Greater Tokyo

See & Do

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Sea Bus (Yokohama Minato Mirai Illumination Cruise)

Sea Bus (Yokohama Minato Mirai Illumination Cruise)

Hop on board the departing boats near the east exit of Yokohama station and enjoy a beautiful night view of the port of Yokohama from the sea. Sights to look out for include Minato Mirai, the Red Brick Warehouse and Osanbashi, The boats operate every weekend.An illumination cruise that takes you around to see the night views of Yokohama’s sights, including Minato Mirai and the Red Brick Warehouse. The boat can accommodate over 80 passengers and operates on rainy days too. A professional voice actor will be your cruise guide, making the experience unique.

Experience & Activities Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA
Kitakamakura Houan (tea room)

Kitakamakura Houan (tea room)

Houan is a traditional tea house built in 1934 in the forested valley behind Jochiji Temple in Kita-Kamakura. It features a building with two tea rooms (Jouan-ken)—one 8-mat and one 4-mat room, and the world's smallest tea house, the thatched-roof Musouan, measuring just under 2 mats. It is normally closed to the public, but just once a month, a tea house opens its doors to serve matcha and high-grade sweets to visitors freely touring the premises (reservation required). Information about various tea gatherings, introductory sessions for beginners, and traditional Japanese arts classes is posted on the official website and social media. They also accommodate inquiries for small-group tea ceremony experiences and tea gatherings for international visitors.

Eat & Drink Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA
Kamakurabori Assembly Hall

Kamakurabori Assembly Hall

A cultural complex offering a place to experience history, culture, and exchange, with a café and store on the first floor and a gallery in the back, as well as a museum of Kamakura carvings on the third floor, and "Kamakura Sculpture Hall Cultural Workshops" on the second and fourth floors. In the Premium Workshop, visitors can experience making trays, plates, and other items under the direct guidance of Kamakura carving craftsmen to create one-of-a-kind works of art.

Culture & Arts Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA
Nasu Kogen Visitor Center

Nasu Kogen Visitor Center

This information center is located in Nikko National Park. The center features videos, pictures, and other information exhibits about the history, nature, and other aspects of the Nasu Kashi region. Head to the exhibition room and experience the interactive exhibits to find out more about flora and fauna of the Nasukashi area, or enter the special exhibition room to learn about the center’s connection to Japan’s royal family and the nearby Nasu Imperial Villa. The lecture hall and conference room regularly host nature appreciation activities. Join these free activities and interact with local volunteers for a deeper understanding of the Nasu area's offerings."

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI
Daihonzan Engaku-ji Temple

Daihonzan Engaku-ji Temple

This ancient temple has many old buildings, including the temple bell and the Shari-den Hall, which are both national treasures. Here you can take a quiet breath in the cool morning air and adjust yourself physically and mentally, and start your day with a refreshed feeling. Monks will guide you through the Shari-den Hall, the only national treasure building in Kanagawa Prefecture, which is not normally open to the public. In addition, at Nyoian, you can enjoy a special sutra reading for guests, participate in Zen meditation, and chat with a Buddhist monk while enjoying matcha green tea and Japanese sweets.Built in 1783, visitors must first pass through this majestic structure to enter the Engaku-ji Temple.The temple's main hall houses a wooden statue of the Shaka Buddha. Painted on the ceiling of the building is a beautiful White Dragon.Just a one-minute walk from Kita-kamakura Station. Visit in late autumn when the leaves are at their most beautiful, and the teahouse is serving delicious hot sweet sake.Breathe in the cool air of the morning to prepare yourself physically and mentally, and start your day feeling refreshed.

Temples & Shrines Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA
Higeta Indigo Dyeing Workshop

Higeta Indigo Dyeing Workshop

Higeta Indigo Dyeing Workshop, established during the Kansei era (1789–1801), is a fabric-dyeing and weaving workshop. It is a rare workshop in Tochigi that inherited traditional indigo dyeing. It still uses the dyeing area created at the time of its establishment to dye the fabric in the traditional manner. Inside the 200-year-old building with a thatched roof, 72 earthenware indigo vats are neatly arranged. The building and the vat area are Tochigi Prefecture’s tangible cultural assets, and visitors can freely visit and see them. Indigo is a plant dye that has long colored ethnic costumes. Long ago in Japan, 80% of commoners’ cloths were dyed with indigo. The indigo color produced by the traditional Japanese indigo dyeing and plant dyeing methods is called Japan Blue and, together with the dyeing methods, is highly recognized around the world. The workshop engages not only in dyeing but also cotton cultivation, yarn-making, yarn dyeing, and handweaving in order to preserve the cotton tradition essential to the indigo dyeing culture. The workshop sells indigo-dyed cotton fabric, coasters, and tablecloths. Please come and see the traditional techniques and the beauty of indigo.

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI