Located near Lake Yamanaka and just in front of Mt Fuji, Oshino Hakkai is a little village blessed by several crystal clear ponds fed by melting snow from the slopes of Mt. Fuji. Oshino Hakkai, with its location and amazing set of ponds, is the ideal spot for a stunning discovery but only for a […]

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Located in Mie prefecture and in the city of Ise, Ise Grand Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Amaterasu-Omikami goddess . Spread across a vast part of Ise, Ise Grand Shrine is mainly composed of two major complexes known as Naiku and Geku. Being the principal temple of Ise Grand Shrine, Naiku, is […]

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Located in the sprawling area that is Minato Mirai, Akarenga or more exactly Yokohama Akarenga Sōko, is an historical point of interest made of red bricks. It is a warehouse complex built around 1911 to 1913 but despite being over a hundred year old, these buildings were still used as warehouses until 1989. It was […]

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Often ignored by people visiting Tokyo, mainly due to a lack of time, Yokohama is nonetheless a great city that everybody who has time and the will should visit. Among the many wonders this city has to offer, Minato Mirai 21 or みなとみらい21 is where you should start! Developed in the 80s, Minato Mirai 21 […]

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Autumn is finally upon us and like pretty much everywhere in the world, autumn colors in Japan are something pretty amazing to see and enjoy. Better known as ‘koyo’ in Japanese, this phenomenon attract millions of visitors to parks and temples all across the country for this yearly natural celebration. While we will cover autumn […]

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The Art Tower Mito or ATM, is an arts complex located in the center of Mito City in Ibaraki, opened in 1990 as part of the 100th anniversary of Mito’s designation as an official city. With a size of 100m high and an observatory located on its top, the ATM also features a concert hall […]

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Erected in 856, the Oaraiisosaki Shrine, also known as Orai Isosaki-Jinja, houses a deity of medicine who’s known for granting happiness and matchmaking couples. Destroyed during a war lasting from 1558 to 1570, the shrine was then rebuilt in 1690. The project was overseen by the legendary samurai Tokugawa Mitsukuni, who also become very popular […]

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Officially named Kitaguchi Hongū Fuji Sengen Jinja, the Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine or Fuji Sengen Shrine is dedicated to the Princess Konohanasakuya. It is a Shinto shrine mainly associated with Mount Fuji and, according to the Shrine officials, has over 1,000 “sister” shrines all across Japan. Located in a dense forest at the foot of Mt […]

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Koyo-dai, also known as Koyodai, is according to some people the best place to to enjoy Mt. Fuji in all its glory, and to be honest it would be very difficult to argue with this statement. Located on a small mountain north of Mt. Fuji, Koyo-dai offers a nice 360 degree panoramic viewing tower. This […]

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Destroyed by a landslide in 1966, Iyashi no Sato was a former village located near Lake Saiko and in front of Mt. Fuji. It was only in 2000 that some former villagers and the city hall, decided to rebuild the place into a magnificent open air museum. Here people can not only enjoy some of […]

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Mikoshi Parades are the gathering and demonstration of divine palanquins carried by Shinto followers. Extremely popular in Japan, every single little parish or ward hosts their own little matsuri (festival) each year, including these Mikoshi Parades. Like the rest of Japan, Shibuya is no exception and every third Saturday and Sunday of September, since 1092, […]

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Located at the foot of Fujisan (Mt. Fuji) the Aokigahara Jukai is a magnificent forest with an unfortunate dark side. Because of its imposing size (35 square kilometers) and its many rocky and icy caverns, many people come here to commit suicide every year. Despite this downside, Aokigahara Jukai, when you follow one of its […]

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