Fukuoka, Japan’s 6th largest city is located on the island of Kyushu. Known for it’s history, delicious ramen, and friendly locals, Fukuoka offers an abundance of things to do that can accommodate any visitors interests. Whether you are visiting Fukuoka to slurp down some of Japan’s best ramen or here to visit ancient temples, Fukuoka will surely impress you. This article highlights things to do in Fukuoka but also the surrounding area. Whether you are spending a day in Fukuoka or longer, there is plenty of attractions and sites to see.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners 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! 15 Top Things to do in Fukuoka Fukuoka, is one of my favorite cities in the world. Fukuoka is Kyushu’s largest city and the 6th largest city in Japan. Like me, prior to traveling to Japan, most people probably haven’t even heard of Fukuoka. The truth is, Fukuoka should be high on everyone’s list. There are so many attractions here and in my opinion some of the best food in Japan. Fukuoka is the first city I visited in Japan and I wrote a general post on our  Trip to Fukuoka but I’ve been here at least 5 times since and have a lot more recommendations to share. Here is a list of my recommendations of 15 things to do in and around Fukuoka. 1. Board a Ferry to Nokonoshima A quick ten minute ferry ride from Meinohama Port in Fukuoka is the beautiful island of Nokonoshima. The main attraction is Nokonoshima Island Park. Nokonoshima Park is a decent sized park famous for its flowers that bloom throughout the year. We went in October to see the Cosmos flowers. The park is well paved and offers beautiful views of Hakata Bay. The island is small enough that visitors can walk to the park. To see the hours, fees, and how to get here, you can visit the Nokoshima Website. 2. Dazaifu Tenmangu Located outside of Fukuoka City is the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. This shrine is one of the three great Tenjin Shrines in Japan and is dedicated to the scholar Michizane Sugawara. There is a large Torii Gate at the entrance of the shrine followed by two arched bridges crossing a pond. Once on the other side of the pond, visitors can reach the Main Hall of Dazaifu Tenmangu. The main hall is a beautiful red, white, and gold color. 3. Dine and Shop in Canal City There are so many dining and shopping options in Fukuoka, but Canal City stands out as one of the more popular and unique places. Canal City gets its name from the canal that run through the complex. The architecture of Canal City is pretty impressive, the buildings around the canal are circular and colorful. There are over 250 shops here and many restaurants on various floors. On the 5th floor is a popular spot called Ramen Stadium that has eight different ramen restaurants.  4. Explore the Castle Ruins A short walk from Ohori Park, lie the ruins of Fukuoka Castle. At one point, this castle was the largest on the island of Kyushu. Because of the Meiji Restoration and the one castle per territory law, this castle was torn down. Today, the castle walls and some turrets still remain. Regardless, the castle foundation is still very impressive and fun to explore.  5. Go on a Relaxing Stroll Around Ohori Park In Japanese, Ohori means “moat.” The famous pond at Ohori Park was once a part of the moat that connected to Fukuoka Castle. Today, Ohori Park is a massive city park. In the center of the park are three islands that are all connected by bridges. There is also a 2 kilometer track that goes around the entire pond.  6. Have Fun at TeamLab TeamLab is an indoor attraction, so perfect for rainy days. TeamLabs consists of various exhibits that displays artworks and memorizing activities through digital technology. I knew Tokyo had a TeamLab but was unaware of the one in Fukuoka until Jill mentioned it. Apparently there are several TeamLabs in Japan and a few in other countries around the world. The TeamLab we went to in Fukuoka had a forest where we downloaded an app used to catch and collect animals throughout the forest. It was actually pretty informative, if you collect an animal species, the app would show a brief description of the animals habitat, location, and diet.  Other exhibits at TeamLab Fukuoka consisted of the Sphere Caterpillar House which was full of squishy balls that change color as you walk on them. There was the soft terrain and Granular Topography Room which was a 3-D room with a trampoline floor. Afterwards there is a room with balance stepping stones followed by the Shifting Valley. The Shifting Valley was a large room with uneven floors where flowers and animals appeared on the floors and walls. Our favorite exhibit was the Typhoon Balls room. This room was full of gigantic ovoid’s which were extremely light and float around. Both Jill and I felt like kids here, it was fantastic!  7. Hop on a Train to see the Reclining Buddha We have wanted to see the Reclining Buddha for years and finally got a chance to visit this last time around. The Reclining Buddha is located at the Nanzoin Temple just outside of Fukuoka City. It is easiest to reach the Nanzoin Temple via train. From Hakata Station take the train to Kidonanzoin-mae, about a 26 minute train ride.  The Reclining Buddha is massive, it is 41 meters long, 11 meters tall, and weighs about 300 tons. The Buddha Statue is much newer then the Daibutsu Buddha Statue in Nara and was completed in 1995.  8. Pet Hedgehogs and Owls at the Owl Cafe Tenjin After a days walk, why not relax and have a drink with a few owls, hedgehogs, or both! Near the Tenjin Station there is an owl and hedgehog café. Visitors pay ¥1800 ($18) can grab a drink and then sit down and play, cuddle, or just relax with these adorable animals.  The owls are quite intimidating at first, but once you know how to pet them it is pretty calming. The hedgehogs on the other hand are just adorable. They are small enough to curl up in your hand and they just pass out cold. Toward the end, I had a little owl sit on my shoulder while I had a hedgehog in one palm and a baby hedgehog in my other hand.  9. Ramen, Ramen, Ramen Hakata Ramen otherwise known as Tonkotsu Ramen is a style of ramen that originated in Fukuoka. Tonkotsu Ramen is by far my favorite style of ramen. As of now, I’ve been to nine different Tonkotsu Ramen restaurants in Fukuoka and can’t wait to come back to try more.  Tonkotsu Ramen differs from other styles because the broth is created by boiling pork bones for several hours giving the broth a rich and creamy flavor. The ramen is generally served with Chashu (pork belly), ramen noodles, green onions, ginger, sesame seeds, and other ingredients depending on the restaurant.  In Fukuoka, Ichiran and Shin Shin are some of the more popular restaurants. But I am still a fan of Ramen Unari, it was the first ramen joint I tried and instantly fell in love.  10. Shop Around at Hakata and Tenjin Stations If shopping is your thing, then I recommend browsing the shops at both Hakata Station and Tenjin. I am always amazed by the train stations in Japan and believe Fukuoka has some of the most impressive stations with shopping options for everyone from luxurious clothing stores to ¥100 Shops.  The Tenjin Underground Mall is absolutely beautiful, hosting 150 different stores. Hakata Station has several plaza’s and department stores. I swear there are hundreds of shops in and around Hakata Station, it’s overwhelming.  11. Take the Elevator to the Top of Fukuoka Tower At 234 meters (768 ft), Fukuoka Tower is Fukuoka’s tallest building and considered the tallest seaside tower in all of Japan. Visitors can spend ¥800 and take an elevator ride to the observation deck. You get a 360 degree view up here and can see all of Fukuoka City and Hakata Bay as far as the eye can see.  12. Tochoji Temple and the Giant Wooden Buddha Tochoji Temple is the head temple of Shingon Buddhism of the Kyushu sect according to yokanavi.com. This temple was constructed and dedicated to the monk Kobo-Daishi. The temple grounds are gorgeous, there is a main temple, pagoda, and grave sites of lords here. But perhaps the most impressive site at this temple is the Giant Wooden Buddha. This Buddha was much bigger then expected. The Buddha statue measures 10.8 meters high and weighs around 30 tons. The Buddha was hand carved from wood. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed here, so you’ll have to Google Image the Giant Wooden Buddha at Tochoji Temple.  13. Try a “Yatai,” or Mobile Food Stall Yatai, or mobile food stalls can be found in certain areas of Fukuoka. The Yatai typically open for dinner and drinks around 6pm and can stay open as late as 2am. Each Yatai is different, but they generally have enough room for about six to eight people. The Yatai I saw all serve different dishes to include ramen, yakitori, and other traditional Japanese dishes.  