Greater Tokyo

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Motomachi Illumination

Motomachi Illumination

Since the opening of the port of Yokohama, this chic district was the earliest to adopt the modern western culture with its many shops aimed at foreigners. At this shopping street brimming with uniqueness, not only can you find many gourmet food, you can also find jewellery, furniture and fashion brands originating from Yokohama's Motomachi. From Autumn to Winter Motomachi is lit up brightly with colorful illuminationsMotomachi goes all-out during the year-end holiday season to create a warm and jolly atmosphere. A fun place to enjoy lights, shopping, and restaurants.

Culture & Arts Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA
Experience Traditional Japanese Crafts at the Crafts Studio Village

Experience Traditional Japanese Crafts at the Crafts Studio Village

The Crafts Studio Village is a facility in which you can experience the traditional crafts of garment weaving, indigo dyeing, paper making, pottery making, and wood bamboo crafting in Aikawa Town’s prefectural Aikawa Park. You can try out activities that you would usually not get the opportunity to try, such as garment weaving and using a potter's wheel in order to create your own original items. It is a fun way to learn about the history of traditional crafts.

Experience & Activities Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA
Kinugawa Okashino Shiro (Dessert Castle)

Kinugawa Okashino Shiro (Dessert Castle)

From popular sweets to outdoor activities — a delicious and relaxing stop on your hot spring tripKinugawa Okashino Shiro is a multi-purpose tourist facility that combines Japanese and Western sweets, cafés, and hands-on experiences. Inside, more than 30 varieties of handmade sweets are available, including seasonal fried bread, natural shaved ice, and other popular items, making it the perfect spot to buy souvenirs or enjoy sweet treats. The facility also includes “KINU COFFEE” café and “FUN GARDEN” outdoor space, where you can enjoy freshly grilled skewers, cakes, barbecues, and seasonal activities. Visitors can even take part in a dorayaki (red bean pancake) making workshop, adding an enjoyable hands-on element to the trip.

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI
Wakayama Farm – Bamboo Winter Lights

Wakayama Farm – Bamboo Winter Lights

Step into a world of light and shadowsEvery winter evening, Wakayama Farm in Utsunomiya transforms into a fantastical landscape adorned with glowing illuminations for the seasonal event Bamboo Winter Lights. This farm, which offers experiences in every season, becomes even more enchanting in winter evenings, when the entire bamboo grove is bathed in dreamlike lights, guiding visitors into a world like something out of a fairytale. As night falls, the lush green bamboo grove glows warmly, with bamboo lanterns and lights illuminating the paths. The scene, accompanied by music, blends nature and art to create a mystical atmosphere that is both inspiring and deeply moving. The event is perfect not only for couples but also for families, and it’s a popular spot for photography enthusiasts. The fusion of new illuminations and the timeless bamboo forest creates a captivating spectacle, making this one of the best seasonal nighttime attractions. On crisp winter nights, a stroll through Wakayama Farm’s bamboo grove offers a romantic and unforgettable experience, where the quiet beauty of bamboo meets the brilliance of light.

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI
Mt. Kongo Fire-walking Sadhana

Mt. Kongo Fire-walking Sadhana

At Mt. Kongo Zuihoji Temple in Furumine, the "Fire-Walking Sadhana Festival" is held on the last Sunday on May, for burning away afflictions, warding off bad luck, and praying for family safety. The ceremony begins with the sound of a shugenja (mountain ascetic) blowing a trumpet shell, followed by the performance of the axe, bow, and sword, and then the flames of the goma are extinguished.   While sutra chanting echoes, shugenjas and participants walk barefoot on the path, praying for protection from bad luck, safety in the home, and the fulfillment of various wishes.   After the ceremony, shugenjas would share tributes (like deserts, sake) with people, which means sharing happiness with each others.  

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI
Kanuma Satsuki Azalea Festival

Kanuma Satsuki Azalea Festival

One of the biggest Satsuki Bonsai Festivals in Japan is held from the end of May to the beginning of June. Kanuma is Japan's ultimate source of Kanuma soil, and Bonsai made with Kanuma soil are famous. Among many kinds of Bonsai, be sure to see the Satsuki Azaleas. They are a single tree whose blossoms are mysterious and beautiful and whose flowers have various colors and shapes. During the festival is being held, there are numerous events, such as Satsuki workshop and present of Satsuki saplings, a music concert, and a folk entertainment.

Nikko kaido Oshu kaido TOCHIGI
Kumano Shrine, Manyo Park

Kumano Shrine, Manyo Park

Kumano Shrine enshrines a god of hot water, and hot water runs down the purification trough. There are 'Yukake-matsuri' on the fourth Saturday of May, and regularly held festival takes place at the same weekends. At the Manyo Park located at the center of spa town, there are so many Manyo plants (plants cited in the Manyoshu). There are also Manyo-tei modelled after ancient architecture of Manyo era, a monument engraved with a waka which is the only waka about hot water, and a monument of Doppo Kunikida, whose novels are focused on Yugawara.

Temples & Shrines Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA
Katsuobushi Museum Kagotune

Katsuobushi Museum Kagotune

A specialty chopsticks store founded in 1893. This store, which has the appearance of a store from long ago, introduces the production process that is used in transforming bonito fished fresh from the sea into katsuobushi, or small pieces of dried bonito. There are many regional products that communicate the industrial culture of Odawara that has existed from times of old. This includes representative local industries such as kamaboko, tsukemono, confectionery, dried fish, shiokara, and woodwork. This is one of the “town corner museums” that raises awareness of the charms of Odawara through well-planned exhibitions, conversations with the store owner, and direct experiences.

Culture & Arts Tokaido Koshu kaido KANAGAWA