia Facebook :

Mount Hakodate Ropeway and Night View

2011-06-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

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Mount Hakodate (函館山) is a mountain in Hakodate, Hokkaido famous for the specatular views from the mountain. Mount Hakodate is a 334 meter high, wooded mountain with a nine kilometer circumference at the southern end of the peninsula on which much of central Hakodate is located. Its location allows an unobstructed view of both the city and the Tsugaru Strait.

Using Mt Hakodate Ropeway (a kind of Gondola) with 125 persons, passenger can view a beautiful Hakodate port and the city streets of Hakodate to Tsugaru Strait an Shimokita Peninsula. When the weather is fine, you can see the Onuma Park and Mt. Komagatake, as well as the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture in the distance.

The night view from the peak is said to be one of the three best in the world with Naples and Hong Kong, and the summer Hakodate Port Festival fireworks, the winter bay area Christmas illumination, and other events provide a beautiful scene of the city being gradually lit up, and it is truly a “million-dollar night view.”

Mount Hakodate nighlife view is also among the best night views in Japan, together with Nagasaki's Mount Inasa and Kobe's Mount Rokko.

Since 1964, Mount Hakodate has been assigned National Reservation for Birds and Animals; there are about 600 species of plants, and about 150 species of animals reside in Mount Hakodate. Also there are the memorial monuments of a zoologist Thomas W. Blakiston, who discovered a distribution limit of Japanese animals in Tsugaru Strait, and a topologist Tadataka Inoh, who published the first surveyed map of Japan. There are souvenir shops, a restaurant with the finest view, and an events hall where 12 monitors produce a multi-vision presentation that introduces the four seasons of Hakodate.

The ropeway to the peak of the mountain departs from the Motomachi District, a 5 minute tram ride from JR Hakodate Station. Alternatively there is a direct bus from the station to the peak during the warm seasons of the year. There is also a hiking course to the top that takes about an hour. The cable car station is about ten minutes walk from "Jujigai" streetcar stop. The Mt. Hakodate Ropeway station is situated near the top of the Nanbuzaka-slope; the Nanbuzaka-slope lies next to the city hall branch office of Suehiro-cho (old Marui-Imai department store). The cable car, which rides 125 people, departs every five minutes in rush time.

Mt Hakodate Ropeway

ACCESS TO MT. HAKODATE
By ropeway
The Hakodateyama Ropeway departs from the Motomachi District. The ropeway's lower station can be reached in a 10 minute walk from the "Jujigai" tram stop (3rd station, 5 minutes, 200 Yen from Hakodate Station) or by direct Hakodate Bus from Hakodate Station (10 minutes, 230 Yen, every 30 minutes in the evening only).

The cost for a ropeway ticket is 1160 Yen for a round trip and 640 Yen for a one way trip. The ropeway operates from 10am to 10pm (until 9pm during winter, from 9am during the Golden Week and summer holidays).

By Bus
From late April to mid November, direct buses by Hakodate Bus operate between Hakodate Station and the summit of Mount Hakodate every evening, taking 30 minutes and costing 360 Yen for the one way journey. Day passes are valid on this bus. There are departures every 20 minutes. Fewer departures in autumn.

By Car
There is a toll free road to the summit of Mount Hakodate. However, the road gets closed to individual car traffic in the evenings between 17:00 and 22:00 from late April to mid October.

Mt. Hakodate Ropeway Fares

Adult : 640yen (One Way), 1,160yen (Round Trip)
Child : 320yen (One Way), 590yen (Round Trip)

Mt. Hakodate Photos :

Mt Hakodate at Day

Mt Hakodate at Night

Mt Hakodate Ropeway

Mt Hakodate Ropeway

Mt Hakodate Ropeway

Mt Hakodate Souvenir Shop

Mt Hakodate Restaurant Genova
From the top of Mt Hakodate you can see a dreamlike world unlike any other place in the world. The views are spectacular and it is the most comfortable observatory restaurant you'll find at the 2nd floor of the building named "Genova".

Watch Cable car ride up to Mt Hakodate Video here

Shopping at Gotemba Premium Factory Outlet

2011-06-02T02:01:00.000-07:00

Visiting Tokyo (or Japan) will not complete without doing some shopping. Tokyo is the world fashion place, and there are also a lot of department stores and shopping centres. Although shopping in Tokyo will damage you a lot of money, but Tokyo is still world well known shopping paradise for its Shibuya, Ginza, Shinjuku, Daikanyama, Harajuku.

If you want to try something different shopping place and at a cheaper price, then you can visit Gotemba Premium Factory Outlet.

Gotemba Premium Outlet (御殿場プレミアムアトレット)

Gotemba Premium Outlet actually is the most famous popular outlet mall, located in Gotemba City near the foot of Mount Fuji. However, it is quite far from Tokyo central and will take more than 2 hours by train and bus.

Gotemba Premium Outlet is the biggest factory outlet stores in Japan with total area of 350 thousands meter squares, with about 200 outlets stores ranging from international top designer brands to local famous brands.

The goods here are 30%-40% off the normal retail price, if it is during sale seasons, the pricing will fall even to 70% off! By the way, it is very near to Hakone, so you can stop by here after your Hakone trip on the way back to Shinjuku.

Gotemba factory outlet is an upscale outlet mall which housed many international top designer brands like Armani, Balenciaga, Banana Republic, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent and many more. But the real good bargains from sportswear brands Nike, Adidas and Puma that will make your trip worthwhile!

Introducing some famous outlet stores in Gotemba Premium Outlets here:

1. Beams Outlet

If you are the Beams fans, you must not miss out the outlet shop here as it is the largest Beams outlet in Japan, it has all brands in Beams Group, the goods sale here are so many and you need to search it slowly, you will definitely get what you want with a very value bargain price.

2. Nike Outlet

The biggest Nike Outlet and has everything about Nike. So you will not miss out any cool gears and clothing if you are Nike fans!

3. Vivienne Westwood

It is not usual to see Vivienne Westwood setup outlet to sell the products, but you will find it here in Gotemba Premium Outlets. It has promotion and discount for old season fashion goods and apply some new arrival promotions for latest season fashions.

How to get Gotemba Factory Outlet

The Gotemba Premium Outlets are located on the outskirts of Gotemba City not far from Hakone. A free shuttle bus operates every 20 minutes between the mall and JR Gotemba Station, stopping at the Tomei-Gotemba IC (interchange or expressway exit) along the way.

There is a free shuttle bus service which operates from 9.30am to 10.40pm at 20 minutes interval. It picks up passengers from JR Gotemba Station (Otome Exit) via Tomei Gotemba Interchange to Gotemba Premium Outlets.

1.From Shinjuku Station
By Bus: At Shinjuku Station West Exit, board the Odakyu Hakone Express Bus to Gotemba Premium Outlets (approx. 100 minutes). Return ticket price: $2800 yen (adult), $2000 yen (kid)
By Bus: At Shinjuku Station’s New South Exit, board Gotemba Premium Outlets Liner (approx. 95 minutes)
By Train: At Shinjuku Station, board the Odakyu Line “Romance Car” Express Train Asagiri (approximately 95 minutes) to reach.

2. From Tokyo Station
By Bus: Tokyo Station’s Yaesu South Exit, board the Gotemba Premium Outlets Liner (approx. 85 min.)
By Bus: Tokyo Station’s Yaesu South Exit (Bus Stop No.1) board the Tomei Highway Bus (approx. 100 min.).

3. From Hakone
At Gora Station board the bus to Hakone Sengokubara (approx. 30 min.). At ?board Hakone Sengokubara to Gotemba Premium Outlet.

4. From Yokohama
At Yokohama Station’s Yokomana, East exit, board the Fujikyoko where you can get Gotemba Premium Outlets Yokohama Shopping Bus Tour. (approx. 90mins)

Gotemba Premium Factory Outlet

Watch Shopping at Gotemba Premium Factory Outlet Video here

8.8 Earthquake and Tsunami hits Sendai and Tokyo

2011-03-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

A big earthquake followed with deadly Tsunami has just rock Japan, especially at Sendai, Honshu Island on March 11th 2011. The biggest earthquake, 8.9 magnitude, to hit Japan in 140 years struck Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that pounded the country’s east coast and prompted advisories along Canada’s West Coast.

A 10-meter tsunami was observed at Sendai airport in Miyagi prefecture, which has been flooded, with waves sweeping along cars and buildings as they traveled inland.

Bullet train services to northern Japan were halted, rapid transit services in Tokyo were suspended and some nuclear power plants automatically shut themselves down.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan believed that there had been no radiation leaks to the best of his knowledge and in a televised address, he extended his sympathy to the victims of the disaster and said an emergency response headquarters had been set up.

Tsunami warning soon be released to more than 20 countries including Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Don't play and estimate the Tsunami hits. Still fresh in our mind a massive Tsunami crashed Aceh, Indonesia last 2004 and killed more than 100.000 peoples.

How many victims in Sendai Tsunami ?

Hundreds were believed to be dead following the disaster, and the extent of the destruction along a lengthy stretch of Japan’s coastline suggested the toll could rise significantly.

The Red Cross in Geneva said the wall of water was higher than some Pacific islands and a tsunami warning was issued for almost the entire Pacific basin.

Another unnerving report was that the Japanese government had ordered the evacuation affecting 2,000 residents near a nuclear plant in Fukushima.

Earlier the government declared an atomic power emergency but said no radiation leaks were detected among its reactors. The plant had shut down but a reactor cooling system failure had led to the evacuation order.

The quake was the biggest since records began 140 years ago, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. It surpasses the Great Kanto quake of Sept. 1, 1923, which had a magnitude of 7.9 and killed more than 140,000 people in the Tokyo area.

The 1995 Kobe quake caused $100 billion in damage and was the most expensive natural disaster in history. Economic damage from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was estimated at about $10 billion.

Sendai and Tokyo Tsunami and Earthquake

Watch Japan Sendai Tsunami and Earthquake at (March 11, 2011) Video here

Kabuchiko Tokyo Red Light District at Shinjuku

2011-03-06T00:50:00.000-08:00

Everyone who goes to Tokyo must not miss Shinjuku. As well as Shibuya, Shinjuku is very identic with Tokyo, famous for its skycrapers and high building. Shinjuku is a paradise for shoppers. It has more department stores than anywhere else in Japan. The most famous are Takashimaya-Times Square, Isetan, Mitsukoshi, Marui, My City and Odakyū.

The Shinjuku station is one of the most important junctions in the whole transport system: it is estimated more than 2 millions people travel by the three underground lines, the two private urban railways and the JR railways each day.

Big electronics shops are only more numerous in Akihabara. But Shinjuku boasts the biggest of them, such as Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera.

Music lovers will find their happiness at Tower Records. Note that the Shinjuku branch of HMV closed in January 2010.

Shinjuku Red light District Kabukichō 歌舞伎町

Kabukichō (歌舞伎町?) is an entertainment and red-light district in north east Shinjuku beyond Yasukuni-dōri Avenue. For those who want to seek a night life pleasure or just to have a drinking establishments, then Kabukicho is a must.

Kabukichō is the location of many hostess bars, host bars, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the "Sleepless Town" (眠らない街). The district's name comes from late-1940s plans to build a kabuki theater: although the theater was never built, the name stuck.

It is Shinjuku's entertainment district par excellence and one of the hottest places in Tokyo, with hostess bars, adult video shops, soap lands (massage parlours), strip bars and love hotels.

Kabukicho is very famous for its hostess bars, make it Tokyo most famous bars besides at Ginza, Roppongi, and Akasaka.

Kabukicho Photos :

Kabukicho Bar

Kabukicho DVD Shop

Hostess Club

Kabukicho Red Light District

Kabukicho Street

Watch Kabuchiko Red Light District at Tokyo, Japan Video here

Miyazaki famous beach and resort at Kyushu

2011-02-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

Miyazaki (宮崎市) is the capital city of Miyazaki Prefecture, located on Kyushu Island. Different with another regions in Japan, Miyazaki has a good climate. With one of the warmest climates on the main islands of Japan combined with attractions such as resorts, beaches and sports facilities.

Tourism has been focused on in Miyazaki City, utilizing its southern-island atmosphere, centered on the Phoenix Seagaia Resort: a total activity facility housing hotels, golf courses, and hot springs.

Miyazaki City is also near attractions such as Takachiho to the north and Kirishima to the southwest, which are both important sites of Japanese mythology and beautiful places to enjoy nature.

Miyazaki Downtown

Visiting Miyazaki means visiting its beach. Miyazaki has so many beautiful beaches, some of them are Aoshima Beach, Sun Beach Hitotsuba, Shirahama Beach, Urashiro Beach, Kumanoe Beach, Sumie Beach, Odotsu Beach, Isegahama Beach.

Miyazaki Attractions and things to do

1. Miyazaki Shrine & Environs

The most important shrine in town is Miyazaki Shrine (Miyazaki Jingu), 2-4-1 Jingu (tel. 0985/27-4004), located about a 10-minute walk west of JR Miyazaki Jingu Station. It's dedicated to the first emperor of Japan, Emperor Jimmu, a somewhat mythical figure who established the Yamato Court in 660 B.C. and is believed to be the ancestor of every reigning emperor since.

2. Heiwadai Park

About a 15-minute walk northwest of Miyazaki Shrine is Heiwadai Park, where you'll find the Peace Tower, built in 1940 in celebration of the 2,600th anniversary of the mythological foundation of Japan; it purportedly contains artifacts that once belonged to the first emperor.

3 Haniwa Garden

At the far end of Heiwadai park is the Haniwa Garden, a collection of over 400 replica haniwa (burial statues) depicting animals, warriors, dancers, boats and houses arranged along a walking path through the trees. During the Kofun Period these clay statues were placed around burial mounds in tribute to the deceased.

4. Aoshima Island

Aoshima Island is a small, beautiful island just off of the coast of the resort beaches south of Miyazaki City. Aoshima is connected to the mainland by a bridge and is ringed by white beaches surrounding a subtropical jungle at the island's center.

5. Seagaia Resort

The Phoenix Seagaia Resort is the World's Largest Indoor Water Park. It is a massive ocean side resort spanning nearly 10 kilometers of coastline just north of central Miyazaki City. More than just a collection of hotels, Seagaia is a symbol of Miyazaki's resort heritage and offers its guests a wealth of things to do.

6. Miyazaki Prefectural Museum of Nature and History (Miyazaki-ken Sogo Hakubutsukan)
7. Miyazaki Prefectural Art Museum (Miyazaki-kenritsu Bijutsukan)

Miyazaki Photos :

Miyazaki Shrine. This shrine is located in a cave on a cliff next to the ocean. People come here to pray for long and happy marriages, easy childbirth, healthy children, and safety at sea.

Miyazaki Map

Watch Aoshima Island (青島) at Miyazaki, Kyushu Island, Japan Video here

Aoshima Island is located in the south east of Kyūshū and is well known for it's natural coastline (devil's washboard) and it's Shrine, hidden in the jungle.

Kirishima Volcanic Mountain Park at Kyushu

2011-01-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

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Kirishima (霧島市) is a city in Kogashima, Japan, famous for its volcano mountain range between Miyazaki and Kagoshim Prefectures. Kirishima is located on the main island of Kyushu.

Kirishima is famous for its National Park (Kirishima-Yaku National Park), and volcano hiking. So many mountains found at Kirishima especially Mt. Takachiho, the best mount to hike. Other mounts are Mt. Shinmoi, Mt. Karakuni.

Kirishima-Yaku National Park

Kirishima National Park

Kirishima-Yaku National Park (霧島屋久国立公園) composed of two parts : Kirishima and Yakushima.

Located in the southern part of Kyushu, this park embraces Kirishima volcanic range, Kagoshima Bay with active volcano of Sakurajima, and Yakushima Island.

Kirishima Range consists of some 23 volcanic cones with 15 craters in complete shape, 10 of which are filled with water. They present a mysterious sight as if we are visiting the surface of the moon. There are many hot springs at the foot of the mountains where holidaymakers enjoy excursions throughout the year. Hiking and camping are popular in summer, and skating in winter.

Mt. Kirishima

Mt. Kirishima

Mt. Kirishima (Kirishima Volcano) is a Quaternary composite volcano located in southern Kyushu, Japan. It is situated on the southern rims of the Kakuto and Kobayashi calderas. This volcano contains more than 20 small volcanoes which have been repeatedly active from Pleistocene to Recent. Kirishima Volcano is d ivided into two groups, i. e., the Older Kirishima Volcano and the Younger Kir ishima Volcano.

The Older Kirishima Volcano products are now only exposed in t he western foot of the Kirishima Volcano, however, these volcanics predominant ly underlie the present Kirishima Volcano. The activity of the Younger Kirishi ma Volcano began at about 300,000 years ago and continued until the present. M any small stratovolcanoes, polygenetic pyroclastic cones and monogenetic maars and lava flows were formed by the activity. Most of the rocks of Kirishima Vo lcano are composed of augite - hypersthene andesite, with or without olivine p henocrysts. More than 10 eruptive episodes have been recorded　in ancient lite rature since A.D.742. Most of documented activities were weak eruptions, howev er, activities in 788, 1235 and 1716-17 were large eruptions and caused great disasters.

Kirishima Main attractions

1. Hiking the volcano

Kirishima Hiking Mount Takachiho no mine

There are a variety of hikes that you can do, but one of the best places to hike in Kirishima is Mt. Takachiho, 1574m, because of its magnificent scenery and views - Sakurajima is visible on a clear day. In order to reach the top of Takachicho, you must climb to the top of Mt. Ochahi and hike around the crater lake, which is 2-3 meters deep and has a stunning color.

2. Ebino Kogen
Ebino Kogen is a small town in the mountains of Kirishima just inside Miyazaki Prefecture's borders. Ebino Kogen means "shrimp highlands" and is so named because in late summer the pampas grass that blankets the ground takes on a pinkish hue from iron in the soil, making the area appear to be covered in fields of shrimp.

3. Kirishima Onsen

Kirishima Onsen

Kirishima Onsen lies on the lower slopes of the Kirishima Mountains with a distant view over Kagoshima Bay and Sakurajima below. The area is made up of over a dozen hot springs, of which the largest and best know is Maruo Onsen. With its high concentration of hotels and central location, Maruo Onsen is the representative resort town of the entire Kirishima Onsen area.

The hot spring towns around Kirishima Onsen are dotted with ryokan and hotels of various sizes. Their many hot spring sources appear at every turn, each billowing clouds of steam from what look like large smoke stacks.

4. Kirishima Shrine

Kirishima Shrine

The mountains of Kirishima are an important site in the creation mythology of Japan. It was in this area that the god Ninigi no Mikoto, grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, is said to have descended from heaven to rule over the earth.

There are plenty of nice shrines to see in Kirishima, but the most beautiful and most significant is Kirishima-jingu. In 1989, this shrine was deemed a cultural asset to the nation. Not only is it a large, beautiful shrine, but it also has a rich history. According to ancient texts, the first shrine was built in 1460, between Mt. Takachiho and Mt. Ohara, but was destroyed by a volcanic eruption.

5. Kirishima Open Air Museum

Kirishima Open Air Museum

The museum is a large-scale, open-air museum, which utilizes landscapes and forest space in its outdoor sculpture exhibitions. It is a modern art museum that displays all original pieces from Japanese and foreign artists who visited the space and created works with cultural and/or historical significance.

6. Shinwa-no-Sato Park

Kirishima Shinwa no Sato Park

This park is a great place to go with a family, as it has a wide array of activities for people of all ages. You can partake in grass skiing, which costs 1000 yen/hour for adults and 6000 yen/hour for students, or take a lift to the top of the hill and take a ride down the massive slides. The Super Slider costs 400 yen/slide (including lift fee) and the Fancy Slider (40m) is also 400 yen/slide. There is also an 18-hole miniature golf course (800 yen/ a round) and a Children's Play Area.

How to get Kirishima

Kirishima is approximately 1–2 hours drive from Kagoshima city, 45 minute drive from Kagoshima Airport

Access to the trailheads at Ebino Kogen (えびの高原) is harder, and your own car will come in handy. Bus schedules change rapidly, but as of 2009, the two options are:

- From Kirishima Jingu, there are two buses on Sat/Sun only (and daily in May) to Ebino Kogen, taking about 1 hour (¥740). Departures are at 8 and 10:20 AM, returning at 1 and 3:30 PM; check with the Kirishima Tourism Office (tel. 0995-57-1588) [2] for updates.
- From Miyazaki's Miyakoh City bus terminal (宮交シティ), Miyazaki Kotsu [3] operates one bus on Sat/Sun (dep 8:41) plus one on Sun only (dep 10:21) that goes directly to Ebino Kogen via Kobayashi. 2.5 hours, ¥2800, April-late Nov only.

Kirishima Royal Hotel

Kirishima Takachiho

Watch Ebino Kogen small towns in Kirishima Video here

Rusutsu Ski Resort at Hokkaido

2010-12-09T20:10:00.000-08:00

Rusutsu (留寿都村) is just a small village located in Abuta District, Shiribeshi, Hokkaido. What make Rusutsu popular is for its Ski Resort. As another places in Hokkaido who has a beautiful scenery, Rusutsu ski resort is located 90 minutes by road from Sapporo's International Airport and one hour from Niseko.

Rusutsu Ski Resort is Hokkaido's largest Ski area in the winter. The area also has an amusement park or golf field to play golf during the summer.

From the top of Mt Isola you can see Lake Toya with the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Rusutsu is a family-friendly resort offering superb ski terrain and excellent facilities.

A large hotel complex sits at the center of the resort, consisting of the highrise Rusutsu Tower, the North and South Wings, the Highland Lodge and several trailside log cabins. A monorail connects the buildings with each other. A few independently run pensions can also be found in the nearby town center of Rusutsu.

Besides skiing, Rusutsu Resort offers numerous other attractions, including restaurants and shops, pool facilities and hot spring baths, as well as places catering to foreigners such as the Cricket Pub sports bar. Summer activities include golf and an amusement park with over 60 attractions and 8 roller coasters.