14. Visit Kushida Shrine and Get a Omikuji Fortune Slip This Shinto Shrine is located in the heart of Fukuoka. Kushida Shrine is said to have first been built in 757, although it has been remodeled since. On non-Covid years, this shrine is most famous for the Yamakasa Gion Matsuri which is Fukuoka’s biggest festival. On the festivals last day, there are seven teams that gather here and race, carrying a Kazariyama which are these giant and elaborate floats. There is one on display here at the shrine.  Omikuji Fortune slips are found at most Shinto Shrines, but both Jill and I got a fortune slip here while visiting Kushida Shrine. These fortune slips predict the near future. You can usually purchase one for ¥100. The fortune slip will show your fortune and a rank of very lucky, slightly lucky, and bad luck is listed on them. I believe these work because Jill got one that said Very Lucky, and she got a free hand dry towel from a random lady on the street and landed a dream job in Okinawa the day we got back from our trip.  15. Walk to the Top of ACROS Building One of the more unique buildings in Fukuoka is the Acros Building. Acros is an office building that has a terraced exterior that is basically a park. Visitors can walk the stairs over the terraced sections through the park which is actually on top of the building itself. There are 35,000 plants on Acros. The park on Acros was created by Emilio Ambasz & Associates. Their vision was to keep as much green space as possible around the office building. Not only does the forested building look unique, it also provides many benefits and reduces energy consumption. Think about it, the plants provide shade meaning the inside temperatures of the building are more comfortable, the roofs here collect rainwater from runoff and it supports a generally healthy ecosystem here that generally wouldn’t exist.  Conclusion Fukuoka is one of my favorite cities in Japan. This magnificent city offers many unique yet exciting things to do. A Few of my favorite attractions in Japan like the Reclining Buddha or Giant Wooden Buddha at Tochoji Temple can be found in Fukuoka. Additionally, my favorite style of ramen, Hakata Ramen is from Fukuoka and can be found on almost every

From 794 until 1868, the city of Kyoto was the imperial capital and is still considered the cultural capital of Japan. Kyoto is also known as “The City of a Thousand Shrines” and is home to 14 World Heritage Sites known as the Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Kyoto is not all cobble stone streets and temples. In reality it is a huge city with a modern downtown area with a population of 1.5 million. After being in Japan for over two years, we finally got a chance to visit this wonderful city and spent 2 days in Kyoto. Kyoto is one of those cities that needs time to explore, you could spend a week here and still miss out on attractions and things to do.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners 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! Where is Kyoto? And How to Get Here? The city of Kyoto is located in the Prefecture of Kyoto. This area makes up a part of the Kansai Region on Honshu, Japan’s main island. Kyoto is so spread out that it is included in the Keihanshin metropolitan region which connects Kyoto to the cities of Osaka and Kobe.  Kyoto is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains. Due to its geography, Kyoto experiences hot and humid summers and cold winters.  Getting to Kyoto is fairly easy. There is no airport here, instead visitors usually fly into one of Osaka’s two airports – Kansai and Itami.  Trains run frequently between the two airports and JR Kyoto Station. We flew into the Kansai Airport in Osaka. From Kansai airport, domestic travelers can take a free bus shuttle from the domestic terminal to the Japanese Rail (JR) West Haruka. The Haruka Express takes around 75 minutes from Kansai Airport to Kyoto Station. Prices vary based on the train service but we paid around ¥2850. The Japan Rail Pass website has a lot more helpful information on transportation to Kyoto.  Getting Around Kyoto When it comes to navigating and getting around Kyoto, there is no better way to explore the city then by taking public transit or renting bikes and cycling around the city. Kyoto is a complex city with historical temples, beautiful gardens, and modern shopping areas scattered throughout the city. The subway system in Kyoto is a useful means of transportation that can get you close to most of these attractions. Renting a bike through the Pippa bike service, is also a good way to leisurely explore the city at your own pace. Kyoto Station and Taking the Subway Kyoto Station is a massive train station centered in the city of Kyoto. So far, Kyoto Station might be the most impressive station I’ve seen in Japan so far. Kyoto has an extensive train network, so traveling around Kyoto is fairly easy. Kyoto even has an efficient subway system. Buses are another popular way of getting around Kyoto. Bus stations can be found throughout the city, even in front of most attractions.  The subway system in Kyoto is a bit ore complex then other cities. Honestly, I was a bit confused during my first visit to Kyoto. My second trip was a completely different experience, I managed to hop on the subway and get to most if not all attractions I had planned on visiting.  Once again, I recommend using the JapanTravel App to find stations, times, and fares. To get to places like Arashiyama Monkey Park and the Bamboo Forest you might have to take a few different lines from Kyoto Station. Thankfully the JapanTravel App plans the trip out in great detail.  Pippa A fun way to get around and see Kyoto was by bike. Jill booked our hotel and next to the hotel was this bike rental service named Pippa.  Pippa allows anyone to rent bicycles using the Pippa App. The app was quite simple to use. You can use the bike for 30 minutes or even rent it for a whole day or multiple days like we did. The bikes have a locking mechanism on the back tire that can be opened via the app. There are designated Pippa parking spots scattered throughout the city. These spots can be found using the app.  The bikes were cruiser bikes, certainly not top of the line but they did the job. The bikes had a few gears and even a little basket up front.  Kyoto had amazing bike trails throughout the city. There were designated bike trails within the city and nature trails outside the city alongside the Katsura river. 2 Days in Kyoto 2 Days in Kyoto is just enough time to scratch the surface of the city. Obviously, one can spend a whole week or more here and not see it all. There are hundreds if not thousands of temples and shrines around Kyoto. If you are that guy that thinks if you’ve seen one temple then you’ve seen them all, then there is an abundance of nature surrounding Kyoto with fun outdoor activities.  We’ve been to Kyoto twice now and have probably done more then you can truly fit into two days.  The attractions and sites listed below are our recommendations for travelers when visiting Kyoto. Obviously, you don’t have to follow our itinerary to a “tee” but I do feel that many of these attractions are a “must see” when doing Kyoto. You might be staying in a different part of town and are closer to other historical landmarks and temples, feel free to mix and match or visit some of these sites and venture off and discover something new.  The itinerary below follows how Jill and I spent our first two days in Kyoto. I’ve also included potential side trips that are worth visiting and a little bit off the beaten path.  Day 1 Fushimi Inari Taisha The hotel we stayed at was located south of Kyoto Train Station. Fushimi Inari Taisha was the first shrine we visited while in Kyoto. To get here by bike, it took us around 20 minutes. Walking to the shrine from Kyoto Station will take anywhere from 30-45 minutes.  Fushimi Inari Taisha is most notable for its thousands of red/orange Torii Gates that wind through the trails behind the main shrine. Normally, this shrine would be packed with tourists but because of Covid-19 it was practically empty, meaning great photos!  Apparently there is a clan of aggressive monkeys that live around Fushimi Inari Taisha. The sign, said not to approach them and take photos. Although we did not see the monkeys this time around I don’t think I would be able to contain myself and not take photos if we saw them. If aggressive monkeys aren’t enough, there are dangerous boars in the area as well.  