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Ōzu
One of Japans most authentically reconstructed castles, Ōzu-jō and its outlying buildings are original survivals from the Edo period. The castle is an impressive sight above the river, but exploring its interior is particularly fascinating – cross-sections of its roof construction,
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Mt Ōmuro
From Izus seashore you can see this grassy dormant rice-bowl volcano peaking above the hills. Ride the four-minute chairlift to the 580m summit where you can take in coastal views of Mt Fuji. Theres a 1km walk around the crater, bizarrely enough with an archery centre in the middl
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Ishigaki City Yaeyama Museum
This modest museum has exhibits on the culture and history of the island, which are quite well presented with English explanations. Notable among the more typical cultural artefacts: a few informational pages about some of Japans oldest human remains (estimated, using carbon dating
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Oasis 21
Oasis 21 is a bus terminal and transit hub with a difference. Its iconic galaxy platform – an elliptical glass-and-steel structure filled with water for visual effect and cooling purposes – caused quite a stir when it was first built. Feel free to climb the stairs and walk around i
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NADiff a/p/a/r/t
Part gallery, part bookstore, NADiff is a local art-scene hub. The bookstore is among the city’s best for art books and there are a few other galleries in the same building, which makes it a worthy stop despite the tricky location. Walk towards Meiji-dōri then take a right just bef
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Hōzō
At the end of Sensō-jis Nakamise-dōri, this gate is flanked by two fierce guardian deities. On the gate’s back side are a pair of 2500kg, 4.5m-tall waraji (straw sandals) crafted for Sensō-ji by some 800 villagers in northern Yamagata prefecture. These are meant to symbolise the Bu
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Hagi
Hagi-yaki (Hagi ceramic ware) is noted for its fine glazes and delicate pastel colours, and connoisseurs of Japanese ceramics rank it as some of the best. At a number of shops and kilns you can see hagi-yaki being made, and browse the finished products, including this one within th
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Gasshō
Over two dozen gasshō-zukuri buildings have been relocated here, although the arrangement feels contrived. Several houses are used for demonstrating regional crafts such as woodwork, straw handicrafts and ceramics (in Japanese only, reservations required). Many items are for sale.
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Akan Kohan Eco
At the eastern edge of town, this place has well-maintained exhibits with lots of photographs, and a number of marimo in aquarium tanks. It also has hiking maps and displays about the local flora and fauna. The bokke (bubbling clay pools) walk starts from the museum. It makes a sha
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National Museum of Nature and Science
The Japan Gallery here showcases the rich and varied wildlife of the Japanese archipelago, from the bears of Hokkaido to the giant beetles of Okinawa. Elsewhere in the museum: a rocket launcher, a giant squid, an Edo-era mummy, and a digital seismograph that charts earthquakes in r
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Hoshisuna
If youre looking to do a bit of snorkelling, head to this beach on the northwestern tip of the island. The beach is named after its star sand, which actually consists of the dried skeletons of marine protozoa. If you are a competent swimmer and the sea is calm, make your way with m
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Yoshiki
This garden, located next door to Isui-en (to the right as you enter), is a stunner. Originally a residence of the high priest of Tōdai-ji, the present garden was laid out in 1918 and contains a lovely thatch-roof cottage, a pond and several walking paths. Its particularly lovely i
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Shōin
This shrine, with a garden and small complex, was founded in 1890 and is dedicated to Meiji Restoration movement leader Yoshida Shōin. His former house and the school where he agitated against the shōgunate in the years leading up to the revolution are also here, as well as a treas
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Waki
The former rest stop for the daimyōs retainers, this waki-honjin was reconstructed in 1877 by a former castle builder under special dispensation from Emperor Meiji. It contains a lovely moss garden and a special toilet built in case Meiji happened to show up; he never did. The adja
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Narusawa Hyōketsu & Fugaku Fuketsu
Not for the claustrophobic, it takes about 10 minutes to walk through the Narusawa Hyōketsu (ice cave), formed by lava flows from an eruption of Mt Fuji in 864, to the end to see the ice pillars which are at their peak in April. A 20-minute walk down the road is the similar Fugaku
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Akihabara Radio Center
Strictly for old-school electronics otaku, this two-storey warren of several dozen electronics stalls under the elevated railway is the original, still-beating heart of Akihabara. By old-school, we mean connectors, jacks, LEDs, switches, semiconductors and other components. It’s wo
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Nihombashi (Nihonbashi)
Guarded by bronze lions and dragons this handsome 1911-vintage granite bridge over Nihombashi-gawa is sadly obscured by the overhead expressway. Its notable as the point from which all distances were measured during the Edo period and as the beginning of the great trunk roads (the
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Awashima
This subtemple of Sensō-ji dates to the late 17th century. The deity enshrined here is a guardian of women and the temple is the site of a curious ancient ritual: hari-kuyō (the needle funeral). Annually on 8 February, monks perform last rites for broken or old sewing needles. Kimo
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Uwajima
Dating from 1601, Uwajima-jō is a small three-storey castle on an 80m-high hill in the centre of town. The present structure was rebuilt in 1666 by the daimyō Date Munetoshi. The donjon (main keep) is one of only 12 originals left in Japan; there is nothing much to see inside. The
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Zuisen
The grounds of this secluded picturesque Zen temple make for a pleasant stroll and include gardens laid out by Musō Soseki, the temples esteemed founder. To get here, take the bus from stop 4 at Kamakura Station and get off at Ōtōnomiya (¥200, 10 minutes); turn right where the bus
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