Iwakuni is a city in Yamaguchi Prefecture, just south of the city of Hiroshima. Iwakuni is most known for the Kintai Bridge and Iwakuni Castle. For Japan standards, Iwakuni is a relatively small city but it has everything any big city has. In Iwakuni you can find great restaurants, a lively nightlife, and world-class attractions. We lived in Iwakuni for 1.5 years and explored the area heavily. Whether you are visiting for a weekend, currently live in Iwakuni, or have plans to move here, below are 6 of my most recommended things to do in Iwakuni.  1. Explore Ichinotakiji Temple, A Hidden Gem Ichinotakiji Temple is definitely one of Iwakuni’s hidden gems. I have never heard of anyone mention this temple and can find little to no information regarding this temple on the internet. Ichinitakiji Temple is a Buddhist Temple tucked away in a small neighborhood in the foothills. There is a beautiful pagoda here on a small hill. Visitors have to walk up a few flights of stairs to get to the pagoda but the best views are across the valley from Ichinotakiji Temple.  I’ve explored many temples in Japan and this is one of my favorites. Outside of the Pagoda, there is a temple here, small waterfall, and several Buddha statues.  2. Hike to the Top of Shiroyama and Visit Iwakuni Castle Iwakuni Castle sits at the top of Shiroyama. There are two ways to get to the castle, visitors can take several trails to the top or take the ropeway. According to Iwakuni’s Official Tourism Website the hours of operation are 9:00 to 17:00 and the fee is ¥560 round-trip for adults and ¥260 for children. There are discount tickets that can be purchased at the Kintai Bridge, Castle, or Ropeway that include admission to the ridge, castle, and include the ropeway.  Iwakuni Castle was bult in 1601, but it didn’t last long before being taken down. During the Tokugawa Shogunate (military government during the Edo Period), the number of castles were to be limited. There were regulations for castles to include the number of castles per feudal domain. Because of this law, there was conflict with Hiroshima Castle and Iwakuni Castle had to be taken down unfortunately.  Iwakuni Castle was again reconstructed in the 1960’s. The original foundation of the castle is still there, but the new castle was built closer to the cliff simply for aesthetics. Today, the castle is open for visitors. There is a small museum here worthwhile. The hours of operation for Iwakuni Castle are from 9:00 to 16:30 and the admission is ¥260 but might have recently increased to ¥300.  3. Learn More About the White Snakes at Shirohebi Shrine The Shirohebi (White Snake) is sacred in Iwakuni. The shirohebi is a servant of the God Benzaiten (God of Water). Shirohebi Shrine is a shrine in Iwakuni that is dedicated to the white snakes of Iwakuni, not the band White Snake.  The white snakes of Iwakuni are actually common rat snakes but with albinism. In 1972, Iwakuni made the white snakes a national monument. Their populations have declined for obvious reasons, less mice, human interference, etc..  Shirohebi Shrine was constructed in 2012 in honor of the white snakes and the god Benzaiten. Around the shrine are cages housing live white snakes for viewing. Their enclosures are actually really spacious with lots of vegetation. Visitors can freely walk the grounds, look at the snakes, and don’t miss the Temizuya. Temizuya is a water fountain with ladles used to clean and purify the body before accessing a shrine. This particular temizuya has a shirohebi as the fountain.  4. Take in the Sites and Relax at Kikko Park One of the most popular things to do in Iwakuni is to spend time at Kikko Park. This vast park lies between the Kintai Bridge and Iwakuni Castle.  Kikko Park has vast green spaces, large water fountains, museums, temples, historic buildings, cafes, and shops. Kikko Park is also one of the best places to visit in Iwakuni during Sakura Season.  Some of my favorite highlights within the park are the Kikko Cormorant Training Facility and Kikko Shrine. There is a White Snake Museum in Kikko Park. The museum has great information on the white snakes but hardly had any snakes on display. The entrance is cheap ¥200, but I feel the exhibits at Shirohebi Shrine are better.  5. Try Delicious and Unusual Ice Cream Flavors No trip to the Kintai Bridge and Kikko Park is complete without stopping at one of the ice cream shops for a delicious or unusual soft serve ice cream!  After crossing the Kintai Bridge and right before Kikko Park are several ice cream shops. One shop here, Musashi, has 100 flavors of ice cream and they range in flavor from traditional vanilla and chocolate to ramen and soy sauce ice cream flavors.  Choosing a flavor can be overwhelming but there is an English menu available at the shops. I’ve tried ice cream at all the shops, my favorite shop was Sasakiyakojiroshoten. They even serve Cremia ice cream which is my all time favorite soft serve.  In reality all the ice cream shops serve delicious ice cream, so you can’t go wrong with whichever shop you choose.  6. Walk and Photograph the Kintai Bridge The Kintaikyo or simply Kintai Bridge is Iwakuni’s most prized attractions. The Kintai Bridge is what you see on post cards, travel magazines, advertisements, and so on. For good reason, the Kintai Bridge is absolutely beautiful at the base of Shiroyama surrounded by mountains crossing the Nishiki River.  The Kintai Bridge was built in 1673 and stood for hundreds of years before being destroyed by a typhoon in 1950. When originally completed, this bridge was only crossed by Samurai warriors crossing from town to the castle and Kikko Park area.  What makes the Kintai Bridge so remarkably famous is the five arches that span 200 meters across the Nishiki River. The Kintai is considered as one of Japan’s three most famous bridges along with the Megane Bridge in Nagasaki and Nihonbashi Bridge in Tokyo.  Today, the Kintai Bridge isn’t only for Samurai warriors to cross, but visitors can also walk on the bridge. Since it is a major tourist attraction, there is a fee of ¥310. **Tip – The Kintai Bridge is technically open 24/7 but there is a ticket booth on both ends open from 8:00 am to 17:00. If you come before these hours, the bridge is open and free to access.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store.  Plan Your Trip: Booking Accommodations For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator has a lot of great options.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!