Rusutsu has 3 main mountains - East, West and Mt Isola. They offer amazing variety and some awesome natural terrain features not found in other resorts. The backcountry is superb, with just a 20 minute hike you can access long steep chutes or a myriad of tree runs. There's also night skiing till 8pm. Add to this one of the best half-pipes and snow-parks in the area and you have a resort which offers everything that the other resorts offer without having to share.

The famous hotel is Rusutsu Resort Hotel. The Hotel offers 761 rooms and resort-scale facilities on top, including dozens of shops and restaurants. Alternatively, you have the option of staying in log cabins, imported from Canada, using timber first imported from Finland.

Rusutsu Ski Resort Photos :

Rusutsu

Rusutsu Map

Rusutsu is located close to Lake Toya (Toyako) and is just on the other side of Mount Yotei from Niseko.

Rusutsu Resort hotel. Located at the base of the West Mountain the Rusutsu Resort Hotel offers ski in/ski out luxury accommodation.

Rusutsu Tower

Rusutsu West Mountain seen from East Mountain

Rusutsu Ski

Watch Rusutsu Resort Hotel Video here

Sounkyo Hot Spring and Waterfalls at Hokkaido

2010-11-05T21:54:00.000-07:00

Sounkyo (層雲峡) is a hot spring located in Daisetsuzan National Park, Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. it is one of the best hot spring resorts in central Hokkaido visited by 3 million people every year. It is located halfway up the Sounkyo, a mountain with precipitous cliffs continuing for 24 kilometers, and offers visitors breathtaking scenic attractions such as dynamic columnar joints and famous waterfalls including Ginga-no-taki and Ryusei-no-taki.

Sounkyo Gorge is situated at the foot of Mt. Daisetsu-zan, which is called the "roof of Hokkaido." The giant gorge, bordered by 100-meter-high cliffs formed by the erosion of tuff, stretches for 24 kilometers and forms the center of Daisetsu-zan National Park. The hot spring area boasts of magnificent scenery and plentiful natural hot water, and attracts three million visitors a year.

The gorge contains lots of waterfalls, of which the Ryusei-no-taki Falls (shooting star falls) and Ginga-no-taki Falls (Milky Way falls) are especially worth seeing. At both of these waterfalls, the water falls directly over the cliff, giving them a sense of great power. The Obako and Kobako rock formations are said to be the most beautiful places in the gorge. Obako features wide rock faces that resemble 'byobu' (folding screens), while Kobako has many fantastic crags. You can rent bicycles there.

If you change from the Daisetsu-zan Soun-kyo Ropeway to the Kuro-dake Lift, you can climb to a height of 1,700 meters and enjoy a magnificent view of Mt. Daisetsu-zan. The Soun-kyo-onsen Hot Spring is in the middle of the gorge, and is full of modern hotels. In summer the Soun-kyo Hi-matsuri (fire festival) takes place in the gorge, while in mid-winter there is the Hyobaku-matsuri Festival (ice waterfall festival).

Every year from the end of January to March, the Hyobaku Matsuri (Frozen Falls Festival) is held where ice pillars and domes placed along the Ishikari River are illuminated in many colors, enveloping the entire area in a magical atmosphere.

Sounkyo Hot Spring

Sounkyo Hotspring Kurodake No Yu

There are so many hot spring places in Sounkyo, as well as the Ryokan. Ryokan is Japanese style inns found throughout the country, especially in hot spring resorts
Sounkyo Hot Spring or Sounkyo Onsen. The famous Hot Spring is Kurodake-no-Yu (黒岳の湯). Kurodake no Yu is a public bath house, located in the town center, it offers indoor and outdoor baths with limited views of the surrounding landscape.

Sounkyo Tourism

Like another parts in Hokkaido, Sounkyo offers a beautiful natural scenery like gorges, waterfalls, and rock formations (obako). Sounkyo Onsen is known and named after the nearby gorge, which runs for 24 kilometers along the Ishikari River and features some pretty waterfalls and interesting lava formations.

Down in the valley, three kilometers from Sounkyo, there are two beautiful waterfalls, Ginga no Taki and Ryusei no Taki, which can be viewed from a large parking lot or from a small observation deck reached via a steep walking trail in about 15-20 minutes from the parking lot. Another five kilometers up the valley is the Obako rock formation.

Tourist attractions at Sounkyo :

1. Ginga no Taki (銀河の滝 waterfall of the galaxy), is a series of thin, silvery rivulets cascading down the mountainside.

Sounkyo Waterfall Ginga no Taki

2. Ryusei no Taki (流星の滝 waterfall of the falling star), is a powerful fall seemingly bursting out of solid rock.

Sounkyo Waterfall Ryusei no Taki

3. The Daisetsuzan Sōunkyō Kurodake Ropeway is on the slope of the gorge, and tourists can get the ropeway and chairlift to climb the mountain.

4. The Sōunkyō Visitor Center is near the resorts and houses picture panels displaying the scenes of Sōunkyō and guides for visitors.

5. Yuyurin Nature Trail.

Sounkyo Yururin Nature Trail

This trail is a barrier-free sloped wooden path that can be easily navigated by wheelchairs. The car park is made of tree bark, so your shoes will not get muddy on wet days.

6. Asahiyama Zoo. Japan’s popular northernmost zoo

Sounkyo Festival :

1. Sounkyo Hyoubaku Matsuri (Ice Waterfall Festival)

Sounkyo Hyoubaku Matsuri

Ten thousand square meters of river flatlands by the Ishikari River are utilized to display this pageant of ice pillars, ice tunnels, ice domes, etc. The main lookout tower reaches 15 meters, and the view from it at night is mysterious indeed. Saturdays and Sundays have a fireworks display to light up the winter night.

2. Sounkyo Hana Monogatari

Sounkyo Hana Monogatari

This is the first time in Hokkaido where a spa area has coordinated its gardening at the administrative level. We have done things like make large flower beds in public spaces, put up planters and flower baskets in shops and hotels, and coodinated other flower arrangements and themes for the whole Sounkyo region.

How to get Sounkyo :

From Tokyo:
1h 35 min from Haneda to Asahikawa Airport.

From Osaka:
2h from Kansai International Airport to Asahikawa Airport.

From Sapporo:
1h 25 min to Asahikawa Station by JR Hakodate Line (limited express), and 1h 50 min from Asahikawa Station to Soun Gorge by JR bus.

Sounkyo Photos :

Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeaway

Sounkyo Hot Spring

Sounkyo Hot Spring

Sounkyo Rock Formation Obako

Watch Daisetsuzan Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway Video here

The Daisetsuzan Sōunkyō Kurodake Ropeway is a Japanese aerial lift line in Kamikawa, Hokkaidō, operated by Rinyū Kankō.

Scuba diving at Izu Peninsula Japan

2010-10-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

Boring with culture and historical sites from Japan ? Try heading underwater. Japan may be not the best diving in the Asia like in Thailand or Maldives. But don't forget Japan is a country full of island, a narrow archipelago with 34,000 kilometers of coastline and more than 2,000 diving points.

Saying diving in Japan, this place should be the best : Izu Peninsula. Izu Peninsula is the best choice for diving in Japan, as well as Ogasawara Islands, Hokkaido and Northern Japan, and Okinawa.

Izu Peninsula (伊豆半島 - Izu Hanto) located in Shizuoka Prefecture, is only an hour by train from central Tokyo. It includes both Japan's first dive spot - Izu Oceanic Park, on the east coast - and the best on the main island of Honshu - Osezaki, on the west coast.

How to get Izu Peninsula

The shinkansen links Tokyo to Atami in about 50min (around ￥3,600). Regular trains make the trip in about 1h40min and cost ￥1,890.

Several train lines (Shinkansen, JR Superview, JR Ito, Izu Kyuko...) link Izu's towns. As times and fares depend on the line and connections, you had better check Yahoo Transit or Ekitan from our Transportation in Japan page for exact fares and timetables.

Izu Peninsula main attractions :

1. Atami 熱海市
Atami is a city located in the eastern end of Shizuoka, Japan. Atami is a hot spring city with shinkansen station at the entrance to the Izu Peninsula. While the city is attractively located on the steep slopes along the ocean coast, it has obviously suffered from the economic downturn of the 1990s.

2. Ito 伊東市
Ito is a city located on the eastern shore of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka, Japan. Ito is another hot spring city along the peninsula's eastern coast, only about 15 kilometers south of Atami. Inside Ito's municipal limits lies Izu Kogen, a pleasant resort town with more hot springs and the nearby scenic Jogasaki coast.

3. Shimoda 下田.
Probably the most pleasant town to stay in the peninsula, Shimoda is also the most interesting historically. The Shimoda Hot Spring is the collective name of the hot springs (Rendaiji, Kawachi, Shirahama, and Kannon Hot Springs) in Shimoda City, the closest resort area from the heart of Tokyo located in the southeastern port town of the Izu Peninsula.

This is where Commodore Perry and his Black Ships first came to Japan to negotiate the country opening of its port to US ships. In 1854, the the Shogunate and the US signed a Treaty of peace and amity, which effectively ended Japan's 250 years of self-imposed isolation.

Consequently, Shimoda was, along with Hakodate, the first port open to Western ships. The first American consul, Harris Townsend, established his consulate in Shimoda in 1856.

Best Time to Visit Izu Peninsula

Diving at Izu is done year-round, but conditions are highly variable. In summer and early autumn, water temperature may reach the low 80s, underwater visibility is typically 15 to 30 feet and popular dive sites can be extremely crowded. In winter, water temperature may drop to the mid-50s, visibility increases to 40 to 80 feet (even more at offshore islands), but the weather can be less reliable. Dry suits are highly recommended for winter diving at Izu.

Izu Peninsula Scuba Diving info :

- Mar Scuba Tokyo; Phone: +81 (0)90 3851 3901; Email: matt@marscuba.com; Website: http://www.marscuba.com Mar Scuba Tokyo is the longest-running English dive operator in the Tokyo area and offers fun dives and courses at various locations throughout the Izu Peninsula.

- Japan Underwater Explorers; Email: info@jue.jp; Website: http://www.jue.jp J.U.E. is a recreational and technical dive club/service offering multi-lingual training and fun dive adventures. Japan's premier GUE training service.

Izu Peninsula websites :

www.town.oshima.tokyo.jp
www.tokyo-islands.com

Izu Peninsula Photos :

Located South-West of Tokyo and right South of Mount Fuji, the Izu Peninsula faces the Pacific ocean and is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

Shimoda Hot Spring. The Shimoda Hot Spring is the collective name of the hot springs (Rendaiji, Kawachi, Shirahama, and Kannon Hot Springs) in Shimoda City.

Shimoda Yamatokan. Luxury Spa Vacations in the Izu Peninsula - Shimoda Yamatokan & Seizan Yamato Japanese-style Inns

Whale as seen at Izu Peninsula

Watch Izu Peninsula view by train video here

Toyohashi Japan Motor Company Port City

2010-09-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

Toyohashi (豊橋市) is a Japan city located in Aichi Prefecture in Honshu Island. Actually, Toyohashi is the center point between Tokyo and Osaka. Toyohashi is famous for its Autmobile Company as The Toyota Motor Company has its productiion facility in the nearby city of Tahara. Toyohashi, formerly called Yoshida, is 70 km south east of Nagoya.

Toyohashi has an important rail hub connecting Aichi, Nagano and Shizuoka Prefectures. With a population about 380.000, Toyohashi is Japan largest port for the export/import of motor vechiles.

Toyohashi Tourism

Toyohashi is a small city, therefore not so many things to see there. Many visitors are more attracted to visit Tokyo, Nagoya, or Osaka.

But nowadays, the popularity of Toyohashi is increasing a lot. The most famous sites including Yoshida Castle, Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Gardens , and Toyohashi Museum of Natural History.

Many of Toyohashi's places of interest are located near to to Shiyakushomae (City Hall) - a short streetcar ride from Toyohashi Station.

The striking 1930s Romanesque-style Public Hall has become a symbol of the city and is built in an unusual fashion for a civic building in Japan.

The nearby Haristos Orthodox Church (built in 1913) also deserves a mention and it is possible to view the church's impressive icons inside the building. There are also both Catholic and Anglican churches located close to the City Hall.

From there it is a short walk to the pleasant Toyohashi Park and Yoshida Castle on the banks of the Toyokawa River.

Yoshida Castle was first built in 1505 by Makino Kohaku, but all that remains is a corner keep that was restored in 1954. The castle was taken over by the feudal lord Ikeda Terumasu in 1590, who began a grandiose rebuilding scheme, but the castle was never completed. The keep is free to enter and there are good views out over the Toyokawa River. The grounds of the park were used as an Imperial Army barracks during the Meiji period and a Meiji-era sentry box and gate are evidence of that period. Toyohashi Park is also a favored cherry blossom viewing spot in season.

Also in the park are the Sannomaru Kaikan - a tea room for performing the tea ceremony and the Toyohashi City Art Museum, which has exhibits of local history and more modern temporary art exhibitions.

It's possible to walk on the southern banks of the Toyokawa River even as far as the Toyokawa Bridge about 4km in all and then across the bridge to the Maeshiba Tomyodai (Tomeidai) - one of Japan's oldest wooden lighthouses. On the way is Minatomachi Koen, with the pleasant nearby shrine Minatoshinmeisha Shrine.

Another historical building in Toyohashi well worth seeing is the Edo Period Futagawa-juku. This large inn or honjin on the Tokaiko highway was built for lords and high-ranking officials traveling along the route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo). The building has been restored and its possible to visit the garden and rooms where the rich and powerful of the day would stay. There is an adjacent museum with exhibits on the history of the Tokaido.
Tel: 0532 41 8580
The nearest station is Futagawa on the JR Tokaido Main Line.

Across the Toyokawa River are the much older Urigo Ruins where there is a reconstruction of a Yayoi Period (300 BCE - 300 CE) "dug-out" style dwelling.

Toyohashi Museum of Natural History

The Toyohashi Museum of Natural History opened in 1988 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Toyohashi municipal government.
It was established under the themes of evolution and natural history.
The museum aims to promote better understanding of nature and life by broadening knowledge and deepening familiarity with nature.

Yoshida Castle

Yoshida Castle was originally built by the order of a feudal lord, Kohaku Makino in 1505 under the name of Imahashi Castle. It was occupied by many feudal lords in the Warring States period. The castle name was changed later to Yoshida Castle and Terumasa Ikeda occupied the castle after Hideyoshi Toyotomi had control over all Japan. The castle itself was changed from a middle age castle to a modern castle. Currently, the ruins of the turret remain in the north side of the park near the Toyogawa River. People may see the old image of the castle in the reproduced turret iron tower and engraved rock walls. A Green tea ceremony is served in a standing manner at Sannomaru Kaikan located at the ruins of the Sannomaru Enclosure. Many large old trees are preserved in Toyohashi Park where Yoshida Castle is located, and the park is loved by the citizens as an oasis of nature where you can see wild birds even though it is located in the town area.

Photos of Toyohashi tourism :

Amusement Park Area in Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park. An amusement park area with a roller-coaster, a ferris wheel, 50 meters high, a merry-go-round and even shooting coaster ride.

Toyohashi Museum of Natural History. The Toyohashi Museum of Natural History opened in 1988 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Toyohashi municipal government.

Toyohashi Downton

Toyohashi Station

Toyohashi Yoshida Castle

Toyohashi Nikko Hotel

Watch Toyohashi Station Video here

Airasia X flight Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo for 14.000 Yen

2010-08-07T00:14:00.000-07:00

Good news for Japan lovers, especially who residents at South East Asia. The low cost airlines from Malaysia, Airasia, will serve the flight between Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo Haneda airport by the end of 2010. This news is just like dreams comes true for ASEAN visitor, and many passengers will like Airasia as the company will sell one-way tickets between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo for as low as 14,000 yen.

Operated by AirAsia X, AirAsia's long-distance airline, the flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Tokyo's Haneda airport will begin at a pace of three per week. The flights are expected to use Airbus SAS' A330 aircraft. The Japanese government has already allotted landing and takeoff slots to AirAsia X at Haneda.

The flight will arrive at Tokyo Haneda Airport, and not Narita Airport. Haneda airport is about 14 km (8.7 mi) south of Tokyo Station.

Airasia seems to be more focus with internation flight between South East Asia and East Asia. Recently, Airasia X also launched the new route between Kuala Lumpur to Seoul.

At present, the cheapest round-trip airfares for Japan-Malaysia flights sell for more than 40,000 yen. Saying that the one-way fare for its flights will likely cost less than a cab ride from Tokyo to Narita International Airport, Fernandes expressed his confidence in the service's success.

Tokachigawa Hot Spring Onsen in Hokkaido

2010-07-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Japan is very famous for its hot spring or Onsen. One of the most popular hotspring in Japan is The Tokachigawa hot spring (十勝川温泉), especially in Hokkaido Island. The Tokachigawa Hot Spring is located quite close to Obihiro's urban district and gushes out along the Tokachi River.

Besides Tokachigawa, another hot spring in Hokkaido are Noboribetsu, Yunokawa, Akanko, Kawayu, Utoro, Abashiri, Sounkyo, Asahidake, Jozankei, Asarigawa, Lake Toya.

Tokachigawa Onsen is the best-known and most popular lowland resort in Tokachi. It is located in Otofuke, about 10 kilometres from the centre of Obihiro city, on the north (left) bank of the Tokachi River (Tokachigawa).

Tokachigawa Onsen is a hot spring with mōru baths. The brown-coloured water contains traces of organic material from peat bogs. (The word mōru is a loan word from the German (das Moor) for bog.) Most hotels and inns allow the general public to use their baths.

What’s a “moor hot spring”?

Tokachigawa hot spring is on the Tokachi River in Otofuke Town, in the middle of the Tokachi Plains. The hot spring gushes up through a lignite layer composed of the remnants of reeds and other wild plants that have accumulated over the ages. The moor vegetation makes the water rich in organic components. The waters are milder and richer in natural moisturizers than ordinary hot springs, smoothening and moisturizing the skin and making Tokachigawa hot spring famous as a “hot spring for beauty.”

Tokachigawa Sightseeing

Tokachigawa is not only providing hot springs, but also we can enjoy a natural splendor that’s unique to Hokkaido. Some of Tokachigawa sightseeing such as :

1. Tokachigaoka Park
This park features a vast lawn and fun wooden playground equipment. At its center is a huge flower clock called “Hanack.” Its face is 18 m in diameter, and its second hand is 10.10 m long. For souvenirs and delicious soft-serve ice cream, come to the Welcome Hanack concession stand.
The outdoor cooking area and multipurpose square make this a park that embodies Tokachi’s distinctive magnificence.

2. Tokachigaoka Scenic Viewpoint
This overlook is just up the hill from Tokachigaoka Park. It commands a view of the eternally flowing Tokachi River, the Tokachi hot spring resort, the vast Tokachi Plain, and the faraway Hidaka Mountains. It’s an ideal spot to enjoy lovely sunsets.

3. Swan Viewing Area
4. Footbath
5. Tokachi Farm
6. Row of White Birches
7. Sunflower Fields
8. Ryugetsu Sweetopia Garden
Obihiro and Tokachi are known for confectionery, and Ryugetsu exemplifies the best in the sweets of these areas.

9. Suzuran Park
In early June, pretty lilies of the valley bloom in clusters in this park.
Wild birds, Hokkaido squirrels and other animals live here, and the park is a celebrated cherry-blossom-viewing spot, bustling with visitors every spring.

10. Tokachi Ecology Park
Tokachi Ecology Park was established as a park for environmental education at the Tokachigawa hot spring resort, where forests meet rivers.

Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel

Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel. Address : 12-1, Minami, Tokachigawa-onsen, Otofuke-cho, Katou-gun, Hokkaido 080-0263, Japan

There are a lot of hotels that provide hot springs in Tokachigawa, one of the best is Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel.

Located along the river of Tokachigawa. In front of the hotel, you can enjoy glorious view of Tokachi's nature. Tokachi Hot spring water will make your skin more beautiful, because it contains plenty of natural moisturizing factor. To offer safety food, we are particular about ingredients, which grown up in Hokkaido and Tokachi. We are proud of our speciality and to make you satisfy. Please enjoy Tokachi by delicious meals and Hot springs.

Why choose Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel

1. The hotel is embraced by moor springs, one of Hokkaido's heritages, and the great wilderness of Tokachi

The Tokachi region shines with abundant sunshine and rich soil. The Tokachi River nourishes the fertile soil of Tokachi. The gently flowing Tokachi River creates majestic scenery with the backdrop of the Hidaka and Taisetsu mountain ranges. The scenery of Tokachi is deeply embedded in people's minds.

2. Hoshu-tei Traditional Japanese-style Building

Hoshu-tei is a traditional Japanese-style building. The nostalgic fragrance of tatami mats creates a calm, placid atmosphere that fills the building. The beauty of Japan that has been cherished by the Japanese is available here.

Relax physically and mentally in a Japanese atmosphere. Traditional Japanese-style interior with tatami mats and fusuma doors (thick paper sliding doors) that create the placid atmosphere of old Japan. A guestroom with private outdoor bath available only in Hoshu-tei.

Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel Address :
Hoshu-Tei, a traditional Japanese building, and Toyo-Tei, a modern Japanese building

12 Minami, Tokachigawa Onsen, Otofuke-cho, Hokkaido, Japan 080-0263

Tel: +81-155-46-2231
Fax: +81-155-46-2238

Photos of Tokachigawa and Tokachi River sightseeing :

Tokachi Ecology Park was established as a park for environmental education at the Tokachigawa hot spring resort, where forests meet rivers.

Tokachi Nature Center. Enjoy the natural grandeur of Tokachi from riding a canoe, hot-air balloon and even paragliding. Experienced instructors show you how. It’s not every day you have a chance to try these thrilling outdoor sports.

