honshu
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Tsuruga Castle: Eastern Japan’s Largest Castle
Located in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, Tsuruga Castle was historically eastern Japan’s largest castle, a display of wealth and power by the ruling daimyo family. History of Tsuruga Castle A castle has stood on this site since 1384, when the then-ruling Ashina clan built a palace at the crossroads on a main highway…
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Minmin: Utsunomiya’s Famous Gyoza Chain Experience
Utsunomiya – the capital of gyoza in Japan – has Minmin to thank for a lot of this reputation. One of the premiere gyoza places, Minmin’s main branch is the oldest gyoza restaurant in Utsunomiya. Utsunomiya Gyoza Utsunomiya Gyoza Minmin Minmin Mets vs MinMin Station Bar Food Utsunomiya Gyoza Utsunomiya Gyoza What makes the gyoza…
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Orion Gyoza (Utsunomiya): A Review
Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi Prefecture located just north of Tokyo, is famous for one food in particular – gyoza! These dumplings, based on the Chinese versions that came over hundreds of years ago. Nowadays, there are over 200 shops just within the city limits itself – and many more in the surrounding towns and…
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Maruoka Castle: Japan’s Oldest Castle
Located in Fukui Prefecture just north of Fukui city is Japan’s oldest castle: Maruoka Castle. Dating back to the early 1600s, it is the oldest castle still standing in Japan today. About Maruoka Castle Construction Maruoka dates back to the late Sengogku Era, also known as the Japanese Period of Warring States (i.e. huge civil…
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Aomori’s West Coast Roadtrip: a one-day excursion (itinerary)
One of the few Japanese provinces that borders both the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, Aomori Prefecture has an amazing coastline that you could spend an eternity exploring. Aomori’s West Coast in particular had many places that I wanted to visited. Unfortunately I was only able to rent a car for one day,…
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Cape Yukiai: Excellent Vantage Point for Aomori’s West Coast
Not far from the famous Senjojiki Coast juts Cape Yukiai into the Sea of Japan on Aomori’s west coast. This small cape, which sits above the rest of the coastline, has some amazing views of the surrounding area. The peninsula starts roughly from the JR Gono Line train tracks (where there is a parking lot)…
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Senjojiki Coast: Aomori’s Unique, Flat Rocky Coastline
Located on Aomori Prefecture’s western coast, Senjojiki Coast is a 40-km (28-mile) stretch of coastline that formed in 1792 after an earthquake struck the area. The earthquake caused the bedrock to rise and became exposed as the looser top layers were shaken off and lost to the ocean, creating a unique section of elegant coastline.…
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Japanese Crane Nature Park: Japan’s Longest Wooden Bridge
The Japanese Crane Nature Park sits on an unassuming pond in Aomori Prefecture. It includes a famous, beautiful wooden bridge, making it the perfect place for an afternoon picnic while enjoying the wildlife and supporting local conservation efforts. Edo Period and Creating the Japanese Crane Nature Park Since the early Edo period, this area has…
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Takayama Inari Shrine: Vermillion Torii Gates without the Crowds
When you think of Japan, many people know of Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, for the red torii gates forming a near solid path up the mountain’s slopes. It is the head Inari shrine dedicated to the Japanese kami (deity) of foxes, fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture and industry, general prosperity and worldly success (including business ventures).…
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Fukui Itinerary: One Day of History and Spirituality
If you want to explore history and spirituality somewhere away from Japan’s major centres, such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, this one-day Fukui itinerary is for you! Getting to/from Fukui From Tokyo If you are coming from Tokyo, getting to Fukui has become much easier since JR East and JR Central extended the Shinkansen to…
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Food in Eiheiji: Oroshi Soba and Daruma Pudding
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Asakura Clan Ruins: Once Japan’s Third Largest City
In the mountains east of Fukui City lies the “Pompeii of Japan”—the Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins. Once Japan’s third largest city (after Kyoto and Osaka) during the Muromachi Period, with a population of over 10,000, it was a military, cultural, and trade hub—quite a feat for this turbulent period. Today, it is one of the…
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Blue Pond and the Juniko Lakes of Aomori Prefecture
In the Nishitsugaru District of Aomori Prefecture lies the Juniko (meaning ’12 lakes) Lake Natural Recuperation Forest, containing primaeval forests that used to cover Japan. Within this area also lies one of the most beautiful small bodies of water I have ever seen: Blue Pond (Aoike). Shirikami Mountain Range’s Forests The Shirakami Mountain Range is…
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Hotel The One Shin-Imamiya: A Review (Osaka, Japan)
About Hotel The One Shin-Imamiya Hotel The One Shin-Imamiya bills itself as a stand-alone business hotel near the Shin-Imamiya station in Osaka that specialises in providing the full Osaka experience while maining affordable accommodation prices. From their website: HOTEL THE ONE offers services specialized in accommodation. We want our guests to experience the charm of…
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Rairaikyo Gorge: Geothermal Hot Spring-River Combo
To the southeast of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture sits Akiusato. This village boasts many onsen and onsen hotels due to the thermal activity in the area, but that is not all. There is so much activity that even parts of the river give off steam. This river, the Natori, has also cut through the bedrock…