Kudaka Island is a small yet sacred island just off the coast of Okinawa’s main island. Kudaka Island can be reached by ferry and explored by either bicycle or walking. The views of the ocean from Kudaka Island are absolutely stunning with it’s turquoise water and abundant coral. When it comes to dining on the island, don’t forget to try the Irabu or sea snake soup! Kudaka Island is small but has plenty of sites to see and things to do, this is how we spent a day on Kudaka Island  About Kudaka Island Amamikiyo, is said to be the deity known to have created the Ryukyu Islands after descending on Kudaka Island. During the times of the Ryukyu Kingdom, high ranking priests and even the King of the Ryukyu Islands would take pilgrimages to Kudaka Island. Because of the history here, Kudaka Island is considered a very sacred island. There are many Utaki or sacred places scattered around the small island. in fact, Fubo Utaki, one of the sacred sites is considered so sacred that no one is allowed to enter or visit the site.  Kudaka Island is located in the city of Nanjo in Okinawa. Nanjo has my favorite Japanese mascot, Nanji or Nanjo Man, as I call him. He is a healthy grandpa who is curious with an adventurous lifestyle.  Kudaka Island is just off the coast of the main island of Okinawa and can be reached by ferry from Azama Port. Kudaka Island is very similar to Tsuken Island, aka Carrot Island just a few kilometers away. These islands are unspoiled by tourism and have some of the prettiest beaches in Okinawa. Taking the Ferry to Kudaka Island Daily, there are six ferries that travel between Azama Port to Kudaka Island. There are three regular ferries and three express ferries. Below are the timetables and fares according to the Kudaka website.  To Kudaka Island From Azama Port Ferry  – 8:00, 11:00, and 15:00 Express – 9:30, 13:00, and 17:00 To Azama Port From Kudaka Island Ferry – 10:00, 14:00, and 17:00 Express – 8:30, 12:00, and 16:00 **Due to Covid-19 ferry times may change, so it is always best to verify the times on the website. The day we went, only the Express Ferry was running.  Fares Ferry Adult, Roundtrip ¥1300 Chld, Roundtrip ¥650 Express  Adult, Round-Trip ¥1480 Child, Roundtrip ¥750 How we Spent our Day on Kudaka Island Getting around Kudaka Island is simple. You can explore the island by foot, like we did or rent a bicycle or scooter from one of the several shops near the ferry terminal. The island is about 3.5 km from the port to Habyan, the farthest beach. Because of the ferry times, we had more time then expected and decided just to walk.  If you prefer to rent a bike, they all appeared to be cruiser bikes. Kudaka Island was flat, so hills and rough terrain is not an issue. Most the roads were either paved or loose gravel. Bike rentals were ¥300 an hour.  We explored the small town first, I love walking the small alley ways and viewing the beautiful traditional homes in Okinawa, especially on the smaller islands. The town had a few restaurants, shops, and vending machines. Stock up, because once you get out of town, there isn’t even a vending machine in sight!  There are three roads from town that meet in the middle of the island before merging into two roads then just one toward Habyan. We started with the road on the far left, just to walk the stunning coastline. The beaches on the western side of the island are picture perfect!  While walking the western coast, we heard goats off in the distance. We followed their call and ended up near a few of the Okinawan tombs. To our surprise, we spotted the goats on top of one of the tombs.   We continued exploring Kudaka Island and found a beautiful overlook along a trail called the Romance Road. There was a newly built gazebo here. We were able to take a breather and enjoy the shade. The views from this gazebo were probably some of the best on the island.  We visited the island in August, this time of year the spiders are out in full force. The Banana Spiders or Wood Spiders, whatever they are, get huge this time of year! We literally saw hundreds of these spiders. Terrifying? Yes! But also fascinating.  The last stop on the island was a trail through the Billow Forest to Habyan. Habyan is the sacred site where Amamikiyo came to Kudaka Island from the heavens. The long walk through the Billow Forest was brutal since shade was limited and the sun was right above us.  Along the path, we did spot many of the large purple Hermit Crabs similar to the ones we saw and adored on Zamami Island. Habyan is the farthest point from the ferry terminal on Kudaka Island. Although we were glad we walked the entire length of the island the beaches at Habyan and the eastern side of the island were hardly worth it, especially since the beaches on the other side were some of the prettiest we’ve seen in Okinawa. The trees on the eastern side of the island were much taller and provided better shade then the western side. We did get lucky and spot several Ryukyu Flying Foxes hanging upside down in the trees and flying around.  The perfect day on Kudaka Island consisted of us taking our time strolling through the small town, getting fresh air, and marveling at the gorgeous ocean surrounding the island.  Dining Options and Irabu For a small island there were plenty of dining options. My love of Bizarre Foods led me to a restaurant called お食事処 とくじん, according to Google Maps. After exiting the ferry terminal, go up the hill and hang right there is a restaurant on the right hand side and this is お食事処 とくじん (coordinates: 26.1552968,127.8862991). This restaurant is known for their Irabu Soup. For those that don’t know. Irabu Soup is Sea Snake soup. The sea snakes are typically caught by elderly women bare handed, boiled, and then smoked. Apparently the soup is healthy and full of nutrients.  Sea snakes are highly venomous, so I was a bit nervous to try the soup. After taking that first bite of the snake, I was relieved and pleasantly surprised by the flavor. Did it taste like chicken? Not really, it was tougher and had its own distinct flavor. The soup also consisted of pork and seaweed. The set meal also came with sashimi, which was some of the best I’ve had. It’s been several weeks now since our visit and I’m still alive, so get out there and try Irabu Soup.  Kudaka Island makes for a great day of exploration. The ocean views alone are worth the ferry ride over. The food was incredible. For those feeling adventurous, try the Irabu Soup, I promise you won’t regret it!   Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store.  Plan Your Trip: Booking Accommodations For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator has a lot of great options.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!

Looking for something fun to do in Okinawa that doesn’t take a whole lot of time? Why not walk the Gusuku Route in Kitanakagusuku. Along this short 2.01 km route, there are castle ruins, historic houses, and plenty of Shisa sculptures.  About the Gusuku Route in Kitanakagusuku Prior to visiting the Nakamura House, I’ve never heard of the Gusuku Route. At the entrance of the Nakamura House was a large map of the route and all of the sites it crosses. The map even stated that the Gusuku Route is “One of the 500 best walks in Japan and Top 100 cultural walks.” The route is estimated to be 2.01 km and takes the average person 40 minutes to walk, although it took us longer since I had to stop every 20 feet to take a photo. If stopping at all the attractions it could very well take a half day or longer.  According to the map, the start of the trail is at the Tomb of Lord Gosamaru and ends at the Nakamura House.  Notable Stops along the Gusuku Route We followed the route suggested by the map and started at the Tomb of Lord Gosamaru. There is a fairly new parking area with ample parking, benches, and restrooms. We parked our car and began to walk the suggested Gusuku Route in Kitanakagusuku. From the parking lot, there was a board walk to the Tomb of Lord Gosamaru.  Lord Gosamaru was a Lord of the Ryukyu Kingdom in the 1400’s. Lord Gosamaru was the commander of the nearby Nakagusuku Castle.  After a brief stop at the tomb we made our way to the next stop, Nakagusuku Castle. I briefly mentioned this castle in my Okinawa World Heritage Sites post. Nakagusuku Castle lies in ruins and was originally built as a defense fortress against attacks from Katsuren Castle. After the defeat of Nakagusuku Castle, Lord Gosamaru, who was the commander of the castle, committed suicide in 1458. Admission and Hours Admission ¥400 for adults, ¥300 for Junior and High School, and ¥200 for Elementary Students Hours Daily from 8:30 until 17:00, May through September entrance is open until 18:00.    According to the map, the next stop along the Gusuku Route is the Monument to Seiho Oyama’s Birthplace. The monument was just a small monument alongside the road, not really worth spending to much time at.  From here the route goes to Agarinuka Park, but along the route there are several Shisa statues. The Shisa is a symbol of Okinawa. These are traditional artifacts from the Ryukyuan Kingdom. The Shisa are based on similar  artifacts from China that resemble Guardian Lions. The Shisa is a cross between a lion and a dog and are placed in pairs on gates and rooftops of homes and businesses to ward off evil spirits. The Shisa statues come in various sizes and today you can find some that are very serious to downright silly. There is a whole lot more to the history and what the Shisa represents but I will include this all in a future post.  The Gusuku Route continues along the main road and stops at other monuments, parks, and sculptures. Other then the castle, the main attraction is the Nakamura House, which marks the end of the Gusuku Route.  The Nakamura House is a perfectly preserved traditional Okinawan style house. This is what many houses looked like prior to WWII. Traditional architectural features include the red tiled roofs and high stone walls. The Nakamura House dates back to the 18th century. There are eight rooms in total throughout the house all preserved in the traditional style. The grounds also include a store house, barn, pig pens, a pond, and gardens.  Admission and Hours Admission ¥500 for adults, ¥300 for Junior and High School, and ¥200 for Elementary Students Hours Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9:00 until 17:00.  For more information, check out the Nakamura House Website **Hours might differ because of Covid – 19. Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store.  Plan Your Trip: Booking Accommodations For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator has a lot of great options.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!