Kiyomizudera One of the most famous temples in Kyoto if not all of Japan is Kiyomizudera. This is an old temple, dating back to the year 780. In 1994 this temple was added to UNESCO and because of this there is a small entrance fee of ¥400. Kiyomizudera most notable feature is its size and the wooden platform that is 13 meters above the ground. This temple is also popular to visit during the autumn season as maple trees blanket the surrounding landscape.  Otowa waterfall is located near the base of Kiyomizudera. The waters from the waterfall diverge into three different streams. Visitors can stand beneath the waterfall and use the long wooden cups provided to collect and drink water.  Within walking distance from the Kiyomizudera is the Koyasu Pagoda, a three storied Pagoda. This location is adjacent from Kiyomizudera, so visitors can get excellent photos of Kiyomizudera and the surrounding temple complex.  Sanneizaka Imagine a picture of Kyoto, Sanneizaka is most likely what popped up in your mind. This stone paved road leads to and from Kiyomizudera. This road is just picture perfect and is lined with traditional Japanese buildings and souvenir shops.   Walking around here, we stumbled upon the Yasaka-no-to Pagoda. Just based on the location and beauty of the area, this might be the most beautiful pagoda I’ve seen.  Nishiki Market, Shinkyogoku, and Teramachi-dori After a visit to a few temples, why not take a break and grab some food and do some shopping? We visited the Nishiki Market in hopes of finding great street food! Unfortunately, for us this was more of a local market selling fresh produce and meats. Sure, there were a few stalls and restaurants offering food, but it wasn’t quite what we were looking for. Either way, it is still worth a stroll through the Nishiki Market, just to see what is being sold.  For a real food experience, we recommend walking around both the Shinkyogoku and Teramachi-dori. These are your typical arcade style covered streets found throughout Japanese cities. The streets offered everything from izakaya’s to fine dining. We weren’t overly hungry so we stopped at a small place called Mezopotamia Kebab House. They advertised Döner Kebab and those that know me know that I can’t pass up a döner. Usually I am disappointed in döner kebabs outside of Germany but this one actually tasted authentic.  Ginkaku-ji After a nice lunch, we jumped back on our Pippa bike rentals and headed to the Ginkakji Temple. Another one of Kyoto’s world heritage sites, the Ginkakuji Temple was constructed in 1482. Ginkakuji is best known for the Silver Pavilion, moss covered garden, and the dry sand garden.  Okazaki Shrine The last shrine and stop of a very busy day was to the Okazaki Shrine also known as the Rabbit Shrine. This is a very old shrine, dating back to the year 794. This shrine was built in dedication of Susano-no-mikoto and Kushinadahime-no-mikoto who are kami (kami are considered spirits or a sort of holy power related to the Shinto religion). This shrine is often associated with childbirth since an empress gave birth here in the year 1178. Rabbits are known to produce offspring and have been considered servants of the kami at Okazaki Shrine. Today, there are hundreds of rabbit statues in varying sizes in and around the shrine.  Day 2 Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama Interested in seeing the Japanese Macaque but don’t have time to go to destinations like Jigokundani Yaen-Koen (Snow Monkey Park)? Then I recommend a visit to Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama.  Located in the western outskirts of Kyoto is a unique park that offers visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal to wild Japanese Macaques.  Arashiyama Monkey Park is open all year. But visiting the park does involve a bit of a hike. Afterall, the park sites on top of Mt. Arashiyama. Once you arrive at the top, you will be greeted by several of the macaques. Visitors even have the chance to feed them.  For more information on visiting Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama, I have a whole post on my visit here:Visiting Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama Tenryu-ji (Temple) Tenryuji is located in the Arashiyama district in Kyoto and is considered the most important temple in the district. Tenryuji is also listed as a heritage site and was built in 1339. Many of the original buildings in this temple complex have burnt down or were lost to wars. The garden on the backside of the temple has escaped both fires and war and remains original.  Like many of the heritage sites throughout Kyoto, there is a ¥500 fee to view the temple and gardens. Visitors can take the train to the Keifuku Arashiyama Station and the temple and bamboo forest are a short walk away.  Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Perhaps one of Kyoto’s most famous attractions is the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. This forest is located behind the Tenryuji Temple and is free of charge. Although a beautiful walk, the bamboo forest is relatively short. It took

Located between the cities of Kyoto and Nara, Uji is one of Japan’s oldest towns. Uji’s prize attraction is the Phoenix Hall at Byodoin Temple, a renown World Heritage Site which happens to be featured on the back side of the ¥10 coin. Walk across one of Japan’s oldest bridges to view the Ujigami Shrine, considered Japan’s oldest Shinto shrine. And, a trip to Uji is not complete without tasting and purchasing Green Tea!  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners 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! Uji on a Map and Getting Here Uji is easily accessible by train from either Kyoto or Nara. From Kyoto Station, take the Nara Line for roughly 20 minutes until reaching Uji Station. Price is ¥240. From Nara Station, take the Nara Line roughly 40 minutes to Uji Station. Price is ¥510. Attractions and Sites in Uji Worth Seeing Originally, the plan was to go directly  to Nara from Kyoto but Jill made the decision to stop in Uji to see the Byodoin Temple and try Green Tea. It turned out to be a great decision because Uji had several historic attractions, we would have otherwise missed. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, as it poured rain the entire time. For being a small town, Uji had a lot to offer. A trip to Uji deserves at least a day but we could have spent an extra day here. Listed are the sites we stopped at and some of the fun Green Tea infused treats we ate.  Uji Bridge and River Uji Bridge After getting off at Uji train station, headed toward the Byodoin Temple, the first attraction was Uji Bridge, crossing the Uji River. It is one of the oldest  bridges in Japan. Apparently, the bridge was constructed by a monk in the year 646. In 1996 it did get a makeover, so it’s not as is from 646. But during the reconstruction of the bridge, builders kept the original shape and even left a few original pieces from the original.  Byodoin Temple Originally, the Byodoin Temple was a villa but converted into a Buddhist Temple in 1052. The Phoenix Hall (pictured above) is an original building and the most famous building at the Byodoin Temple complex. Inside the Phoenix Hall is an Amida Buddha statue surrounded by smaller Bodhisattva statues. Bodhisattva is a person that is practicing Buddhism, ultimately wanting to become a Buddha.  After viewing the Phoenix Hall, there is a museum behind the temple showcasing National Treasures from the Byodoin Temple. Photos were not allowed in the museum. It’s worth looking at the Museums Website  to see photos of the exhibits that include the Temple Bell, a Phoenix from the roof, and the Bodhisattva’s that were found inside.  Access to the Byodoin Temple cost ¥600 Kosho-ji Temple Kosho-ji Temple is located on the opposite side of the Uji River from Byodoin Temple. Kosho-ji is an active Zen Temple and is open to the public. There is an admission fee of ¥500.  Green Tea A trip to Uji is not complete without trying Green Tea. It is said that Uji produces the finest green tea throughout Japan. Because of this, Uji green tea is very popular which also means it is the most expensive.  Green tea arrived in Uji around the year 700 from China. Green tea was not very popular at first. 400 years later, it gained popularity with the  nobility. Since then, drinking green tea has become popular for the masses and enjoyed to this day.  Finding good tea in Uji is not difficult. Almost every shop sells local tea and a wide variety of it from matcha (powered green tea) to cold and hot tea. We stopped in a store and the clerk offered us tea right away. We sat down and enjoyed a small cup of tea and purchased a variety of teas afterwards.  Green Tea Infused Food The main street leading to Byodoin Temple is full of cute souvenir shops, tea shops, and restaurants. One restaurant we found called, 京都宇治 蛸Q (according to Google) had traditional Japanese cuisine infused with green tea. Included on the menu were ramen, takoyaki, gyoza, soba, and even ice cream, all with green tea as an ingredient.  We weren’t overly hungry but really wanted to try something. We ordered a round of Takoyaki (Octopus balls) and Gyoza (dumplings), these sides are explained in detail in my  Dining in Japan post. Honestly, both dishes were excellent! The green tea flavors were there yet not overpowering. The matcha was mixed in the dough for the takoyaki with a green tea drizzle on top. The gyoza wrapper was made with matcha, included was a dash of green tea salt which was surprisingly good!    A Trip to Uji – We will be Back One day in Uji provides enough time to see the Byodoin Temple, grab lunch, and maybe see another temple or two, but there is so much in the area that was missed. Near the Kosho-ji Shrine is the Ujigami Shrine, considered the oldest Shinto Shrine in Japan. Because of the poor weather conditions and our cravings for green tea, we missed this shrine. I also would like to visit Uji again in hopes of nicer weather conditions in order to photograph the Byodoin Temple with a nice blue sky and reflection in the water.  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. 

