Theme Parks

Tokyo Disneyland Park/DisneySea Park

(Chiba)

Everyone knows these two worldwide-fame theme parks; they have captivated a wide audience from children to adults with a host of attractions where you can enjoy the world of Disney movies or be thrilled by high-speed rides. The "Land Park" and "Sea Park" are each divided into 7 theme areas, so you have a huge choice of where to have fun. In Disneyland Park, the fantasy atmosphere of "Pooh's Honey Hunt", where you search for honey with Winnie the Pooh is very popular. DisneySea Park has dynamic attractions with the waterfront creating a healing ambience. Alcohol is served there, so it is most suitable for those who wish to have some grown-up time. The magnificent parades by Mickey Mouse and his friends are must-sees. They are artistic and joyful, providing the very best entertainment time after time.
Photo (C) Disney


Address: 1-1, Maihama, Urayasu-shi, Chiba, 279-0031
Contact: 045-683-3777
Hours: Varies according to the day of the week/season
Access:
-Approx. 25 min by bus from Urayasu Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line
-Immediate access from Maihama Station on the JR Keiyo/Musashino Line

[Various flowers]

[Various flowers]

Lavender

Furano [Hokkaido]
Lavender is from a group of herbs that are native to the Mediterranean littoral. It finds it difficult to grow in areas of high temperature and high humidity, but the climate of Furano allows a number of lavender fields to spread in the area, making it the symbol of Furano. Both public and private lavender fields extend along Route 237 from Kamifurano-cho to Furano City, and the whole hillside turns into a mass of violet in the high season from mid- to late July. The Lavender Garden at Hokuseiyama, managed by the town of Nakafurano, is a skiing area in winter. By taking a lift (to be charged) up to the top of the hill, you can enjoy the magnificent landscape spanning from the Furano Basin to the Tokachidake Mountains.

Flowering season: Mid- to late July
Address: Kamifurano-cho / Nakafurano-cho, Furano, Hokkaido
Directions: A 10 min walk from Nakafurano Station (Furano Line).

Peach tree

Fruit Line [Fukushima]
Fukushima is one of Japan's major fruit production centers, where various kinds of fruits are produced all over the prefecture. In late April, the Fukushima Basin becomes full of peach blossoms. In particular, the area to the west of Fukushima City, along the Kaminagura-Iizaka-Date Line (prefectural road) connecting Routes 13 and 15, is called the "Fruit Line," offering the beautiful scenery of the Azuma-Adatara Mountain Range with the remaining snow. There are a number of tourist orchards and direct sales stores along the road, which attract many tourists purchasing fruits in the summer and fall.

Flowering season: Late April to early May
Address: Gorouchi-machi, Fukushima
Directions: 20 min by car from JR Fukushima Station.

Azaleas

Nasu-kogen Highlands [Tochigi]
The Yawatasaki-kogen Highlands spread on the hillside of the Nasu-kogen Highlands at around 1,100 meters above sea level, with azaleas growing in colonies in an area of 13 hectares. The promenades are well arranged throughout the colonies, to make you enjoy the enriching experience of strolling through the tunnels of azaleas. While walking through the red flowers of 100,000 azalea bushes, it is not uncommon to encounter wild animals. Beyond the flowers, you can also view the expanse of the Kanto Plain as well as Chausu-dake, the highest peak of Mt. Nasu-dake.

Flowering season: Mid-May to early June
Address: Yumoto, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi
Directions: 45 min ride from JR Kuroiso Station (Utsunomiya Line) to Odan by Toya Bus for Nasu-sanroku. It is a 15 min walk from the bus stop.

Iris

Mizumoto-koen Park [Tokyo]
Mizumoto-koen Park is a natural garden located in the water area of "Koaidame," the reservoir which prevents flooding by the Tone-gawa River. The park (with an area of 820,000 m2) is the largest in Katsushika-ku, and displays a wide range of flowers of the four seasons for your enjoyment. In June, about 200,000 irises of 80 different varieties bloom in the southern part of the park, making the field of irises the largest in Tokyo. Visitors can closely watch the irises while standing on the wooden paths going through the fields. The Iris Festival is held every June.