Kawasaki, everyone’s heard the name. Right up there with Honda and Yamaha. That’s right, Kawasaki is a popular brand of motorcycle. But did you know there is a town in Japan with the same name? In fact, Kawasaki is Japan’s eighth most populous city. Being so close to Tokyo and just south of Haneda Airport, there are many tourist attractions in Kawasaki that are worth checking out. So whether you have a long layover or looking for a quick get away, Kawasaki is a great place to visit!  Getting to Kawasaki from Haneda Airport I highly recommend downloading the Japan Travel App, you can read about it more in my Japan Travel Recommendations post. From Haneda Airport, take the Airport Express on the Keikyu Line to Kawasaki Station. It can take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes depending on the terminal.  Recommended Tourist Attractions in Kawasaki Being Japan’s eighth most populous city, Kawasaki is a huge city and there is quite a bit going on. In reality, we could have stayed in Kawasaki over night and spent at least two solid days exploring this city. Being somewhat tired after flying from Hawaii and needing to catch a later flight back to Okinawa, we only had a half day to wander around Kawasaki. Even though time was limited, we managed to see a lot of what this city had to offer. If you have a layover in Haneda or need to kill some time, below are a few of the tourist attractions in Kawasaki that we sought out and really enjoyed!  Visit the unique Wamiya Hachimangu Shrine I am a fan of finding weird and unusual attractions wherever I go. Like in the town Inuyama while visiting Nagoya, we found another fertility shrine while on the way to Kawasaki Daishi. Wamiya Hachimangu Shrine was much smaller but we still got a kick out of it. There were a few penis statues on the grounds, most notable was the iron phallus. I like to share and talk about everything we see and do, so below are two photos of the penis statues we saw on the grounds of the shrine.  Don’t Miss Kawasaki Daishi, a Buddhist Temple founded in 1128 The main reason for our visit to Kawasaki was a stop at Kawasaki Daishi. Like the Wamiya Hachimangu Shrine, this temple can be reached by taking he Keikyudaishi Line from Keikyu-Kawasaki to Kawasaki daishi. This train ride was very brief, about 5 minutes.  Kawasaki Daishi is a huge temple complex with large buildings and a beautiful five storied pagoda that has eight sides.  This Temple complex was founded in 1128 and is the headquarters for the Chizan School of Shingon Buddhism.  Prior to visiting the Temple complex, there is a street called Kawasaki Daishi Nakamise-Dori leading up to the main gate that is full of souvenir shops. Daruma Dolls were a very popular items amongst the shops. These are traditional good luck dolls used to set goals. The doll is kind of a weird shape, but are traditionally red with a white face. The eyes are unpainted. You paint in the eyes once a goal has been met.  Take a Stroll through Daishi Park and Visit Shinshuen Garden A short walk from Kawasaki Daishi is Daishi Park and Shinshuen Garden. Daishi Park is a large neighborhood park with open spaces, playgrounds, and sport fields. The real tourist attraction with the park is the Shinshuen Garden.  Shinshuen Garden is a Chinese themed garden and the best aspect of the garden is that it is a free attraction. The gardens are open from 9:00 to 16:00 every day except Monday’s.  Ride the Tiny Escalator at More’s Department Store That wraps up the attractions near Kawasaki Daishi. We took the train back to Keikyu-Kawasaki Station with a goal in mind to find the world’s shortest escalator.  Just outside of Kawasaki Station is a department store names More’s. The escalator can be found on the bottom floor of the department store. The escalator is in fact, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the shortest escalator. It’s only 5 steps and nobody really knows or even understands its purpose. If you do get lazy and decide to take the short escalator instead of the stairs, it takes a whopping 3-5 seconds. https://zimminaroundtheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/IMG_7243.mp4 Now I can say I’ve been on the world’s shortest escalator in Kawasaki, Japan and have taken the world’s longest outdoor escalator system in Hong Kong. Be a Kid Again at the Toshiba Science Museum and Learn about the Company’s History Another Free tourist attraction in Kawasaki was the Toshiba Science Museum. The day we went, reservations were required. Thankfully for us, it wasn’t busy so the staff let us in. I don’t know if reservations are required because of Covid or if reservations are always required, but it’s worth looking in to. I must say, this museum is not a must do, it was on one floor, pretty small, and mainly for children. But there was a large room with exhibits showing the history of Toshiba and their technology as it progressed. Otherwise, the museum was full of interactive exhibits geared toward kids.  Enjoy Endless Shopping at the Many yet well Connected Shopping Malls Most cities in Japan have well connected shopping malls. These shopping malls are usually found around train stations and the downtown areas. Kawasaki had a very impressive mall. It was connected by bridges crossing over roads, with hundreds of shops and restaurants. I’m not much of a shopper, but I could imagine someone who is could potentially spend an entire day shopping around the many connect malls near Kawasaki Station.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store.  Plan Your Trip: Booking Accommodations For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator has a lot of great options.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!