Hot Air Ballooning at Ohibiro City. See a vast panorama from 30m (100 feet) in the air: the Tokachi Plains, Tokachi River, the Hidaka mountains and more!

Whooper Swans, Tokachi River, Hokkaido, Japan

Tokachigawa Hot Spring. This hot springs gushes forth from the ground on the left bank of the Tokachi River in the town of Otofuke, situated in the center of the Tokachi Plain.

Watch Tokachigawa Swan Festival "Sairinka" video

Nagano Yatsugatake Mountains and Royal Hotel

2010-06-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

The Yatsugatake Mountains (八ヶ岳) is one of Japan famous mountains located between Nagano Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture on the island of Honshū in Japan. Yatsugatake literally means eight mountains. Actually there are more than eight peaks. Japanese word “hachi” (eight) sometimes implies “many”.

Yatsugatake is one of Japan most visited mountains besides the trademark Mount Fuji and Tateyama which famous for its ski resort.

The Mt. Yatsugatake mountain range with its main peak Mt. Akadake (2,899m) and the 3,000m Southern Alps with the lofty Mt. Kitadake (3,192.6m) make a magnificent, powerful mountain view. The Mt. Yatsugatake area is one of stunning nature that changes in various ways throughout the seasons and is a symbol of Japan’s highland resorts.

Eight mountains in Mt. Yatsugatake have generally pointed out Mt. Aka (2899m), Mt. Gongen (2715m), Nishitake (2398m), and Mt. Amigasa (2524m) of Mt. Tengu (2646m), Mt. Ioh (2760m), Yokodake (2829m), Mt. Amida (2805m), and a dominant peak. As it seems that the portion to Mt. Tateshina located further here north is also contained when it becomes the Mt. Yatsugatake mountain range.

Kiyosato Highland stretches out across the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake, whose peaks range from an altitude of 800m to 1,500m. There are retreats, the best known being Seisen Ryo, hotels, pensions, art museums, restaurants, and at the night you can gaze out at the night sky full of stars – a sight not seen in urban areas.

How to access Mount Yatsugatake

It takes approximately 2 hours from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to JR Kobuchizawa Station by train (JR Chuo Line), approximately 2 hours by car to Nagasaka I.C. on the Chuo Expressway, or around 2 hours 30 minutes by Chuo Highway Bus from Shinjuku Station West Exit.

It takes approximately 50 minutes by car or around 1 hour by train from the Mt. Yatsugatake area to the Kofu area.

From the Mt. Yatsugatake area to the Isawa area it takes 1 hour 10 minutes by car or 1 hour 15 minutes by train (Fuji Kyuko Line from Otsuki Station (JR Chuo Line)).

To the Fujikawaguchiko area it takes approximately 1 hour 40 minutes by car or 1 hour 50 minutes by train on the Fuji Kyuko Line from Otsuki Station (JR Chuo Line).

Yatsugatake-Chushin-Kogen Quasi-National Park

This wide park that spans both Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures boasts lakes, white birch trees and alpine plants, all encompassing the Yatsugatake peaks at its center. Kiyosato and other highlands, with their pastoral scenery reminiscent of European landscapes, capture the hearts of their many visitors. Stand at the top of 5,059 ft high Utsukushi-Mori, turn 360 degrees, and take in an incredible view including Mt. Fuji, the Minami Alps and Oku-chichibu.

One of top attractions in Yatsugatake-Chushin-Kogen Quasi National Park is Lake Shirakaba-ko. Lake Shirakaba-ko is an artificial lake that is up to 9 meters deep, and 1,416 meters above sea level. It is located at the western foot of Mt. Tateshina-yama in the northern part of Chino City, Nagano Prefecture, and belongs to Yatsugatake Chushin Kogen Quasi-National Park. Visitors can cruise the lake between Mt. Kuruma-yama and Mt. Tateshina-yama by tour boats or pedal boats. You can also enjoy cycling around the roads along the lakeside, and there are camping grounds and ice skating rinks in the vicinity.

Resort Outlets Yatsugatake

Visit Yatsugatake is not only a mountain views matter, but we can also make a shopping. Yatsugatake is also famous for its shopping mall. Resort Outlets Yatsugatake is a shopping mall surrounded by huge mountains and in harmony with nature.

The vast complex is divided into seven areas and all courts have stunning views of Mt.Yatsugatake and The Southern Alps.
There is a large variety of shops such as those selling designer goods, sports and outdoor goods, everyday items, and there are also restaurants. The mall offers stylish fashion and provides a quality shopping space.

Yatsugatake Royal Hotel

One of the most famous hotel in Mount Yatsugatake is Royal Hotel. Yatsugatake Royal Hotel attracts around 20,000 guests each year. The ideal location offers a wonderful view of Japanese major mountains such as Mt Fuji and Yatsugatake, and night-time star watching at the observatory. With a hot spring resort in the facilites, this is one of the leading resort hotels in the prefecture.

It takes 15 minutes on foot or 3 minutes by taxi from Kai-oizumi Station on JR Koumi Line, which runs from Obuchizawa Station on Chuo Line connecting Shinjuku of Tokyo in 120 minutes. The Kiyosato Village, one of the famous resorts, is 15 minutes by car.

Yatsugatake Mountain Photos

Snow at Yatsugatake Mountain

Yatsugatake Peak

Resort Outlets Yatsugatake is a shopping mall surrounded by huge mountains and in harmony with nature.

Lake Shirakaba-ko Yatsugatake is an artificial lake that is up to 9 meters deep, and 1,416 meters above sea level.

Yatsugatake Royal Hotel. Three minutes by hotel shuttle bus from Kaioizumi Station of JR Koumi Line （Reservation necessary）
20 minutes by the car or taxi from Kobuchizawa station of JR Chuo Honsen line

Yatsugatake Station Map. By train : 15-minute by taxi from JR Chuo Main Line Chino station. By car : 10-minute from Chuo Express way Suwa-minamiIC

Yatsugatake-Chushin-Kogen Quasi-National Park

At the top of Yatsugatake-Akadake Climbed through the West Wall Mt. Fuji is seen on the left

Watch Climbing at Sansa Hou Runze, Yatsugatake video here

A very cold ascent of the Sansa Hou Runze route on Yatsugatake on the 20th January 2008.
(Climbers - Alan Tomlinson, Rod Szasz, Tony Grant, Dave Puglisi)

Travel from Shanghai to Osaka by Ferry

2010-05-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Japan may be one of many tourist top destination country, but not everyone can visit Japan because of the high cost and incapable of speaking Japanese. A usual tour service usually charge about 2000-3000 USD for travelling inside Japan cities, but not everyone can pay the high cost only for a 7 days tour.

One of alternative way to visit Japan is by ferry from Shanghai. Shanghai, the modern city in China, is the world's third largest port and China's largest seaport. We can use the ferry from Shanghai, cross the East China Sea to Osaka.

'New Jianzhen' is a passenger and cargo ship sailing regularly between Shanghai and Japan. It starts from Shanghai at 13:00 every Saturday, and arrives at Kobe or Osaka Ports of Japan on Monday morning the next week. The ship makes its return voyage from Kobe or Osaka at 12:00 every Tuesday, and it reaches Shanghai on Thursday. The speed of the ship is low, and a round trip usually takes over 80 hours. However there are still many people who choose this liner because of the good environment, excellent service, and low price. A single journey ship passage costs CNY1,300 to CNY2,600 (JPY20,000 to JPY40,000) per person according to the standard of cabin chosen. Alternatively you can pay CNY6,500 (JPY100,000) for a VIP room, which can accommodate two persons. For more information of this liner, you can phone 021-63257642.

'Suzhou' ship also voyages between Shanghai and Osaka in Japan. Starting from Shanghai at 11:00 every Tuesday, it reaches Osaka at 9:00 on Thursday. Every Friday, the ship makes its return at 12:00, and gets to Shanghai on Sunday. The ship passage is almost the same as that of 'New Jianzhen' ship.

When you take an international cruise, you'd better go to the port two hours before departure to conduct the boarding procedures. Ship tickets can be bought or booked at Shanghai International Ferry Co., Ltd. with your passport or other valid identification.
Ticket Office Address: D-G, 15 F, Jin'an Mansion, No.908, East Daming Road, Hongqiao District
Ticket Information Line: 021-65375111

After completion of the whole project, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal will have more international passenger liners to facilitate the needs of modern tourism.

How to travel from Shanghai to osaka by Ferry

The Shanghai Ferry Company operates a weekly service between Osaka and the Chinese port city of Shanghai. The journey takes approximately 48 hours. During these 48 hours they offer cheap and best service to their passengers at a very low rate. This ferry is Japan's first largest and modern ferry.

One- way tickets cost between ¥20,000 and ¥50,000. They offer discounts of up to 40% on return fares and 10% discount is given to students is also available.

Ferry runs weekly between Shanghai and Osaka, Japan. The ferry is having restaurants, a game room, and even karaoke on board, that makes your journey more enjoyable. It leaves from Waihongqiao Harbor every Tuesday at 11 AM and arrives in Osaka at 9 AM the following Thursday.

They recently launched a ship from Shanghai's Waihongqiao Harbor every Saturday, alternating between Osaka and Kobe in Japan. The journey takes approximately two days and tickets for this journey can be booked through the company or through CITS.

Tickets for this ferry can be booked through the company or through China International Travel Service (CITS), the government tourism office.

Website for info about Shanghai-Osaka Ferry

http://www.shinganjin.com/index_e.php

The Shanghai Ferry
4-1-2 Minami Kyuhoji-cho, Chuo-ku
541-0058 Osaka

Tel. +81662436345
pax@shanghai-ferry.co.jp
http://www.shanghai-ferry.co.jp

Shanghai to Osaka Map

CHINJIF. Ferry from Shanghai to Osaka Japan

Watch a trip from Shanghai to Osaka Japan ferry video here

Omachi Nagano Ski Resort and Lake

2010-03-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

Omachi (大町市) is a city near Nagano, and is located north of Matsumoto city, also located in the Nagano prefecture.

Omachi is famous for its Mount Tsubakuro (Tsubakuro-dake). It forms part of the Hida Mountains and is a peak in the Northern Japanese Alps, elevation 2763 m/9065 ft.

Omachi Tourism

There are not so many tourist acctractions in Omachi, but Lake Kizaki may be a popular seaside resort.

Omachi Ski is a fairly small ski location which is recommended for beginner or amateur skiiers.

Yearly there is a horse race festival held nearby the Omachi Track and Field ground, the exact date of the year that this is held is often random but always in august.

During August you can also witness the Yamabiko Matsuri , a festival held on the main street which involves many companies from around the area. During this fesitval you can watch a parade on the main street held by all involved, buy snacks and drinks or join in yourself with the parade. All parade members receive free drink and food from their sponsors.

In september you can visit Kamado Jinya ( Kamado Shrine ). During this festival you can make a wish to God via a small donation to the shrine it's self, and enjoy fireworks in the nearby playing feild. There are also food and drink stands set up around the shrine grounds, as well as games.

New year is also held around several shrines in Omachi city. No food stands are available at this time, the festivities often involve a large fire which many people gather around.

Omachi Hotspring

This hot spring is by the Kashima River where the melted snow water from the mountains of Kashima-Yarigatake and Jiigatake flows into and is found along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, one of the major mountain routes in the world. Since 1964, spring water is drawn from the Kuzu Hot Spring in the western part of Omachi City. The hot spring resort is indeed quiet, surrounded by white birch and beech forests. Because the area is one of the leading museum towns in the country, you will find many unique types of museums here. For example, there is the Alps Onsen Hakubutsukan where you can learn about the mechanism of hot spring generation and the history of the hot springs of the North Alps focusing on the Omachi Hot Spring as well as the Sake-no-Hakubutsukan where approximately 300 brands of Japanese sake from all parts of the country are exhibited while a local sake tasting/sales area is also set up.

Ski Resort in Omachi

Tourist usually visit Omachi for Ski resort. There are six ski resorts located in Omachi; Yanaba Ski Resort, Omachi Ski Resort, Jiigatake Ski Resort, Sun Alpina Kashimayari Ski Resort, Sun Alpina Keikyu Aoki-ko Ski Resort, and Yanaba Parallel Ski Resort. Easy access to each of these places together with a spa in the surrounding area make this location attractive and enjoyable resort for both skiing and hot springs.

Omachi Ski Resort Information, including the phone number :

1. Yanaba Ski Resort/ 0261-23-1123
2. Omachi Ski Resort/ 0261-23-1022
3. Jiigatake Ski Resort/ 0261-23-7555
4. Sun Alpina Kashimayari Ski Resort/ 0261-23-1231
5. Sun Alpina Keikyu Aoki-ko Ski Resort/ 0261-23-2391
6. Yanaba Parallel Ski Resort/ 0261-23-1123

Omachi Best Attractions including lake, museum, Dam

1. Nishina Sanko (Nishina Three Lakes).
These are the only natural lakes in the North Alps mountains. The biggest is Lake Aoki-ko. Its depth and transparency reflecting Hakuba's three mountains, make it one of the greatest lakes in the country. Lake Kizaki-ko, located southern-most among the three, is the water sports haven. A number of campsites attract the crowds in summer.

2. Shio-no-michi Hakubutsukan (Salt Road Museum)
The house of the Hirabayashi family is open to the public as a museum. Hirabayashi was a salt wholesaler in the Yedo period(1603-1868).

3. Omachi Alpine Museum
The town of Omachi has developed as a mountainous country. The local mountain culture, nurtured in nature is introduced in this museum. The transformation of mountain-climbing throughout its history is explained from various aspects with a number of interesting materials displayed.

4. Sake-no Hakubutsukan (sake museum)
Sake (rice wine) production in this town depends on its blessed rich and fresh headwaters. Five hundred pieces of tools exhibited in the museum proves that the town's reputation as a sake maker. Furthermore, sake making history and culture are described in easy-to-understand narration.

5. Omachi Kyodo-gangu Hakubutsukan (local toy museum)
A collection of local toys from all over the country, including Omachi local toys, is displayed in this museum. The collection (2,400 pieces) represents the heartwarming, humorous, and simple features of local toys from different areas of Japan.

6. Henry Miller Museum of Art
Henry Miller is famous both as a distinguished writer and as a watercolor painter. His bright and leisurely style and daring touch of his works, are the hallmarks of this American genius of the twentieth century. This is the first museum built in the world which is dedicated to Henry Miller. The gallery contains a hundred and ten pieces of his watercolor paintings and lithographs.

7. Takase Ravine (Takase Dam, Nanakura Dam, Omachi Dam)
Takase Ravine consists of three dams; Takase, Nanakura, and Omachi. Takase Dam is the biggest in scale: 176 meters high and 11.59 million cubic meters.
In autumn, the leaves turn red and yellow, which contrasts with the emerald green of the reservoir, and the visitors enjoy its beauty.

8. Nishina-shinmeigu Shrine
Omachi area has been called "Nishina's hometown" since the ancient days. Nishina-shinmeigu Shrine is a national treasure, that was built in early Yedo period (1603-1868). There are many cedar trees along the path to the shrine. Standing at the end of the path is the sanctuary of the shrine. This is one of the oldest sinmei-zukuri ( a style of roof) in Japan.

Photos of Omachi city

Lake Kizaki Omachi

Nishina Sanko Lakes

Aoki Lakespring at Omachi City

Kuroyon Royal Hotel at Omachi. Nestled at the foot of Japan's Northern Alps, this luxurious alpine resort hotel is an ideal location to witness the beauty of nature throughout the seasons. After breathing in the crisp mountain air, we're sure you will want to extend your visit in this relaxing, healthy environment.

Omachi Hot Spring view from Kashima River

Watch Nagano Prefecture Omachi City "gigatake"ski area video here

Fukushima Tohoku Lakes and Hot Spring

2010-02-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Fukushima (福島市) is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, and situated about 250 km north of Tokyo and 80 km south of Sendai .

Fukushima City and its surrounding area has many hot springs, which are in Iizaka, Takayu and Tsuchiyu for example. Fukushima is blessed with many natural resources. It has a lot of scenic beauty and various sightseeing places including the Bandai Azuma Skyline. It is one of the biggest tourist resort areas in Tohoku.

The city's location makes it highly accessible from many areas of Japan through a well organized transportation system. From Tokyo, it takes 3.5 hours by the Tohoku Express- way and it takes 1.5 hours by the Tohoku Shinkansen Line. Fukushima Airport was opened in 1993, making it easier for many people to visit the city from not only the metropolitan areas, but also from the Hokkaidou, Kansai,and Kyushu areas.

Fukushima's best known tourist attraction is the former castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu.

Fukushima is the major tourist spot in Tohoku region. The main attractions including castle, lakes, and hot springs.

Fukushima Location
The city of Fukushima,which is located in the northern part of Fukushima Prefecture,covers an area of 746.43 sq km,stretching 29.9 km from east to west and 38.2 km from north to south. The Fukushima City Hall stands at latitude 37ﾟ45'N and longitude 140ﾟ28'E. Fukushima lies within 300 km of Tokyo.

Some of Fukushima best sightseeeing :
1. Five Colored Lakes (五色沼) are a beautiful attraction visited by many sightseers. The lakes were formed after Mount Bandai (磐梯山) erupted in the 1800's. The minerals from the eruption give each lake a different color.

2. Iwaya-Kannon (岩谷観音) has sixty Buddhas carved into the rock face of Mount Shinobu (信夫山) and offers a decent place to take a look down at the city.

3. Hanamiyama Park (花見山) is the place to go in spring for cherry blossom viewing. It is quickly becoming a place famous throughout Japan, be prepared for crowds. You can take a short trail up a hill and see some amazing panoramas as well as enjoy walking underneath gorgeous light-pink canopies. There are regular buses leaving for Hanamiyama from the train station. Ask the people at the tourist office for more details.

4. Fukushima Small Bird Sanctuary (福島小鳥園) It's a steep walk up a small mountain. The trails at the top are short and quiet. It is very peaceful but not so special.

5. Prefectural Art Museum Small museum mostly with local art, though it does have some national and internal exhibits as well. price varies.

6. Prefectural Culture Center Has different performances year-round.

7. Fukushima Museum. Fukushima Museum

8. Fukushima Racetrack If you feel like betting on horses then this is the place to go in Fukushima. Live races only happen during certain times of the year, but video races are available year-round. It costs ¥100 to get in.¥100.

9. Izaka hot springs

10. Takayu hot springs

11. Tsuchiyu hot springs

12. Shin-Noji hot springs

Fukushima Festival

1. WARAJI MATSURI(Straw Sandal Festival)
This festival on first Friday and first Saturday of August celebrates a huge straw sandal that is dedicated to the Haguro Shrine on February 10.

2. MIZUKAKE MATSURI (Water Throwing Festival)
Starting at Kashima Shrine, this event occurs at the end of the festivities on October 19.

3. SANBIKI SHISHI-MAI (Dance of the Three Lions)
This dance, handed down over generations in the Oonami district, occurs during the Sumiyoshi Shrine festival, October 11-12.

4. AKATSUKI-MAIRI (Visit to the Shrine in the Dawn)
This event occurs on February 10-11. People pray for protection against disasters and for a good harvest. An immense straw sandal is carried up Mt. Shinobu to the Haguro Shrine. The sandal is 12 meters long, weighs 2 tons and 80people carry it.

5. IIZAKA KENKA MATSURI (Fighting Feastival of Iizaka)
During the main festival on October 5, six floats parade through the street and on to the shrine with a portable shrine in the lead.

6. JUUNI KAGURA(The Twelve Sacred Arts)
This annual festival is held at Kuronuma Shinto Shrine in spring. The dancer wears “Kari-ginu”(hunting clothes),“Hakama”(an apron-like skirt), and “Tabi”(socks).

Fukushima Bars and Nightlife

Namazu-tei (なまず停), also known as "Catfish" is a cozy blues bar in Fukushima, which features live music most weekends. Cover charges range from ¥400-500 for the house band "Blues Cruiser" (highly recommended, with a fantastic harmonica player) through to ¥4,000 for more famous acts. Namazu sometimes has a DJ playing, with more of a focus on bossanova and jazz. Johnny the barman speaks passable English, and knows pretty well all there is to know about the Blues, having in his past run "Gangster," a major blues venue in Tokyo.

Neo is the other club in Fukushima. Expect to pay a ¥2000 cover charge and then ¥500 for each drink and to be in a small very smokey room. The music is okay, the crowd is small at best. Expect to feel elderly if you're over 25.

Fukushima Photos and Pictures :

Fukushima city looking east over the Fukushima city train station.

Aizu Tsuruga Castle, Fukushima's best known tourist attraction.

Fukushima Prefectural Museum stands just outside the outer moats of Tsuruga Castle Park. The closest stop of the Aizu Loop Bus is "Tsurugajo Sannomaru" (20 minutes from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station) just outside the museum.

Goshiki-numa or Five Coloured Lake. Goshiki-numa has five marshes, namely Ao-numa, Ruri-numa, Benten-numa, Midoro-numa and Bishamon-numa, each having a water color of its own.

Fukushima View Hotel. Located in front of West Exit of Fukushima Station and surrounded by nature. Japanese restaurant, Chinese restaurant, and French restaurant is available.

Train Station from Sendai to Fukushima

Watch 土湯Tsuchiyu Tunnel (R115, Fukushima City / Inawashiro Town, Fukushima Pref., 3360m) Video here

Saitama Kanto Region Museum and Night Festival

2010-01-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

Saitama (さいたま市) is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan. Saitama is the capital of Saitama prefecture in the Kanto region of Japan.It dose not have a coast. It merged from four cities few years ago. Therefore it's the biggest city in Saitama. In addition,it's a the tenth most populous city in Japan.

Saitama City was born on May 1, 2001, with the merging of the three cities formerly known as Urawa, Omiya and Yono. On April 1, 2003, it became the 13th government designated city in Japan.

