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  The Great Buddha of Kamakura and Kotoku-in

  Posted in: Kanto, Kanagawa

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  Designated as Japan's National Treasure, the bronze statue of Amitabha Buddha, which is the principal image of Kotoku-in, is commonly known as the Great Buddha of Kamakura (Kamakura Daibutsu in Japanese). The construction of the statue began in 1252 and it was originally enshrined in Daibutsu-den Hall. However, the building was destroyed due to several typhoons and ultimately by a huge tsunami in 1498. Since then, the Buddha has been standing in the open air. With a height of 13.35 meters...

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  Kirishima-Jingu

  Posted in: Kyushu, Kagoshima

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  Imagine yourself wearing a kimono and walking leisurely through the shrine believed to be the site where the grandson of the sun goddess descended in ancient days. This program, “Stroll through Kirishima-Jingu Shrine in a Kimono” is a great way to get away from your daily life and experience something completely new!

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  Izushi

  Posted in: Hyogo, Kansai

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  Izushi, now within Toyooka City in Hyogo Prefecture, was a small castle town that once prospered as the center of the Tajima region (present-day northern part of Hyogo Prefecture) between ancient times and the middle ages. It boasts a historic ambience, featuring a number of landmarks, including the remains of Izushi Castle with beautiful stone walls, Japan's oldest clock tower and Soji-ji Temple that was established in the early 8th century. The town is also well known for its Sara Soba...

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  Take-no-michi

  Posted in: Kyoto, Kansai

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  Muko City in Kyoto Prefecture is well known as one of the top producers of high-quality bamboo shoots in the Kyoto area. The Take-no-michi bamboo-lined path was created through a number of different development phases in order to preserve the beautiful scenery of the majestic bamboo forest. This path, stretching over 1.8 kilometers, is edged with a variety of fence types made from local Moso bamboo. Once you step on to the path and start to stroll through this serene environment, you will be...

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  Otaru Canal

  Posted in: Hokkaido, Southern Hokkaido

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  Otaru is famous as a city chosen by many people when traveling to Hokkaido, Japan, not only for its nostalgic and romantic beauty, but also famous for its named canal. With a length of more than 1,100m located along the coast, from the Otaru Canal, visitors can see the fanciful street lit by candles, take a boat on the canal, walk under the red brick houses.../p>

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  Hachimantai Dragon Eye (Kagami Pond)

  Posted in: Tohoku, Akita

  446 Views

  Every year between late May to mid-June, Kagami Pond located on Mount Hachimantai in Senboku City, Miyagi Prefecture, creates a rare natural phenomenon that takes on the appearance of a dragon eye. As a great amount of snow melting in spring pours into the pond, its center rises by buoyancy, which then starts to thaw in such a way as to resemble an eye of a dragon. You may be lucky enough to witness this mysterious vista only seen during this time.

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  Geibi Gorge (Geibikei)

  Posted in: Tohoku, Iwate

  446 Views

  Located in Ichinoseki City in Iwate Prefecture, Geibi Gorge (Geibikei) was formed by the erosion of limestone layers which created steep cliffs of more than 50 meters in height towering on either side of the river for about two kilometers. The beautiful gorge has been designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument and counted as one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan. Be sure to take a leisurely boat ride down the gorge pushed along with a pole by a boatman. The seasonal...

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  Kochi Castle History Museum

  Posted in: Shikoku, Kochi

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  Kochi Castle History Museum is a new hub for the culture and history of Tosa. This museum is the main venue of the Shikoku Kochi Bakumatsu Restoration Exhibition, and visitors can enhance their understanding of the Bakumatsu-Meiji restoration period.

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  Tomonoura

  Posted in: Chugoku, Hiroshima

  445 Views

  Tomonoura is located along the coast 14km south from Fukuyama Station. This place of scenic beauty has long been a port where boats wait for a favorable wind, and it is even mentioned in poems in the Manyoshu, an ancient collection of Japanese poems.

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  Kobe Kitano Ijinkan Gai

  Posted in: Hyogo, Kansai

  445 Views

  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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  Kishiwada Danjiri Kaikan

  Posted in: Osaka, Kansai

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  The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival has a history of 300 years, and has been passed down and cultivated with pride by the people of Kishiwada. The dynamic towing of Danjiri floats is well known not just in Japan but also as a world-class festival. Danjiri Kaikan is a museum where you can experience the Danjiri Festival not only during the festival but throughout the year. There is much to see such as the reproduction of the festival through powerful videos and sounds, elaborate sculptures and a...

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  Minatogawa Stateside Town

  Posted in: Okinawa

  444 Views

  Minatogawa Stateside Town is a new attraction in Urasoe City featuring shops and cafes in renovated American-style buildings which used to be housing for U.S. military personnel. With streets named after American states, the popular area is photogenic from every angle with the retro-chic townscape and stylish shops.

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