Ame-ya-yokoho-arcade

EXPLANATION

After world war 2, Ame-ya-yokoho-arcade was developed by black-market dealing Sugar and /or candy. 

Ame is candy, ya is shop, yokocho is arcade.

It began to called Ame-ya-yokocho.

At recently, there is a lot of kind of shop, it became sightseeing spot that Japanese and foreign country people visit. 

ACCESS

Tokyo - JR Yamanote Line (10min) -> Ueno

AKIYOSHIDAI

EXPLANATION

Akiyoshidai the largest karst plateau in Japan.

It is in Miya- City Yamaguchi-Prefecture.

ACCESS

Haneda Airport -Airplane(90min) -> YamaguchiUbe Airport
YamaguchiUbe Airport - Bus(37min) -> Shinyamaguchi Station
Shinyamaguchi Station -Bus(39min) -> Akiyoshidai
Akiyosido - walk(60min) -> Akiyoshidai

Great Buddha of Kamakura

EXPLANATION

Kamakura is the place of first government by samurai warrior. 

That why, Kmakura has a lot of (Shinto) shrines and (Buddhist) temples.

Specially, Kotokuin is famous that has the Great Buddha of Kamakura(Daibussu) .

ACCESS

Tokyo station -　JR　Ykosuka(60min)　-> Kamakura station

Kamakura station　-　Enoden(7min）　-> Hase station

Hsse station -Walk (10min) -> Kotokuin

The oldest hot spring DOGO-ONSEN

EXPLANATION

Earthquake is frequency in Japan. That why there is a lot of hot spring in Japan.

Dogo-onsen is the oldest hot spring in Japan. It has 3000 years history, I heard.

ACCESS

Haneda airport -Airplane (80 min)-> Mastuyama airport

Mastuyama airport - bus(34 min) -> Dougoonsen

ASAKUSA Kaminari-MON

EXPLANATION

Kaminari-mon is a gate of Sensouji temple that is the oldest temple at Asakusa Tokyo.

Kaminnari-mon has a two staｔues as Fujin (God of wind) and Raijin( God of thunder).

ACCESS

Tokyo station - JR line 2min　-> Kanda station
Kanda Station - Ginza subway 10min -> Asakusa staiton

KUMAMOTO CASTLE

EXPLANATION

Kumamoto Castle was build by Kiyomasa Kato who is Hideyoshi Toyotomi's retainer.

It has a elegantly and solid stone wall was called "Kiyomasa style".

Because the stone wall has structure that the upper part becomes perpendicular, that was called "Mushagaeshi (protecting stones of samurai)

ACCESS 

Haneda Airport -Airplane (100min) -> Kumamoto Airport
Kumamoto Airport - Bus 35min -> Kumamoto Kotu center
Kumamoto Kotu center -Walk 5min-> Karashima-cho
 Karashima-cho - Kumamoto shiden (Train 4min) -> Shiyakusho

TOTTORI SAKYU

EXPLANATION

TOTTORI SAKYU is very large dune which placed at Sea of Japan shore.

It has an area of 2.4km(North & South) to 16km(East & West), and the height is 40m.

It represent dunes of Japanese dunes.

ACCESS

Haneda airport　－Airplane (about 70min) -> Tottori airport

Tottri airport - Bus or Taxi (about 20min) -> Tottori Sakyu 

HIMEJI-jo is called white heron castle

EXPLANATION

HIMEJI-jo was registered as cultural site of world heritage.

It is one of the twelve castles that have existing tenshu built from the Azuchi-Momoyama through the Edo Period.

HIMEJI-jo is also called white heron castle because it has white graceful tenshu..

It is famous as the most beautiful castle.

It changes the form by a view point, so  enemies were confused when they attacked. 

Himeji-jo is not only beautiful and it has high defense capability.

ACCESS

Tokyo - JR shinkansen NOZOMI (about JPY15,000 190min) -> Himeji

Himeji - walk (about 20min) ->Himeji-jyo

SHIRAKAWAGO is a village that has traditional houses

EXPLANATION

SHIRAKAWAGO is village at Gifu prefecture.

There is a Japanese traditional houses.

The house has roof made by thatch.

ACCESS

Tokyo station - JR shinkansen NOZOMI (100min about JPY 10000) ->Nagoya station
Nagoya station - Meitetu Bus (195min about JPY 3600) -> Shirakawago 

Kintaikyo

EXPLANATION

Kintaikyo is rare tree structure bridge in the world.

Kintaikyo has five bridges, three central bridges have shape of arch.

