Fukuoka Japan

Fukuoka located on the island of Kyushu in Japan has been voted one of Frommers Top Travel Destinations for 2012.

Fukuoka is the biggest city in Kyushu and is about 880km west of Tokyo. Fukuoka is not as widely known on the International scene as some of Japan’s other big cities, but has transformed itself over the last decade into one of Japan’s most cosmopolitan and internationalised cities. Fukuoka has been placed in the spotlight recently as a model green city and all of this has taken place before the March disaster bought energy conserving measures throughout Japan.


Fukuoka serves Japan as a major domestic and international gateway and is connected to Tokyo and southern Kyushu by the Shinkansen bullet train. The city itself is very vibrant and user-friendly offering expansive parks, museums, shopping and entertainment. In Japan, the city is known for its beautiful women, known as ‘Hakata bijin’ and its feisty baseball team called the Daiei Hawks.

The main sights of Fukuoka include:

Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine – one of the main shrines in Japan dedicated to Tenjin

Kyushu National Museum - the first new national museum in Japan in over 100 years

Fukuoka Asian Art Museum – some of the finest Asian Contemporary Art

Canal City Hakata – Fukuoka’s six-building shopping and entertainment complex

Space World theme park – a popular theme park created in 1990 and featuring a space theme

By Shinkansen

Fukuoka is 5 hours from Tokyo and costs 22,000 yen on the Nozomi

By Air

Approx 110 mins by air from Tokyo's Haneda Airport

Read about the other Top Destinations 2012 Winners

Entrance to Kiyomizu–dera Kyoto Japan

This week’s Japan Picture of the Week is the famous entrance to Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, Japan. Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺) means "Pure Water Temple" and is a temple first built in 798. It is one of the most famous landmarks of Kyoto and attracts a lot of tourist, especially during the cherry blossom season.

To get there take the No. 206 or 207 bus from JR Kyoto Station and get off at either the Kiyomizu-machi or Gojo-zaka bus stop. From there it is a 10-15 minute uphill walk to the temple.

Entrance to Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, Japan

Deer in Nara Koen Japan

This week's Japan Picture of the week is the famous deer which can be seen at Nara Koen in Japan. Nara Koen was created from wasteland in 1880 and is home to about 1200 deer. The deer in pre-Buddhist times were considered to be messengers of the gods, and today they enjoy the status of National Treasures. The deer roam the park and surrounding areas in search of keen tourists and a hand-out of food. You can buy shika-sembei (special biscuits) from vendors for 150 yen to feed to the deer.


This picture was taken on the approach to the famous Todai-ji temple’s Nandai-mon (gate), which you can read more about here.

Deer in Nara Koen Japan

Nabana no Sato Mie, Japan

Nabana no Sato (なばなの里) located in Kuwana City in Mie Prefecture, Japan is a must see place if you are ever in the Mie area. Nabana no Sato is a theme park focused on flowers and is part of the Nagashima Onsen (長島温泉) resort area.


The park has a number of different restaurants, some traditional shops, an onsen and one of Japan’s finest winter illuminations. The Illuminations runs for about 4 months from mid November to mid March and are a perfect way to spend the festive season in Japan.

Winter Illumination from Mie Tourism Guide

The Nabana no Sato grounds are home to various sections dedicated to flowers with the flowers changing throughout the year depending on the season.

The Middle of the Park from Mie Tourism Guide

There is a big greenhouse with an amazing range of flowers and the flowers bloom all year round. Sato no Yu is a large garden with an outdoor bath for those who love Japanese onsen (hot springs).

Green House full of flowers from Japan Australia

One of my favourite parts of the park is the full size beer hall, which is a place to relax and enjoy some of the local beer on offer. There are 3 types of local beer plus some tasty izakaya style snack food.

Nabana no Sato

• Location: 270 Komae, Nagashima-chō, Kuwana-shi, Mie-ken, 511-1144
• Opening Hours: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Entry Fee: Standard ¥1500 Winter ¥2000
• Begonia Garden admission: Adults: ¥1,000; Elementary/junior-high students: ¥700; Infants: ¥200

Note: Entry fee includes ¥1000 worth of coupons which can be used within the park

Winter in Takayama

Takayama (高山市) located in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture in Japan is famous for its beautifully preserved old town. Takayama has managed to retain its traditional charm with its traditional inns, shops and sake breweries.

Takayama in Winter is a white wonderland with snow and ice dominating its landscape. It is my favourite time of year to visit the city. I love staying at a traditional Japanese ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) soaking in one of the many onsens (hot springs) in the mountains above Takayama and feasting on the world famous Hida beef from the region.


This Week’s Picture of the Week is the amazing snow and ice landscape of Takayama during Winter.

