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Gifu Castle on Mt. Kinka
From Gifu Castle, I looked at the beautiful scenery that both Nobunaga Oda and Dosan Saito might have seen. Gifu Castle, located in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, is on the top of Mount Kinka (329 meters above sea level). It is a mountain castle with a history dating back to the Kamakura period (13th century) and was once called Inabayama Castle. During the Warring States Period (16th century), the castle was the residence of Dosan Saito, known as the “Mamushi of Mino.” In 1567, Nobunaga Oda conquered Inabayama Castle of the Saito family, and when he conquered this area, the name of the place was changed from “Inokuchi” to “Gifu.” […]
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Hanibe Gankutsuin
Any business owner having trouble attracting customers should visit Hanibe Gankutsuin! The business sense of the second-generation abbot who transformed it from an earnest temple praying for world peace into an odd tourist attraction! Hanibe Gankutsuin, located in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is a cave temple famous for its giant Buddha head and the hell tour in the cave. This unique cave is built from 1951 by two generations of sculptors (father and son). The cave itself has been recognized as a “Japanese Heritage” by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, partly because it was a valuable stone quarry during the Edo period. The cave is approximately 150 meters long. Inside […]
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Masuhoura Beach with the World’s Longest Bench
After picking up cherry shells at Masuhoura Beach in Ishikawa Prefecture, sit on the World’s Longest Bench and watch the beautiful sunset. About an hour and a half from Kanazawa toward Noto, Masuhoura Beach is located in Shika Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, which is called Nishi-Noto on the Noto Peninsula. It is also known as a scenic spot called Noto Kongo, created by the rough waves of the Sea of Japan, a beach with beautiful sunsets, and a beach with the “World’s Longest Bench.” Along with Yuigahama Beach in Kanagawa Prefecture and Wakaura in Wakayama Prefecture, Masuhoura Beach is also famous for the many small shells that wash up on the […]
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Sightseeing spots in Hodatsushimizu Town, Ishikawa
Hodatsushimizu Town in Ishikawa Prefecture is trying to “revitalize the town” with the three pillars of “Chirihama Nagisa Driveway,” “Tomb of Moses,” and “Omelette Rice.” Hodatsushimizu Town is located at the western base of the Noto Peninsula, almost in the center of Ishikawa Prefecture. It is about 30 minutes by car from Kanazawa City, the prefectural capital. It is easily accessible to both Noto and Kanazawa. Map around Hodatsushimizu Town In the eastern part of Hodatsushimizu Town, there are a series of hills topped by Mt. Hodatsu (637 m above sea level), the highest peak on the Noto Peninsula. The view from the top of Mt. Hodatsu is one of […]
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Tottori Sand Dunes Sightseeing Guide
From trivia to how to enjoy Tottori Sand Dunes! Tottori Sand Dunes is one of the largest coastal dunes in Japan (16km from East to West, 2.4km to South to North), located along the Sea of Japan in Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture (From Tottori City Fukuba-cho Iwado to Tottori City Hakuto). Part of the dunes is designated as a Special Protection Area of Sanin Kaigan National Park. It is also designated as a National Natural Monument. Tottori Sand Dunes consists of four dunes: “Fukube Sand Dune” famous for its Japanese scallions (rakkyo), “Hamasaka Sand Dune” with sceneries like a desert, “Koyama Sand Dune” where Tottori Dune Conan Airport is located, […]
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Conan Street, the sacred place for “Detective Conan.”