Flowering season: Early to late June
Address: Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
Directions: 10 min ride by bus from JR Kanamachi Station to Mizumoto-koen. It is a 7 min walk from the bus stop.

Rape blossoms & Poppy

Mother Farm, Minami-Boso [Chiba]
Mother Farm is located on Mt. Kano-zan and overlooks the mountains of the Boso-hanto Peninsula as well as Tokyo Bay. While still being in the suburban area, you can experience the wonder of a resplendent nature in this tourist farm. Rape blossoms found on the large slope of the mountain are now regarded as a seasonal feature of the farm, while about three million flowers bloom all over the area giving the full fragrance of spring.
Minami-Boso is the southernmost part of Chiba, where spring comes a little earlier than in other parts of the prefecture. There is a driving route called the "Boso Flower Line" which stretches for about 17 km from Suzaki of Tateyama to Nojimazaki of Shirahama. Theme parks of flowers are located along this road, and various kinds of flowers, such as rape blossoms, poppies, and narcissi, bloom fully from mid-December to late March.

Flowering season: Mid-February to late April (rape blossoms)
Address: 940-3 Takura, Futtsu, Chiba (Mother Farm)
Directions: 25 min ride by bus from JR Sanukimachi Station (Mother Farm).
Admission: 1,500 yen for adults (Mother Farm)
Closed: January 9-13, weekdays of December 15-21 (Mother Farm)

Hydrangea

Meigetsu-in Temple [Kanagawa]
Meigetsu-in Temple, so called the temple of hydrangeas, is situated in Kita-Kamakura. About 2,000 hydrangeas are planted in the precincts, to make the place a very popular scenic spot in the rainy season of June. In 1951, the chief priest planted the bushes of beautifully-colored hydrangea as the fences of the temple, and this is how the beautiful spot was originally created. Many of the flowers are species from ancient Japan, named Himeajisai, the princess of hydrangea because of its elegance. There also other kinds of hydrangea which give an impressive blue color to the approach to the temple.

Flowering season: Mid- to late June
Address: Yamanouchi, Kamakura, Kanagawa
Directions: A 10 min walk from JR Kita-Kamakura Station.
Admission: 300 yen
Open hours: 09:00-16:00

Lespedeza

Nashinoki-jinja Shrine [Kyoto]
Nashinoki-jinja, which stands on the east side of Kyoto Gyoen National Garden and faces Teramachi-dori Street, is a shrine that worships Sanetsumu and Sanetomi, the father and son of the Sanetomi family who greatly contributed to the Meiji Restoration. It is called "Hagi-no-miya," the shrine of lespedeza, with red and white lespedeza flowers blooming in the fall on the narrow 500 meter long approach which goes through the precincts from north to south. The Lespedeza Festival is held on the third Sunday of September each year for performances of Kyogen (traditional comic) and Japanese traditional dance dedicated to the God, attracting a large number of visitors each year.

Flowering season: Mid-September
Address: 680 Somedono-cho, Teramachi-dori Hirokoji-agaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto
Directions: Take a city bus from JR Kyoto Station to Furitsu-Idai-Byoin-mae. It is a 5 min walk from the bus stop.

Peony

Hase-dera Temple [Nara]
Being sacred ground worshipped by devotees of Kan-non for many years, Hase-dera Temple is as popular as "Hase-dera of Peonies," and is well-known as the best scenic spot of peonies in Japan. The first peony was dedicated by Empress Bato of the Tang Dynasty (China), and today, about 7,000 bushes of 150 different varieties are planted in the gardens of wonderful colors such as red, white, pink and purple. The view from the passageway is marvelous, as its nickname implies. The temple is also known for its winter peonies, whose blooming period is artificially delayed by special treatment in spring and by straw wrapping against the frost. You can enjoy not only the gorgeous atmosphere of spring, but also the special flavors that these winter flowers can offer.