On a previous trip to Nagoya, we were headed back to Central Japan International Airport. At the last stop before the airport at Tokoname, we noticed a giant Maneki Neko (Beckoning Cat) head off in the distance. Quickly, we marked the spot and knew we had to visit in the near future. We didn’t know this was part of the famous pottery footpath in Tokoname.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!  History of Tokoname’s Pottery Footpath The pottery footpath in Tokoname started in 1972. But Tokoname has been famous for making pottery since the Heian Period around 794 – 1185. In fact, Tokoname is considered one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan. The other Ancient Kilns of Japan include Bizen, Echizen, Seto, Shigaraki, and Tanba. Kilns in these towns have made pottery for hundreds if not thousands of years. In 2017, the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan were listed as a Heritage Site in Japan.   In Tokoname, the kilns, pottery merchants, and other attractions were all in a specific area, so for tourism in 1972, the path was created so visitors could have a chance to view all of the points of interests related to Tokoname and the ancient kiln.  Manekineko Street and Tokonyan The Pottery Footpath is a short walk from the Tokoname Station. Before getting to the actual start of the foot path, visitors will need to walk Manekineko Street. This street is lined with nearly 40 beckoning cats created by artists.  Tokoname is the hometown of the Manekineko or lucky beckoning cat.  Jill and I began our adventure on Manekineko Street. There were several silly manekineko statues on small pedestals.  After taking photos of the fun manekineko’s on the pedestals we walked down the famous Manekineko Street. This street had several beckoning cats alongside the wall. Each statue was different and brought good luck in various ways, for instance, Prayer for families or safe travels.  Tokonyan Tokonyan is a gigantic Beckoning Cat above Manekineko Street. This is the Beckoning  Cat we originally saw from the Tokoname train station. Tokonyan is 3.8 meters tall and 6.3 meters wide.  Walking the Pottery Footpath in Tokoname After walking through and taking pictures of Manekineko Street, we started the actual Pottery Footpath. I had no idea what to expect, but I didn’t think the path would be very long and there would be little to see. Like most attractions in Japan, I was wrong.  The Pottery Footpath consists of two trails, Course A and Course B. Course A is the more popular route and was 1.6 km long while Course B was a longer trail at 4.0 km.  We arrived here in the early evening and took the Course A Footpath which starts and ends near Tokonyan. Although, you can enter the path wherever you want, we found the starting point near Tokonyan to make the most sense.  Highlights along Course A included many local pottery shops, the climbing kilns, workshops, and other fun art displays.  The footpath was well marked and winded through narrow alley ways with historic homes and shops on either side. One of the more popular locations along the footpath was Dokanzaka. Dokanzaka is a short section of the trail and the sides of the trail were lined with sake barrels, pipes, and broken ceramics.  Since it was later in the day when we explored the Tokoname Footpath, there were hardly any people on the trail. Unfortunately, most shops were closed, but there were a few shops that we managed to pop in before closing.  Course A was only 1.6 km, but we took a solid 1.5 – 2 hours to walk it because there was so much to see and photograph. A lot of random works of pottery were displayed out in the open especially in front of some of the shops. Below are some of the cute pottery figures we spotted while walking Tokoname’s footpath.  Conclusion If you ever find yourself flying into Nagoya. Take the train a couple of stops to Tokoname and walk the pottery footpath. This attraction blew our expectations. Both Jill and I were surprised by how long the footpath was and with all the attractions and cute pottery statues everywhere. Next time we visit Tokoname, we plan on doing the 4.0 km Course B footpath and maybe attend a workshop class to make our very own pottery.  There are cheap hotels nearby, after all it’s close to the airport, so maybe plan for a half day here if interested. We stayed at the Hotel Route Inn which was within walking distance to both the train station and footpath.  Jill loved Manekineko Street and all the random cat sculptures around the path, of course she had to take Manekineko photos.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site. 

Sometimes, the small and lesser known towns found throughout Japan are the most beautiful and surprising destinations. We got the chance to stop and do some sightseeing around Gujo while driving back to Nagoya from the city of Takayama. While touring Gifu Prefecture, Gujo might have been the most surprising destination. Gujo had everything a large city has packed into a small town. In Gujo you can hike to Gujo Castle, explore the cute alley ways, walk through historic districts, visit temples, and dine in the many restaurants that line the historic streets.  Gujo on a map and how to get here Gujo is located in Gifu Prefecture. If looking at the map above it appears to be almost halfway between Takayama and the outskirts of Nagoya City.  The best way to reach Gujo is by vehicle and it is easily accessible from the expressway (E41) or Route 256.  If taking the expressway from Takayama, Gujo is a little over an hours drive. We decided to take the scenic route and avoid tolls and the drive took about 1 hour and 30 minutes.  If departing or heading toward Nagoya, the route takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes on the expressway or 2 hours and 20 minutes if avoiding tolls.  Sightseeing Around Gujo – Can’t Miss Attractions and Sites Everything in Gujo is within walking distance, with the exception of the castle, I recommend driving to the castle. Gujo just is not that big, there are a few parking lots around town, from there you can walk to all the recommended sites below.  Gujo Hachiman Castle Gujo Hachiman Castle is probably the most famous attraction in Gujo and is well worth a visit. This castle is perched on a hill overlooking the city. There are several parking lots around the castle ranging from at the base of the hill to right behind the castle. We parked somewhere in between and walked about 15 minutes to the castle entrance.  Gujo Hachiman Castle is on the smaller side and doesn’t take to much time to visit. I’d say 30 minutes or less is all that is needed for a thorough visit.  