Hokuei Town in Tottori Prefecture is the sacred place of ‘Detective Conan!’ You can meet Conan along Conan Street! Hokuei Town in Tottori Prefecture is the birthplace of Mr. Gosho Aoyama, the creator of ‘Detective Conan.’ From this fact, Hokuei Town is promoting itself as “The City Where You Can Meet Detective Conan,” and “Conan Village.” There are many bronze statues, colored objects, and stone monuments of ‘Detective Conan’ characters alongside “Conan Street.” Conan Street (Prefecture Road 167). “Conan Street” stretches for 1.4 km from “Conan Station” to “Gosho Aoyama Furusato-kan (Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory)” (Prefecture Road 167). Many Conan statues and monuments are built there, especially around “Conan Bridge.” […]
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Eshima Ohashi Bridge (Betabumizaka)
We were able to climb Betabumizaka of Eshima Ohashi Bridge without stepping on the accelerator pedal fully! Also, the brakes worked downhill! Eshima Ohashi Bridge (1.7 km in length) is a bridge between Sakaiminato City, Tottori Prefecture, and Eshima Island of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. The height of the bridge girder is 45 m from the lake surface at its highest, and with the help of optical illusions, it looks like a steep slope from the Shimane Prefecture (Eshima Island) side. It was also introduced by a car manufacturer TV Commercial as if the slope can only be climbed with the accelerator pedal fully open, getting famous as “Betabumizaka.” It […]
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Mizuki Shigeru Road, home of Gegege no Kitaro
“Mizuki Shigeru Road” is suited for night walks as well. A suspicious atmosphere surrounds us as the shadows of Yokai Monster appear on the road, the lights flicker, and strange sounds are heard. “Mizuki Shigeru Road” is a shopping street in Sakaiminato City, Tottori Prefecture. Sakaiminato City is the hometown of Manga artist Mr. Shigeru Mizuki (1992-2015), known for the manga ‘Gegege no Kitaro.’ “Mizuki Shigeru Road” is an 800m road that starts at JR Sakaiminato Station and ends at “Mizuki Shigeru Memorial Hall.” On the side of “Mizuki Shigeru Road,” many bronze statues of Yokai Monster in ‘Gegege no Kitaro’ is placed, such as Kitaro and Nezumiotoko. Not only […]
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Towada Shrine (Battle between Hachirotaro and Nansobo)
While strolling along the shores of Lake Towada, I passed the statue of maidens and found myself at Towada Shrine. Towada Shrine is located in Towada City, Aomori Prefecture, at the base of the Nakayama Peninsula that juts out into Lake Towada. Nearby is the famous sculptor Kotaro Takamura’s Statue of Maidens, making it the Yasumiya area that serves as a base for sightseeing at Lake Towada. At Towada Shrine, there is a folk tale about the battle between Hachirotaro and Nansobo, which is part of the legend of the three lakes that has been handed down in Aomori, Akita and Iwate prefectures. According to legend, after a monk named […]
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Lake Towada (Statue of Maidens and Legend of Hachirotaro)
Lake Towada is a large lake that straddles Akita Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture, but Aomori Prefecture is where the famous “Statue of Maidens” and Towada Shrine are located. Lake Towada is a lake that straddles Akita and Aomori Prefectures. In the eastern part of Lake Towada, there is the Oirase River, the only river that flows out, and the famous “Oirase Gorge” extends. The tourist base for Lake Towada is the Yasumiya area on the Aomori Prefecture side. On the shore of the lake (Gozengahama Bearch), there is a bronze statue of the “Statue of Maidens” built in 1953 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Lake Towada’s designation as a […]
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Lake Tazawa (Legend of Tatsuko)
The surface of Lake Tazawa seen in fine weather is sparkling and the blue color is totally different! It was a very beautiful lake! And the Tatsuko statue was even more golden than I had imagined! Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in Japan, located in Senboku City, Akita Prefecture. It is a circular lake with a depth of 423 m, a circumference of 20 km, and a diameter of 6 km. Even in midwinter, the surface of the lake never freezes over. There is a folk tale of the birth of Lake Tazawa, the “Legend of Tatsuko”. A golden statue of “Tatsuko,” the heroine of the legend, stands by […]
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Noto Kongo
5 Recommended sightseeing spots in Noto Kongo! From famous places depicted in ukiyoe paintings of the Edo period to places that appear in the climactic scenes of suspense dramas, we introduce you to the best places to visit in Noto Kongo. Noto Kongo, located in Shika Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, is one of the representative landscapes of the Noto Peninsula. The 29km coastline from Fukuura Port to Cape Sekinohana is filled with caves, steep cliffs, and strangely shaped rocks created by the rough seas of the Sea of Japan. Ganmon of Noto Kongo Ganmon is a 6m wide, 15m high, and 60m deep cave created by erosion from the rough waves […]