Kintaikyo is located in Iwakuni-city, Yamaguchi prefecture.

Toll　JPY 300 , Opening hours 0800-1700

ACCESS

Haneda airport - airplane (1 hour 30 min) -> Iwakuni-Kintaikyo airport

Iwakuni-Kintaikyo airport - taxi (20 min) -> Kintaikyo 

Mastuyama Castle

EXPLANATION

Matsuyama Casｔle is one of the twelve castles that have existing tenshu built from the Azuchi-Momoyama through the Edo Period.

Matsuyama was called Iyo at Edo Period. At present, it is one of city at Ehime prefecture.

Iyo is scene of Bocchan story that was wrote by Souseki Natsume, and Sakanoue no kumo(Cloud above a slope) was wrote by Ryoutaro.

ACCESS

Haneda airport -Airplane (80 min)-> Mastuyama airport

Mastuyama airport - bus(15 min) -> JR Mastuyama staition

JR Mastuyama station -walk (26 min) ->Mastuyama Castle

ITSUKUSIMA-jinja as shrine floats in the sea

EXPLANATION

You may know it because ITSUKUSIMA-JINJA was listed on the world heritage.

ITSUKUSIMA-JINJYA is in MIYJIMA island at Hiroshima prefecture.

MIYAJIMA island was well known as island where Gods lived in.

ISTUKUSIMA-JINJYA has a big TORII. TORII is a gateway for gods to entrance to shrine. ITSUKUSHIMA's TORII is standing in the sea.

ACCESS

Haneda Airport Internasional Terminal- Airplane 1hour 30min -> Hiroshima Airport

Hiroshima Airport - Bus JPY1340 50min -> Hiroshima Station

Hiroshima Station - JR Sanyou Line JPY410 20min-> Miyajimaguchi station

Miyajimaguchi - JR Nishinihon ferry JPY180 10min -> Miyajima port

Ryusendo as the most clear water.

EXPLANATION

Ryusendo is cave at Iwate prefecture.It has water which is the highest transparency in Japan.

There is the way valious way, but I recommended following way.

ACCESS

Tokyo station -JR Shinkansen JPY14,940, about 2hours->Mroioka staition.

Morioka station -JR Bus JPY2,660 ,about 2hours ->Ryusendo-mae

Yukituri of Kenrokuen at Kanazawa

EXPLANATION

Kenrokuen is Japanese garden at Ishikawa prefecture.Cherry brossum of spring season,red leaves of autumn are beautiful. Specially snow veiw of winter is beautiful  and  famous.

Yukisturi is measurment for breaking branch by weghit of snow.

Lighted up Yukisturi is fantastic. 

ACCESS

Tokyo station - JR Higashinihon shinkansen;->Echigoyuzawa station
Echigoyuzawa station - JR limited express Hakutaka -> Kanazawa Station
Total cost JPY 12,170, Total time 4hours

Another root is using airplane
Haneda -> Komastu (aireplane) and then Komastu -> Kanazawa (Bus)

Red leaves of Arashiyama

EXPLANATION

 Arashiyama is in Kyoto.Some tourist attractions are in Kyoto, but I introduce colored leaves of Arashiyama this time.
 A maple turms red in middle November, and it is the best time to see.
 Arashiyama have traditional architecture. Specialty, Togetukyo Bridge is famous.

ACCESS

Tokyo station - JR Tokaido shinkansen(Nozomi);JPY 13,510;about 2hours 30min ->Kyoto station
Kyoto station - Kyoto Karasuma Line;JPY 210;about 5min -Shijyo station
Shijyo station - walk about 1min -> Karasuma station
Karasuma station - Hankyu Line;JPY 220; 12min -> Arashiyama station

Mt.Fuji from lake tanuki

EXPLANATION

 Lake Tnuki is famous lake by seeing beautiful Mt.Fuji.
 If you have good weather condition, you can see "Diamond Fuji" and " inverse Fuji".
 Diamond Fuji is phenomenon that top of mountain and sun are piled up and seemed like the diamond. The phenomenon is seemed from late April to early May at here.
 Inverse Fuji is phenomenon that Mt Fuji reflect in the lake.Without wind, you can see it more beautiful.

ACCESS

Tokyo Station -JR Tokaido Shinkansen(Kodama):JPY 5,040:about 1hour -> Shifuji Station
Shinfuji Station -Fujikyuko Bus：JPY 560：about 25min -> Fujinomiya Station
Fujinomiya Station -Fujikyuko Bus：JPY 840：about 45min -> Kyukamura Fuji

Diamond Fuji

Inverse Fuji