Saitama Prefecture is located right north of Tokyo. This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's southern area can be described as suburbs of Tokyo. Northern area of the prefecture is dedicated for agriculture. The prefecture is also known for richness of cultural craftsmanship. Hina-doll, Japanese paper, carp streamer, and daruma. Some of the famous spots in this area: Hikawa shrine, Chichibu sanja, Hitsujiyama park, and Seibuen park.

Saitama may be famous for its night festival named "The Chichibu-yomatsuri Night Festival". The former castle town of Kawagoe and the mountainous Chichibu region, known for its night festival held in December, are some of the prefecture's major tourist attractions.

Saitama City is not the tourist city. Therefore, not so many natural scenic to see and to do. But there are several park and museum can be the alternative.
Saitama City, which flourished as a post town on the Nakasendo (Nakasendo Road), a shrine town for the Hikawa Shrine and as a castle town with Iwatsuki Castle, has a variety of historical resources as well as unique cultural resources such as Omiya bonsai, Iwatsuki dolls and Urawa unagi eel. It is furthermore home to the Railway Museum, John Lennon Museum and other distinctive facilities found only in Japan and unique in the world.

Some of Visitor attractions in Saitama City :

1. Akigase Park
2. Besshonuma Park
3. Hikawa Shrine
4. John Lennon Museum. A museum located inside the Saitama Super Arena in Chuo-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. It was established to preserve knowledge of John Lennon's life and musical career.
5. Minuma
6. Railway Museum. A must of rail buffs and great for kids, the museum features 36 engines on display (including Japan's first steam loco), train cab simulators, Japan's largest HO-gauge miniature railway and more.
7. Sonic City
8. Saitama Stadium 2002, a 2002 FIFA World Cup stadium
9. Saitama Super Arena. A multi-configuration arena that can seat up to 37,000 people. Numerous shops, restaurants and attractions can be found within. A pedestrian walkway links the Saitama Shintoshin train station with the Super Arena.It's very big hall.
10. Omiya Bonsai Village. The Bonsai Village, the bonsai mecca, is also well known overseas
11. Iwatsuki Japanese dolls. Japanese dolls are produced in Iwatsuki, which boasts of the highest volume of doll shipments in Japan

How to access Saitama and around :

Terminal Station: Omiya Station(大宮駅)
Access from Tokyo:
-By Train
0.Shinkansen from Tokyo St. to Omiya St. (25 min.)
1.JR Shonanshinjuku Line from Shinjuku St. to Omiya St. (27 min.)
-By Car
Using Shuto Expressway to Shintoshin (1hr.)

This is the only official John Lennon museum in the world authorized by Yoko Ono.

Kawagoe , 40 km north of Tokyo is an historic castle town noted for its kurazukuri - two-storey wooden merchants' houses some of which have been turned into interesting museums. These historic and pictuesque buildings are conveniently grouped to the north of Kawagoe station.

Musashi Ichi-no-miya Hikawa Shrine, is one of the most superb old shrines of Japan with a history that is said to go back more than 2,000 years and is also the origin of the name Omiya (literally, “large shrine”) as a grand Shinto shrine. As Musashi Ichi-no-miya (which means “top ranking shrine in the Land of Musashi”), it is a center of religious faith in the Kanto area

Saitama Iwatsuki Dolls can fe found at Togyoku Doll Museum. This doll museum developed based on the outstanding Togyoku collection. The collection is diverse and the exhibits include imperial court dolls, hina (Girls’ Festival) dolls, hagoita (battledore) dolls, samurai (Boys’ Festival) dolls, costume dolls,

Saitama celebrates the Chichibu-yomatsuri Night Festival where six floats mounted with a decorative halberd march with lively and soul-stirring Chichibu Yatai-Bayashi music. This is one of the three major float parades in Japan along with the famous Gion-matsuri Festival in Kyoto.

The Omiya Bonsai Village is the general name for the area on the north side of Omiya Park enclosed within the Tobu Noda Line and JR Utsunomiya Line. Known as one of the most outstanding bonsai cultivating areas in Japan, visitors take delight in the bonsai in all seasons as they change from one season to the next.

Based on the concepts of railways, history and education, the museum is comprised primarily of the History Zone, which relates the role and influence of railways in Japan centered primarily in an exhibit of actual railway rolling stock and the Education Zone, where visitors can learn about railway principles and mechanisms as well as the most up-to-date railway technology through hands-on experience while using models, simulation, play equipment, etc.

Skyline of Saitama Shintoshin

Watch Horgalåten at the music festival at Saitama city video here

Sendai Famous Nightlife in Kokubu Cho

2009-12-03T01:59:00.000-08:00

Sendai (仙台市) is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, and the largest city (about 1,000,000 people) in the Tohoku region of Japan's Honshu island. Although Sendai is a large city, it is known throughout Japan as a modern city which is in harmony with nature. The city possesses beautiful scenery, such as the Hirose-gawa River that runs through central Sendai, and the lush Zelkova trees that line the central city. Greenery is especially abundant in the center of the city, which has tree-lined streets and parks. As a result, Sendai is called the “City of Trees.”

While Sendai is not quite as old as Tokyo or Osaka, is has quite a long history. Sendai’s numerous zelkova trees have earned it the nickname ‘City of Trees’. Although Sendai was nearly completely demolished during World War II, the city completely recovered, and sports a friendly, relaxed small-town atmosphere. You can find everything in Sendai, from airy streets to amazing glass skyscrapers and bustling shopping districts.

Less than an hour northeast of the city center lies the town of Matsushima, whose bay is dotted by pine clad islets and is known for one of Japan's three most scenic views.

Sendai is located approximately 300 kilometers (180 miles) north of Tokyo on the Pacific coast of Honshu (the largest of Japan's four major islands). Sendai lies in the center of the Tohoku (northeast) Region, one of the seven major regions in Japan.

Sendai Tourism
Sendai is not a tourist city, as its suffered from World War II and rebuilt after. Most popular tourist sightseeing is a castle and museum. The ruins of Sendai Castle are located close to downtown on Aobayama, which also gives a panoramic view of the city. The Zuihoden Mausoleum is the tomb of Date Masamune, and is also home to artifacts related to the Date family. It is located on a hill called Kyogamine, which is the traditional resting place for members of the Date family. The Ōsaki Hachiman Shrine, built in 1607 by Date Masamune, is designated as a national treasure.

Some of recommended sightseeing in Sendai, in short such as : Sendai City Museum; Masamune's mausoleum; Castle ruins, Jozenji street – lined with sculptures, good base to visit scenic island-dotted bay at Matsushima on the coast and Zao Onsen in the mountains. Both offer hot-springs & great views. Miyagi Stadium.

Sendai is a modern city in harmony with nature. The city is surrounded by a splendid natural environment, from the western Ohu Mountains to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Therefore, tourist can visit some sites that related to nature.

Nature Sightseeing in Sendai :
1. Matsushima Bay, dotted with many islands covered with pine trees, is located approximately 30 km from Sendai. It is known as one of Japan’s three most scenic locations. Matsushima is a haven from the Pacific Ocean’s harsh waves and is also famous for its oyster farming.

2. The Zao Mountains. A one-hour drive from Sendai takes you to Mt. Zao, a collection of several age-old volcanoes. Near its summit, you can enjoy a pleasant walk around the Okama, a crater lake known for its ephemeral colors. Mt. Zao is also famous for the snow monsters (frost covered trees) that can be seen during the winter.

3. Hot Springs. Akiu and Sakunami are both hot spring resorts near downtown Sendai. A 30-minute drive takes you to these resorts, which boast many hotels and traditional Japanese inns (ryokan) that offer comfortable big baths among the beauty and tranquility of the mountains.

Museuma and Castle in Sendai :
1. Zuiho-den (Tel: 022 262 6250) is the mausoleum of Matsuname Date (known as the "one-eyed dragon") and reminiscent of the Tokugawa mausoleum in Nikko. The original, ornate 17th century buildings were destroyed in World War II but completely restored in 1979. Set at the top of a flight of steep stone steps within a forest, the site also includes the mausoleums of Date Tadamune and Date Tsunamune, the second and third successors of the clan father Matsuname.

2. Sendai Castle aka Aoba-jo dated from 1602 but nothing remains today of the buildings except for the impressive stone walls and a reconstructed turret. The castle grounds do have fine views of the city and an iconic statue of Matsuname on horseback. The Aoba Castle Exhibition Hall (Tel: 022 222 0218) has computer-generated displays of what the castle looked like in its glory days.

3. The Sendai City Museum (Tel: 022 225 3074) introduces the history of the city and displays of Date family treasures including Matuname's suit of armor and relics from the fascinating journey to Mexico and Europe by Matsuname's retainer Hasekura Tsunenaga (1613 - 1620). This epic voyage, Japan's first embassy to the Americas and Europe, is described in Shusako Endo's novel The Samurai.

4. Other museums in Sendai include the Miyagi Museum of Art (Tel: 022 221 2111) and Tohoku University's Museum of Natural History (Tel: 022 795 6767). Of the temples and shrines in the city, Osaki Hachimangu Shrine (Tel: 022 234 3606) dates from 1607 and is a good example of Momoyama Period architecture. The shrine houses the guardian deity of the Date family and is the site of the Donto fire festival in January. Nearby Rinnoji Temple has a Japanese-style garden noted for its irises in June.

5. Sendai Mediatheque (Tel: 022 713 4483) is a modern art and film center on Jozenji Dori. Besides its library, Mediatheque hosts exhibitions, film screenings and workshops.

Tanabata Festival
The Tanabata-matsuri Festival, held every summer in Sendai, is considered one of the four greatest festivals in the Tohoku region. It is one of the most popular attractions, drawing crowds of over 2 million spectators every year. The festival is based on the Chinese seventh of July legend: The 'Kengyu' (a cowherd) represented by the star Altair, and the 'Orihime' (a weaver) represented by the star Vega, appear on either side of the Milky Way and cross the bridge of magpie's wings over the Milky Way for their one-time rendezvous a year.

Sendai Nightlife
Sendai nightlife is full of drink and eating places. Don't miss the Kokubu-cho area, the designated entertainment district where you can find everything from small izakayas to large nightclubs and classy bars. Club Shaft is a large mainstream venue where Sendai’s youngsters gather to drink every possible kind of beer in the world and dance the night away to DJ music.

Chuo Dori, also called Clis Road, is mainly a huge shopping district, but with a fair share of clubs and bars catering to students.

Vilevan near Sendai Station is a great place for jazz lovers and for those who would rather chill out and have a couple of quality drinks than show off their dance moves. Ernie’s Bar is the perfect place to meet fellow travelers or expats with whom you can swap stories.

Recommended bars in Sendai :
1. Bar,isn't it?
Address : 3-9-13,Ichibancho,Aoba-ku,Sendai

2. CLUB　SHAFT
Address : 2-10-11,Kokubuncho,Aoba-ku,Sendai

3. Gastro-Pub COOPERS
Address : 2-1-3,Kokubuncho,Aoba-ku,Sendai

4. Finger Foods Bar PINE
Address : 1-8-21,Chuo,Aoba-ku,Sendai

Sendai Photos and pictures :

Sendai Ichibancho Arcade. This covered mall connects several streets together in the downtown area to create the largest arcade in the Tohoku region. The shopping area includes several different arcade malls and covers a T-shaped area along Ichibancho and Chuo dori.

Sendai Kokubu Cho Nightlife

The most famous festival in Sendai is the Sendai Tanabata Festival, which attracts more than 2 million visitors every year and is the largest Tanabata Festival in Japan.

Matsushima is famous for its bay, which is dotted by many pine clad islets and has been ranked one of Japan's three most scenic views for centuries. The small town is also known for Zuiganji, one of the Tohoku Region's most important Zen temples.

The Zao Mountains, a one-hour drive from Sendai takes you to Mt. Zao, a collection of several age-old volcanoes.

Downtown Sendai from the nearby Atago shrine

Sendai Kokubuncho at night, it has more than 3000 bars and restaurants assembled, and the busiest entertainment area in all of northeastern Japan.

Southeast entrance from Sun Mall Ichibancho.

The night match at the Sendai stadium

Watch Sendai City and shopping sightseeing video here :

Otaru Sapporo City with Canal Area

2009-11-19T21:04:00.001-08:00

Otaru (小樽市 Otaru-shi) is a small harbor city, about 30 km west of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and it has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is one of Japan's leading tourist destinations. Also, because it is located within a 25 minute-drive from Sapporo, the city recently has seen growth as a bedroom community.

Otaru main attraction is its charming canal district. Its a variety of Western-style from the late Meiji period buildings made the Japanese dub Otaru the "Romantic city". Have a look at the Mitsui Bank, former Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) building, Music Box Museum, among others.

Otaru's nickname is "the town of hills" as there are so many hills, including Jigoku-zaka (hell hill) - a very steep slope, and the long, winding Funami-zaka. Mt. Tengu-yama that towers behind Otaru is a popular ski resort in winter. There is an observation point on Mt. Tengu-yama, and the panoramic view including the whole of Otaru and its port area is absolutely wonderful. There are also cable cars to take you to the mountaintop.

Otaru is a nostalgic town, old-fashioned mood is enhanced by its architecture and layout. A beautiful large canal flows through it. You also find the old remnant of the major industry of Otaru, many glass-ware shops. As they used to make a lot of glass buoys, lamps for fishery, they had many glass-ware factories, where they’ve come to make various kinds of products to attract the visitors as days went by

Otaru Main Attractions :

1. Canal Area. Beautiful canal lined by old warehouses.
2. Herring Mansion. A wealthy fisherman's former mansion.
3. City Museum. Museum about the history of Otaru.

How to get Otaru :

By ferry
Otaru is one of Hokkaido's key ferry ports, and the closest to Sapporo. Shin-Nihonkai Ferry (06-6348-1120) operates a daily service between Sapporo and Niigata (18 hours, ¥6,200+) and between Sapporo and Maizuru near Kyoto (20 hours, ¥9,600+). Both services are overnight, and private cabins are available for a higher fare (the base fare buys sleeping space on the floor).

By Train
Otaru is about 30 minutes from Sapporo and 75 minutes from Chitose Airport using the "JR Rapid Aiport" (￥620 and ￥1,740, respectively).

Between Shin-Chitose A.P. and Sapporo, take either JR or bus. For information, the page [Access between the airport and Sapporo] is helpful.
Fares can differ depending on the occasion. Discount tickets can be available.

From Sapporo to Otaru, it’s about 38.9km, from New Chitose Airport, about 81.9km. These 3 places are lined to one another making almost straight line, making it quite easy to enjoy one-day tour including a few hours’ stay in Otaru.

For the transportation from Otaru ~ Sapporo ~ New Chitose Airport, discount ticket by JR ?One day Walk Ticket?( Ichinichi- Sampo-Kippu )( 2,040 yen ) is convenient and cheaper ( by 320 yen ).

From Sapporo to New Chitose Airport
By Airport-Express( run every 15 min.), about 35 min. 1040 yen.

From Sapporo to Otaru
By express train ( run every 30 min. ) about 30 min. 620 yen.

By Bus
From Bus Terminal, Sapporo Station, run about every 10 min.(weekday) about 55 min., 590 yen.

By rent-a -car
Drive through express, about 39km, 45 min. 1,200 yen ( toll ) besides rental of the car.

By Taxi
From JR Sapporo Sta. to Otaru downtown including the express toll, from about 9,000 to 13,000 yen, about 50 min..
For the round trip from Sapporo to Otaru, including about 3 hours’ sight-seeing in Otaru, from about 27,000 to 35,000 yen.

Otaru Nightlife

There really isn't much in the way of nightlife in Otaru. If you want to rave, jump on a train and head into Susukino in Sapporo. FInd the Gaijin Bar and kick back.

Photos of Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan.

Otaru is a small city and has an estimated population of 137,693 and the density of 580.11 persons per km².

The Herring Mansion stands 6 kilometers outside the city, just next to the Otaru Aquarium. From Otaru Station, buses take about 30 minutes and cost 200 yen.

Otaru City Museum stands next to Otaru Canal, a 5-10 minute walk straight down the main road from Otaru Station.

The canal was completed in 1923. The canal has been developed as a walkway. It is lit at night by gas lamps and walkway lights. Located 10 minutes walk from Otaru Station

From Sapporo to Otaru, it’s about 38.9km, from New Chitose Airport, about 81.9km. These 3 places are lined to one another making almost straight line, making it quite easy to enjoy one-day tour including a few hours’ stay in Otaru.

Akihabara Tokyo Electronic Gadget Shopping

2009-11-09T03:16:00.000-08:00

Akihabara (秋葉原) ("Field of Autumn Leaves"), also known as Akihabara Electric Town (秋葉原電気街 Akihabara Denki Gai), is an area of Tokyo, Japan. What make Akihara so famous is AKihabara or Akiba is the central of Electronic shops in Japan.

Akihabara is the biggest electronics shop district in the world and one of the most important Japanese pop culture springs. Akihabara dreamed place for gadget, technology, anime, video games, robots and manga lovers.

Akihabara is the otaku of those who interested in Cosplay, Anime, Manga, and video playings. We can see the latest fashion in Japanese Electronic goods.

Major stores in Akihabara :

1. Ishimaru Denki
Operating ten stores across Akihabara, including the Main Store, Number One branch and Ekimae branch for electronic equipment, the Pasokon branch for PCs and the Game One and Soft One to Three branches for CDs, DVDs, games and anime related goods

2. Sofmap
Sofmap operates as many as 16 shops in the Akihabara area including multiple branches, which specialize in used computers. The stores are numbered from 1 to 14 plus the main store and the Kakuta branch. A duty free floor can be found in store number one.

3. Laox
Operating eight stores in Akihabara, including the Main Store, Computer branch, Duty Free Akihabara branch and Watch & Camera Branch, the Gakkikan branch for music instruments and three Asobit City branches for hobby and game related products.

4. Yamada Denki - Labi Akihabara
Yamada Denki operates a "LABI" store just across the street from the Akihabara Electric Town exit of JR Akihabara Station. It specializes in personal computers, pc accessories, and household electronics.

5. Akky
Akky operates three duty free shops in the area around Akihabara Station: Akky Main Store, Akky II and Akky III. Products on sale include a variety of electronic equipment for overseas use, including cameras, computers, televisions, DVD players and software.

6. Yodobashi Camera
The Shinjuku based discount electronic store giant Yodobashi Camera opened its huge Akihabara branch in September 2005. Unlike most other electronic shops, it is located on the east side of Akihabara Station, in the new Yodobashi Akiba Building.

New Chitose Airport Airlines in Hokkaido

2009-10-31T21:21:00.001-07:00

Chitose (千歳市 Chitose-shi) is a city near Ishikari, Hokkaidō, Japan. Chitose now famous as it has a new airport "New Chitose Airport" the biggest international airport in Hokkaidō and closest airport to Sapporo, as well as the neighboring Chitose Air Base. The city is bounded by Eniwa in the north and by Tomakomai in the south.

Chitose located in the mid-western part of Hokkaido, adjacent to 3 cities, 5 towns and 1 village. The city stretches lengthwise east to west. The mountainous western part encompasses the Shikotsu portion of Shikotsu-Toya National Park, while the flat central part of the city contains the downtown and airport areas. To the east are hills utilized for agriculture and forestry.

New Chitose Airport (新千歳空港 Shin-Chitose Kuko) is an airport in Chitose, Japan near Sapporo. It has the IATA Airport Code CTS.

On July 24, 1999, All Nippon Airways Flight 61, which was flying from Tokyo International Airport in Tokyo, Japan to Chitose, was hijacked shortly after takeoff. The hijacker killed the pilot before he was subdued. The Boeing 747 landed safely.

The following airlines fly to New Chitose Airport:
Air Do Hokkaido International Airlines
Air Nippon
All Nippon Airlines
All Nippon Airways
China Northern Airlines
Continental Micronesia
Hokkaido Air System
J-Air
JALWays
Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines Express
Japan Air System
Korean Air

How to access New Chitose Airport
By Rail

New Chitose Airport Station is located on a spur off the Chitose Line of Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). Rapid service trains operate to and from Sapporo Station, taking 36–39 minutes and costing ¥1,040.

By Bus
Hokkaidō Chūō Bus/Hokuto Kotsu joint service (Sapporo 4 trips/hr., Oyachi 4 trips/hr.)
Hokkaidō Chūō Bus (Asabu 1–2 trips/hr., Miyanosawa 1–2 trips/hr.)
Hokuto Kotsu (Apa Hotel & Resort 2 trips/hr., Maruyama Park hourly)
Donan Bus (Tomakomai 1–2 trips/hr., Noboribetsu 3 trips/day, Muroran 12 trips/day, Hobetsu 2 trips/day, Urakawa 2 trips/day)
Atsuma Bus (Atsuma 3 trips/day)

New Chitose Airport (CTS) Information :

Address: New Chitose Airport, Chitose, Hokkaido 066-0012
Tel: (0)123 23 0111
The airport for Sapporo, on Hokkaido, north Japan.
The airport has a clinic/chemist, a Foreign Exchange counter, a branch of Hokuyo bank, cash machines and a Post Office.
Transportation: Japan Railways (JR) operates Airport Express trains to and from Sapporo Station, taking around 36 minutes and costing ¥1,040. In addition, there are various bus services to skiing areas of Hokkaido.

New Chitose Airport is an airport located 2.7 NM (5.0 km; 3.1 mi) south southeast of Chitose and Tomakomai, Hokkaidō, Japan

New Chitose Airport is the biggest international airport in Hokkaidō and closest airport to Sapporo, as well as the neighboring Chitose Air Base

Terminal Building in New Chitose Airport

New Chitose Airport Map and Location

Japan Airlines and Air Nippon Airlines in New Chitose Airport

Lake Kawaguchi Popular lake Mount Fuji

2009-10-22T05:10:00.001-07:00

Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖 Kawaguchi-ko) is one of five Lakes that near Mount Fuji, located in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi. Lake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchiko), is the most easily accessible of the five lakes, is located just next to Fuji-Yoshida in neighboring Fuji-Kawaguchiko Town. The other four lakes are Lake Motosu (本栖湖), West Lake (西湖), Lake Shoji (精進湖), Lake Yamanaka(山中湖) ~ The latter three are less developed than Lake Kawaguchi, but more difficult to access.

