Category: Japan

In the midst of famous Long Island Hot Springs Group, there is a scenic spot called “NabanaNoSato”. Here, you can enjoy different flowers in every season. From mid-October to early May of the following year, there is the renowned NabanaNoSato Lantern Festival. Therefore, winter is considered the peak season for NabanaNoSato.

Many people who visit Japan will make a special trip to the outlets in the Kansai region, mainly the Marinepia near Kobe-Sanyo Tarumi Station or the Osaka Tsurumi near Osaka-Monzen Minami Station. Recently, Jazz Dream on Chojima Island has become the largest outlet in Japan, with a current total of 240 stores… I believe that shopping enthusiasts can spend a whole day here without any problems.

If you have read “Kamogawa Horumo” or watched the movie “Kamogawa Horumo” from the “Makime Manabu”, you should be quite familiar with this Yoshida Shrine. After all, it is also an important scene in the novel. However, personally, when I visited Yoshida Shrine for pilgrimage, I always felt that this Yoshida Shrine is a bit peculiar.

Higashimuki Shopping Street, this street is often overlooked because it is very close to the Kintetsu Nara Station. However, if you are heading to places like Kofuku-ji Temple or Nara Machi from the Kintetsu Station, you will pass by it. But if you’re looking for shopping options in Nara, I think this is the place to go.

Nara is an ancient capital even older than Kyoto, so the buildings are not very tall. If you want to see the cityscape of Nara, it is a good choice to go to Mount Wakakusa if you have enough time. If you don’t have enough time, you can choose the Prefectural Office Observatory. The Prefectural Office Observatory is located on the top floor of the Nara Prefectural Government Office and is open to the general public for free. So everyone can enter.

The Todai-ji Temple is located in the city of Nara and is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. It is also one of Japan’s largest temples. Its history can be traced back to the Nara period when it was ordered to be built by Emperor Shomu. The temple was originally named Kokubun-ji but was later changed to its current name, Todai-ji. Todai-ji is famous for its Daibutsuden, which houses a colossal bronze Buddha statue. This statue stands approximately 15 meters tall and weighs around 500 tons, making it the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world.

Kishiki Shrine is a small shrine that we pass by on our way to Kishiwada Castle, but it seems a bit special, so let’s go in and take a look~ Kishiki Shrine is the guardian deity of the castle and also one of the locations for the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival.

If you have the chance, don’t miss the passionate Kishiwada Danjiri Festival! Its true name is Danjiri Festival (Japanese: だんじり祭) and it takes place every September in the Osaka Senshu area. It is one of the most famous festivals in the area. Each town in Osaka Senshu holds its own Danjiri Festival, but each region has its own unique characteristics. Among them, Kishiwada has the largest scale, while Izumiotsu has a more distinctive form.

When I first saw the Kishiwada Castle, it gave me a feeling similar to Himeji Castle. Climbing up to the main tower and looking down, you can see the “Hachijin Garden” created by Mirei Shigemori. This garden holds great artistic and academic value in the history of modern Japanese gardens. Therefore, on October 6, 2014, it was designated as a nationally important scenic spot.

The Moegi House was built in 1903 and was once the residence of the American Consul. The Moegi House is a two-story wooden building with decorative wooden panels on the exterior walls. It is known for its unique bay windows (protruding windows) in two different shapes. It is one of the more popular foreigner houses in the Kitano area (Ijin referring to foreigners).