First timer’s dilemma

 First time and not sure where to go?

Must you will have to decide which region as there are really a lot to share across the 9 regions, 47 prefectures. 

if you are near Nagoya, go to Gifu ,  hida furakawa, shiragawa-go.  

Edo themed is usually commercialise,  you can visit toei movie village in Kyoto. 

In Kyoto, there are a lot of known and unknown areas to explore especially outskirt ones nearer to the mountains. 

Mt koya,  Shoshazan good places to explore the untouched temples in the mountains.  Mt Rokko is the other one. 

But if you in Nagoya, go to Meiji mura then.

It’s preserved buildings and culture, even items , uniform etc are Meiji era . 

Karuizawa is another one to explore walking around the whole central and more to explore into the outskirts. 

Nikko known for its beauty within nature , temples and onsen. 

Toyama another than the alpine route, it has one of the beautiful waterfalls. 

Hiroshima has sandankyo gorge is beautiful but check the bus ride in as it’s 1 way in once only in the morning and 1 way out in the afternoon.  Taxi fare is high as very far. 

Iwakuni best known for the bridge Kintaikyo but it has a beautiful mountain and historic royal site and museums , nature to explore. 

My advise is keep to 1 region and explore wholesomely as there are many unknown to tourists but they are really beautiful places.

Gunkanjima in Nagasaki

Other than the popular atomic bomb sites in Nagasaki ,  this is getting known - battleship island or called gunkanjima, originally is called Hashima island.  The island looked like a battle ship from far. 

Need to take guided tour as is a ruin of a mining industry from late 1890 up to WWII.

The interesting thing is it was able to draw sea water and filter to be drinking water then in 1895, more than 220 years ago.  There are more technologies and equipments used that are so advanced. 

There were public facilities like post office, elementary and junior high schools, a movie theatre, a billiard hall, a ping-pong hall, a board game place, a mahjong hall, and other entertainment facilities. There was also a bar.

Credit: Picture from google 

But as Nagasaki gov didn’t plan to maintain or renovate the island, it’s slowly becoming dangerously potential collapsing buildings with the strong sea current .  

They have started to seal off some areas for falling debris from the buildings.  

Might totally banned entry in years to come.

Somewhere interesting in Tokyo and Kansai

 Just a list for anyone who wants not so touristy places:

Kansai :

Spain village in mie,  near Kyoto

Toei movie theme park, Kyoto 

Meiji village,  Gifu

Haiyukan aquarium , osaka

Kobe , Hyogo,  near osaka

Mt Rokko

Astro boy museum ,  Hyogo

Himeji castle

Himeji turtle rescue centre

In Tokyo metropolis and surrounding :

Ikebukuro Sun Plaza 

Gyoza museum

Yokohama cup noodle museum

Ramen museum

Yokohama port 

Odaiba 

Museums

Diver city Gundam 

Factory outlet 

Hakkeijima

Aquarium 

Theme park 

Ghibli museum

Mitaka

Inokashira park and zoo

Kichijoji