Flower season: Late April to early May / Early to late December (winter peony)
Address: Hase, Sakurai, Nara
Directions: A 15 min walk from Hasedera Station (Kintetsu Line).

Camellia

Cape Ashizuri [Kochi]
Cape Ashizuri, situated at the southernmost part of Shikoku, is a representative scenic spot of Kochi. The quay was created by the granite ground being repeatedly raised and sunk over many years. Its two observation platforms provide a 270° panoramic view, from which you can see the curve of the earth and the continuous waves of the Kuroshio Current. In this area, sturdy camellia trees have been used for wind-protection. When winter comes, 60,000 camellias make romantic arcades of red flowers along the beautiful promenade connecting several sightseeing spots of the cape from "Tengu-no-hana" to the lighthouse.

Flowering season: December to April
Address: Tosashimizu, Kochi
Directions: 90 min ride by bus from Nakamura Station (Tosa Kuroshio Railway) to Ashizuri-misaki. It is a 10 min walk from the bus stop.

Rape blossoms, Iceland poppy & Cosmos

Ikoma-kogen Highlands [Miyazaki]
The Ikoma-kogen Highlands, situated on the gentle slopes of Kirishima at an elevation of 540 meters, provide a wonderful view overlooking the whole city. On its vast flower fields of 12 hectares, with the backdrop of the Kirishima Mountain Chain, 350,000 rape blossoms bloom in the spring, 250,000 Iceland poppies in early summer, and one million cosmos of 17 varieties in autumn. Many tourists are attracted to this enchanting place every year.

Flowering season: Rape blossoms / Mid-March to mid-April, Iceland poppy / Mid-April to late May, Cosmos / Late September to mid-October
Address: 8565 Minaminishikata, Kobayashi, Miyazaki
Directions: 20 min ride by car from JR Kobayashi Station.
Admission: 400 yen

Tulip

Tonami Tulip Park [Toyama]
One million tulips of 450 different varieties, of varied colors and shapes, beautifully bloom in Tonami Tulip Park to entertain the visitors. Both inside and outside of the park, there are facilities such as Japan's largest five-linking water wheel, a Dutch wind wheel, and the Tonami Tulip Gallery for visitors to learn about the history of tulips.

Flowering season: Tulip Fair from late April to early May
Address: Tonami, Toyama
Directions: 50 min ride by bus from Toyama Airport
Admission: 1,000 yen

Huis Ten Bosch [Nagasaki]
A theme park with a distinctly Dutch atmosphere, in spring Huis Ten Bosch is full of tulips, the national flower of the Netherlands, which beautifully bloom in the Bastion Area. The view with the backdrop of wind wheels make you feel as if you are really in the country of tulips, the Netherlands.

Flowering season: Early April
Address: Sasebo, Nagasaki
Directions: 1h 40min ride by Huis Ten Bosch Express from JR Hakata Station to Huis Ten Bosch Station. It is a 5 min walk from the station.
Admission: 3,200 yen for adults (for standard tickets. Other kinds of tickets such as a "Passport" are also available.)

Japan's Four Seasons and Flowers

Cherry tree [East Japan]

Matsumae-koen Park [Hokkai-do]

Hokkaido is where plum and cherry trees blossom at the same time. The earliest blooms of cherry trees in Hokkaido are to be found at Matsumae-koen Park. About 10,000 cherry trees, of 250 different varieties, are planted in the park; many of them are double-flowered cherry trees (yae-zakura), a variety that blooms over a long period for your enjoyment. The park also has a number of special cherry trees, such as Kechimyaku-zakura or Amayadori, which are famous for their legend or antiquity. Matsumae-jo Castle, the last Japanese castle to be built in the Edo Period (1603-1867) , is also found in the park along with a museum. The castle town of Matsumae still retains vestiges of the Edo Period.

Flowering season: Late April to late May
Address: Aza Matsushiro, Matsumae-cho, Matsumae-gun, Hokkaido
Directions: 1h30min ride from JR Kikonai Station to Matsushiro by bus for Matsumae. It is a 7 min walk from the bus stop.

