The Yokohama Tram Museum opened on the site of the Takigashira rolling stock factory in 1973, one year after the tram was abolished. In 1983, it was then rebuilt on the first floor of the current municipal housing building. In the hall, stop signs, paving stones and seven tram cars are all preserved as they were at that time, and reproduce the atmosphere of the time when the tram was running.Yokohama was not only the site of the very first rail station in Japan, but also home to a great trolley system. Walk through the many restored cars where you can sit and imagine being transported around the city.

The museum was opened in March 1989 when Kazumasa Nakagawa, a painter and contemporary literary artist who lived in Manazuru, donated his work to the town. Located in a corner overlooking the sea on the Manazuru Peninsula, the display of his works is surrounded by trees in the Manazuru Peninsula Nature Park, which is also good for nature walks.

The Odawara Plum Festival is held from early February through early march each year. The Soga Plum Forest is the primary venue, and that is made up of three areas: Bessho, Hara, and Nakagawara. Each is operated primarily by the farmhouses that are located there. Bessho is the largest of the three, and features a citrus and vegetable stands, souvenirs, eateries, and more.

While Enoshima has a strong image of swimming during the summer, a new event with the theme of "Cool Evening" has started and is opened only during a limited time from Mid-July to August 31. During this time, approximately 1000 lanterns will be displayed and you can experience Shonan's breezy summer. Apart from the lanterns, the Enoshima Shinto Shrine will be lit up which will create a dreamy atmosphere.

It is said that the ume (plum) groves were first planted by the Hojo clan during the Warring States period to provide food for the troops (some theories exist). Among the three plum groves: Bessho, Hara and Nakagawara, around 35,000 plum trees are in full bloom during the correct season and are framed by Mt. Fuji and Hakone. During the Ume Festival from early February to early March, events such as Odawara Chochin Odori, a local performing art, and lion dances are held. (Photo by photolibrary)

Ichijo Ekan Sanso Villa, a nationall designated Important Cultural Property villa with sukiya-style architecture, is surrounded by its beautiful garden, a space where hydrangeas, autumn foliage, red pines, and moss thrive. With the murmuring of the Nameri River flowing nearby and the chirping of wild birds, it is a lush Japanese garden where you can enjoy Japan's four seasons with all five senses. There is also a cafe within the garden where you can enjoy seasonal Japanese sweets. Tours of the villa are held regularly (advance reservations required so please check the website).

The "U.S.-Japan Friendship Cherry Blossom Festival" is an annual event where the U.S. army base in Zama, Japan, opens to the public. Take a stroll inside the normally inaccessible U.S. military base and admire over 300 cherry blossom trees. Many American foods, such as hamburgers, pizza, and hot dogs will be available at food stalls for you to enjoy the international flavors. There are also live bands and a DJ, as well as a kids zone, making it fun for everyone in the family!

The Kamimizo Summer Festival has been held in Sagamihara since the end of the Edo period (1603-1868). The festival is said to be dedicated to Emperor Ushira, who prays for a good harvest and safety of the family, and is said to have been inspired by the Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto. On Sunday evenings, the local portable shrines (Mikoshi) and floats (Dashi) gather from each town and start a grand procession. Once the evening sun goes down, the lanterns of the portable shrines are lit, creating a fantastic spectacle that is not to be missed.

From Nishihirabatake Park you can see an astounding view of Mount Fuji, which is even recognized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as being one of the best as it made it onto their Fujimi-byakkei List.Visit Matsudayama Herb Garden, located in Nishihirabatake Park, for a spectacular view of nature as the garden’s seasonal herbs bloom alongside the cherry blossoms.The evening illumination allows you to enjoy both the night view and the cherry blossoms. The illumination seen from the bottom of the mountain is also fantastic, with the area around the park being painted in pink. Kawazu cherry blossoms bloom in February. For details, please visit the Matsuda Town website.

This is the former residence of Shigeru Yoshida (1878-1967), who was the prime minister after the war. Originally, around 1884, his adoptive father Kenzo Yoshida bought the land and built the villa, but he took it over after his father's death. From around 1945, he made this his main resident and spent the rest of years here. This facility is a restoration of the former residence.

The Hakone Old Highway is a part of the Tōkaidō Highway established by the Edo Shogunal government, and the sloping road extends for 32 km from the Mishima post station via the Hakone-toge pass to the Odawara post station. The part between the Mishima post station and the Hakone check station through the Hakone-toge pass at an elevation of 846 m had been considered the most grueling part in the Tōkaidō Highway, as in addition to the steep ascent at high elevation, travelers had to walk through knee-deep mud if it snowed or rained. The Edo Shogunal government spent 1,400 ryo to pave the road with stone for 10 km of the road. According to records, it was originally paved with local Hakone-dake bamboo, however, it needed to be regularly repaved as the bamboo would rot, costing a great deal of money every year. Now only 2 km of the original stone pavement remains. Enjoy imagining travel in the old days while walking along the original paved segment of the old highway.The mountain road is overgrown with trees, so an early morning start is recommended. When the weather is nice, the sunlight through the trees feels refreshing. Be careful as the stone pavement is slippery after it rains.

This hall was built in 1932 as the main building of Okura Mental and Cultural Laboratory, by a business-man Okura Kunihiko, who bacame the dean of Toyo University. The hall was donated to Yokohama City in 1981, and after a major renovation to preserve the building, the hall was transformed into Okurayama Memorial Hall in 1984.The hall was designated as a tangible cultural property of Yokohama City in 1991, as the hall occupies an important place in the modern architechtural market. You cannot view the hall and the meeting room as the building is usually used as a local facility, but you can see the common space such as the entrance. The building is famous for being the site of filming, and over 30 films are shot in a year.

This unique institute is located in the plate-collision area, rarely found in the world. Here, research is done on geology, hot springs, groundwater, earthquakes, and volcanos. Visitors can see the displays of research results on the first floor.

Viewing Period: late September to early October (best time for viewing: when the equinox flowers blossom). In the Endo area of northern Fujisawa, equinox flowers grow in groups along a small river for around 3km in length. Enjoy the view of flowers surrounding you everywhere as you take a walk. On sunny days it is also an excellent spot for viewing Mount Fuji in the distance. ※Uchimodori Festival site (1,100m downstream from the Daikoku Bridge)

With the concept of "made with 720,000 people" and "seeking symbiosis of people, things, and nature", we greet everyone with entertainment such as citizens' crafts, a parade, and picture contests. Photos provided by Sagamihara Tourism Association

Centered around Hiratsuka Station, it is an event that is about 8 kilometers and takes about 2-3 hours of walking. You can stroll around Tokaido's historic sites.(Taken from Hiratsuka Tourist Assocation official website)

What is the dancing nembutsu at the Yugyo-ji Temple? It is said that during the Kamakura era, when Ippen Shonin of the Jishu Buddhism branch was performing nembutsu across the country, at one point, one of his disciples suddenly started dancing during the chanting. People who saw this followed him and started this dancing tradition, which has now evolved into all sorts of Bon festivals and folk arts incorporating cultures and characteristics from all kinds of places. People of Fujisawa embrace the culture that is passed down to them and use the dancing nembutsu as a theme to hold the brand-new Bon of Yugyo event, containing the Yugyo Dance.

This is a modern Japanese-style residence that combines a Western-style building and a Japanese-style building. Yokohama City has restored the house as much as possible to its original appearance and opened it to the public as "Negishi Natsukashi Park: Former Yanagishita Residence.” In November 2002, it was designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by Yokohama City.