Nara often gets looked over, since it’s bigger sister Kyoto gets most of the attention in the Kansai region. At one point Nara was the capital of Japan between 710 to 794 before being moved to Kyoto and then Edo (current day Tokyo). Today, Nara is most famous for Nara Park which is the location of many of Nara’s temples and the world famous bowing deer. We were able to Travel to Nara Japan for two days after a visit to Kyoto and I must say, Nara might be my favorite city in Japan. Travel to Nara, Japan Nara, like most other cities on mainland Japan is very easy to access via public transportation. We took a train from Kyoto directly to Nara, in total it took 45 minutes.  To travel to Nara from Osaka Station it can be anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. The best way to find specific stations and times is by using the Japan Travel App. This app has saved us so much time and resources.  Nara has a great Train Station equipped with restaurants, a large supermarket, and Vie De France (One of our favorite bakeries)!  Once in Nara, there is a decent bus system that takes visitors from the Station directly to Nara Park. But I recommend either cycling or just walking to Nara Park, it’s about 15 – 20 minutes from the Train Station.  Nara Park If you only have one or two days in Nara, then I recommend spending the majority of the time at Nara Park.  Nara Park is where visitors will see most of Nara’s Sights to include beautiful nature, shrines, temples, and the world famous bowing deer. Yes, the deer actually bow when they are offered a treat, so polite, right?  Here are some fun facts about Nara Park: Nara Park is a public park that was established in 1880 The park covers about 66 hectares (1,600 acres) The Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (8 sites in total) are part of UNESCO There are roughly 1,200 Sika Deer that call this park home It is home to the largest Wooden Building in the World Japan’s second largest Buddha can be found here   The Free-Roaming Deer at Nara Park The free roaming deer at Nara Park are probably the most well known attraction of the park, even more so then the ancient temples and shrines.  The deer here at Nara Park are a huge deal! In fact, they are considered a National Treasure!  The Legend behind the deer started back in the year AD 768. According to sources at Nara Park that I read, Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto, a God traveled to Nara on the back of a White Deer. Ever since this legend, the deer have become sacred in Nara.  I also read that up until 1637, killing a deer here was punishable by death! Although a death sentence likely won’t occur today, it is still a major crime to harass or kill these sacred deer.  Today, more then 1,200 deer roam the park. Visitors can freely walk amongst them and even feed them. Throughout the park, there are vendors that sell a delicious deer cracker known as Shika Senbei. This cracker is made up of rice bran and grains so it’s a yummy treat for the deer. Even the packaging around the crackers is edible. Just a note, these deer are still wild and have not been domesticated. The deer here are intelligent. Many of them will crowd vendors that sell the Shika Senbei. The people running the shops do love the deer and even pet and comfort the deer.  Words of advice – I learned the hard way!  Although they respect the sellers and leave them alone, the second you buy crackers they will surround you and can be somewhat aggressive. Just look at the picture below of what happened to me. There was one somewhat aggressive buck that kept sticking me with his antlers. I had to toss some crackers away from me just to get some distance from him. He left a gnarly scratch on me and even tore my new shirt. But it’s all good, I forgave him the next day.  Our advice is to find a vendor away from major attractions where there are no deer around. We did this for take two, and it worked great. We bought two bundles of crackers and stuffed them in our backpacks. Each bundle is about 10 crackers and costs 200¥. We went around looking for female or young deer that were either by themselves or with a small group and fed them. This was a much better experience and no one got injured! The deer here are famous for being polite as they generously bow in order to receive a treat. I was skeptical about this at first but it’s true! The deer will actually lower their heads and bow in order to get a treat. Watch the Bowing Deer Here. Below are some fun photos of the deer around Nara Park. They hang out in front of shops and apparently love ice cream!  The Sika deer at Nara Park are the same type of deer that are found throughout Japan. Another fun place to see the Sika deer is  Miyajima Island just south of Hiroshima City. Although, I think the deer in Nara Park are better behaved and cared for. It was amazing to see how well nature and humans can coexist in a location like Nara Park. The deer here looked healthy, were well fed, and genuinely cared for by locals. Temples and Shrines Around Nara Park Todai-ji Perhaps the most incredible temple in Japan, Todai-ji is a Buddhist Temple that was founded in AD 738. Todai-ji is also known as the Great Buddha Hall. There is a Buddha statue known as Daibutsu sitting in the Great Hall. The Daibutsu is the second largest sitting Buddha in Japan at a height of 15 meters weighing 500 tons. Todai-ji is the largest wooden structure in the world. Entrance price to visit Todai-ji is 500¥ and is well worth a visit!  Todaiji Nigatsudo Not far from Todai-ji, is Nigatsu-do. This area is more of a complex of temples and other structures. This temple complex was founded in the year 752. Like many temples and structures in Japan, the main building was destroyed because of a fire and was re-constructed in 1669 and is now one of Japans most important cultural sites.  Kasuga-Taisha Kasuga-Taisha is considered the most celebrated shrine in Nara. Kasuga-Taisha has a rich history and is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of Nara. This shrine is the farthest walk from the entrance of Nara Park. The forest leading up to the shrine is breathtaking with large moss covered trees and Toro (traditional lanterns made of stone) lining each side of the path. This and Todai-ji are the only temples that charge a fee to visit. Kasuga-Taisha is 500¥ to enter. Besides the beautiful orange and white colors of the temple, Kasuga-Taisha has hundreds of hanging golden lanterns.  Kofukuji Five Storied Pagoda One of my favorite structures in Nara Park was the Kofukuji Five Storied Pagoda. According to an information panel at the pagoda, this pagoda was created by the Empress Komyoh in the year 730. The pagoda was restored in 1426 and is the second tallest pagoda in Japan, the first being the To-ji Pagoda in Kyoto.  Night Photography I don’t really spend to much time taking photos at night or have that much experience with it. But Nara Park felt like a perfect place to test out night photos with my new camera. I mainly shoot in Aperature mode and think some of these turned out pretty decent.  Travel to Nara Japan – Until Next Time After spending two days in Nara, I can honestly say it might be my favorite town in Japan so far. Nara Park was simply beautiful, the deer were cute, the temples were incredible, and the Gian Buddha was amazing to see in person.  Nara Prefecture has left me wanting more. There are two other UNESCO sites, Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area and Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range that I plan on visiting when I Travel to Nara Japan next. 