Hirosaki-koen Park [Aomori]

Hirosaki-koen is one of the best spots for viewing cherry trees in the Tohoku area. In this park, there is a castle with turrets and gates as a visual reminder of bygone days, which was constructed by the Tsugaru family who once ruled the whole Tsugaru area. The park is about 49.2 hectares wide, and has about 2,600 trees of 50 different varieties, mainly Somei-yoshino. The records indicate that 25 cherry trees were planted in "Nishi-no-Kuruwa" in 1715, and among these trees, Kanzan and Kasumi-zakura still bloom now in the spring. The 120 year-old Somei-yoshino is also very popular, and is said to be the oldest in Japan, planted at the beginning of the Meiji Era.

Flowering season: Late April to late May
Address: Shirogane-machi, Hirosaki, Aomori
Directions: 15 min ride by Konan Bus from JR Hirosaki Station to Shiyakusho-mae-koen-iriguchi. It is a 1 min walk from the bus stop.

Kakunodate [Akita]

Kakunodate is located almost at the center of Akita. The town is called "Small Kyoto in Michinoku," which means a town with an atmosphere like Kyoto on the Pacific side of the Tohoku area. The city still retains traces of its appearance of about 320 years ago, with stands of old trees and dignified samurai residences. Incredibly, the weeping cherry trees (shidare-zakura) planted at that time still bloom today. The 152 trees are classed amongst the nation's natural monuments, and show a beautiful contrast against the black walls of the samurai residences. The two kilometer long tunnel of cherry trees, along the bank of the Hinokinai-gawa River running though the center of the town, is also listed nationally for its scenic beauty.

Flowering season: Late April to late May
Address: Kakunodate-machi, Senboku-gun, Akita
Directions: Exit at JR Kakunodate Station (Akita Shinkansen Line).

Ueno-Onshi-koen Park, Shinjuku Gyoen Park [Tokyo]

Ueno-Onshi-koen Park is the first designated park in Japan. The park is home to the National Museum of Western Art, as well as the Tokyo National Museum and Ueno Zoological Gardens, which always attract many visitors. The rows of cherry trees, Somei-yoshino and mountain cherry trees (yama-zakura), bloom magnificently in spring, making the park very popular for holding parties under a canopy of beautiful flowers.
Shinjuku Gyoen Garden is the location of the samurai residence of the Naito family. The garden was later designated as an Imperial garden, and then as a national garden in 1949. It has been famous for its cherry trees since the Meiji Era (1868-1912) , and today the collection and study of cherry trees is carried out there.

Flowering season: Late March to late April

Ueno-Onshi-koen Park

Address: Taito-ku, Tokyo
Directions: A 5 min walk from JR Ueno Station (Yamanote Line).
Admission: Free
Closed: Open throughout the year

Shinjuku Gyoen Park

Address: Naito-machi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Directions: A 10 min walk from JR Shinjuku Station (Yamanote Line), or exit at Shinjuku-gyoen-mae Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line).
Admission: 200 yen for adults
Closed: Mondays (if the Monday is a national holiday, it is closed on the following day), New Year's holidays (Dec. 29-Jan. 3)

Takato-Joshi-koen Park [Nagano]

The cherry tree, Takato-kohigan-zakura, is admired as the most beautiful in the whole of Japan because of its beauty and height. In the park, there are over 1,500 Takato-kohigan-zakura trees, including those over 100 years old. These cherry trees, a hybrid of Edo-higan-zakura and Mame-zakura, are tall trees with small, deep pink flowers that are found only in Takato. The forest of cherry trees in full bloom harmonizes beautifully with the snowscape of the Chuo Alps, and is designated a natural treasure by Nagano Prefecture.