Lake Kawaguchi is the oldest of the five and it is at least 50-60 thousand years old. There are scores of underwater springs at the lake bottom. There is no discernible surface flow into or out of the lake. Major flows of water appear to take place underground.

Lake Kawaguchi is also a popular tourist destination. A tour to Mount Fuji usually packaged with visiting Lake Kawaguchi. The number of visitors to the five-lake area exceeds ten million annually. Lake Kawaguchi, directly linked to Tokyo Metropolitan urban districts through a major artery highway and closest to the terminal of the Fuji Subaru scenic route, is a centre of tourist attraction in this area.

Lake Kawaguchiko is the most famous of the five lakes for vacation. A large number of hotels line its banks, as do locals providing boat rides to the tourists. Also, there is one of the most famous amusement parks, Fujikyu Highland which is featuring one of the world's highest roller coasters. Many local cultural events are run near this lake throughout the year. Especially, Kawaguchiko firework is the major even for the summer.

Last but not least, Kawaguchiko is home to the amusement park Fuji Q High Land, featuring one of the world's tallest roller coasters and other thrilling attractions with Mount Fuji as backdrop.

How to access Lake Kawaguchi

Kawaguchiko Station is the terminal station of the Fuji Kyuko Railway Line from Otsuki. The bus terminal for local buses and highway buses to/from Tokyo, Kofu, Gotemba and other destinations is located just in front of the station.

From Kawaguchiko Station, two "Retro Bus" lines provide local transportation around Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Sai: The shorter "Kawaguchiko Line" operates along Lake Kawaguchi's eastern and northeastern shores (about 2 buses/hour), while the "Saiko-Aokigahara Line" operates along the Lake Kawaguchi's southern shores and further connects to Lake Sai (about 1 bus/hour).

How to access Mount Fuji Area

Fujigoko (富士五湖)
Terminal Station: Fujikyuko Kawaguchiko (河口湖)

Access from Tokyo By Train :
1. From Tokyo station.
2. use Chuou (JR) line to Otuki station (2 hr.)
3. use Fuji Express to Kawaguchiko (53 min.)

Access from Tokyo By Car :
1. Use Chuo Expressway to Kawaguchiko (2 hr.)

Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Photos and infos :

Lake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchiko) is the most easily accessible of the Fuji Five Lakes. It is located in Kawaguchiko Town, a hot spring resort named after the lake, and well connected with central Tokyo by trains and direct buses.

Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi in autumn, Kawaguchiko town, Yamanashi prefecture, Japan

Kawaguchi town and Fuji from the station Chris Moore, 2005

Kawaguchiko / Kawaguchi Lake view from the top

Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Sai and surroundings Map including the retro bus route

Among the local food specialties are Hoto Noodles, a rustic noodle soup dish garnished with vegetables.

We travelled to Kawaguchi lake from Kawaguchiko train station by Retrobus. My Kawaguchiko Saiko Free Kippu already included 2 days Retrobus, hence I only bought the boat and ropeway pass at 1200 yen.

Asahikawa Japan Hokkaido Ski resort

2009-10-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

Asahikawa (旭川市), is a second largest city on the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan after Sapporo. The city is currently well-known for the Asahiyama Zoo and Asahikawa Ramen.

Asahikawa city is full of natural splendor, with the magnificent Mt. Daisetsu-zan in the background and 120 rivers flowing through it. It is also the gateway for tourism to Soun Gorge and the Furano area. Asahikawa's thriving art world has led it to be called a town for art. Fountains and sculptures dot the shopping park along Heiwa-dori Avenue, the road that leads straight from Asahikawa Station.

Asahikawa Tourist Destination

Although Asahikawa is a small city by Japanese Standards, the city is an excellent base for ski trips to the numerous ski holiday resorts that surround Asahikawa. Additionally Asahikawa has an airport offering connecting flights with the main Japanese hubs.

There are numerous bars and restaurants and the city boasts some great features including a nationally famous zoo and several museums including a Sake museum where tasting is possible. Asahikawa is ringed by ski resorts and transfers via public or private transport to them are easily possible. Asahikawa offers access to a variety of resorts rather than immediate access to any. Asahikawa also has great and authentic Japanese nightlife.

Some of Asahikawa City Tourist must see and destinations :
1. Ginza Shopping Street Nakamise Dori
This area is nicknamed the “kitchen of Asahikawa”, and is always crowded with people doing their shopping in the local stores and market.

Address: 1~4 Jo, 14~15 Chome, Asahikawa

2. San-roku
San-roku (literally three-six) is the central part of the city, and is the hotspot of Asahikawa nightlife. There are over 1,300 different bars, clubs, restaurants, karaoke bars, and cafes.
Address: Around 3 Jo 6 Chome, Asahikawa

3. Hokkaido Traditional Art Craft Village
This world-class group of museums and galleries are situated just outside Asahikawa city. The view of the town from outside the buildings is as beautiful as the buildings themselves! The village comprises of the Yukara textile art center, the international Dyeing museum and the Snow museum. The unique items on display in village cannot be seen anywhere else in the world, making it one of the best tourist attractions in Hokkaido!
Address: Minamigaoka 3 Chome, Asahikawa
Tel: 0166-62-8811

4. Asahikawa City Museum (Asahikawa City Taisetsu Crystal Hall)
The museum is part of the Crystal hall complex, and contains interesting displays about nature in the Taisetsu region and the history of Asahikawa.
Address: Kagura 3 Jo 7 Chome
Tel: 0166-69-2004

5. Asahikawa City Asahiyama Zoo
Zoo in the Japanese north that opened in 1967. The exhibition method (action exhibition) by which ecology animal original can be observed more naturally by a near appearance wins popularity, and attention is attracted from nationwide various places.
Address: Kuranuma, Higashi Asahikawa-cho
Tel: 0166-36-1104

6. Asahikawa Ramen Village
Located very close to JR Nagayama station, the ramen village hosts 8 of Asahikawa’s finest ramen shops. The village is open all year round, and ramen products are available from the souvenir shop within the building complex.
Address: Powers shopping area, Nagayama 11 Jo 4 Chome
Tel: 0166-48-2153

7. Santa Present Park
This “World of Santa Claus” has an amusement area for children and popular ski ground during the wintertime. There is also an observatory tower from which Asahikawa city and the Mt. Taisetsu mountain range can be seen.
Address: Kamui-cho, Tomioka 2 555 Banchi
Tel: 0166-63-3232

8. Kamui Park Grove
This park is very popular with families during the summertime, as there are both indoor and outdoor sports facilities, along with a large space for camping and barbequing.
Address: Kamui-cho, Tomisawa
Tel: 0166-63-4045

9. Stalhin Stadium
Asahikawa’s only stadium is named after the famous baseball pitcher “Stalhin”. The baseball stadium has many professional and amateur baseball games and other events during the summertime, and in the wintertime the grounds are converted to a children’s skiing field.
Address: Hanasaki-cho, 2~3 Chome
Tel: 0166-51-7591

10. Hanasaki Sports Park
The sports park has a wide range of sports facilities, including the Stalhin baseball stadium, running track, tennis and basketball courts, an archery field, and an outdoor Olympic size swimming pool.
Address: Hanasaki-cho, 1~5 Chome
Tel: 0166-52-1934

11. Clark Horse Stables
Located near Asahiyama zoo, you can try your hand at western style horse riding. Horse trekking courses are available and are very popular with beginners who want to try horse riding for the first time.
Address: Sakuraoka 160-4, Higashi Asahikawa-cho
Tel: 0166-36-5963

12. Ski Areas
Hokkaido is a snow lover’s paradise. There are many different ski areas in Asahikawa, 5 within the city limits and another 9 in the surrounding areas. Each ski slope has it’s own unique set of courses, but they all share the same high quality powder snow.
Address: Various locations in and around the city

13. Golf Courses
Asahikawa is a dream location for golf fans, as it has a wide variety of magnificent mountain courses just a short drive away from the city.
Address: Various locations in and around the city

14. Campsites
There are a large number of campsites dotted in and around the city and surrounding areas. You can choose from locations near to rivers, forests, or mountains.
Address: Various locations in and around the district.

Asahikawa Kaimono Koen. Asahikawa's Shopping District Park is located in front of the JR Station and runs perpendicular to it. It is a pedestrian only mall and there are shops and restaurants on both sides.

Ginza Shopping St. Nakamise Do-ri (15-chome market)
It is called a kitchen of the people in Asahikawa. As good and old trace and warm hearted atmosphere, it is familiar to a lot of citizens.

Heiwa Street in Asahikawa

Asahikawa Winter Festival 2009 all snow - 50th anniversary (Snowman Castle and Nagoya Castle)

Asahikawa Grand Hotel. From Asahikawa Airport: 40 mins. by bus or 30 mins. by taxi. From JR Asahikawa Station: 4 mins. by taxi or 10 mins. on foot

Asahikawa bus terminal(Hokkaido Chuo Bus)

Furano Hokkaido Japan Ski Holiday

2009-08-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

Furano (富良野) is a city located in Kamikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan. Furano is situated along the middle reaches of the Sorachi-gawa River in the central part of Hokkaido and it belongs to Furano-Ashibetsu Nature Park. Because of its geographical position, which is almost right in the middle of Hokkaido, Furano has a unique nickname - "the navel town." Every summer, a humorous navel festival is held in Furano, during which about 3,000 participants draw funny faces on their bellies and dance around in the main street.

Furano Skiing

Furano is famous for winter holiday destination because of its ski slopes.

Furano ski resort has two great ski areas: Furano and Kitanomine. Both areas are interconnected by the lifts and boast over 900 vertical meters of terrain suitable for all abilities and will challenge even expert skiers. It is one of the most respected ski areas in the whole of Japan and with an average seasonal snowfall of over 8 metres; the perfect destination.

The Furano ski resort lies at the very centre of Hokkaido and is reknowned for its long runs, magnificent views and the ever present Hokkaido powder, with falls of up to 8 metres per season on average. Furano resort has been the venue for world cup races with many of the world's great skiers having tested its steep and fast ski runs.

Ski area lifts include the 6 person Kitanomine Gondola which goes 2.95km giving runs up to 4.5 km in length, the 100 person Furano Ropeway which covers 2.5km in 5 minutes! The central valleys have superb powder and the views of the central ranges of Hokkaido are spectacular. Furano is well known for it’s lack of crowds adding to your enjoyment of this former world cup resort. There are ample beginner/intermediate runs at the base of each side of the mountain, with the steeper and deeper runs up high.

Furano Sightseeing

Sightseeing in Furano can be seperated into several locations such as : Biei, Kami Furano, Naka Furano, Furano, Minami Furano, and Shimukappu.

Some of Furano Sightseeing spots and main attractions are listed here :
1. Chushin-Hyou Park.
The hear of Hokkaido LIes in a corner of Furano Elementary School Yard. 1.2km form JR station

2. Furano Winery
The winery produces dozens of varieties of local wine carefully developed mellow flavor and scent. Observation tour and tasting are available.
Tel: 0167-22-3242. 3km from JR station

3. Furano Grape Juice Factory
100% Fruit juice tastes great. Furano Grape Juice comes in red or white. Observation tours and tasting are available.
Tel: 0167-23-3033. 4km from JR station

4. Furano Cheese Factory
The factory manufactures and sells Furano cheese and Furano Milk. Cheese tasting is available. The adjoining Ice Milk Factory is always crowded. You can try your hand at a number of things, including making butter and ice cream, at The Hands-on Work Shop. (Booking necessary)
Tel: 0167-23-1156. 4km from JR station

5. Taiyo-no-Sato Park Fureai House
This 20ha.-park includes camping site, adventure circuit and a park golf course. At Fureai House, you will find a restaurant and accommodation.
Tel: 0167-42-3445. 14km from JR station

6. Hotel Furano HIghland's lavender fields
You can take a look at the largest lavender fields in the city from its outdoor hot spring.
Tel: 0167-22-5700. 7.5km form JR station

7. Furano Ski Resort
This international class ski resort has hosted the World Cup Skiing Competition 10times and the World Cup Snowboarding Competition. The resort offers slopes for all levels of skiers. Snowboarders are also welcomed. The ropeway can hold up to 101 passengers and it the fastest of its kind in Japan. It also operates in the off-season.
Tel:0167-22-1111. 2.7km from JR station

8. Ningle Terrace
A shopping road of log houses designed by Soh Kuramoto. Nearby to this spot are the cafe Morino-Tokei (A Clock in a Forest), featured in the TV drama "Yasahii Jikan" (Heart Warming Moment) and "Soh's Bar" also designed by Soh Kuramoto.
Tel:0167-22-1111. 7km form JR station

9. Rokugo-no-Mori, the Forest
The family of Goro Kuroita, the leading character appeared in the TV drama "Kitano Kuni Kara" (From the North Country) lived in this forest.
Tel:0167-29-2323. 18.2km form JR station

10. Goro's Stone House
A spot commonly used as the main set in "Sudachi, Leaving the Nest", a chapter from the TV drama "Kitano Kuni Kara". 21km form JR station

11. Jun and Yui's Recycled House
A popular location used as the set for the TV drama "Kitano Kuni Kara" where you can see unique ideas shown in the Recycled Houses. 16.5km from JR station

12. Kitano Kuni Kara Siryoukan, the Museum
This museum contains commemorative items and information for "Kitano Kuni Kara", and was built under the supervision of the author, Soh Kuramoto.
Tel:0167-39-2800 0.3km form JR station

Furano Sightseeing and Ski photos and pictures :

The Furano ski resort lies at the very centre of Hokkaido and is reknowned for its long runs, magnificent views and the ever present Hokkaido powder, with falls of up to 8 metres per season on average.

Furano and Biei are two towns in the center of Hokkaido, known for their pleasant and picturesque rural landscapes.

New Furano Prince Hotel, Furano, Hokkaido

Hotel in Furano Japan

Farm Fomita in Naka Furano Many lavender fields are in bloom.

Furano Ski Area Map

Cable Car to Furano Ski Resort

Noboribetsu Hot Spring Resort Hokkaido

2009-08-02T02:17:00.001-07:00

Noboribetsu (登別市) is a name of city in Iburi, Hokkaidō, Japan. Noboribetsu located in southwestern Hokkaido in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, directly south of Sapporo city, and since it runs along the coast and is surrounded by beautiful forested hills.

Noboribetsu is a name from the local Ainu language which means "a cloudy river tinged with white." Noboribetsu is famous for its hot spring resort (onsen) and the Hell Valley (地獄谷 Jigokudani) sulphurous volcanic pits and geysers, the ninja village and Bear Park. Like most coastal parts of Japan, Noboribetsu is also famed for it’s gourmet spread of seafood . which includes cod roe, salmon roe and Onikama a type of boiled fish paste.

Located on the Pacific Ocean side of Hokkaido and close to Muroran, Noboribetsu has various places to visit and is one of Hokkaido's most famous hot spring resort areas. It was founded on September 13, 1869, has an approximate population of 54,039 with a total area of 212.11 km2. Noboribetsu is a part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park.

Noboribetsu hot spring has over 10 different kinds of water, containing minerals such as hydrogen sulfide, salt, and iron. The quality of these minerals results in the spa being ranked among the world's most exceptional hot springs.

How to access Noboribetsu ?

Access to Noboribestu via train to Noboribetsu Station takes approximately one hour and ¥3850 from Sapporo. Donan and Chuo Bus Companies operate eleven direct buses per day from Sapporo Station to Noboribetsu. The one way trip costs ¥1900 and takes between two and three hours. If driving from Sapporo or Shin Chitose Airport, the fastest way is using the Doo Expressway, then taking the "Noboribetsu Higashi" exit. The distance From Sapporo, is about one hundred (100) km and the expressway toll for a family car is approximately ¥3000.

Nearby Cities from Noboribetsu :

Sapporo, Japan [34.6 miles]
Aomori, Japan [98.3 miles]
Niseko, Japan [32.3 miles]
Otaru, Japan [43.3 miles]

Main Attraction in Noboribetsu :
1. Hot Springs. About Noboribetsu's hot spring baths.
2. Jigokudani . Hell valley - displaying volcanic activities.
3. Shiraoi Town - Porotokotan. Good Ainu museum near Noboribetsu.
4. Lake Toya. Site of Mount Usu, an active volcano.

Noboribetsu photos and pictures, a nice scenery

Noboribetsu's main shopping belt

Noboribetsu Hell Valley

Noboribetsu Hot Spring

Noboribetsu Ropeway Station to Bear Park, one of the main tourist attractions

Noboribetsu Bear Park

Ninja Village Date Jidai Mura Ninja Theme Park

samurai at Date Jidai Mura Ninja

Noboribetsu Date Jidai Mura Outdoor ninja show Video here

Shirakawago and Gokayama Japan Old Village

2009-07-14T07:28:00.001-07:00

Shirakawa-go (白川郷, "White River Old-District") is the name of village in the Shogawa river valley stretching across the border of Gifu and Toyama Prefectures in northern Japan. Shirakawa-go cannot be seperated with the other historic villages Gokayama (五箇山, "Five Mountains").

Both Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are under UNESCO world heritage site since 1995, and the places are very popular nowadays as a traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.

Shirakawa-go's largest village and main attraction may be is Ogimachi.

Shirakawa-go has many events every day, here is the list of events including the event schedule

Events The time of the year
1. Harukoma - New Year
2. Syougo - End of February
3. Kumagari - Middle of March ～ Middle of April
4. Gassho roof's rethatch - Beginning of April
5. Cherry tree flowering season - End of April ～　Beginning of May
6. Skunk cabbage flowering season- End of April ～　End of May
7. The season of fresh green - Middle of May ～　End of June
8. Hakusan Super woodland path' access starts - Beginning of June ～　Middle of June
9. Hakusan's the opening of a mountain - 20th of July ～　31st of August
10. Oosirakawa Camping place - 14th of August ～　17th of August
11. Bon Festival dance - 25th 26th of September, 10th of October
12. Doburoku Festival - 14th of October ～　19th of October
13. Autumnal leaves - Middle of October ～　Beginning of November
14. Mekaki - End of October ～　Middle of November
15. Houonkou - December ～　End of March
16. Snowfall - End of December ～　End of March
17. Skiing - End of December ～　End of March

Hotels, Guesthouse, and nightstay in Shirakawa-go. Here is some of the best hotel in Shirakawa-go :

1. Mihoro Ryokan
Situated in high level of Syou River, and it is Shirakawa-go’s South entryway. The hotel is old and good appearance relaxing mode tourist home and it has used dismantle Colony sank under the Mihoro lake and reconstruct it.
Address： 126 - 3 Maki Shirakawa village Oono-Gun

2. Hatago Shirayama Hotel
At this hotel, good quality hot spring, and eaten Hida Beef or river fishes with hearth’s charcoal fire is the main things of the hotel. The dishes are used particular food and seasonable, and also Jizake (local sake) and Reisyu with 3 years old Sake are available with Kappo Sake (bamboo Sake). Stubborn landlord, and beautiful landlady are waiting for you at the hotel.
Address： 126-100 Hirase Shirakawa Village Oono-gun

3. Yu-no-Sato
The hotel’s style can’t be seen in Shirakawa-go with unusual ceiling-well that dismantle Fukui’s fishermen's boss’s building and reconstruct it. Hills and waters and the natural hot spring are the charm of family accommodation

4. Fujiya Ryokan
“The hotel which protects the Japanese secret hot springs” The inside bath and the outdoor hot springs are entire Hinoki (Japanese cypress) making that is what hotel can proud of!! It helps to bring the good quality out of Hot springs. Also bath time of returning on the same day is possible, so as four seasons’ holiday making, you are welcome to our hotel.
Address： 303-16 Hirase Shirakawa Village Oono-gun

5. Jyuemon
It is Gassho Style Inn that has 300 years history.
Address： 2653 Ogimachi Shirakawa Village Oono-gun

6. Inn Bunroku
The Inn is backed by the superb view of mountain. How about having a meal with the birds twittering, and watching the pond’s Koi (carp). You can enjoy the therapeutic walk in the forest even staying in the Inn. You might get the welcome words from cows
Address： 911 Ogimachi Shirakawa Village Oono-gun

7. himizu
Our Inn has 200 years history of Gassho style. It is situated in inside of the Gassho Colony, but it is bit out of center so quieter Inn.
Address： 2613 Ogimachi Shirakawa Village Oono-gun

Shirakawa-go Photos :

Dining room of a gassho-zukuri farmhouse

Kikori Souvernir shop. The most spacious souvenir shop in Shirakawa village. Located at Ogimachi south exit, and the next door on both sides are a dining room Tyube and Life museum.

Ogimachi Village, the largest village at Shirakawago

Hatago Shirayama Hotel at Hirase Shirakawa Village Oono-gun

World heritage Shirakawa-go Gassho-styled village. An antique village registered as a world heritage. The 112 Gassho-styled houses are a faithful remnant of old Japanese scenery.

Watch Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama Video here

Isawa Onsen Hotspring in Yamanashi

2009-07-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Isawa is a small town in Yamanashi Prefecture. It is one of the tourist hot spring sites in Japan. The city is near with Tokyo and Mount Fuji. In spring the land is clothed in pink and the soft scent of peach blossoms is in the air.

Though Isawa Onsen’s history is not so long, it is the largest hot spring resort in Yamanashi Prefecture and famous throughout the country. In 1961, when people dug in a vineyard here, 60-degree-temperature water gushed forth. They threw the water away, diverting it to a nearby river, and children who played in the river were pleased because the water was warm and comfortable. Seeing that, people thought only throwing away this hot water was a waste and made a pool, which became a kind of openair bath and drew a lot of attention. Since that humble start, Isawa Onsen has been developing and now more than 3.5 million tourists visit this area annually.