Tsuken Island Okinawa, otherwise known as “Carrot Island,” is an island about 3.8 kilometers from the Katsuren Peninsula in Okinawa. Tsuken Island is relatively small, it’s only 1.88 km² (.73 sq. miles) and has a population of around 487 people. There is a town on the island which includes a port, post office, medical clinic, and a couple tiny convenience stores. Otherwise, Tsuken Island is known for their beautiful beaches and production of carrots.  Tsuken Island Okinawa, Carrots Tsuken Carrots are a thing and are famous across Okinawa and mainland Japan. The soil on Tsuken island is a red soil, rich in minerals brought here from the ocean. The rich soil is ideal for the cultivation of root vegetables. Apparently, the Tsuken Carrots have higher contents of sugar and are said to be more nutritious.  Getting to Carrot Island by Ferry There are two ferries that provide service between Heshikiya Port in Katsuren and Tsuken Island. There is a high-speed ferry and normal ferry. The difference in time is 18 minutes as the high-speed ferry takes 12 minutes while the regular ferry takes 30 minutes to cross from port to port. The  Visit Okinawa site is an excellent source to ferry routes and schedules around Okinawa.  Fares Regular Ferry, Adults ¥1220 Roundtrip High-Speed Ferry, Adults ¥1510  Roundtrip Timetable Regular Ferry Departs Heshikiya Port: 9:00, 11:00, and 14:00  Departs Tsuken Port: 10:00, 12:00, and 15:00 High-Speed Ferry Departs Heshikiya Port: 7:30 and 17:00 Departs Tsuken Port: 8:00 and 17:30 Getting Around Carrot Island is not that big. The best way to see the island is either by cycling or walking. There is a bike rental place on the island. We rode our bikes to Heshikiya Port, but left them there and decided to explore Tsuken Island on Foot. From Tsuken Port to Tanaka Beach ( northern most point) is just over 2 kilometers.  What to Do and See on Tsuken Island What’s Carrot Island, without a carrot observatory with carrot benches? Our first stop on Carrot Island was the Carrot Observation Deck. The observation deck definitely needs an update and paint job, but it offered incredible views of Okinawa, Tsuken Island, and the surrounding ocean. After seeing the beautiful ocean waters, we couldn’t wait to get to the beach. The first beach was Tomai Beach. This might very well be the prettiest beach I’ve seen in Okinawa to date. Crystal clear and calm water with various shades of Blue and a white sand beach, can it get any prettier?  Tomai Beach is part of a resort on the island but is free to the public. The beach is about 1 Km in length. We snorkeled around here for a bit. Although the beach is gorgeous, snorkeling was a little underwhelming. It’s not that it wasn’t beautiful, it was just a sandy and shallow beach with nothing else really to see. We did see a 6 legged (or armed?) starfish.  Surprisingly, there was an incredible amount of Sea Glass around the island. For those that don’t know. Sea glass is just regular glass that has been weathered or worn down over time so that the edges are smooth and round. White and Brown glass is pretty typical, but these beaches were full of green and light blue sea glass.  After walking and snorkeling at Tomai Beach, we kept walking beaches around the island. None of the other beaches could come close to the beauty of Tomai Beach, but we still enjoyed coming them for sea glass, sea shells, and finding fun critters, like the Red Eyed Rock Crab in the photo below. He was so cute!  Japan has these tetrapod things everywhere that we love. My friend Kimball is fascinated by these. They are his favorite! These tetrapods are usually set up along seawalls to limit erosion and longshore drift.  That kind of wraps up the beach portion of Tsuken Island. Honestly, there is not a whole lot else to do. But we found some other cool sites. We stumbled upon a few Tombs of Okinawa. These tombs fascinate me because they are massive!  The Golden Orb Weavers or Wood Spiders are getting massive this time of year. I guess if you hate spiders, avoid August in Okinawa. These spiders are all over the place and massive, I nearly came face to face with one as I almost walked in its web. Jill was brave enough to give you a size comparison of the spider with her hand!  Friendly Islanders I’m not sure if it’s because tourism has been low or if people on Tsuken Island are just really friendly, but we met some incredible shop owners on the island. It started when we went into one of the small convenience stores. I am a dummy and forgot sunblock with my bike at the other port. I asked the shop owner if she had any sunblock for sale. They didn’t but she went to the back and let me borrow hers. It’s the little things like this that make me appreciate the people here.  Another encounter we had was at a different convenience store. Before departing, we wanted to purchase a water. The owner asked us when our ferry was leaving. We had about an hour, so he told us to come out back and share a drink with him. It’s hard for me to pass up a beer with a local. We sat there for a bit. My Japanese is close to nothing and his English was, well lets say better then my Japanese. Although we couldn’t communicate well, we still shared stories and had an amazing time with him before we had to depart Tsuken Island back to the main island of Okinawa.  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!