Flowering season: Mid- to late April
Address: Takato-machi, Kami-Ina-gun, Nagano
Direction: 25 min ride by bus from JR Ina-shi Station to Takato. It is a 15 min walk from the bus stop.
Admission: 500 yen (charged only during the cherry-blossom season)

Inuyama-jo Castle [Aichi]

Inuyama-jo Castle stands on the hillside above the plain, on the south bank of the Kiso-gawa River. In spring, cherry trees bloom around the castle, and stretch along the Kiso-gawa River to Inuyama-bashi Bridge. The Inuyama Festival is held on the first Saturday and Sunday of April every year near Haritsuna-jinja Shrine which is situated at the entrance to the castle. Thirteen floats, three stories high, parade with wind-up dolls dancing to the sound of flutes and drums. They parade all through Honmachi-dori Street, with a backdrop of full-blooming cherry trees; it is a gorgeous sight, well worth seeing.

Flowering season: Late March to early April
Address: 65-2 Inuyama-kita-koken, Inuyama, Aichi
Directions: A 15 min walk from Inuyama Station (Meitetsu Line).
Admission: 540 yen for adults

shopping Guide

Akihabara

Tokyo

Akihabara is the largest electronics town in the world. It is crowded with shops selling every variety and make of household electrical appliances and PCs, specialty shops dealing in electronic parts that you can't get anywhere else, and duty-free shops. On the other hand, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of Otaku-type shops, which carry animation items and comic books, and the town is renowned even abroad as the origin of Otaku culture. Particularly popular are the "Maid cafes" where the waitresses are dressed in maid costumes, and you will often see people on the street dressed as popular animation hero characters. Redevelopment is underway across from the station and high rises containing IT companies that also run Internet cafes and university facilities or specialty buildings for restaurants are being constructed. Akihabara is an area that will continue growing and changing in pace with the times we live in.

Ishimaru Denki

This household electric appliance megastore dates back to 1945. There are 9 branches in Akihabara, 4 of which are large stores dealing in CDs, DVDs, game software and game consoles. Weekend events feature popular idols and there are also special get-togethers for Otaku fans.

Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba

Yodobashi Camera is an electric appliance megastore boasting the largest shop floor area in Akihabara and stocking about 650,000 items. It's connected directly to the JR Station and has a large parking facility. Products are displayed by brand in special corners making it convenient to find exactly what you want, for instance if you are looking for a particular product by SONY. There are restaurants and even a golf driving range on the roof of the building.

Yamagiwa Livina Main Building

A specialty shop for lighting fixtures and stylish furniture. There are so many varieties of lighting fixtures that you may find it difficult to choose one! There is even a laboratory on the basement level where you can experience the different lighting effects available for your house.

Laox

This megastore has its shops mainly in the Metropolitan area. There are 8 shops in Akihabara including a duty-free shop and a TV game store, "Asobit Game City". Each shop has its own specialty such as computers of course, watches, cameras, sweets with collectible toys, figures, games and musical instruments, so you will find what you are looking for.

Yamada Denki LABI Akihabara PC Building

This large specialty store was established in 2007 in front of Akihabara Station, entrance to electronics town. PCs and mobile equipment are the main products. On each floor there is booth where you can actually view, touch and experience the product in a relaxed atmosphere, before you make the final decision.

Hokkaido - Tohoku

Hokkaido - Tohoku

Hokkaido

Jozankei-onsen Hot Spring
Jozankei-onsen is a hot spring village found in a green valley, located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. The Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort is nearby, as well as a number of sightseeing spots such as Hoheikyo Dam and Jozankei Dam. Jozan-gensen-koen Park is located in the center of town. There, you can enjoy forest bathing and a stroll on the promenade along the Toyohira-gawa River, which has hot water springing from its bottom, to the suspension bridge of Futami-koen Park and Kappa-fuchi Abyss known for the story of a legendary creature, kappa. Its Na-Cl Spring, which contains clear and colorless water of a mild salty taste, is one of the most popular qualities of any of the hot springs in Japan.

Address: Jozankei-onsen, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
Directions: 1h10min ride by Jotetsu Bus (Jozankei Line) from JR Sapporo Station to Jozankei.