View from the Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn)

Japan Picture of the Week Kurashiki Ivy Square

Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture, Japan is one of the best places to take a stroll in all of Japan. It has the famous Bikan Historical area, which you can read about here with its canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi.


Kurashiki Ivy Square is an entertainment area made up of brick buildings covered in beautiful ivy. The complex includes museums, restaurants and an excellent hotel. It is quite an old area and was the site of the first modern cotton mill in Japan. The brick buildings that make up the complex were originally built as part of the mill in 1889.

The brick buildings covered in beautiful ivy

Picture of the Week Suwako Nagano Japan

Suwako is the largest lake in Nagano Prefecture Japan and a popular tourist destination for travellers to Nagano. The region is famous for its abundance of onsen (hot springs) and natural surroundings.

Suwako is located in the center of Nagano and is a great place to rent a boat and cruise the beautiful waters.


This picture was taken while taking a break at the Lake Suwa Service Area on the Chuo Expressway. The service area offers sweeping views of the lake.

Picture of the Week Nio Guardians at Nandai-mon Todai-ji Nara

These two fierce looking guardian statues protect the main entrance to Todai-ji in Nara, which is the 13th century Nandai-mon. The statues were carved in 1203 by the sculptor Unkei, and are more than 8 meters tall. They are considered some of the finest wooden statues in all of Japan, if not the world. They are really impressive and look like they could spring to life at any moment.

Todai-ji in Nara is opened from

8:00am to 4:30pm (November to February)
8:00am to 5:00pm (March)
7:30am to 5:30pm (April to September)
7:30am to 5:00pm (October)

Admission is ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for children

Picture of the Week Former Kaichi School Matsumoto

The Former Kaichi School in Matsumoto City, Nagano, Japan is a Meiji era school that was founded in 1873. The school was used as a functional school for 90 years and is one of the oldest elementary schools in Japan. The building is a mix of Japanese and Western styles of architecture and was designated an important cultural property in 1961.

In 1965 the former school was opened as a museum of education. The museum inside the fantastic looking building showcases the history of some of the education material and architectural materials of the period. The education materials contain some old textbooks that were used during the Edo period as well as textbooks, diaries and certificates from the Meiji era.

The Former Kaichi School is located a short walking distance from Matsumoto castle and makes a great place to visit after seeing the castle. You can walk to both of them from JR Matsumoto Station in about 15-20 minutes.

Former Kaichi School
2-4-12 Kaichi Matsumoto City, Nagano 390-0876
Opening Hours: 8:30am to 5:00pm
Admission: Adults 300 yen
Children 150 yen

The main building built in a western style and fused with Japanese elements

Inside a Meiji era classroom

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Picture of the Week Kamikochi, Nagano, Japan

Kamikochi is a beautiful area that lies in the center of the Northern Japan Alps and has some of the most spectacular scenery in Japan. It has become famous as a base in the Japan Alps for strollers, hikers and climbers with magnificent mountain scenery and lakes. Kamikochi can be visited as either a day trip from Matsumoto or Takayama, but I highly recommend enjoying the pleasures of staying in the mountains in Kamikochi and taking an early morning or late evening walk before the crowds appear.


Kamikochi is closed from November to May and in the peak summer season is busier than Shinjuku station in Tokyo with tourists.

Kamikochi with its beautiful scenery and water

Crystal clear water that looks blue

Kamikochi will take your breath away

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Rikugien Garden Tokyo

Rikugien Garden (六義園) is one of Tokyo’s most beautiful and a rare place in Tokyo where you can escape one of the loudest cities in the world. By some measurements, Tokyo is the largest urban area on Earth but in the middle of it is a garden modelled on poetic principles – the words and images of 17th century haiku master, Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu. Inside the garden, a Zen calm prevails in the shadow of neon signs and skyscrapers.


Rikugien Garden was built around 1700 with Rikugien literally meaning “six poems garden". It is a very spacious garden with a central pond, islands, forested areas, man-made hills and several teahouses. It will take you about an hour to cover the garden’s walking paths at a leisurely pace.

It is about a 10 minute walk from Sengoku subway station (Mita Line) to the garden.

The garden is opened from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with admission of 300 yen.

Photo Rikugien Garden by Mrmya

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Skiing in Hokkaido Japan

Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido offers some of the country’s best snow and has been unaffected by the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan.

Hokkaido’s winter season is November to early April with some ski resorts still having snow until early May. Sapporo is the cosmopolitan main city on Hokkaido, but does not get a lot of snow until early December. The best places are ski resorts like Niseko, Furano, Rusutsu and Kiroro.


Niseko has three resorts which are Grand Hirafu, Niseko village and Annupuri that offer fantastic powder snow, outdoor hot springs (rotenburo) and great night life. In Niseko you can ski on four mountains with just the one pass.