Tokyo is  Japan’s capital city and the worlds most populous metropolitan area. The metro area of Tokyo has over 37 million people. Simply put, Tokyo is huge! It’s a high-tech, modern, and wealthy city that is separated into several districts. One of those districts is Shinjuku. Obviously, you can’t see all of Shinjuku in just a day or even a weekend, but we only had one day in Shinjuku. This is how we spent 24 hours in Shinjuku Tokyo. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners 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! 24 Hours in Shinjuku Tokyo Surprisingly, this was our first “real” time in Tokyo. We’ve transited through Tokyo, and even had lunch at Tokyo Station but I wouldn’t really count that as a visit. When first coming to Japan we told ourselves that when we do international travel, we’ll tack on an extra day and explore a new district of Tokyo. But then Covid happened and Tokyo was restricted to us, so we never really had a chance to visit until now. For 4th of July weekend, we hiked Mt. Fuji, and before departing back to Okinawa, we had a whole night and day set aside to visit Tokyo. By researching Tokyo, we wanted to stay in a busy district, a district that represents the Tokyo you see on television. The huge skyscrapers, flashing lights, noisy and annoying sounds, hoards of people crossing the street, and oh yes, the food! Based on this, we chose to stay in the Shinjuku District of Tokyo.  We arrived at Shinjuku Station (According to Guinness World Records, this is the world’s busiest train station), hotel check-in wasn’t until 1500, so we had a couple hours to kill. We made our way to Meiji Jingu, which is a Shinto Shrine by Yoyogi Park. Technically, this area is in the Shibuya District, but it was within walking distance from the Shinjuku Station.  Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu Yoyogi Park is one of the largest parks in Tokyo. This park is expansive with many open spaces, gardens, trails, and it’s next to the Meiji Jingu Shrine. The Meiji Jingu Shrine is a Shinto Shrine that was built and dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife.  After a visit to the shrine, we walked over to the Meiji Jingu Gyoen Gardens. The garden was so peaceful, it was hard to believe the hustle and bustle of the worlds largest city was just beyond the trees. The garden was quiet as we walked the many paths to the pond. Once at the pond we saw a snake soaking up the sunlight. I believe it was a rat snake, but so surprised to see a snake and other reptiles in the middle of Tokyo.  Kabukicho – Entertainment District Kabukicho is the entertainment and night life district of Shinjuku. Tokyo’s largest red light district is here as well. Compared to the red light district of Amsterdam or the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany, the red light district here was pretty mild and relaxed.  When you picture Tokyo – the flashing lights, skyscrapers, and huge pedestrian zones, this area is that image. We walked around here both during the day and night and the people watching and window shopping did not disappoint. We didn’t really have a plan here other then walk around and experience Tokyo as a pedestrian. Unfortunately, because of Covid, restaurants and bars had to close at 2000, so it wasn’t as crowded and noisy as we expected. Because of this, it didn’t really feel like the Tokyo we expected, which could be a bad or good thing! Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Another surprise, was the amount of parks and green spaces in Tokyo. I thought Tokyo was supposed to be a huge concrete jungle with not a tree in sight. I was wrong, as streets were lined with trees and there were parks everywhere.  The morning of our departure back to Okinawa, we visited Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. For ¥ 500, we walked around this park for a solid three hours. The park is 58.3 hectares or 144 acres and has more then 20,000 trees and several large ponds. There is a green house here as well with several tropical and subtropical plant species.  There is a beautiful Taiwanese Tea House here called Kyu-Goryo-Tei, that was so picturesque.  I love wildlife and the garden was home to many interesting turtle species. I love the softshell turtles, below is a photo of a softshell turtle and a photo of me taking a photo of a turtle!   Interested in spending more then 24 hours in Tokyo? Check out this post by Joey on How to Spend Four Days in Tokyo. Food and Restaurants Finding delicious food in Shinjuku is not a difficult task. There seemed to be thousands of restaurants lining the streets. Don’t forget to look up, as most buildings have restaurants on multiple levels. With the variety and amount of restaurants in one place, how do you even decide?  Honestly, we tried not to think to hard about it. When we first arrived, I was in the mood for ramen, so we popped in the first restaurant we saw, Keika Ramen. I had a miso broth ramen that was delicious.  Jill got a bib because she had a white shirt on!  For dinner, we were craving pizza. Looking at Google Maps, there was a pizza restaurant nearby named Kuroneko which translates to “Black Cat.” The pizza’s were tiny but man they were delicious!  Kuroneko’s pizza were very satisfying, they also had fun cat decorations around the restaurant including the bathroom. Here is a photo of their menu, we got a good laugh from it. For breakfast, if our hotel doesn’t have breakfast, we usually try and find a local bakery. The  Bakeries in Japan are amazing. They have a good mix of savory and sweet pastries. The only negative thing is most don’t open until 9 or 10 am. Luckily we found a cute bakery down the street called Little Bakery at 3-chrome with tasty treats, they opened at 8:00 am.  There was an Ikea near the hotel, so for second breakfast, we couldn’t resist a plate of their famous Swedish Meatballs. By the way, they taste the same everywhere you are. Finally, before heading to the train station, we found an Izakaya serving up great local Japanese set meals. These are our favorite meals here because you get a main course, with rice, soup, and veggies. All this for under ¥1000 a person! Skymark Pikachu Aircraft We flew Skymark, which is a Japanese budget airline. The company has an event called Pokémon Air Adventures and their goal is to make people happy by seeing Pikachu in the sky. We were lucky enough to be on one of the Pikachu Jets on our return flight. At the airport, the ticket booth, even the tickets have Pikachu on them. The airplane is decked out with Pikachu. While inside, the headrests and even the stewardess aprons had Pikachu on them. The best thing was that Pikachu spoke through the intercom after announcements! Jill and her Umbrella at Gyoen National Garden 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. 

