Sapporo

Sapporo (札幌) is the capital and largest city of Hokkaido Prefecture best known abroad for the annual Sapporo Snow…

Kyoto

Kyoto (京都, Kyōto) was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years until the Meiji Restoration in 1868…

Autumn Colours Near Tokyo

Autumn is definitely one of the best times to visit Japan. It’s off-peak relative to the cherry blossom…

D. T. Suzuki Museum

Museum built in memory of the Buddhist philosopher, D. T. Suzuki Museum. Famous for its Water Mirror Garden

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art

Contemporary art museum that opened in 2004 and is today one of Kanazawa’s key attractions

Kaikaro Teahouse

Beautiful teahouse located in the middle of the main street of the Higashi Chaya District. It is the largest teahouse in the district and one of the most well-preserved. Tea service is included in the admission fee.

Shima Ochaya

Tea house built in the 1820s that today it stands as a museum and an Important Cultural Site. Spread over two floors, visitors can see the instruments used by the geisha to entertain guests to the tea house and glimpse into how the tea houses of the area looked in the late Edo period. Explanations are only in Japanese but a simple English pamphlet is also available.

Ameyoko Center Building

Long-standing building in the center of Ameyoko and one of the best places to buy Asian food in Tokyo

Oyama Shrine

Oyama Shrine (尾山神社, oyama-jinja) is a shrine dedicated to Maeda Toshiie of the Maeda clan that would go…

Nagamachi Samurai District

Former area of residence for the samurai of Kanazawa with narrow canals and stone paths. Some of the homes are open to the public. There is also a small museum showing how the merchant class used to live, complete with a reconstructed old style pharmacy, tea room, traditional garden, and displays of local handicrafts.

Hishi and Tsuzuki Yagura + Gojukken Nagaya

Turrets and warehouse reconstructed in July 2001 based off designs from the 1850s. They were originally built with defense of the castle in mind, incorporating fire-proof walls and slits for firing upon enemies. Together they form one of the biggest wooden constructions built after the Meiji period in Japan.