Close to Tokyo, it is said to be the second largest hot spring resort in Japan next to Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, and has about 100 accommodations ranging from small inns for families to expensive Japanese ryokan to large-scale hotels for large group holiday-makers.

The Isawa hot spring flowed forth suddenly from a vineyard in 1961, which explains the why it is known as the "Hot Spring of the Vineyard." With approximately 150 hotels and Japanese style ryokan inns, it is the biggest hot spring resort in Yamanashi.

Contents: Pure hot spring 113-140o F

How to access Isawa Onsen :
Take a 90 minutes from Shinjuku Station to Isawa Onsen Station on the JR Chuo Line.

Isawa Hot Spring Address :
Fuefuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture
Phone Number 055-262-3626 (Isawa Hot Spring Inn Association)
URL http://www.isawaonsen.or.jp/

Hotes in Isawa town :
1. Hotel Hatta
JPY 9,600 - JPY 16,300
The hotel Hatta is a bath-proud hotel with the theme of “beauty, health, and healing.” We serve a meal mixed with Japanese and Western style kaiseki (traditional multi-course dinner) benefiting of local foods. It is a qualified facility for health enhancement.

2. Hotel Hanaisawa
JPY 9,500 - JPY 15,200
Re-opened in March, 2002 based on the theme of "Comfort and Elegance." We have a new large bath, more restaurants and the renewed front lobby now, to welcome you.

3. Hotel Sekitei
JPY 8,900 - JPY 13,650
This modern Japanese resort blends the tranquility of an authentic Japanese setting with versatility in style. The night view from the rotenburo (open-air bath) with a cypress wood bathtub is unsurpassed in the Koshu region.

4. Hotel Fuji
JPY 9,900 - JPY 16,600
Our big rock baths and large spa style baths with spectacular views of the garden are worth experiencing.

5. Fujinoya Yutei
JPY 10,700 - JPY 18,900
An authentic ryokan (Japanese-style hotel) near a clean stream containing sweet fish (Ayu). Enjoy a thermal spring open-air bath and private open-air bath in the annex. All guest rooms have recently been renovated.

6. Isawa Tokiwa Hotel
JPY 9,500 - JPY 13,650
Located 5 minutes from the highway exit, at the east entrance to Isawa Hot Spring, we aim to provide guests with the best possible hospitality.

7. Meiseki no Yado Kagetsu
JPY 18,800 - JPY 27,900
Please enjoy a leisurely time at our large open-air bath and sukiya style (a traditional way of construction for the tea ceremony room) guest rooms. Our Japanese garden of 5000 tsubo (16500 square meters) was created with the great technique of modern lan

8. Hanayagi no Sho Keizan
JPY 9,300 - JPY 22,050
Only five minutes walk from Isawa Onsen Station, we are very conveniently located. We are proud of our large baths and open air baths whose water is sourced from a naturally occurring hot spring.

9. Hotel Kaiji
JPY 11,550 - JPY 12,600
Our quiet Japanese-style hotel faces some Sakura trees and a small river, and has a Japanese garden around it. The large hot spring bath with a good supply of water is popular. We are proud of our cuisine made from the local ingredients.

10. Kizukuri no Yado Kikori
JPY 14,490 - JPY 24,465
The classic ryokan (traditional Japanese-style inn) is located in the onsen (hot springs) town, surrounded by modern architecture. We hope that you will enjoy the soul and warmth of trees.

11. Isawa View Hotel
JPY 10,500 - JPY 12,600
Unwind in this Japanese-style hotel to your heart’s content as you enjoy the chef’s special dinner course, Kohama Sekizen, rich in local flavor.

12. Kyosuiso
JPY 10,500 - JPY 13,650
We are a quiet Japanese style hotel with six kinds of bathing facilities and delicious cuisine. We cater to individuals, families, and groups.

13. Hanare no Yado Tagano
JPY 22,050 - JPY 23,100
With only eight guest rooms in total, this traditional Japanese-style inn is situated on nearly 5000 square meters of serene ground. The all-natural waters of the hot spring are available 24 hours a day.
Meitei no Yado Koshien
JPY 9,450 - JPY 30,450
We are an authentic, two storey Japanese style hotel surrounded by a 6,600 square meter Japanese garden. We also have rooms with private outdoor baths.

14. Yoimachi no Sato Hanasuisho
JPY 13,650
We are a compact Japanese hotel designed with a floral theme. We have two kinds of open-air baths, a hinoki (cypress) wood bath and a stone bath. Meals, carefully prepared using seasonal ingredients, are served in your room.

15. Hotel Kasugai
JPY 15,200 - JPY 19,000
Our Japanese style hotel is next to Isawa Onsen in the center of the Kasugaikajitsu hot spring resort, also a production area of peaches and grapes. You can gaze at Fuefuki River or Mt. Fuji.

Isawa Onsen Hotspring Photos :

Isawa Hot Spring

Isawa Hot Spring Resort flowed forth suddenly from a vineyard in 1961

Isawa Hot Spring is the largest hot spring resort in Yamanashi Prefecture and also one of the most famous in Japan.

The main site of the Isawa Onsen Matsuri Festival (Isawa Spa Festival and Fireworks Display) is the shore of the Fuefuki-gawa, a river that runs through the town of Isawa-cho.

Watch Isawa Onsen Hotspring Scenery Video here

Hyogo famous Hijemi Castle and Hotspring

2009-06-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県 Hyōgo-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kinki region on Honshū island. Hyogo is located in the Kansai Region, stretching from the Seto Inland Sea to the Sea of Japan. Its largest city and prefectural capital is Kobe, its most famous tourist attraction is Himeji Castle, and its best known hot spring resorts are Arima and Kinosaki.

Hyogo prefecture is famous for the city Kobe (the capital city), Himeji City, Kinosaki Onsen, and city of Takarazuka.

Hyōgo borders on Osaka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture and Okayama Prefecture.

Hyogo Photos :

Akashi Bridge

Hijemi Casle in Hijemi City
Himeji is most famous for its magnificent castle, Himeji Castle, widely considered to be Japan's most beautiful surviving feudal castle. The castle is designated both a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site.

Kinosaki City
Kinosaki is located in northern Hyogo Prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan. This pleasant town, built along a willow lined river, is one of the top onsen destinations of the Kansai Region.

Kitano Sight seeing

Watch A Japanese Medieval Castle : Himeji Castle Video here

Kanazawa Ishikawa Japan History City

2009-06-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Kanazawa (金沢市 Kanazawa-shi) is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan. Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km². Kanazawa, located northwest of Tokyo along the Sea of Japan, rose in prominence during the 15th century, when the powerful and militant Ikko sect established new headquarters there after being chased out of Kyoto by the monks of Mount Hiei.

Kanazawa is one of the overlooked jewels of Japanese tourism, its offer really japanese history and culture such as the samurai, the merchants, the geisha, and the lords have all left their mark on Kanazawa in a compact, easily navigable central area.

Kanazawa attractions :
1. Kenrokuen : Japan's most celebrated landscape garden. The Garden of Six Attributes is considered one of Japan's Top 3 gardens.
2. Chaya Districts : District of teahouse where geisha perform.
3. Seisonkaku Villa : Beautiful Japanese villa in Kenrokuen.
4. Nagamachi : Kanazawa's former samurai district.
5. Ninjadera : Temple equipped with secret doors and traps.
6. 21st Century Museum : Spectacular contemporary art museum.
7. Omicho Market : Busy market near Kanazawa Station.
8. Oyama Shrine : Shrine dedicated to the former local lord.
9. Kanazawa Castle : Slowly being reconstructed.

Kanazawa Temples and shrines :
1. Ninja Temple (妙立寺 Myōryu-ji) : The tour guides insist there is no connection between the 'Ninja Temple' and actual ninja assassins.
2. Oyama Shrine (尾山神社) : on the other side of the castle. Built in the early Meiji period to honour the founding father of the Kaga Domain, Maeda Toshiie
3. Tentoku-in (天徳院) : the largest temple in Kanazawa during the Edo period, it stood at the eastern end of the city.
4. Daijōji Temple : is an old and active Zen Buddhist Temple set away from traffic on a hillside. The temple in its current location dates from 1697.
5. Shinmeiguu Shrine 神明宮 : this shrine is famous for the 900 year old plus Zelkova tree (keyaki) in its grounds.

Kanazawa nightlife

While in Kanazawa, don't miss the opportunity to sample tea ceremony tea (抹茶 matcha), served with either an incredibly dry and tasteless sweet (干菓子 higashi) or a rather more appetizing fresh one (生菓子 namagashi). Figure on ¥5000-1000 depending on where you try it; the Higashi-Chaya geisha district probably offers the nicest teahouses.

The Katamachi area in central Kanazawa is wall to wall with bars of all shapes and sizes. Some buildings such as the Elle Building are almost exclusively full of hostess bars (often referred to as lounge bars) which may not always be foreigner friendly. Many bars will hit you for a cover charge anywhere upwards of ¥500 per person stretching into thousands.

Best of Kanazawa nighlife bars and drinking beers place are listed here :

1. Apre : A mix of locals and gaijin fill this large two-storey bar near Kōrinbo 109. There's free internet, a pool table, plenty of food and beer selections and a lively crowd (at least on weekends).

2. Baby Rick : This classy little shot bar has a billiard table, jazz and whisky (the good kind), and you can get dishes like spaghetti carbonara and homemade pizzas. It's in the basement level beneath Shidax karaoke. If you enter after 22:00 there's a cover charge.

3. I no Ichiban : This slender izakaya serves plenty of cocktails and has ambience in spades - so much so that it's almost unrecognisable from the street; look for the wood-panel screen and tiny stand of bamboo

4. Ishikawa Prefectural Nō Theatre : Nō theatre is alive and well in Kanazawa, and performances are held once a week during summer at Ishikawa Prefectural Nō Theatre.
5. Pilsen : Two blocks from the Katamachi Scramble, this German-style place serves lots of beers and a fascinating hybrid menu: where else can you get a sausage plate and warm tofu-mushroom salad at the same meal?

6. Polé Polé : In the same building (and sharing the same owners) as Legian restaurant, this dark, grungy and friendly bar is an institution for decades of gaijin and locals - look for the signatures of foreign exchange students. The narrow floor is littered with peanut shells (proceeds from peanut sales go to charity), and the music (reggae) is loud.

7. Nyumba, JR Station area, 2-19-4 Hon-machi, 076-233-7405 open 11:30am - Midnight, closed on Sundays. A stylish, modern family run cafe/bar near Kanazawa station. They do lunch specials for around ¥900 (11:30 - 14:00). Draft beer goes for ¥500 and they have a range of teas and coffees from ¥300. Cocktails are in the ¥600 range.

8. Machrihanish, Katamachi Area, Kigura-machi, 076-233-0072 open 18:30 - 02:00, closed on Sundays. The best selection of Single Malts in Kanazawa bar none. The English speaking owner spent several years working at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and has visited every distillery in Scotland! If whisky is your thing this is the place to visit. Draft Kilkenny is ¥900 a pint, cocktails start at ¥750 and the vast whisky selection kicks off at ¥700. The fish and chips is recommended. It is on the 2nd floor next to a bar called Cadeau look for the large white sign.

9. Ozi, Tatemachi shopping street, open 11:00 - 23:00, closed on Mondays. A great place to sit and people watch while sipping a drink. Draft beer is ¥500 and soft drinks are ¥250. Kebabs, tortilla rolls and pizzas are on the menu and the friendly owner, who hails from Istanbul, speaks English, Persian and German. A popular spot with resident foreigners.

Kanazawa Photos :

Teahouses in Higashi-Chayamachi

Kanazawa Train Station in Kanazawa, Japan

Kanazawa Kenrokuen

Chayakanazawa, Higashi Geisha District

Kanazawa Castle, Ishikawa Gate (National Important Cultural Properties)

Watch Kanazawa Castle Video here

From 1583 to the end of the Edo Period, Kanazawa Castle was the seat of the powerful Maeda Clan, lords of Kaga, a feudal domain ranking second only to the Tokugawa possessions in terms of size and rice production.

The castle burnt down a few times throughout its history, and the most recent fires of 1881 were survived only by the castle's Ishikawa-mon Gate. The gate, which dates from 1788, is the main entrance to the park and faces Kenrokuen.

Gifu Takayama history city in Chubu

2009-05-22T01:15:00.001-07:00

Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県) is a region in the central Chubu region of the main Japanese island Honshu. Gifu city is near to Takayama, a beautiful town in the mountains, and Shirakawa-go, a collection of small villages even deeper in the mountains.

Gifu is easily accessible both domestically and for travellers coming from abroad. Gifu can be reached by train in 20 minutes from Nagoya, 1 hour from Central Japan International Airport (CENTRAIR), 2 hours from Tokyo, and 1 hour from Osaka.

Gifu City is well known as a historical city with UKAI (cormorant fishing) in the pristine Nagara River —a tradition with some 1300 years of history. It is also famous for Gifu Castle, a central landmark in the history of 16 century daimyō general ODA Nobunaga.

Gifu City was also approved as an international convention city in 1988, and has continued to grow in popularity as an international convention and tourism city ever since.

Gifu Tourism
Gifu has many popular tourist attractions, bringing visitors to all parts of the prefecture. The most popular places are Gifu, Gero, Shirakawa and Takayama. Gifu is famous for cormorant fishing, which has a history of over 1,300 years, as for being a long-term residence of both Oda Nobunaga and Saitō Dōsan. Gero is known for its relaxing hot springs, which attract visitors throughout the year. Shirakawa's historic villages are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Takayama is famous for retaining its original appearance and is often referred to as Little Kyoto.

In addition to international tourists, Gifu also plays host to many international events. The World Event and Convention Complex Gifu is available for many types of events. Other areas of Gifu, too, bring international events, such as in 2005 when the World Rowing Championships were held in the city of Kaizu.

Gifu Attractions :
1. Takayama : Preserves one of Japan's nicest old towns.
2. Shirakawa-go : Mountainous region, known for its farmhouses.
3. Furukawa : Small town 15 minutes north of Takayama.
4. Gujo-Hachiman : Small town in rural Japan with castle.
5. Gero Onsen : Famous hot spring resort south of Takayama

Gifu sightseeings :
1. Cormorant Fishing
Ukai is the fishing method to which a fisherman catches fish using a cormorant, and has performed for about 1300 years.

2. Gifu Castle
Come see a symbol of Gifu City at the summit of Mt. Kinka, featuring various displays inside and an observation gallery on top!

3. Gifu Park
With its spring cherry blossoms, refreshing summer greenery, beautiful autumn leaves, and winter snow, Gifu Park is a paradise of seasonal pleasures.

4. Mt. Kinka Ropeway
It takes you from Gifu Park to Mt. Kinka in 3 min. Enjoy the dynamic beauty of Nagara River and the cityscape!

5. Gifu City Museum of History
The history and culture of Gifu City are shown through the unique experience-based exhibition, focusing on Sengoku period.

6. Mt. Kinka
It's 329 meters high, in the center of Gifu City. Nature trails take you to the top with enjoyable natural scenery.

7. Nagara River
1300 years of historical UKAI runs in Nagara River. Its water has been protected and this river is rated as one of the 100 cleanest and of 88 best bathing places in Japan.

8. UKAI no Sato
See cormorants and traditional UKAI implements at the 6 Cormorant Fishing Masters' houses along the Nagara River!

9. Gifu Great Buddha
One of the 3 greatest Buddha statues in Japan, and the biggest (13.7 meters) constructed by the dry lacquer technique, The Gifu Great Buddha will soothe you with his graceful smile.

10. Sofuku-ji Temple
See the monument for Nobunaga and his son Nobutada's as well as historical materials related to Gifu Castle, nestled here among the beautiful Japanese enkianthus trees.

11. Kawara-machi area
Walk and see old-fashioned Japanese houses, and traditional confectioner's shops, along with restaurants and galleries converted from old townhouses!

12. Nagara River Hot Springs
Enjoy hot springs along the Nagara River. Why don't you relax in the russet brown water, experiencing the beauty of the changing seasons?

13. Bairin Park
About 1300 plum trees of some fifty different species are planted here. The Plum Festival is held in early March attracting many visitors every year.

Photos of Gifu city :

First built as a fortress on the top of Mt. Kinka in 1201, Gifu Castle has a history of about 800 years.

Gifu Village

Street at Gifu city

Together with Gifu Castle, the Nagara River that flows through the middle of Gifu City is a beloved symbol of Gifu City.\

Yanagase street in Gifu

Watch Japan Gifu Minokamo city street Video

Nagano Zenkoji Temple and night bars

2009-05-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Nagano (長野市), the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers, on the main Japanese island of Honshū. Nagano is famous for its Buddhis Temple Zenkoji, Nagano's most famous attraction and one of Japan's most popular temples.

In 1998, Nagano hosted the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, the second Winter Olympics ever held in Japan and the first since 1972 when the Winter Games were held in Sapporo, also the site of the first Winter Olympics ever held in Asia.

Visiting Nagano is full of historical sites sightseeing such as : The historic site of the Battles of Kawanakajima has been retained as parkland, with a municipal museum of the history of the Zenkoji plain.

Nagano Nightlife :

Nagano has a lot of historical places, temples, and also the nightclub and bars,clubs, pubs.
Some of Nagano Bars, pubs, clubs, and drinking places are listed here :

1. Bluebird: Darts, Pool & Pints
Theme: Eating and Drinking
Address: Daito Building 3
Phone: 0262263945
Directions: From Nagano Station: take right-side steps leaving the West Exit. Cross street near Starbucks and go up the small street. Bluebird is at the end - it overlooks the next "major" street.

2. NAGANO CLUB JUNK BOX
Theme: Nightclub
Phone: 026-267-9120
Directions: Again Building, 7F (look for Comme Ca du Mode).

3.Liberty: Bars, Pubs, Clubs
Theme: Eating and Drinking
Address: Downtown
Directions: Moved to a new location in Spring 2004. Not far from Nagano Station. Ask any foreigner and they'll know the way.

Nagano Photos

Nagano Matsumoto Castle

Nagano Downtown, full of skyscraper building

Nagano Zenkoji Castle, the most famous Buddhist Temple

Watch Zenkoji Castle at Nagano Video here

Chiba City Tokyo drink bars address

2009-04-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

Chiba (千葉市 Chiba-shi) is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000. A large part of the prefecture is the Bōsō Peninsula (房総半島 Bōsō-hantō), which shields Tokyo bay from the Pacific Ocean.

Chiba Nightlife and Clubs :

There are lots of clubs lined up in Chiba, mostly filled with Filipinas. The rates rise steeply after 10 pm. You'll see lots of people standing outside on the streets outside these clubs inviting you to visit their place.

You can drink together and chat up with these hostesses but be cautious about the bill. They add up lots of other things to the pre-decided rate like singing, dancing, etc.

But quite a nice experience. Not on my pocket though. Costed 6000 yens for an hour spent there!!

Some of best bars and nightclubs in Chiba are listed here including the address and brief information :

1. The Melting PotThe Melting Pot is an International Darts Bar. We have been around since 1999 and were the first soft-tip darts bar in Chiba prefecture.
Address #203 Town Aimi Bldg. 4-16-7 Ainokawa Ichikawa, Chiba Japan 272-0138

2. SalaLiterally this bar is one tent located on a side street outside of Tsudanuma station. Even in Japanese it is referred to as テントの居酒屋 which means "Tent Izakaya".
Address 千葉県船橋市前原西２-１３-１５

3. Rockwell's BarLocated in Chiba city on Fujimi Street next to the river, Rockwell's is a spacious western-style bar where one can sit and have a beer while chatting with the bartender or come with friends and just sit at a sofa and goof off.
Address 千葉県千葉市中央区富士見2-19-4

4. Outback SteakhouseA taste of home for just about any foreigner living in Japan. Forget about bite-size portions here because the dishes at Outback are large and plenty for foreigners of all size.
Address Messe Amuse Mall 1F 1-8, Hibino, Mihama-ku,Chiba-shi, Chiba 261-0021

5. Live House AngaA live house located in Chiba Chuo-ku. A great place to find local and upcoming bands.
Address 千葉市中央区富士見 2-16-4 B1F

6. Ocean DeepChiba's newest International Bar/Club & Cafe, Ocean Deep, has all you need for a great night out in Chiba. 1 minute from the west exit of Chiba station, ￥500 drinks & food with gaijin-sized portions, international beers, music you know & miss from home, videos on a huge 120inch projector screen.
Address Chiba Chuo-ku Shin-Chiba 2-1-5 Ogawa Daiichi Building 102

7. Raver's CafePsychedelic, trance and some of the biggest events in all of Chiba Prefecture! Raver's cafe is one of those treasures that is out in the middle of nowhere and only the locals know about it.
Address 千葉市緑区平山町1933

8. Balearic BarLocated Chiba city Chuo-ku on Chiba Ginza street next door to Stage 2, Balearic is a popular spot for clubbers to stop by before or after going to Stage 2 and well known among many of the foreigners in Chiba city.
Address 千葉市中央区中央3-17-2

9. Rob Roy speakeasyRob Roy speakeasy is your typical Japanese dining bar. Not too loud or rowdy with a touch of sophistication. However, drinks at such places are a bit more expensive than your average "gaijin hangouts" or Izakaya's so be careful.
Address 〒272-0023 千葉県市川市南八幡3-8-11　モンビラージュ2F

10. Breezy Cafe and BarLocated in Chiba City, Breezy Cafe offers a little bit of everything under one roof. They have a vast wine and cocktail list, private rooms for large parties, they carry Yebisu and Sapporo beers on tap, offer free board games.
Address 千葉県千葉市富士見 2-16-4

11. Hippy Dippy DooYou can come down for a beer, and a game of darts with your friends. Or just come down, hang out and meet new friends. We have delicious munchies too. Open Mic Night Hippy Dippy Doo has live music on Sundays once or twice a month.
Address "2-12-18 Gyotokuekimae, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba-ken 272-0133, Japan "

12. Uptown 125Uptown 125, "Chiba's No. 1 International Nightclub" is a recent addition to Chiba's night scene. Situated a 10 minute walk away from Funabashi JR station, the club boasts a vibrant mix of Japanese and foreign "beautiful people", live Reggae, Hip-Hop and other music.
Address Natsumi 1-10-31, Funabashi-shi, Chiba-ken, 273-0865

13. "Arrows" : British Pub and FoodArrows is yet another in a line of Disney-style faux-British pubs that has sprung up around Japan. Decked-out to look like an "authentic" British/Irish pub, the venue (one of three in the area) boasts draught-Guinness, Bodingtons ("The Cream of Manchester!") and Bass-Ale.
Address Funabashi-shi, Hon-cho, 4-39-6 2F

14. EURO HOUSE (Irish Pub)Located in Funabashi near the "My Thai Food" restaurant, Euro House offers what the faux-Brit Japanese run pub round the corner cannot...ATMOSPHERE. Run by a European and serving top Irish, British and European food as well as a great selection of draft foreign ales.
Address Kobeya Bldg. 3F, 4-40-3 Hon-cho, Funabashi-shi, Chiba

15. Upper Float Mexican Bar and GrillLocated in Chiba city, Upper float is a hot spot for foreigners in the Chiba area. Not only do they have great food that reminds you of home but the atmosphere is comfortable, friendly and fun.
Address 2-17-17 Chiba-shi Chuo-ku Fujimi Street

Chiba Photos :

Chiba Museum of Art

Chiba Nightlife view

Watch Hanami Festival in Chiba Video here

Kyoto Hualin Luang Spa Sauna and Massage

2009-04-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million people and a modern face.