Zamami Island, Okinawa belongs to an archipelago known as the Kerama Islands. This chain of islands is located about 50 Km west of Okinawa’s main island. Known for its beautiful beaches and world class diving/snorkeling, Zamami Island is frequented by travelers and water enthusiasts looking to escape the busy city life for a more relaxed atmosphere.  If you are planning your trip to Zamami Island in Okinawa, I created this post as a guide to help you plan your vacation. I spent a few days on Zamami Island and cycled around trying to find the best beaches and snorkel spots. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners 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! Where is Zamami Island Zamami Island is one of four inhabited islands that make up the Kerama Islands, an archipelago belonging to Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. The other inhabited islands that make up the Kerama Islands include Akajima (Aka Island), Geruma, and Tokashiki. Getting to Zamami Island Zamami Island is easily reached, especially if you live in or are visiting Okinawa. From Naha Port, there are two ferries that leave daily. There is a high speed ferry called “Queen Zamami” that takes about 50 minutes. The other ferry, “Ferry Zamami” leaves daily at 10:00 am, stops at Aka Island and then ports at Zamami Island, the total journey is two hours. Ferry Zamami leaves Zamami Island, daily at 3:00 pm. Round trip tickets with Ferry Zamami are ¥4030 (about $40) while Queen Zamami tickets cost ¥5970 (about $60). The  Visit Okinawa site is a great source to view ferry routes and schedules. Ferry Zamami was a very comfortable ride with abundant seating and tatami rooms for guests that wish to lay down. Kerama Blue “Kerama Blue,” was a name given to the islands based on the brilliant blue coloration of the water. Because of its beauty, nature, and wildlife the Kerama Islands have been designated as a National Park. Bringing Bikes to Zamami Island and Cycling Around For visitors I discourage bringing a vehicle simply because it’s expensive to transport and there is no real need. We brought our bikes on the ferry, no issues. Bikes were ¥380 (about $4) one way. The island is large enough where walking could be exhausting but distances were not that great where a car is needed. Bikes were the perfect alternative to getting around the island and exploring the many beaches and observation decks. Cycling the island was fairly easy,  more mountainous then expected, but it’s Japan so I guess it was no surprise to us. On our second day of the trip we rode our bikes to all the beaches and observation decks throughout the island. We rode a total of 23.40 kilometers (14.5 miles). Food and Restaurants around Zamami Island Food in Japan has been incredible and the small island of Zamami is no exception. Surprisingly for a small town there were quite a few restaurants on the island.  There was one restaurant that was open to customers, so Jill and I had dinner at Restaurant Marumiya twice and it was delicious! Restaurant Marumiya served up traditional Japanese and Okinawan cuisine with set courses that typically include a main dish, a bowl of rice, a soup, salad, and fermented vegetables. One specialty dish from Okinawa we haven’t tried yet until coming to this restaurant was Goya Champuru.  Goya Champuru – Goya is a bitter melon. By itself it is almost inedible, but stir fry it with meats and other veggies it’s not to bad! Goya Champuru is a favorite summer dish among Okinawans. It is a stir fry that consists of Goya, tofu, pork, and eggs.  Breakfast – The place we stayed at had a great deal with an Izakaya next door. An Izakaya is a Japanese style bar that serves up drinks and small food dishes, kind of like tapas. The Izakaya provided breakfast for the guest house patrons. To Westerners a Japanese breakfast might be difficult to stomach first thing in the morning. Sometimes I even have troubles finishing all my dishes. It’s not your typical bacon and eggs. It’s more of a bowl of rice, miso soup, fish, tofu, salad, and fermented vegetables kind of breakfast. Honestly, a Japanese breakfast makes sense, you get all your food groups in one sitting. Either way, we had breakfast twice at the Izakaya and the chef prepared us very hardy meals to get us through the day.  The first image below was our first meal. This included a plate of salad, an egg, spam, and a fish filet along with a small bowl of tofu, a bowl of rice and miso soup. The second picture was our breakfast from day two, it consisted of a large bowl of fresh fish mixed with tofu, a green salad with a sausage and spam, potato salad, miso soup, and a hefty bowl of rice. Zamami Island, Beaches “Kerama Blue,” best describes the beaches at Zamami Island. I’ve never seen beaches and landscapes like this before. I feel Japan doesn’t get a lot of recognition when it comes to beaches and nature. In magazines and documentaries you always see places like the Maldives, Bora Bora, Bali, the Bahamas but you rarely see the beaches of Japan. Maybe it’s just a best kept secret? I feel beaches in Japan, especially Okinawa, deserve a lot more attention.  The three days we were on Zamami Island, we visited four beaches, three of which we snorkeled. Below are the two main beaches on Zamami Island that were truly memorable.   Ama Beach  What can I say, this beach was brilliant! A five minute bike ride from town, we found ourselves at Ama Beach four times. This is the beach that you go to if you wish to see sea turtles. We got lucky and saw two sea turtles the morning we snorkeled. Daily, high tide was around 9:00 am. so we made sure to be at the beach around 8:00 am. At the time, Okinawa was in a state of emergency and no visitors are allowed within Japan so we had the beach to ourselves. As we prepared our snorkel equipment, right away I saw a sea turtle poke its nose out the water for air. After witnessing that, we couldn’t wait much longer and instantly dove in. It took us a while to spot the turtle but once we did I followed his every move for a solid hour. He could give two shits about me and what I was doing but I was fascinated by his every move. The sea turtles come to Ama Beach during high tide to eat the sea grass. I followed the turtle for a while just in awe by his beauty. Turns out, the sea turtles here are green sea turtles.  Green Sea Turtle – They are given this name by the green coloration of the skin under their shell. They are herbivores and eat mainly sea grass and algae. These turtles are found throughout the world. So far, I’ve seen them in both Belize and Japan. Unfortunately, there are countries that harvest them for their eggs, fat, and meat. There are many countries that have made it illegal to hunt green sea turtles, thank god! In 2016 we were in Exuma, Bahamas with my family and I remember the night sky was absolutely beautiful! I wanted to experience this again. Around 8-9:00 pm we rode our bikes both nights to Ama Beach to check out the night sky. Unfortunately, clouds dominated the sky, but between the sound of the waves and the darkness, it was extremely peaceful. Gazing at the stars was not the only reason we came to this beach at night. Our first day on the island we were riding our bikes. I saw a huge shell crawl across the road. This shell was a hermit crab and definitely the biggest one I’ve ever seen. The hermit crab was a purplish color and the size of my fist. Hermit crabs are nocturnal so we wanted to see if they were abundant on the beach at night. Both nights, the beach was crawling with these giant hermit crabs. Yadokari is the Japanese term for Hermit Crab. Below are a few photos of the hermit crabs we saw on Zamami Island.  Other then hermit crabs, ghost crabs were abundant on the beach at night. The ghost crabs are quick, but not very agile. They would dart in one direction then quickly in the other direction sometimes running right into us. They were absolutely adorable.  Furuzamami Beach  Furuzamami Beach is considered one of the top three most beautiful beaches in all of Japan. I’d have to agree, the water was turquoise blue, surrounded by green mountains, the coral was healthy and the marine wildlife here was abundant. This beach was 1.4 km from town, a pretty easy bike ride but also doable if walking. We primarily came here to snorkel and catch some sun.  The snorkeling at Furuzamami Beach was some of the best snorkeling I’ve done so far. The water was clear, I easily saw 20-30 ft below me. The coral reefs were absolutely brilliant. This beach has a swimming only section to keep people like me away from the bulk of the coral. So although we couldn’t really swim above the coral we could swim to the side of it. I respect that, it’s how they keep their coral alive and fish happy. There was plenty to see in the swimming only section. I snorkeled solo the first day and saw hundreds of marine species to include black-banded sea snakes, trigger fish, clown fish, parrot fish, and many others that I don’t know the species name.  The second day snorkeling Jill tagged along with me as I was eager to show her the beauty of the coral and potentially show her the sea snakes. We lucked out and saw three sea snakes, two of them were even in a romantic relationship, we did our best not to disturb them. We also had a fan following. The moment we entered the water, three fairly large fish swam right under us and followed us wherever we swam for a solid half hour. Black-Banded Sea Snake – It is a little intimating at first swimming in a location where sea snakes live. After all, sea snakes are extremely venomous. But for the most part sea snakes are very shy creatures. In the event of human history there have been very few deadly encounters with these beautiful creatures. The only accounts I’ve read, have been when they get tangled in fishing nets and the fishermen miss handle them when pulling them from the net. Otherwise, they would rather do their own thing and have nothing to do with us.  A little more about sea snakes. There are 69 species of sea snake that have been recorded. They prefer warm tropical waters, so you won’t find them in the cold Atlantic. They are reptiles and therefore breath air. They tend to surface every thirty minutes for a brief second before slithering back to the ocean floor. I witnessed them do this several times, it was neat to see their little heads pop out of the water for fresh air, sometimes they appeared a little closer then I expected. To survive they have to drink fresh water. They do this by going onto land briefly or relying on rain water that hits the waters surface.   Coasts and Observation Decks Zamami Island had some of the most dramatic and beautiful coastlines I’ve seen. Outside of visiting beaches, we also rode our bikes around the island to all of the observation decks to get a look at the views of the surrounding islands and ocean.

