Kansai
Shiga Prefecture
Nagahama City
Kurokabe Square, located near the JR Nagahama station, is the most famous sightseeing spot in this prefecture. This area has streets lined with Japanese-style buildings of the old housing cultural facilities such as galleries, art glass studios, etc., together with restaurants and cafes.
Kusatsu City
Kusatsu is a city located at the southeast of Shiga, and the core city of the Konan Area. Since past, Kusatsu has been a post town where Tokai Highway and Nakasen Highway crossed and has great history and post-town culture. Nowadays, it is developing as a resemblance of Shiga with great fascination. Also this city has lots of nature and grand Lake Biwa, making the lives in Kusatsu comfortable.
Takashima City
AVENUE OF METASEQUOIAS: About 500 metasequoia trees stand in a line across a stretch of 2.4km．Be it the fresh green, the autumn colors or snow in winter-you never gets tired of the sight of this avenue, which offers a superb view in all four seasons.
Kyoto Prefecture
Uji City
Manpukuji-temple was built by Ingen, a Chinese Zen Buddhist monk as the head temple of Japanese Obaku Zen sect in 1661. The arrangement of Garan that is collateral to the east and the west, which represents the characteristics of Ming era shing era, creates an exotic atmosphere.
Miyazu City
Amanohashidate is a sandbar that spans the mouth of Miyazu Bay in northern part of Kyoto. Viewed from the mountains at either end of the bay, Amanohashidate looks like a pathway between heaven and earth. This is one of Japan's three most scenic views and has been admired for centuries.
Kameoka City
Hozu-gawa River Boat Ride: The Hozu-gawa River Boat Ride is an exciting ride on a mountain river from Kameoka to Arashiyama. It is approx. 16 km in length and takes approx. 2 hours. While listening to the sound of oars, you can enjoy different scenery depending on the season.
Yawata City
Yawata City lies between Kyoto and Osaka. Three rivers get together in Yawata. There are rich nature, historical shrines and temples such as Iwashimizu Hachimangu - national treasure, Sewaritei Yodogawa Riverside Park, Shokado Garden Art Museum, etc. You can enjoy various history and cultures.
Kyotanabe City
Kyotanabe is a city blessed with nature situated in the heart of Kansai. Whilst it takes just over half an hour to reach the cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Nara, Kyotanabe has a quieter feel, with plenty of historical and cultural sites to explore.
Ujitawara Town
Ujitawara-cho, a town southeast of Kyoto with a long history and rich nature. This is the “birthplace of Japanese green tea” where Japanese tea was revolutionized.
Ine Town
Ine is the first “important traditional building preservation district” for a fishing village in Japan. Boats are stored on the first floor of the boathouses while habitable rooms occupy the floors above. It’s hard to find such a unique and picturesque scene in the whole of Japan.
Osaka Prefecture
Osaka City
The "Downtown" zones of major cities and tourist destinations have been evolving, revamping, and pioneering new paradigms… for Osaka, not only as city, but all its inhabitants too, this is nothing new! Endearingly viewed as “The Kitchen of Japan”, and “The Merchant City”, Osaka has throughout the centuries long been a major driving force propelling cultural evolution and innovation.
Hyogo Prefecture
Kobe City
Night Views of Mt. Rokko: Stretching wide to the east and west, Mt. Rokko is Kobe’s landmark and has long been beloved by locals. It is also a famous night scenery spot. The night view from Mt. Maya in the Rokko Mountains sparkles like a glimmering jewel and is counted as one of Japan’s new top three cities for night views.
Ako City
Ako Castle Ruins: Place noted in connection with Ako gishi (loyal retainers).
The Ako Castle built upon the order of Asano Naganao, taking 13 years of time from 1648, is a castle with deformed outline on the plains by the sea, a rarity in the history of modern castles. The castle has been designated as a national historic site in 1971.
Tambasasayama City
Japan's Idyllic Views: Sasayama is located in the eastern-central part of Hyogo prefecture. Formerly known as Tanba State, this history-rich region has prospered since time immemorial as a key transportation hub for Kyoto, which has left a marked cultural impact on the townscape and festivals found here.
Asago City
Asago City in Hyogo Prefecture is located about an hour and a half two hours away by train or by car from Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Himeji. The unique part of Asago is that visitors can see historic sites from different era. Asago was an important place to the leaders of each era, making it an interesting place to experience the changing of the times in Japan.
Nara Prefecture
Sakurai City
A beautiful temple (Hasedera temple) which is popular as a “flower temple” built on the slope of a mountain, in harmony with nature. There is a long staircase. The total length is 108 Ken when expressed in old Japanese unit. 108 Ken is the same as the number of defilement in Buddhism.
Wakayama Prefecture
Shirahama Town
Saki-no-yu, located in Shirahama, is said to be the oldest onsen (hot spring) in Japan and features rotenburo (open air baths) that look right out on the vast Pacific Ocean. Enjoy the thrilling experience of watching the waves that constantly batter the rocks while soaking in the bath. You can even feel the spray from the waves, which makes this rotenburo very unique.
Nachi-Katsuura Town
The tallest waterfall in Japan. It is 133meters tall and 13 meters wide. It is worshiped at the Hiro-jinja Shrine , an auxiliary shrine of the Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine. The roaring sound and crashing water is impressive from any angle.