Furano has tree-lined runs, light dry snow and a friendly atmosphere.

Rusutsu is an all in one resort with various activities for families.

Kiroro is the closet resort to Sapporo and has a family focus.

Whatever it is you are after, you can find it on Hokkaido.

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Picture of the Week Yokohama Marine Tower, Japan

Yokohama Marine Tower (横浜マリンタワー ) is located in the Yamashita koen area of Yokohama, which is known as the traditional sightseeing district of Yokohama.

The lattice tower is 106m high with an observation deck at a height of 100m. The tower offers spectacular views over the harbour. In clear conditions you can see Mount Fuji from the 100m high observation deck.

Entry to Yokohama Marine Tower is 700 yen and it’s open from 10am to 9:30pm.

This is my entry for this week's edition of Show Me Japan

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Picture of the Week Usuzumi Sakura, Neo Village, Japan

Neo village located amongst the mountains in Gifu Prefecture is home to one of the three largest cherry blossom trees in Japan. The Usuzumi Sakura or Cherry Blossom in Neo Village is said to have been planted in 487 AD and as such is reported to be the oldest cherry blossom tree in Japan. This unique cherry blossom initially sprouts pale pink flowers, which become white in full bloom. The tree has been appointed as a National Natural Monument of Japan and is one of the great places to visit in Gifu.

Here is a picture of the magnificent tree, which is over 1,500 years old, stands 17.2 meters in height, and 9.2 meters in circumference.

There are also many other magnificent cherry blossoms in the area and park around Usuzumi Sakura and there is a lot to do and see there.

 

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This is my entry for this week's Show Me Japan

Picture of the Week Toei Uzumasa Eigamura, Kyoto, Japan

The Toei Uzumasa Eigamura also called Kyoto Studio Park and Toei Movie Land is a film set and theme park all in one, it is located a short distance from Kyoto. It features a collection of replicas of traditional Japanese building which are used as settings for historical movies and TV dramas. It is an amazing place with whole streets depicting Edo Period town scenes, a replica of the old Nihonbashi Bridge, a traditional court house and a Meiji Period police box. Actual shooting takes place occasionally, and visitors are more than welcome to observe the action. You can also catch various performances, visit a haunted house, large souvenir shop and exhibitions about the popular TV series. One of my favourite things to do there is to dress up as a character and get photographed, you can choose from such things as samurai, ninja and geisha.

This is my entry for This Week's Show Me Japan

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Picture of the Week Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan

Kurashiki (倉敷市) is a historic city in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

Kurashiki is famous for the old merchant quarter called the Bikan historical area. It contains many fine examples of 17th century wooden warehouses along a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi. The unique thing about this area is it has no electricity poles in order to make the area closely resemble the look of the Meji period.

This picture is of the Bikan Historical area. You can see the famous weeping willows and canal in the background and it is a beautiful area to explore.

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Picture of the Week Nijo Castle, Kyoto, Japan

Nijo Castle is one of the famous sights of Kyoto. The Castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shoguns.

The castle area has several gardens and groves of cherry and ume trees.

This picture is of the Ninomaru garden which has a large pond with three islands and features numerous carefully placed stones and topiary pine trees.

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Picture of the Week Kinkakuji, Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is one of the must see cities in Japan. It offers the full traditional Japanese cultural experience. Kyoto is renowned for its abundance of delicious Japanese food & cuisine and historical importance.

The highlights of Kyoto include Kiyomizu-dera, a magnificent wooden temple, Kinkaku-ji, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Ginkaku-ji, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, Heian Jingu, Nijo-jo, castle of the first Tokugawa shogun, and Gion, famous entertainment and geisha district.

This picture is of Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion) it is one of Japan`s best known sights.

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This is my submission to the July 2011 J-Festa Places In Japan

Picture of the Week Children`s Peace Monument, Hiroshima, Japan

The Children`s Peace Monument is a statue dedicated to the memory of the children who died as a result of the atomic bomb. The statue is based on the true story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died from radiation from the bomb. She believed that if she folded 1,000 paper cranes she would be cured. Still to this day, children from around the world fold cranes and send them to Hiroshima where they are placed near the statue.

This picture is of the area near the statue where the folden cranes are collected and is dedicated to peace.

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Picture of the Week Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima, Japan

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (広島平和記念公園 ) is a memorial park in the center of Hiroshima, Japan. The park is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack and to the memories of the bomb`s victims.

This picture is of the Memorial Cenotaph, which is near the center of the park. It is a concrete, saddle shaped monument that covers a cenotaph holding the names of all the people killed by the bomb. The arch shape represents a shelter for the souls of the victims. If you look carefully through the monument you can see the Atomic Bomb Dome in the background.

Hiroshima Castle

Atomic Bomb Dome

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