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  Ishiyamadera Temple

  Posted in: Shiga, Kansai

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  Ishiyamadera Temple is the 13th stop of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage route said to have been established in 747. The temple's display of seasonal flowers and nature are so beautiful that it has been referred to as the "Temple of Flowers." Ishiyamadera is also famous as a moon gazing spot, as depicted in the famous ukiyo-e painting "The Autumn Moon at Ishiyama." Built on a huge wollastonite rock designated as a natural monument, there are numerous national treasures and important cultural...

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  Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest

  Posted in: Chubu, Nagano

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  The Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest, which is considered one of the three most beautiful forests in Japan, is home to gorgeous natural Kiso Hinoki (Japanese cypress trees) of over 300 years old. In the mid-1600s, the forest was placed under a strict protection policy set by the Owari Domain, which is said to have led to the current forest. Today, walking trails have been paved, allowing you to enjoy a soothing forest bathing experience while strolling.

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  Gokayama Gassho-style Village

  Posted in: Chubu, Toyama

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  Gokayama gassho-style village was registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995. 23 gassho-style buildings currently remain in Ainokura gassho-style village, and 9 remain in Suganuma gassho-style village. Most of them are around one to two centuries old, and the oldest of them are said to have been built 400 years ago. The area’s mountain village culture is steeped in the tradition of gassho-style houses and its history is passed down to the present day.

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  Tono Furusato Village

  Posted in: Tohoku, Iwate

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  A traditional mountain village with these thatched roof magariya houses built after the middle of the Edo period, have been relocated to and restored in this facility, this recreation of the unspoiled landscape of old Tono include a water wheel, rice patties and a charcoal burner’s hut. Amid the bucolic landscape, visitors can try their hand at "Mochitsuki" (pounding rice cakes), "Sobauchi" (making soba noodles), and other activities of a farming village (reservation required), to gain a...

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  Cape Soya

  Posted in: Hokkaido, Dohoku

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  Located at a latitude of 45 degrees, 31 minutes, 14 seconds north, Cape Soya is Japan's most northern point. The point is marked by a 5.44 m tall triangular pyramid-shaped monument that features the North Star as its motif. It is illuminated at night as a further symbol of its celestial inspiration. The monument is a popular spot for people to take photos to commemorate their visits. Visitors can also purchase a certificate to show that they had reached the northernmost point of Japan as a...

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  Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group

  Posted in: Osaka, Kansai

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  The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group is a cluster of massive tumulus tombs that spread across three cities in Osaka Prefecture, namely Sakai, Fujiidera and Habikino. Having served as an important political and cultural center of Japan from the late 4th century to late 5th century, dozens of burial mounds for emperors and their families are densely concentrated in the area, making it among the largest tomb groups in the country. The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group was also given a place on the UNESCO World...

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  Mifune Waterfall

  Posted in: Nara, Kansai

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  Located in the mountains in western Nara Prefecture, Mifune Waterfall is roughly 50 meters high with the waters tumbling in two tiers. The scenery is beautiful in the spring to early summer with fresh greenery, as well as in autumn as the waters fall amid the vibrant foliage. However, the most impressive scenery is during the harsh cold period of winter when the entire waterfall freezes into a spectacular ice waterfall. Enjoy trekking along the natural phenomenon, a rare opportunity in the...

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  Tensha-en Garden

  Posted in: Shikoku, Ehime

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  Date Munetada, the seventh feudal lord of the Uwajima domain who went by the pseudonym "Shunzan," constructed this garden as a place of retirement. The name of the garden comes from a poem Date Masamune wrote after his retirement. The poem goes, “I spent my younger days on a horse for battles, now the world is peaceful and my hair has turned gray, my aging body exists here because God in heaven forgave me and let me live."

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  Kashima-Jingu Shrine

  Posted in: Kanto, Ibaraki

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  Kashima-Jingu Shrine is dedicated to Takemikazuchi-no-Okami, the Shinto god associated with the founding of Japan and martial arts. Several of its structures including the shrine buildings are designated as important cultural properties of Japan. As the head shrine of approximately 600 Kashima Shrines throughout Japan, Kashima-Jingu is known as the ultimate power spot for praying to the god of victory for the strength to overcome obstacles and keep going forward during a turning point in life.

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  Sapporo

  Posted in: Hokkaido, Southern Hokkaido

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  Sapporo (札幌市) is a large city in northern Japan. Sapporo has the fifth largest population and third largest area in Japan. Many people know Sapporo as the host of the 1972 Winter Olympics. It is also the site of the yuki matsuri Snow Festival each winter, which usually attracts 2 million tourists from all over the world.

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  Wakayama Electric Railway's Kishigawa Line

  Posted in: Wakayama, Kansai

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  Wakayama Electric Railway's Kishigawa Line connects Wakayama Station in Wakayama City with Kishi Station in Kinokawa City. Unique-themed trains travel the line, and at the last stop of Kishi Station, you can greet the famous cat stationmaster Nitama. Kinokawa is one of the country's leading fruit production areas and is also famous as the birthplace of Hanaoka Seishu, the first surgeon in the world to successfully perform a surgery under general anesthesia.

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  Kobe Kitano Ijinkan Gai

  Posted in: Hyogo, Kansai

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  Kitano is located at the foot of Mount Rokko overlooking Kobe Port. When the port opened in 1868, the Kitano area became a foreign settlement and many Western-style houses were built. In the present day, these mansions are called ijinkan (residence of foreigners) and displayed to the public. The town is an exotic mélange of Western-style and Eastern-style buildings and also has friendship ties with Paris's Montmartre area. Just a 15-minute walk from Kobe's central Sannomiya area, Kitano...

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