Noboribetsu-onsen Hot Spring
Noboribetsu-onsen attracts people by its various springs incorporating nine different qualities, including the sulfur spring (the most popular one among all) as well as a ferruginous spring and an alum spring which makes the skin beautiful. This much variety is hard to find in hot springs anywhere else in the world. The water volume of the natural discharge is 10,000 t per day, while the water temperature ranges between 45°C and 90°C. Jigoku-dani Valley, designated as one of Hokkaido's heritage sites, is a few minutes' walk from the hot spring area. There, you can experience the dynamics of jigoku, or "Hell," named as such for its strong smell of sulfur while hot water, vapors and volcanic gas escape from the crater, formed approximately ten thousand years ago.

Address: Noboribetsu-onsen-cho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido Directions: 13 min ride by bus for Noboribetsu-onsen from JR Noboribetsu Station (Muroran Line) to the final bus stop, Nororibetsu-onsen.

Iwate

Hanamaki-onsen Hot Spring
Hanamaki-onsen, representing Iwate Prefecture, is the generic name for several hot springs including Dai-onsen, Hanamaki-onsen, Shidotaira-onsen (along the Toyosawa-gawa River) and Hanamaki-minami-onsen-kyo Village, which consists of eight different hot springs like Osawa-onsen. This location has developed as a popular travel destination over the years and is well known as a hot spring and therapeutic bath resort area for people living in Hanamaki. A number of famous literaries such as Kenji Miyazawa and Kotaro Takamura have immensely enjoyed this hot spring. Nearby, you can find the "Hanamaki-onsen Rose & Herb Garden" built at the remains of Nansha-kadan Garden designed by Kenji Miyazawa, who spent his entire life in Hanamaki.

Address: Hanamaki, Iwate
Directions: 20 min ride by Iwate-ken Kotsu Bus from JR Hanamaki Station (Tohoku Line).

Yamagata

Zao-onsen Hot Spring
Zao-onsen is a hot spring village founded approximately 1900 years ago, located at the foot of the Zao Mountain Range over Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures. Adjacent skiing areas welcome a number of visitors, since its high altitude assures enough snow for skiing even during warm winters. With the special water supplied by the acidic sulfur spring, which has a unique smell, you can't make any soap bubbles. However, the water is very popular among people as "water to nurture the health in children" and "water for making skin light, smooth and beautiful."

Address: Zao-onsen, Yamagata
Directions: Take a bus for Zao-onsen from JR Yamagata Station (Yamagata Shinkansen Line) to Zao-onsen Bus Terminal.

Ginzan-onsen Hot Spring
On both sides of the Ginzan-gawa River which runs through the town of Ginzan-onsen, you can find inns comprising three to four levels, with wooden balconies. These inns exhibit the signs of early times from Taisho Era to the early Showa Era of the 1920s, and gas lights burned after sunset create an even more romantic atmosphere. The milky waters of this spring make your body feel warm from the inside. It is also highly recommended to visit this location in the winter to enjoy its beautiful snow-covered landscape.

Address: Ginzan-onsen, Obanazawa, Yamagata
Directions: 40 min ride by bus from JR O-ishida Station (Yamagata Shinkansen Line).

Miyagi

Akiu-onsen Hot Spring
Akiu-onsen is known as the hot spring resort area for people living in Sendai, the central city of the Tohoku region. You can enjoy not only the hot springs, but also a stroll in the valley which contains unique rock formations and magnificent natural sceneries of the Ohtaki Falls and other beautiful spots.

Address: Akiu-machi, Taihaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi
Directions: 45 min ride by Miyagi Kotsu Bus (express) from JR Sendai Station.

Fukushima

Iwaki-Yumoto-onsen Hot Spring
The Joban Coalfield was once located here, and the hot water of Iwaki-Yumoto-onsen is taken from the bored bottom of this field. There are some inns here, but among them, Spa Resort Hawaiian's is the one especially known to visitors: It is a large leisure center consisting of five theme parks such as Spring Park, Water Park, and the world's largest outdoor hot spring.

Address: Joban-Yumoto-machi, Iwaki, Fukushima
Directions: 2h20min ride by Super Hitachi (Joban Line) from JR Ueno Station to Yumoto Station.

information from :www.jnto.go.jp