As a modern and metropolitan city, Kyoto grow as a dynamic and busy city. For everybody jailed in daily routine activity, a relaxtion may be needed.

What is Kyoto Massage?
The birth of Kyoto Massage began in 1999 while traveling the ancient city of temples amidst the towering bamboo trees and hundreds of stone steps. From sun- up til the sun-down, I left no temple undiscovered. I put prayers in the trees and kneeled to the alters. The mystery and wisdom of such a city led to the practice of energy exchange healing arts, Shiatsu. Three months later, back in America, I began to study and intergrate western massage to the modality. Clients that received my bodywork were amazed by my healing touch which gave me the inspiration to create my own moves, Kyoto Massage.

Kyoto has a lot of sauna, spa and massage. One of the service point is Huahin Luang. The salon is filled by an herbal fragrance and soft lights to make you perfectly relaxed. In this space, you can have a same experience which royalty of the ancient dynasty also had. When your mind and body need a luxury time, please recall that we are here waiting for you.

The service at Hualin Luang salon may include :

1.Tea service: before and after massage.
2.Foot bath with our originally brends of herbal essense.
3.Prepare comfortable clothes for you.
4.Check the condition of your health.

Please allow about extra 20-30 minutes except massage time.

If you come to Kyoto, and needs some relaxtion, don't forget to come to Huahin Luang Kyoto.

Huahin Luang [Kyoto] address :

Hirai building 502 hashibenkei 222-2 nakagyou Kyoto Japan
tel.075-212-8246 (open 11:00 - close 22:30)

Watch Kyoto Oil Massage Video here

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Transportation

2009-03-16T06:50:00.001-07:00

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート Tetayama Kurobe Arupen Rūto) is a famous mountain sightseeing route between Tateyama, Toyama and Ōmachi, Nagano, Japan.

The main attraction of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is the magnificent scenery of the Tateyama Mountain Range, part of the Chubu Sangaku National Park. An up to 20 meter high snow corridor is a highlight during spring, while summer and autumn attract visitors with beautiful hiking trails and alpine flowers.

Along with Mt.Fuji (Fujiyama) and Mt.Hakusan, Tateyama is one of Japan's Three Sacred Mountains and has been worshiped since ancient times. Tateyama Range is a spectacular and solemn display of peaks, soaring to an altitude of 3,000 meters. The variety of its topography creates a beauty of nature which has long been the love of many alpinists. With the completion of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, linking Toyama and Nagano Prefectures, Tateyama's heights have become accessible to us as an international alpine sightseeing area.

Tateyama, can be accessed through several ways such as Railway, Cablecar, bus and rope way.

Tateyama transportation and How To Get There :

1. Toyama Chiho Railway
2. Tateyama Cablecar
3. Highland Bus
4. Tateyama Snow Corridor
5. Murodo
6. Tateyama Trolley Bus
7. Daikanbo
8. Tateyama Ropeway
9. Korubedaira
10. Kurobe Cablecar
11. Kurobe Dam
12. Kanden Trolley Bus
13. Ogizawa-Omachi Bus

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Photos

Tateyama Kurobe Bus

Tateyama Kurobe Cable Car

This is an international mountain tourist route cutting through the Mt. Tateyama mountain range in the northern Japanese Alps

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

Watch Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe Gorge and Tateyama Alpine Route Video here

Kawasaki Japan City Famous Ninja Motorcycles

2009-02-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

Kawasaki (川崎市) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 8th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area. Kawasaki has several factories and development bases of the companies of heavy industry (e.g., JFE Group, Nippon Oil Corporation) and high technology (Fujitsu, NEC Corporation, Toshiba, and Dell Japan).

Kawasaki maybe more populas as Ninja Motorcycle or Kawassaki Volcan. But Kawasaki actually is a nice city in near Japan.

There are some popular tourist attractions in Kawasaki such as :

1. Kawasaki Daishi: the second most visited temple in the Kantō area.
2. Nihon Minka-en: a park with a collection of 20 minka, or traditional farmhouses, from various areas in Japan.
3. Koreatown: eastern Kawasaki has the second largest concentration of Koreans in Japan after Osaka. In 1997 it became the first municipality to allow non-Japanese nationals to take civil service employment.
4. Kawasaki Daishi (川崎大師), officially Heikenji (平間寺).
5. Wakamiya Hachiman-gū Shrine (若宮八幡宮), A quiet Shinto shrine that would be indistinguishable from your average neighborhood shrine if not for one thing: this happens to be one of Japan's few remaining fertility shrines, and the deity venerated here assumes the form of a meter-long iron phallus, known as Kanamara-sama (金まら様, lit. "Iron Big Penis Lord").
6. Japanese Erotic art in small sex museum in the shine building
7. Nihon Minka-En (日本民家園), or Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum [4]. The large grounds display over twenty traditional Japanese houses, dating from the late 17th to early 20th century and transplanted from around the country. Rarely crowded, and costing only ¥500 admission, the museum is a 12 min. walk from Mukogaoka-yuen station on the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku, or 20 min. from Noborito on the JR Nanbu Line.
8. If you like to gamble, Kawasaki is also home to a horse racing track and a keirin (bicycle racing) track.
9. Kawasaki's best-known event is the Kanamara Matsuri (金まら祭り), also known as the Iron Penis Festival, held on the first Sunday in April. Penis-laden temple
floats (o-mikoshi) are paraded down the streets of Kawasaki and everybody gets sloshed.

Kawasaki City Photos :

Kawasaki Kanamara parade Kanamara

Kawasaki City

Kawasaki Nightlife English Pub

Kanamara Daishi

Watch JR trains in Musashi-kosugi, Kawasaki city, Japan Video here

Yoshiwara Tokyo famous soapland in Japan

2009-01-17T00:58:00.000-08:00

Yoshiwara (吉原) is a famous Akasen district (red-light district) in Edo, present-day Tōkyō, Japan. Yoshiwara is famous for its soapland area. This district has a long history as Tokyo’s most prominent red light district, is the soapland capital of Japan. This makes it a popular place for sex tourism from all over Japan, with some men coming to Tokyo just to spend some time in Yoshiwara’s brothels.

Yoshiwara soapland's is the most famous soapland district in Japan. More popular than other district such aS Susukino in Sapporo, Yoshiwara and Kabukicho in Tokyo, Kawasaki, Kanazuen in Gifu, Ogoto in Shiga and Fukuhara in Kobe but there are many other areas, especially in onsen towns.

Yoshiwara Today

Today, Yoshiwara roughly corresponds to Tokyo Taito-ku Senzoku 4 Chome (東京都台東千束４丁目?). At first glance, Yoshiwara today looks very similar to many other neighborhoods of modern Tokyo. Still, it does retain legacies to its past as it contains commercial establishments engaged in the sex trade. The street grid pattern and the temples and shrines from times past still exist

Famous Edo pleasure district, Yoshiwara, in Tokyo.

Yoshiwara Koban Central Crossing in year 2006. This was the central crossroads in the red-light district since feudal times. Commercial esbalishements engaged in the sex trade still line the streets.

Watch Yoshiwara Red Light District in Japan Video here

Fukuoka best bars cafe pubs cocktails nightlife

2009-01-01T02:51:00.001-08:00

Fukuoka (福岡市) is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyūshū in Japan, across the Korea Strait from South Korea's Busan. Fukuoka is the largest city and metropolitan area west of Osaka.

Fukuoka Prefecture, with Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City as its two major urban centers, offers no shortage of urban pleasures: great shopping, diverse and delicious cuisines, and eclectic entertainment.

If you want to enjoy exotic drinks with some fine music, bars and pubs in Fukuoka are just the right place for you. These bars and pubs cater to the interests of both international tourists and Japanese people alike. There are so many bars in Fukuoka, but some are focus in Oyafuko-dori the centre of Fukuoka's bar and club scene.

Best Bars, Cafe, Nightlife, Cocktails, and Pubs in Fukuoka :

1. Android
11-1 Shin-kawabata Building B1F Hakata-ku
Fukuoka, 812-0026
Telephone:
00 81 92 291 2760

2. The Happy Cock
9F Neo Palace ll Building 2-1-51 Daimyo
Fukuoka
Telephone:
+8192 734 3686

3. Blue Bar
40362 Wakamatsu Building BFI Nakasu
Fukuoka, 810 0801
Telephone:
00 81 (0)92 262 2002

4. Cotton Fields Pub
4-2-15-B1F Nakasu, Hakata-ku,
Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
-810-0801

5. Voodoo Lounge Bar
3rd F Tenjin Center Bldg.
3-2-13 Tenjin
Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
810-0001

Oyafuko-dori the centre of Fukuoka's bar and club scene

Fukuoka Tower, the landmark of Fukuoka City

Watch The Happy Cock Bar in Fukuoka video here

Kitakyushu best japan city attractions and sightseeing

2008-12-15T03:27:00.000-08:00

Kitakyushu (北九州市 or "Northern Kyūshū") is a city located in Fukuoka prefecture, Kyushu, whichh is a Japan metropolitan city of two million people located midway between Tokyo Odaiba and Shanghai.

Kitakyushu is so valuable to miss the city tour. There are a lot of nice tourism sites and places to visit such as : museum, beach, Festivals, Space World, and the famous Kanmon Straits bridge.

Some of Kitakyushu atrractions and sightseeing :

Kanmon Strait and Mojiko Retro District
The Kanmon Strait separates the main island from Kyushu. This strait is where a number of major events in Japanese history occurred; there are many historical sightseeing spots and events here, such as the Mekari Festival. The Strait has long been a strategic point for marine traffic, and prospered from the Meiji era to the Taisho era as an international trading port. Presently, this area is one of the representative sightseeing areas of northern Kyushu. Major historical facilities in this area include such elegant western-style buildings as JR Mojiko Station, which has been designated a national important cultural asset, the Old Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. Building, highly praised as 'the beauty of the port,' and the Old Moji Mitsui Club, where Dr. and Mrs. Einstein once stayed. In addition there are a number of popular sightseeing facilities in the area, such as the KAIKYO DRAMASHIP, which specializes in the Strait and the Kyushu Railway History Museum, which is admired by railroad buffs. At night, buildings, ships and piers around the Port are lit up to create a fantastic scene. For visitors, the view from the observation room of Mojiko Retro District is a must-see.

Castle town Kokura
Kokura is located at an important point for both marine and land traffic. Since the Edo era, Kokura has flourished as a castle town. Kokura Castle, the symbol of the town, was founded by Tadaoki Hosokawa in 1602. The only castle remaining in Fukuoka Prefecture, it attracts many tourists. The castle precincts include Kokura Castle Japanese Garden, where visitors can learn traditional Japanese rules of decorum, and Matsumoto Seicho Memorial Museum, a memorial to the world-famous writer and his great achievements. For these reasons, this area is known as the cultural area of Kitakyushu. To enjoy dietary culture in Kitakyushu, tourists should visit the Tanga Market at the center of Kokura. The bustling market is home to numerous shops serving various specialties, including local fresh foods and delicacies. Although it provides residents with daily foods, it is also popular with tourists as a sightseeing spot for enjoying lively local color.

Mori Ogai house in Kokura.
Literary giant Ogai wrote his Kokura Nikki (Kokura Diary) here. Ogai was based at the castle at the turn of the 19th-20th century when it was a military base. He was born in Tsuwano in Shimane prefecture.

Wakamatsu Area
Wakamatsu is a port town linked to the other side of the bay by the vermillion Wakato Bridge and shuttle ferries. In the old days it was the largest port for shipping coal from Japan. The aged townscape, with the old red brick building of Furukawa Mining Co., Ltd., a scene that looks as though it came straight out of an old movie, reflects the prosperity of those days. Mt. Takato offers a panoramic view of Wakato Bridge, Dokai Bay, Wakamatsu Area, Tobata Area, Yahata Area and as far as the Kanmon Strait. At night, the beauty of this mountain cannot be missed. To the north, the Wakamatsu Area is bordered by a beautiful coastline.

Yahata-Higashida and Hobashira
The Higashida Area attracts the most attention in Kitakyushu today. A representative site in this area is Space World, where visitors can enjoy various attractions and theatrical shows. The Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History & Human History, where visitors can trace the 'History of life' for human beings and nature, from the beginning of the earth 4.6 billion years ago to the present day, is also in this area, as is the Kitakyushu Environment Museum, which provides information on the history of Kitakyushu in overcoming pollution and environmental problems. From the Higashida Area, visitors can view Mt. Sarakura, 622 meters above sea level, rising in the hilly sections. The mountain also features the longest cable railway in Kyushu, with a sky lift that carries the passengers to the summit, which offers a 360-degree panoramic view. The night view of the panorama that gleams as though studded with jewels is known as the 'million dollar night view.'

From Hiraodai to Kawachi
At the karst tableland of Hiraodai, visitors can enjoy nature to such an extent that it's hard to believe they're in Kitakyushu with a million people. The singular spectacle of endless pure white limestone rocks resembles a large flock of sheep grazing in a meadow. This tableland offers a number of sightseeing spots, including Hiraodai Countryside Park and several limestone caves. In the Kawachi area, visitors can enjoy a relaxing time at Kawachi Hot Spring.

Kokura Castle in Kitakyushu

Kanmon Straits bridge from the Moji-ku, Kitakyushu side

Venus roller coaster in Kitakyushu, Japan Video here

Kobe japan nightlife nightclubs pubs bars ktv cafe

2008-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Kobe (神戸市) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture and a prominent port city in Japan with a population of about 1.5 million. Kobe is famed in Japan’s business world for having one of the busiest harbours for maritime trade, being ranked 3rd in size in the country, as well as one of the largest in the world.

Kobe is the sixth largest city in Japan, and located in the Kansai region of Japan and is part of the Keihanshin (京阪神) metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto.

Kobe may be famous for its symbol such as : Kobe Port Tower, Harborland, Kobe Chinatown Motomachi, The Giant Panda Koukou at Oji Zoo.

Kobe has a several nice nightlife attractions. Party animals, quiet drinkers, ones who prefer to jive the night away and the ones who are more into a varied musical fare to sooth their frayed nerves at the end of the day. There's something for everyone in terms of the Kobe nightlife. Most of them you will find in the north of Sannomiya.. restaurants, and small bars enough, but for the Big nightclubs, its good to go to Osaka, just 30min with the train from the Sannomiya station!

Nightlife in Kobe flaunts some real lineage too. Smokey Bar, Kobe was founded way back in 1955 and it's still going great guns. So is the Second Chance Bar, Kobe, with its very peppy Hawaiian décor and an ambience to match.

Best nightlife places in Koto. Nightclub, pubs, ktv, cafe, bars, Club, Music, in Koto City here :

1. Chicken George - The Club & Music Scene
2. Garage Paradise - The Club & Music Scene
3. Satin Doll - The Club & Music Scene
4. Second Chance - Bars & Pubs
5. Smokey - Bars & Pubs
6. Sone - The Club & Music Scene
7. Starlight Lounge - Bars & Pubs
8. Kobe Garage - Great bar, with nice lady’s at the counter that takes care of the relaxation
9. Ryan’s Irish pub - No night out is complete without stopping off in Ryan's whether it is for something to eat, drink, listen to the live music, dance to the best DJs or just to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
10. Sally’s Sports Bar and Club -
A spacious fusion of bar, club and pool lounge with Kobe's biggest full service bar, friendly staff and discerning music from DJs and live bands. 2 bars, comfortable couches, championship pool tables, darts, 8 televisions and a big screen, live stage area and room to boot. Sally's is Kobe's first WIFI bar, offering free high speed Internet access to our customers with compatible equipment
11. SONE - Sone a restaurant and a Jazz live bar is the oldest and most famous one in Kobe. Located in the centre of Sannomiya. 4 stage every evening.
12. Villa 18 - Jazz bar, in a English style Villa residence

Photos of Kobe

Kobe port at night

Kobe Nightlife in Sannomiya at night and it was full of people on the streets. There are many pubs and discos too.

Watch Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, Kobe Japan

View near the world's longest suspension bridge in Kobe Japan. The bridge opened in 1998, so has already taken the shake of the great Kobe Earthquake of 1995, has span between two towers of 1,991 m. The main suspension cable is 1,122 mm in diameter. The cable has 290 strands and each strand has 127 wires of 5.23 mm diameter each. Wires are made of high strength galvanized steel.

Shizuoka mount Fuji and best nighlife bars clubs

2008-11-22T03:11:00.000-08:00

Shizuoka Prefecture (静岡県) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka. Shizuoka is a stop on the Tokaido Main Line and Tokaido Shinkansen Line between Tokyo and Osaka, and on the Tomei Expressway.

Japanese most famous with mount "Mount Fuji" is straddling the boundary of Shizuoka. In Shizuoka, you can visit Mt Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, 3,776m(12,385ft) and has almost perfect symmetry. Maybe nowhere in the world, you will be able to find such beautiful and highest mountain.

Shizuoka is a nice place in Japan. So many things to do in a low budget. Some nice places and tourism sites to visit in Shizuoka :
1. Strawberry Picking
2. SHIZUOKA FESTIVAL
3. Tokiwa Park
4. Sunpu Museum
5. Princess Parade in Hosoe
6. The big street dance

Shizuoka nightlife Bars KTVs Clubs Discos Pubs are really wonderful. Some best bars and KTvs Cluba of Shizuoka listed here with the address :
1. BAR NO’AGE
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-cho, 3-6, ACT-7, 2F
Tel. & Fax: 054-2536615
Business Hours: 18:00~02.00

2. Lifetime
Shizuoka City, Aoi-Ku, Koya machi, 11-1
Tel.: 054-250-0131
Business Hours: Tuesdays: 13:00~25:00
Saturdays: 11:00~24:00
Sundays & National Holidays: 11:00~19:00
Mondays: Off (except on National Holidays)

3. No Name Standing Bar”
4. The Ale House in Fujieda City

The Ale House
426-0061 Fujieda City, Tanuma, 1-4-12 (JR Station South Exit)
Te. & Fax: 054-6362889
Opening hours: 18:30~25:00
Closed on Mondays (Tuesdays are open, even in the case of a National Holiday)

5. Hamamatsu Izakaya/ Shochu Bar: Nikomanma
Nikomanma
432-8003 Hamamatsu City, Wachiyama, 3-4-3
Tel. & Fax: 053-4725558
Working hours: 18:00~24:00
Closed on Sundays

6. Shochu Bar: Yumeshin
Yumeshin
Shizuoka Shi Aoi Ku, Chiyoda, 1-2-1 (along the Kitakaido. A few minutes from Shizuoka Center by car, 5 minutes by bicyle, 20 minutes on foot. Bus stop nearby)
Tel./fax: 0542473651
Open every day from 16:00 till very late at night (morning!)
Very reasonable

7. Yasougin
Address: 420-0089 Shizuoka Shi, Takajo, 1-2-8, Hiyoshi Bldg 1F, first street on the right from Shin Shizuoka Center up Kitakaido
Tel. & Fax: 054-2500005
Opening hours: 19:00~02:00
Closed on Mondays

8. White Ize Cafe/Bar
White IZE
420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki-cho, 7-2, Amano Bldg. 2F (near Den Den Building, a few minutes walk from Shizuoka JR Station)
Tel.: 054-2551336
Business Hours: 17:00~02:00
Closed on Mondays
Parties welcome

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2010

Shizuoka is the centre of the capital of the plastic modelling industry. Shizuoka Hobby Show was held on on May 13-16 2010, the show for world's largest hobby especially in Gundam, Tamiya, Radio Control, Bandai, and so more

Photos of Shizuoka

Mount Fuji view from Shizuoka City

Shizuoka nightlife bars in Bars No Age

Watch Bike and Hike Japan's Mt Ryuso from Shizuoka City video

Come join me for a pleasant afternoon ride and hike from Shizuoka city to the top of nearby Mt. Ryuso. This particular outing takes us from the busy city to a mist-shrouded peak seemingly removed from the bustle of the Japanese metropolis below. This hike can easily be enjoyed in a day and there are several excellent places to rest and picnic. Expect crowds on the weekends though you will likely enjoy having the mountain to yourself if you pick a weekday for your hike.