Gujo Hachiman Castle was originally built in 1559 but was dismantled during the Meiji Period. The castle was again rebuilt in 1933. Today, you can enter the castle and walk the grounds. Since the castle is new, it was built with larger stairs that aren’t as steep as some of the original castles, so it’s a bit easier to make it to the top of the main keep. You get incredible 360° views of Gujo and the surrounding mountains.  Admission and Hours Admission ¥320 Per Person Hours 9:00 to 17:00 – March to May and September to October 8:00 to 18:00 – June to August 9:00 to 16:30 – November to February Yanagi-machi Dori Yanagi-machi Dori is a street at the base of the hill below the Gujo Hachiman Castle. The architecture of the houses reminded me a lot of the houses we saw in Takayama. We parked our car at a paid lot near Yanagi-machi Dori, walked from one end to the other before making our way to the downtown area of Gujo. Because the houses and street here was so beautiful, I recommend a quick stroll on Yanagi-machi Dori. Yanaka Lane Yanaka Lane or Yanaka Mizu No Komichi is a small alley way in the center of Gujo. Yanaka Lane has been around since ancient times and was a community road leading toward Yanaka Inari Shrine. According to a plaqard at the beginning of the alley way there are 80,000 stones that line the pathway. There is a cute little canal on the side of the pathway. We visited on an off day and there were no people around. I can see this area being popular in the summer time, especially for children to play in the canal.  Igawa Lane Igawa Lane is the primary attraction that drew me to stopping in Gujo while on our road trip. It popped up in Google Maps, and I was instantly drawn to it. According to a placard at the entrance of Igawa Lane, this lane is 1 meter wide and 119 meters long. The lane is in a peaceful neighborhood in Gujo not far from the Yoshida River. This alley way was absolutely beautiful! The canal, maple trees, old style houses, and gigantic carp really made Igawa Lane worth visiting. Honestly, the carp in the canal here where some of the fattest I’ve seen in my life. You can pay for food and feed them at a few sites along Igawa Lane.  Miyagase Bridge There are three bridges in Gujo that cross the Yoshida River. They all have incredible views, but I highly recommend walking over the Miyagase Bridge. The views of the river and homes from here were just spectacular. During the summer months, locals take advantage of the hot weather and cool off in the river below.  Sogi Spring Sogi Spring itself was worth a quick visit, but I recommend walking the river walk nearby along the Kodara River. The Shimizu Bridge, is a pretty red bridge that is a popular photo spot. When we were here, there were a lot of school age children on the bridge taking photos. There are stairs near Sogi Spring leading to the river, it’s also a popular lunch spot.  Manhole Covers Around Gujo **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 

Like Takayama, Kanazawa is a city that is a little bit off the beaten path. Kanazawa is said to have the best preserved Edo-style districts in the country. If you love food, especially seafood, then Kanazawa is the right place for you. Besides exploring the Edo-style districts, Kanazawa is most famous for it’s beautiful white castle and Kenroku-en Garden which is considered one of the top 3 gardens in Japan. Visiting Kanazawa should be included on any itinerary when visiting Japan.  Kanazawa on a Map and How to Get Here Kanazawa is a large city located in Ishikawa Prefecture. With access to the Sea of Japan to the West, Kanazawa has done remarkably well throughout history and continues to grow into a modern and well developed city.  Train travel is not as prevalent in western Japan as it is along the east coast, so getting to Kanazawa does take time and effort. The Kanazawa train station is serviced by West Japan’s Hokuriku Line.  We rented a car in Nagoya and drove north toward Kanazawa. Renting cars in Japan is easy and fairly cheap. I recommend going this route as it allows more freedom to explore and can be cheaper in the long run especially if traveling with multiple people.  Once in Kanazawa, getting around by bike or on foot is recommended. Most attractions are within walking distance. Can’t Miss Attractions and Things to do While Visiting Kanazawa We were visiting Kanazawa for two days while road tripping through central Japan. I’ve heard tremendous feedback about Kanazawa from other travelers and resources, so both Jill and I were excited to explore Kanazawa at a slower pace.  The main attractions we wanted to see were definitely Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en, and the historic districts of Higashi Chaya and Naga-machi. We managed to fit a lot more into our itinerary for Kanazawa and visited many more sites. Below are the attractions and things we did around Kanazawa. Omicho Market According to japan-guide, Omicho Market has been the largest and most popular fresh food market in Kanazawa since the Edo Period.  Today, Omicho Market consists of around 200 different vendors and restaurants selling a wide variety of fun and tasty food items from wasabi shoots to delicious and fresh seafood.  My recommendation for visiting Omicho Market is to come early and come hungry. Unfortunately, our hotel had an amazing Japanese breakfast, so I only had room to try a few fresh pieces of tempura and fresh fruit. We had plans to come here later in the day for a late lunch or early dinner. Again, we didn’t do our research and most restaurants closed at 3:00 pm here. By the time we came back to Omicho Market, most vendors were sold out for the day.  Oyama Shrine Oyama Shrine is a Shinto Shrine near Kanazawa Castle. Prior to entering the grounds of the shrine, visitors can view and walk through the western-style gate, designed by a Dutch architect. Other then the shrine itself and unique gate, there is a nice park within the complex consisting of a few ponds. There are also some interesting sculptures scattered around the shrine’s grounds.  Nezumita-mon Gate Nezumita-mon Gate is one of the main gates to Kanazawa Castle. Nezumita-mon Gate is on the west side of Kanazawa Castle, right behind Oyama Shrine. The appearance of the Nezumita-mon gate is unique given its black plaster tiles and namako walls. The gate and bridge have been restored as it was damaged due to fire over a hundred years ago.  We walked over the bridge to Nezumita-mon several times while visiting Kanazawa. I found this spot to be particularly photogenic, especially at night.  Gyokusen-inmaru Park This small Japanese garden is located in Kanazawa Castle Park. Situated between the Nezumita-mon Gate and Kanazawa Castle the Gyokusen-inmaru park has a large lake with three islands connected by bridges. There is a tea house/information center here. They offer a brief “English” if interested. I have “English” in quotation marks, because we stood on the houses balcony and a sweet older gentleman tried his best to explain the garden and its history in English.  