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…

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…

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…

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…

Located near the Japanese Alps in Gifu Prefecture is the city of Takayama. Takayama is known for its preserved historical districts consisting of Edo-style streets. Takayama is also famous for its food, most notably the “Hida-gyu” or Hida beef. Outside of walking the historical Edo-style streets and eating Hida Beef, visitors can pay a visit to the Takayama Yatai Kaikan,…

Katsuyama, a lesser known mountain town in central Japan is located in Fukui Prefecture, not far from the city of Fukui and Maruoka Castle. Katsuyama is home to Japan’s largest sitting Buddha statue, tallest pagoda, as well as the tallest castle in Japan. With all these stunning statues and beautiful yet massive architectural buildings, why is Katsuyama unknown to most…

If you’ve traveled anywhere around mainland Japan, you have probably noticed these statues that resemble a raccoon with huge balls. Besides the very noticeable balls, the tanuki statue appears to have a round belly with a straw hat on and sometimes they will have a sake bottle, and promissory note, among other items. So what’s the deal with Japan’s Tanuki…