My Ryuso is actually two peaks very closely situated to one another. On a clear day Mt. Monjudake (1041m) and Mt. Yakushidake (1051m) are visible from almost any location within Shizuoka city, and provide a backdrop and tantalizing hint at the much higher and more rugged peaks of the Japan Southern Alps beyond. Japanese people have been climbing these mountains for centuries as both peaks are considered holy sites within both the Buddhist and Shinto traditions. The summits can be reached via three separate trails originating from the area around the Abe river (near Gojima village I think), central Shizuoka (at Sengen shrine) and the area between Shizuoka and nearby Shimizu (the route and trail used in this video).

Niigata best attractions places in Shinano River

2008-11-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

Niigata (新潟県) is a prefecture of Japan located on Honshu island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. Niiagat is the largest city on the Japan Sea coast.The capital is the city of Niigata. The name Niigata literally means "New Lagoon". Niigata City has long prospered as a port town on the mouth of Japan's longest river, the Shinano River.

Niigata is a nice city to walk around. Famous for its fire work, park in Nagaoka, Shisano River Cruise, and excellent Northern Culture Museum.

Niigata best attraction, Niigata tourist sites, including clubs, museum, lagoon, hall are listed here :

1. Niigata City History Museum "Minatopia"
2. Old Customs House
3. Niigata City Aquarium "Marinepia Nihonkai"
4. Hakusan Park and Hakusan Shrine
5. Niigata Prefectural Government Memorial Hall
6. Niigata Furumachi Engei-jo Theater
7. Niigata Furusato Village
8. Enkikan
9. Fukushima Lagoon
10. Shirone Tourist Gardens
11. Shirone Kite and History Museum
12. Tohoku Denryoku Big Swan Stadium
13. Sakyu-kan
14. Minato Inari Shrine
15. JRA Niigata Horse-racing Track
16. Old Sasakawa Manor
17. Sawa Shogen no Yakata
18. Niigata City Art Museum
19. Bandaijima Art Museum
20. Niitsu Art Forum

Niigata City nowadays in Japan.

The 'Big Swan' in Niigata was architecturally the best of several iconic designs for Japan 2002 and continues to be full for J-League games.

Watch Japan Niigata Snow Resort Myokokogen Video here

Nagasaki today after world war II bomb city

2008-11-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

Nagasaki (長崎市) is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan, an attractively situated port city on the island of Kyushu.

As one of Japan's closest port cities to the Asian mainland, Nagasaki has played a prominent role in foreign trade relations for many centuries and was the most important of only a very few ports open to restricted numbers of foreign traders during Japan's period of isolation.

During World War II, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki made Nagasaki the second city in the world to be subject to nuclear warfare.

Although Nagasaki was famous for the bomb nightware, but Nagasaki nowadays is transforming itself into a very charming city through the redevelopment of Dejima and the Port of Nagasaki; the opening of the Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture, which contains exhibits on the entire history of Nagasaki; and the construction of the Megami Bridge, the new symbol of the Port of Nagasaki.

Another place of visit would be Sofukuji, an Obaku Zen temple with a Chinese appearance. The temple is really a beautiful sight to behold that and is a school to Japanese Zen Buddhism.

Nagasaki nice place for tourism guide including attraction places, events and festival :
1. Nagasaki Peace Park - Commemorating the atomic bombing.
2. Mount Inasa - One of Japan's three best night views.
3. Meganebashi Bridge - Elegant bridge in central Nagasaki.
4. Sofukuji Temple - Chinese looking Obaku Zen temple.
5. Chinatown - Shinchi, Nagasaki's Chinatown.
6. Confucian Shrine - Shrine dedicated to Confucius.
7. Kofukuji Temple - Buddhist temple in the Teramachi district.
8. Glover Garden - Open air park exhibiting Western mansions.
9. Dejima - Former district reserved for Dutch traders.
10. Dutch Slope - Pleasant city area with steep slopes.
11. Oura Church - Japan's most famous Christian church.
11. Nagasaki Kunchi Festival - Colorful festival of the Suwa Shrine.

Nagasaki Today is a modern city in Japan

Megami Ohashi Bridge ("Goddess Bridge"), the new symbol of the Port of Nagasaki

Watch 長崎くんち Kunchi Festival at Nagasaki Japan video here

Large catch with network on the japanese boat "KAWAFUNE" 2006 Nagsaki Japan. A Japanese traditional entertainment at SUWA Shrine in Nagasaki City. A Great artistic Fishing Performance. This celebration is called NAGASAKI KUNCHI.

Susukino the best Sapporo City nightlife in Japan City

2008-11-01T04:26:00.000-07:00

Sapporo (札幌市) is the fifth-largest city in Japan by population. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan. Sapporo became world famous in 1972 when the Olympic Winter Games were held there. Today, the city is well known for its ramen, beer, and the annual snow festival held in February.

With about 4000 businesses ranging from bars and restaurants to soaplands and brothels, Sapporo has one of the best nightlife districts in Japan, and due to the cold winter a substantial part of it is covered. It has the largest collection of seedy businesses north of places such as Kabuki-cho in Tokyo, but it is mostly just a place to have eat, drink and have fun - the fastest money spinners are definitely karaoke and noodles - the latter made famous by Ramen Yokocho, but available everywhere else as well.

There are many nightclubs and discos - the most famous being the decadent King Xmhu, but there are also many bars for drinking, ranging from somewhat traditional yakitori or izakaya style establishments to "gaijin" bars such as Rad Brothers, Jersey Bar, Locotonte and Salsita. There is even a gaijin bar called Gaijin Bar, though it is a bit of a dump. There are quiet jazz clubs and noisy live houses, somewhat odd places such as Voodoo Dance and 350 Bar, as well as interesting but pricey beer pubs like Mugishutei. Susukino is a fairly easy place to pick up a Japanese girlfriend or boyfriend, though the relationships are likely to be somewhat fleeting.

'SUSUKINO' is one of famous places of nightlife.SUSUKINO is more beautiful than ROPPONNGI or KABUKICHOU, because SUSUKINO has Japanese atmosphere more than those other place.

The famous Ramen Yokocho alleyway in the Susukino nightlife area. There are about 16 shops in the street, with Rai Rai Ken the second from the left as you enter from the north side.

Sapporo Snow Festival

The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of Japan's largest winter events, attracts a growing number of visitors from Japan and abroad every year.
Every winter, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the hundreds of beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures which line Odori Park,the grounds at Satoland, and the main street in Susukino.
For seven days in February,these statues and sculptures(both large and small) turn Sapporo into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow.
The Snow Festival began in 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. in 1955, the Self-Defense Force joined in and built the very first massive snow sculpture, for which the Snow Festival has become famous for now. The Festival has grown from these humble beginnings to become one of the biggest and most well known of Hokkaido's winter events.

The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of Japan's largest winter events, attracts a growing number of visitors from Japan and abroad every year.

Every winter, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the hundreds of beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures which line Odori Park,the grounds at Satoland, and the main street in Susukino.

For seven days in February,these statues and sculptures(both large and small) turn Sapporo into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow.

The Snow Festival began in 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. in 1955, the Self-Defense Force joined in and built the very first massive snow sculpture, for which the Snow Festival has become famous for now. The Festival has grown from these humble beginnings to become one of the biggest and most well known of Hokkaido's winter events.

Photos of Sapporo City

Susukino, the center of nightlife in Sapporo

Ramen Yokocho Alleyway

Watch Sapporo Snow Festival 2008 video here

Tokushima Japan Naruto city in Shikoku island

2008-10-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

Tokushima (徳島) is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan. This city is not really famous in outside Japan, but still intersting to know about.

This city is famous for University of Tokushima, and the temple. Take a notice to city called Naruto, the gateway to/from Awaji-shima, the home of the whirlpools (Uzushio), the seat of Tokushima's Shikoku League baseball team (the Indigo Socks), and the starting point of the 88 temple pilgrimage. The city Naruto, of course remind us with Japan Famous Manga "Ninja Naruto".

Some tourist sites and places to visit in Tokushima such as :

1. Iya Valley , one of Japan's Three Hidden Valleys, known for its vine bridges
2. Oboke and Koboke, aptly named ravines meaning Dangerous with Big Steps and Dangerous with Small Steps
3. Awa Odori Kaikan (阿波おどり会館) is an interesting museum devoted to the Awa Odori festival (see Do). Exhibits include the history of the festival, videos and panoramas of the festival, and even the dancing Odobotto robot to show you how it's done! Open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, entry to the museum ¥300. There are also several daily performances of the Awa Odori dances (¥500). Located straight down the road from the station, an easy 10-minute walk.
4. Tokushima central park, behind the station, is a beautiful and well-used park. A brisk uphill walk (with lots of steps) takes you up to the ruins of Tokushima castle, and a view over the city. The castle museum is set in an exquisite traditional Japanese garden which you can enter for ¥300 which also pays for entry to the museum - come early in the morning for a misty and meditative experience (the museum opens later, at 9.30am, but it is worth having the garden to yourself for its best impact). The museum and garden are closed on Mondays.
5. Tokushima Indigo Museum is located in an antique house formerly owned by an indigo merchant and restored to show how traditional Japanese housing was laid out.
6. Mount Bizan has 1500 cherry blossom trees and is an impressive sight at blossom time.

Temple One Ryosenji in Tokushima

Tokushima Station Bus Terminal

Watch Tokushima City highlights video here :

Okayama best tourist city sites in Honshu Island Japan

2008-10-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

Okayama (岡山市) is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. Okayama prefecture(Okayama-ken) is in the western Chugoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu. Okayama city is famous for its Okayama University.

The city is known as the site of the Korakuen Gardens and the black Okayama Castle, which is a modern reconstruction. The popular Japanese folktale of Momotaro may have originated here.

Some Okayama best tourist sites and places for visitors are listed below :

1. Four season of Korakuen-garden :A World of a Garden
2. Okayama Castle
3. Okayama Orient Museum
4. Saidaiji-Eyo (Hadaka Matsuri) (The Popular Folk Festival)
5. Sogenji Temple

Okayama City Photos and Temple :

Watch Okayama City video. Okayama prefecture is located in Chugoku area, Honshu island. And it has about 90 islands in Setonaikai sea.

Yokohama Nightlife bars Cafes Discos Clubs Pubs

2008-10-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Yokohama (横浜市) is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, located in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu Japan. As one of the most popular tourist spots in the world Yokohama has a numerous cafes, bars and restaurants that make you vacation in Yokohama all the more enjoyable. Nightlife in Yokohama is something every tourist would like to experience.

Some of the nightclubs in Yokohama attract tourists in huge numbers. This is where you swing wild to the famous scores and have a blast during your vacation in the beautiful city of Yokohama. There are numerous bars, cafes, restaurants and pubs that make nightlife in Yokohama a unique experience. These bars and pubs are great places to have some fun and make you vacation in Yokohama all the more enjoyable.

These are also of different types; there are lounges, bars, discos, cafes, pubs and so on. No matter whichever spot you choose for your Yokohama Nightlife, it is fun and amusement all the way.

Things to do and places to go in Yokohama at Nightlife :
1. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
2. Paris Bar
3. Downbeat
4. The Tavern
5. 1890 Saloon CABLE CAR
6. Live Restaurant Bar Bar Bar
7. Stardust
8. Flash Back Café
9. Miyoshi Engeijyo
10. Yokohama Noh Theater

Best bars discos, cafes, pubs in Yokohama City such as :

1. Actor & Actress, 210 Yamashitacho
Yokohama, Japan
Traditional Bar

2.Jebel Bar, Zenkawa Maegawa Building 3F
Yokohama, Japan
Traditional Bar

3. Stardust, 2-1 Chiwakacho
Yokohama, Japan
Traditional Bar

4. Motown Cafe, 2-17-1 Minamisaiwai,
Yokohama, Japan
Pub

5. Bar Bar Bar, 1-25 Aiocho
Yokohama, Japan
Pub

6. Chigusa, 1-23 Noge, Junggu
Yokohama, Japan
Jazz/Blues Club

7. Kinrinmon, Sky Building, 29th Floor
Yokohama, Japan
Lounge

8. Bar Great Harry, 214 Yamashitacho
Yokohama, Japan
Traditional Bar

9. New Tokyo Beer Dock, Landmark Tower B 104-ku
Yokohama, Japan
Micro-Brewery

10. Downbeat, 1-43,HanaSaki-chou
Yokohama, Japan
Jazz/Blues Club

11. Grass Roots, 2-13-3 Tsuruyacho
Yokohama, Japan
Traditional Bar

12. Foggy Guys, Kannai NS Building B1
Yokohama, Japan

13. Dr. Jikyll & Mr. Hyde, 3-145 Motomachi B1
Yokohama, Japan
Traditional Bar

14. Southern Wind, 1-1 Kaigandori
Yokohama, Japan
Traditional Bar
Jazz

15. The Tavern, Nishiguchi Meiwa Building B1
Yokohama, Japan
Pub

Watch Yokohama City video here

Nagoya best bars Sakae Clubs in Japan Honshu

2008-10-18T02:11:00.000-07:00

Nagoya (名古屋), located in Honshu, the main island of Japan, is one of Japan’s major cities - a population of more than 2.15 million. Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka. Nagoya is a center of manufacturing. Home of Toyota – Japan’s biggest company.

Nightlife areas include Sakae, Nagoya Station, Fushimi. Further from the center of the city you will find great restaurants, bars and cafes - mainly along the Higashiyama and Tsurumai subway lines in the up-market Yagoto, Irinaka, Motoyama and Imaike districts.

Nagoya best bars, Sakae, Cafe are listed here :

1. Elephant's Nest, British Pub in Fushimi
2. Misfits, Cool Bar in Imaike
3. Kamana, Nepali Restaurant in Irinaka
4. Tori-komachi, Yakitori Restaurant in Hara
5. Anadolu, Kebab House in Sakae
6. Shooters, Sports Bar & Grill
7. Mawi Ay Oriental, Genuine Turkish cuisine in Tempaku.
8. TPIN, Authentic Spanish tapas bar.
9. Las Delicias, Mexican restaurant
10. JERRY'S UNO, Tacos and beers.
11. Plastic Factory, Event Space in Imaike
12. The Red Rock, Aussie Bar & Grill.
13. Maruhachi, Chill Bar in Ikeshita.
14. STEPS, Cool club and bar in Sakae
15. My Bar, Elegant Nightlife.
16. The Fifty Nines, Cafe and Diner.
17. Casablanca, Authentic Moroccan Restaurant.
18. Salsa One, A new salsa & merengue dance club and bar space
in the heart of Sakae.

Watch Nagoya Red Light District (Near Nagoya Station) video here

Tokyo Massage place in japan city

2008-10-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Tokyo ((東京) is the capital city of Japan. As the most modern city, and as the largest population center in Japan, Tokyo peoples are frequently got into stress. But Japan is famous for it traditional massage that can cure illness with soft effect.

Some of Tokyo professional massage therapists will come to your hotel room, and including hot girl services or pijat plus plus. Tokyo massage including Zen massage which is in various oriental techniques, and can take care of stiff shoulders, back pain and headaches.

Tokyo famous massage in the city are listed here :

1. Tokyo WELLNESS(In-room massage) ( Massage / Roppongi )
2 .Innocent Aoyama ( Massage, Nail salons / Aoyama, Harajuku )
3. nanea ( Massage / Roppongi )
4. Zen Healing Center ( Zen Massage) ( Massage / Roppongi )
5. EGBOK Azabu Oriental Clinic ( Massage, Acupuncture / Roppongi )
6. Ryokufudo, Acupuncture, Massage ( Others )
7. Asias, Massage ( Aoyama, Harajuku )
8. Bali Relax 24, Massage ( Roppongi )
9. essence k, Massage, Reflexology ( Roppongi )
10. Estetique Salon Le Lit Meguro, Massage, Beauty-Others ( Ebisu )

Watch japanese lesbian massage in Tokyo video here

Osaka japan city nightlife bar and nightclub

2008-10-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

Osaka (大阪市) is a city in Japan located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshū.

Osaka is very beautiful at night. After the sunset, the Kita (North) area surrounding JR Umeda Station is a nice hang out during the night time. Kita draws a slightly more adult crowd, including lots of businesspeople. The Minami (South) area, located between the Shin-Sai-bashi and Namba districts which include part of Chuo-ku (Central Ward) is mainly famous among kids. There are plenty of good restaurants and drinking spots for more seasoned bon viands.

Whatever your inclination, sit at the bar and relax with a cold beer, a glass of pinot noir, or a classic martini, and be sure to chat with whoever happens to be nearby – you may make a new friend or a valuable business contact.

There are many nightclubs in Osaka that cater to the entertainment and refreshment of the tourists in Osaka. The popular nightclubs in Osaka hosts the Tokyo based Cyber trance events and the hip Hop/Reggae. Most of the other clubs are also located in the southern part of Osaka. If you are not looking for a particular artist, the southern part of Osaka should be the main area to have fun.

Some popular nightclubs at Osaka include:

1. Club Joule – it is the major landmark of Osaka's main youth hangout 'America Mura' (mura means village). Club Joule is a smart, modern club where you can hear hip hop, jazz, soul, and rhythm and blues, depending on the night. You can also enjoy the menu for small snacks such as tuna and tomato pizza. There is also a dessert menu that changes daily.

2. Freeza -This cosmopolitan nightspot features house music on Friday and Saturday nights put on by some of the best local DJs. Among patrons it is known for its cozy atmosphere and diverse crowd.

3. Gross -the trendy and clean bar welcomes customers who are mostly in their 20s or early 30s. This bar became a popular site for so-called "para-para" dancing and for grooving to Euro-beat sounds.

4. Ozone -This grungy, urban club with steel and concrete decor actually rents itself out to various groups. Chill out as the DJs spin hip-hop, punk music, hard-core and more popular sounds.

5. Underlounge -Underlounge is Osaka's hottest new club. It is an expansive sophisticated space with a main dance floor and a chill-out lounge. You can enjoy food as well as drink at reasonable prices. Lockers are also available.

10 Best nightlife in Osaka :

1. Blue Note
2. Cinquecento
3. Pig and Whistle
4. National Bunraku Theater
5. Murphy's
6. Covent Garden
7. Tin's Hall
8. Sam and Dave Umeda
9. Club Karma
10. Canopy
11. Cellar
12. Grand Café
13. Karma
14. Murphy's
15. Osaka Nōgaku Hall
16. Pig & Whistle
17. SoulFuckTry
18. Tavola 36
19. Tin's Hall
20. Windows on the World

Watch Roppongi nightlife, One of the most animated areas in Osaka video here

Kyoto japan city best bars ktv disco

2008-10-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

Kyoto is an amazing blend of traditional and modern architecture. In Rakuchu, the old city centre, you'll find the old Machiya town houses where Geisha once entertained. Most are now shops but in one or ten you can sample hundreds of varieties of local tipples such as the evil 'shochu'! But whatever you do don't pour yourself a drink - it's extremely rude. Notable landmarks include the Heian Shrine, Toji Temple's five-storey pagoda and Kinkakuji Temple (or Golden Pavilion) a wonderfully tranquil place to recover from a heavy night! Visit in November and April and you'll witness Japan's obsession with the fiery-red Maple leaves and also with Cherry blossom which they mention in the weather forecast! And if you're cultured-out nip to Shizuoka and Yokohama during the World Cup to catch some action.

Presently the district boasts of Pontocho in the Gion district, Kiyamachi and Kawaramachi and all these places are interspersed with the major bars and pubs of Kyoto. Some of the popular bars and pubs in Kyoto are Sake Bar Yoramu, The Hill of Tara and A Bar.

Situated on the southern side of Nijo-dori, Sake Bar Yoramu is one of the popular bars of Kyoto. The bar offers a wide array of alcoholic beverages, but then the specialty of the bar is the Japanese "rice wine". The food menu of the bar is diverse and besides the Japanese delicacies, you can also avail other dishes pertaining to continental cuisine. The ambience of the bar is cozy and relaxing and is ideal to chat with your friends or to host your private party. This one of the best bars of the city and you can enjoy here Japan's finest sake.

Visiting Kyoto will be more entertaining to visit their bars, pub, KTV, disco, club, and nightlife entertainment. Best of Kyoto bars are listed here :

1. Gael Irish Pub
Friendly pub in the heart of Kyoto
Gael Irish Pub

2. The River Oriental
Elegant Restaurant & Bar

3. Brown’s
Cozy British Style Garden Pub

4. The Hill of Tara
Authentic Irish Pub

5. Pub Africa
Sports Bar

6. Bar-Club Highness (Gion)
Bar & Nightclub

7. York House Italian Restaurant
Spacious Italian Restaurant

8. Sama Sama
Indonesian Bar

9. Kerala
Indian Restaurant

10. Ace Cafe
Kyoto is at the forefront of a new eastern cool Discover Ace Cafe
that takes the retro 50s and 60s

11. Bar Fakers
A cool and grungy loft bar that's not as phoney as the name suggests

12. Bar Zinho
Not much bigger than a penalty area and with just about enough space to seat a football Discover Bar Zinho
team

13. Marble Room
White retro bucket seats line the bar and Kyoto's cool cats takes seats or places on the Discover Marble Room
mattress-like cushions

14. D's
A clean, well-lit place for drinks.

15. Zappa
A hidden favorite with an international menu.

16. Rub a Dub
The oldest reggae bar in Kyoto.

17. Hub
A friendly bar near Sanjo Street, popular with foreigners living and working in Japan.

18. Bar Isn't It?
This large open-spaced bar in downtown Kyoto is famous. Isn't It?

19. Pig and Whistle
Beer from all over the world, darts, and lots of English teachers who just finished work.

20. Pub Africa
An open-space bar with a sports/Africa theme and tasty French fries.

21. Noopy's
Sadly, Noopy's has shut its doors for good, but we kept our listing for it because we liked it so much.

Watch Kyoto Cruise 2009, showing the old city of Japan on Youtube here :