Kanazawa Castle Kanazawa Castle was home to the Maeda Clan from 1583 until the final years of the Edo Period. Kanazawa Castle has burnt down several times since then, with the latest fire being in 1881, only one gate and a couple storage houses remained.  The castle area was being used as a headquarters for the Japanese army during the Meiji Era. Afterwards, until 1996 it was being used by Kanazawa University. After 1996, the castle has gone through extensive renovations. A major project is currently underway. This project is focusing on building the castle from the ground up using original techniques.  Kanazawa Castle is particularly beautiful with its white outer walls and decorative tiles.  Admission and Hours for Visiting Kanazawa Castle Admission Fee  Adults ¥320 Children ¥100 Hours 9:00-16:30 Daily Kenroku-en Kenroku-en is considered one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, along wih Koraku-en in Okayama ad Kairaku-en in Mito.  Kenroku-en became a garden in 1620 and was owned by the Maeda Clan until the 1840’s, before ultimately opening up to visitors in the 1870’s.  The garden is massive and deserves several hours to explore. There are various parts to the garden which includes large ponds, various plant species, trails, tea houses, restaurants, and other shops.  While walking around Kenroku-en we couldn’t help but notice the beautiful landscapes and gigantic old trees. In Japan they take good care of their trees and help them grow properly in any way possible as illustrated in the photo below.  We also discovered a beautiful tea house on Kasumiga-ike Pond. We were served delicious matcha tea and a sweet treat. The tea house was so relaxing, we lost track of time here.  Admission and Hours to Kenroku-en Admission ¥320 for Adults Hours 7:00 to 18:00 March until October 15 8:00 to 17:00 October 16 until February Higashi Chaya District Higashi Chaya District is the largest of the three Edo period districts in Kanazawa. This historically preserved area has several streets and alley ways lined with beautiful wooden buildings on either side.  Chaya means “teahouse” and this district was considered to be an entertainment district. Wealthy customers would visit the tea houses mainly for entertainment.  Today, the Higashi Chaya District is full of cute shops, sake breweries, and restaurants. We simply walked around the district taking any alley possible. The district wasn’t to big so there was no getting lost.  Kazuemachi District Just across the Asano River from the Higashi Chaya District is the smaller but my favorite district, Kazuemachi District.  This district is basically one long road that follows the Asano River for a few blocks. The front of the buildings were gorgeous, but I preferred walking the small street behind the buildings. It was a small network of local homes. There are no real places to visit within the Kazuemachi District and you don’t need but 10 minutes to explore the area, but I found it to be very charming.  Nagamachi District The Nagamachi District is a good walk from the other two districts. This one is closer to the Oyama Shrine. Nagamachi was considered the samurai district. Being in close proximity to Kanazawa Castle, the samurai along with their families lived in this district. Many of the homes in this area are still lived in today by locals, so be polite. Nagamachi district is made up of several roads and canals. There is a museum and restored samurai house that can be visited. We visited this district twice but both at night, unfortunately we did not visit any attractions within the district. I loved the quietness there was here at night. We didn’t see a single person or car both times.  Dining and Drinking around Kanazawa Being so close to the Sea of Japan, Kanazawa is known for their seafood, especially crab. If you don’t like seafood, you can still find all your favorite Japanese dishes in Kanazawa. We had some of the best Indian food we’ve ever had in Japan here and found a decent omurice restaurant in the basement of a department store.  Kanazawa also has several sake breweries within the historic districts that are fun to try. We even found a beer brewery near the Higashi Chaya District that brewed up spectacular beers. Below are some of the places we found ourselves eating and drinking at while visiting Kanazawa.  Dining Aashirwad (Indian Food) Probably some of the best Indian Food I’ve had while in Japan. People probably won’t believe me, but Indian Food here outside of India is probably some of the best on the planet. The curry at Indian Restaurants and Naan bread is out of this world.  At Aashirwad I had my favorite garlic cheese naan with lamb curry and was blown away by the amount of food and flavors. The staff spoke English and were extremely polite. I was very satisfied with Aashirwad and think it might just very well be my favorite Indian restaurant in Japan.  勝乃屋 金沢エムザ店 (Japanese Food) Sorry, no translation for the restaurant name. We were on our way back from the Higashi Chaya District and were starving. We figured we’d grab dinner at Omicho Market plus I was craving seafood. To our surprise, most restaurants at the market closed at 3:00 pm. So we browsed around the area and found a shopping mall. In Japan, even shopping malls have amazing local restaurants. So don’t let a mall scare you into thinking they just have a food court with chain fast food restaurants.  Right across from Omicho Market is the M’za department store. Jill and I found a nice restaurant called 勝乃屋 金沢エムザ店 that served omurice and other Japanese dishes. I got the omurice with tempura and was quite surprised. For those that don’t know Omurice is a Japanese dish that is a Japanese omelet over rice. Jill had a stir fry, we were both pleasantly surprised, especially since our bill was under ¥2000 for dinner.  Drinking Oriental Brewing Right in the Higashi Chaya District is Oriental Brewing. After walking all day in a new place, one of my favorite things to do is to find a local brewery to take a much needed break. Oriental Brewing was a fantastic brewery serving up delicious beer. You can order beer flights here or by the pint.  I had a total of 5 beers here, including tasters and ranked all their beers pretty high according to my Untappd app. They had a Barleywine that I was a fan of. I also liked their Yuwaku Yuzu Ale, Noto Sea Salt Saison, and their Single Hop Citra beer.  福光屋 ひがし (sake brewery) We came across this sake brewery in the heart of the Higashi Chaya District.  I am not a huge sake guy, I like sake, I just don’t know it as well as I do beer. I do know that good sake can be found all throughout mainland Japan, so I had to at least try one sake brewery in Kanazawa.  We stumbled upon 福光屋 ひがし based on their sign hanging outside the wooden brewery for sake tastings. The inside was modern, we sat at the bar and ordered a set of three different sake’s to try. They gave us generous pours.  Along with the sake, we got a small miso paste dish that was supposed to complement the sake. It had a very unique flavor. Lets just say, I used the sake to wash this dish down and get the flavor out of my mouth.  Where we Stayed and Other Lodging Options Like any other city in Japan, you can find a wide range of hotel and lodging options from onsen resorts to hostels. While visiting Kanazawa, we stayed at a hotel named Hotel Resol Trinity Kanazawa and it was very nice, their breakfast was superb. Next door was an Italian restaurant and the breakfast buffet was hosted at the restaurant. We choose this hotel based on location

