Category: Japan
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Shimokita Peninsula: Beautiful Coastline
Off of Japan’s Aomori Prefecture lies the Shimokita Peninsula. A remote place that is difficult to get to (even with a car), the Shimokita Peninsula is known for a couple of things. The first is Cape Oma, Honshu’s Northernmost Point and also Japan’s tuna capital. The second is the sacred mountain of Osorezan, which is…
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Sendai Dai-Kannon: The Guardian of Sendai
The Sendai Dai-Kannon is a giant statue of the Goddess Kannon from Japanese Buddhism. Standing tall at 100 m (328 ft) on the city’s outskirts, looking towards the city centre, she prays for world peace and prosperity. Why the Goddess Kannon? The Goddess Kannon is known for her compassion, mercy, and advocacy for humanity’s peace…
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Morioka New City Hotel: A Review (Morioka, Japan)
About Morioka New City Hotel Morioka New City Hotel is part of a small chain that is consistently named “[City] New City Hotel.” Other New City Hotels are in Aomori, Akita, Sendai, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. It offers single, double, twin, and family-sized rooms. In addition to the rooms (more on that below), they also…
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Sanriku Fukko National Park: Iwate’s Amazing Coastline
Sanriku Fukkō National Park was established after the 2011 tsunami destroyed many parts of the Tohoku region in Japan. Stretching from Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture to almost Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, this coast has some amazing geological features. From the coast, you can see almost a double coastline. At some point in the last 100,000…
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Kamaishi Dai-Kannon Temple: Giant Buddha overlooking Honshu’s Sanriku Coast
Iwate Prefecture in Tohoku is home to Kamaishi Dai-Kannon Temple, a giant Buddhist statue that overlooks Kamaishi harbour and the Sanriku coast. History and Architecture In the late 1960s, the Seikiouzenji Temple in Kamaishi commissioned this statue and a large temple. They commissioned this work from Kou Hawagawa, who created a 48.5-metre statue from concrete…
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Cape Oma: Honshu’s Northernmost Point
Sitting at the northernmost point of Honshu lies Cape Oma and the town of Oma. Known for its colossal tuna, car/truck ferry to Hokkaido, and not much else, Oma is a remote place that is difficult to get to – so few people are competing with you for nice views! Oma: Tuna Capital of Japan…
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APA Hotel Aomori Ekihigashi: A Review (Aomori, Japan)
About APA Hotel Aomori Ekihigashi APA Hotel is a Japanese chain that operates across Japan. Known as a budget hotel, it attracts mostly Japanese business people and is found primarily in cities near downtown and business areas. APA Hotel is a mid-range hotel in terms of quality. Its modern style includes lots of lights and…
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Osorezan: Sacred Mountains in the Shape of a Lotus
Located in Aomori Prefecture’s Shimokita Peninsula, Osorezan (which translates as “Dread Mountain”) is one of the prefecture’s must-see sights. This sacred mountain plays a large role in Japanese Buddhism and has done so for over 1,000 years. History A dream The story of Osorezan, which is synonymous with the Bodai-ji Temple here, started with a…
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Shukutsu Panorama Observation Deck: A View of Ishikari Bay
If you are visiting Old Aoyama Villa and Otaru, you might as well drive a couple more minutes or take the bus a couple more stops to the Shukutsu Panorama Observation Deck. Not only is it close, but the views are worth it! Located near the Otaru Aquarium and Shukutsu Marine Land, two of Otaru’s…
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Kitchen Mauni + Japanese Curry
As anyone who has read probably more than one travel article on this website may know, I am somewhat of a connoisseur of Japanese curry. From my ever-increasing number of articles on the subject and having visited various restaurants and makers of recipes, it should come as no surprise that there are yet more to…
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Old Aoyama Villa: Traditional Japanese Mansion in Otaru, Hokkaido
Located about an hour and a half west of Sapporo, just outside Otaru, the Old Aoyama Villa is one of Japan’s remaining traditional villas. Named for the Aoyama family, it has a second name: the Herring Palace. History The villa’s history and Otaru’s history go hand in hand. Historically, Otaru and the village of Shukutsh…
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Goryokaku: Hakodate’s European Star Fortress
Located in the heart of Hakodate is a distinctly European star fortress called Goryokaku, meaning “five-port fort”. But why would there be one here? Why not a Japanese castle? History Despite most star forts being built between the 14th and 18th centuries due to cannonballs and gunpowder, the fort in Hakodate was built between 1859…
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Route Inn Hakodate Goryokaku: High-quality concrete
About Route Inn Hakodate Goryokaku Route Inn is a chain of hotels across Japan. They are usually located near transport hubs or sightseeing places, such as Hakodate Goryokaku (a star-shaped fortress). Route Inns are 3-star hotels with onsen (Japanese hot springs), a restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, and other amenities typically found at 3-star…
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My Wing: the best curry in Nemuro, Japan
When Japanese people think of Nemuro in terms of food, usually what comes to mind is Hanasaki crab. Others would mention the rich seafood that comes from all of Hokkaido. So what if I told you I ate one of the best Japanese curries I have ever had in Japan in a restaurant called “My…
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Route Inn Kushiro Ekimae: Convenient but uncomfortable
About Route Inn Kushiro Ekimae Route Inn is a chain of hotels across Japan. They are usually located next to or close to transport hubs, such as the train station in Kushiro (“Eki-mae” means “in front of the station” in Japanese), hence “Route Inn Kushiro Ekimae”. Route Inns are 3-star hotels with onsen (Japanese hot…