Cape Hedo, is Okinawa’s Northern most point. Cape Hedo is a dramatic sea coastline with high rugged cliffs overlooking beautiful turquoise water. Once at Cape Hedo looking toward the north, the East China Sea is to the west and the Pacific Ocean is east. Northern Okinawa north of Nago is located in Yambaru National Park which is an expansive subtropical forest that is home to many critically endangered endemic species. A day trip to Cape Hedo does take all day but there are many other natural sites to see in the area that make the trip worthwhile. Besides visiting Cape Hedo, other attractions in the area include a visit to Daisekirinzan National Park, the Rail Observation Deck, the Tomb of King Gihon, and why not stop at some of the beautiful nearby beaches. We’ve driven up to Cape Hedo a few times now, here are some of the recommended sites that are not to be missed while on a day trip to Cape Hedo. **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners 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! Cape Hedo Cape Hedo is the northern most point on the main island of Okinawa. Cape Hedo is a popular tourist destination offering phenomenal views of the ocean, coastline, mountains, and forests.  Access to Cape Hedo is free to include parking. On the grounds, there is a tourist information center with a café, restrooms, vending machines, and a small restaurant.  The parking lot is spacious and once parked visitors can freely and safely walk the grounds. The views from the look out points are incredible. The black jagged rocks give way to beautiful turquoise water below. If you are lucky, you might spot fish swimming amongst the coral reef below.  There are a few monuments and statues at Cape Hedo. As always, be respectful as they are most likely memorials and religious sites. There is an oddly placed chicken statue where tourists lined up to get photos of, I’m guilty of it as well!  While at Cape Hedo, you can see Yoronjima (“jima” meaning island in Japanese). Yoronjima belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture.  I would say a solid 30 minutes to an hour is more then enough time to walk around Cape Hedo and take a couple of photos, unless you plan on eating here, then allow for more time.  Additional Attractions and Sites Around Cape Hedo A day trip to Cape Hedo generally turns into an all day event. There is so much more to Northern Okinawa then just visiting the tip of Cape Hedo. After all, the drive can take several hours to reach Okinawa’s northern most point. Might as well break up the drive and stop at a few sites to and from Cape Hedo. Below are some of the sites around the  Cape Hedo area that are a must.  Daisekirinzan National Park Our first stop on our day trip to Cape Hedo was Daisekirinzan National Park. This National Park is said to have been created by the Gods! There is even a sacred stone at the park that visitors can touch and it releases a powerful energy! I tried it, but didn’t receive the energy I was expecting. Entrance to the park was a bit steep ¥1,200, so about $12 USD, but it was nicely maintained so I guess it was acceptable. For the most part entrance prices in Japan are ridiculously cheap, so once in a while I don’t mind paying a higher price for an attraction.  In total, there are four hiking trails in the park, we hiked all four of them in a few hours. They weren’t to long but man were they scenic. There is the Yellow, Blue, Red, and Green trail. The Red and Green trails were my favorite. The red trail had amazing overlooks of the surrounding area and Cape Hedo. The green trail (Yambaru Forest Trail) had the famous Banyan Trees. I’ve been fascinated with these trees since first seeing them in Puerto Rico. They exist here in Okinawa and the famous one at Daisekirinzan National Park is called Ugan Banyan and it is the largest banyan tree in Japan.  Banyan Trees are a ficus or fig species of woody tree. Banyan trees start as a seed usually on other trees. As the Banyan tree grows it strangles its host as the roots make their way to the ground. The roots become thick and look like other trees. It’s hard to tell where the main trunk is, especially with some of the bigger ones because the roots are all over the place. Okinawa Rail Observation Deck While at Cape Hedo, out in the distance we spotted a  giant Okinawa Rail statue and were curious as to what it was. Obviously, I looked on Google Maps and it was an observation deck, but we still wanted to check it out. The Okinawa Rail is endemic to only Northern Okinawa and can only be spotted in Yanbaru National Park. The Okinawa Rail is a flightless bird with a distinctive red beak and long red legs. Unfortunately due to us humans (like always) the Rail is considered endangered because of habitat loss. I found it surprising that the birds existence was only discovered in 1978. Back to the observation deck, we drove up a very narrow road to get here. Luckily, there was little traffic so we didn’t have issues getting here. But once we got to the Rail Observation Deck, it’s just a few flights of stairs to the top with rewarding views of Cape Hedo. After the Rail observation deck, we made our way to the beach below, according to Google Maps it is named Usahama Beach. Usahama Beach What day trip to Cape Hedo is complete without a trip to the beach?  When leaving Cape Hedo and heading toward the Okinawa Rail Observation Deck there is an access road to Usahama Beach. There is a parking lot nearby as well. Usahama Beach is a natural beach with gorgeous views of Cape Hedo and the rugged coastline.  We’ve been to this beach twice now, but never swam in the ocean here. I feel the tidal pools are shallow here and one would have to swim out quite a distance to see anything, who knows how rough the waters are here. None the less, it is a great beach to walk around on, do some beach combing, and explore the tidal pools. Last time we went (April 2023) the tidal pools were full of brittle starfish.  The Tomb of King Gihon About a 5 minute drive from Cape Hedo, you can find a short hiking trail (5 minutes or less) from the road that leads to the tomb of King Gihon. We read about King Gihon while at the visitor center at Cape Hedo and thought it would be interesting to find the tomb.  According to a historical marker at the tomb, King Gihon was the third king of the Shunten Royal lineage, Okinawa’s first royal line. King Gihon took the throne in the year 1249.  Cape Hedo, the Perfect Day Trip For locals, visitors, and others that live on the beautiful island of Okinawa, a day trip to Cape Hedo should be on everyone’s itinerary and visited at least once. Thankfully, distances in Okinawa are not that far so a trip to Cape Hedo is very doable to do in a single day.  Every time I’ve been to Cape Hedo, I feel a sense of adventure. I love hiking through the jungles and seeing the great Banyan trees at Daisekirinzan National Park, looking over the cliffs of the coral reefs below at Cape Hedo, taking in the lovely scenery from the Rail Observation Deck, and strolling along Usahama Beach. The journey to Cape Hedo is an adventure in itself. The majority of the drive, especially up north hugs the coastline. There are amazing rest stops along the way that are worth stopping at. For those that love to get off the beaten path in Okinawa, there are so many secluded beaches, non-trafficked roads, and mysterious hiking trails. As always be safe and respect the nature while out in Yambaru National Forest.  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.