Shirakawa-go and surrounding villages are one of Japan’s UNESCO sites. These sites span across the borders of Toyama and Gifu Prefectures in Central Japan 🇯🇵. These villages are unique as the Gassho-style houses are well preserved and have been untouched for hundreds of years. Gassho-style refers to the roof and that they resemble praying hands. The three villages that make up UNESCO’s Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama include Ogimachi in the region of Shirakawa-go Ainokura, and Suganuma in the region of Gokayama. The houses most noticeable features are the thatched roofs. These houses were built so uniquely to withstand heavy amounts of snowfall during the winter months in the harsh mountain climates.  While road tripping 🚙 through Central Japan, we decided to make a day out of visiting the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. We had no idea how vast and impressive these villages actually were until we visited them. Needles to say, after visiting this area, we fell in love and have plans to come back.  Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama We were driving from the city of Kanazawa, making our way to Matsumoto and planned on visiting all of the historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. We first stopped at Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village before making our way to Suganuma and finally Ogimachi in the Shirakawa-go region.  Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village Ainokura Gassho-zukuri village is Gokayama’s largest village. This village has a total of 20 gassho-style houses. Not only is Ainokura Gassho-zukuri village a World Heritage Site, but residents still live within these houses. In fact, we were able to tour one of the homes and meet the owners of the home.  Inside the home we visited, it looked like your traditional Japanese home. There were tatami mats scattered throughout the house, a stove in the middle of the main room, and even an alter room. We were able to visit the second floor of the home, this is where a lot of storage and work takes place. The photo below is what the second floor of the homes look like.  This style of building was popular in the 1800’s, so most buildings throughout the villages are 100-200 years old but there are buildings that are as old as 400 years.  Visitors are free to walk around the area and enter homes only if access is allowed. Since most homes are still occupied by residents the majority are off limits. But some homes will have signs in front allowing access, although there might be an additional fee.  Admission and Hours Admission Admission is per vehicle and is to be paid at the gate prior to parking. ¥500 per vehicle Hours 8:30-17:00 Daily Suganuma Historical Village Suganuma was interesting because it was almost two villages combined together to create the site we know today as Suganuma.  Visitors can access this village via the parking lot, take the elevator or trails down to the village and proceed right to the Houses of Suganuma or left to Gokayama Gassho-no-Sato.  Suganuma sits next to a river in a stunning mountainous area. There are a total of nine thatched roof houses that remain in the area.  Admission and Hours Admission ¥500 per vehicle Hours 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, (April – November) 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (December – March) Closed December 31 and January 1.  Ogimachi in the Shirakawa-go Region Ogimachi Village in the Shirakawa-go region is the largest and most popular of the sites we visited. This site has dozens, upwards to 100 thatched roof houses 🛖.  Like the other sites, access to Ogimachi is best via the parking lot, you then cross a long bridge spanning over the Sho River. This site takes time to explore since it is much larger then the other villages. There are many side streets that are worth exploring. There was a trail leading to the top of a nearby hill, where you can get that iconic photo of the entire town and surrounding mountains. The trail was somewhat steep and took about 10 – 15 minutes of walking. Trust me, the views were worth the extra exercise.  According to the Shirakawa-go Tourist Information website, there are about 40 inns and guesthouses that are available for people to stay in. These are built in traditional gassho-style so you can get a truly unique experience. We definitely have plans to come back and stay in one of these inns. It would be amazing to stay at one at some point during the winter.  There are also many restaurants and shops throughout this village. When it comes to restaurants there is a wide variety here from cute cafes to soba and syokudo restaurants.  Admission and Hours Admission ¥1000 for cars and ¥200 for motorcycles Hours 8:00 am – 5:00 pm daily Additional Information for Shirakawa-go and Surrounding Villages We were here in early June during Covid and Shirakawa-go and the surrounding villages were nearly empty. We almost had the villages to ourselves. Since these villages are a popular tourist destination, they will be crowded and people will be here by the bus loads once tourism is open in Japan.  There are a limited amount of trash cans if any throughout the villages, so no littering. Take your trash with you. The houses in these villages are very fragile and flammable. Absolutely no smoking or fires around the villages. For smokers, there are designated smoking spots.  Although the flowers in my photos are beautiful, don’t pick them. Leave nature be! Many of the homes are sill occupied by residents. So, be respectful and don’t try to access any unless posted and be quiet, just enjoy the beauty. Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸 Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️ 🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖 🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗 🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support!