1. Head to Kanaya Station of the Tokaido Line in Shizuoka.

2. From Kanaya Station station, ride the train going to Ieyama Station.

3. From Ieyama Station, take the Bus going to Senzu Station.

4. Finally from Senzu, take the train or the bus going to Okuoikojo Station.

Please note that buses and trains are very limited. Check this website for the bus and train schedules: https://daitetsu.jp/eng/ft_timetable

On the first part of the journey, you can ride an old-timey steam train from Kanaya to Ieyama. From Senzu to Okuoikojo Station, you can experience another unique train event where a specialized car pushes your train up the mountain.

At Okuoikojo Station, make sure to walk to the observation deck for great photos: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nzg2Viz7AzUQK3cc8

There is also a bus stop near the observation area with buses going back to Senzu Station.

Easy 3 or so minute walk from Odawara Station. Odawara Station is in the JR Tokaido Line. You can take the JR train from Shizuoka Station to Odawara Station. You might have to transfer from Atami Station to Odawara Station, only 1 stop.

Once you are in Odawara station, you can get to the observatory easily by going to open area with the bakeries/restos. There is an elevator that goes all the way up to the roofdeck.

Odawara Castle also has an observation deck, but I prefer the observatory here. One of Odawara's specialty is dried fish which you could buy/try here. There is also a bakery that sells crispy doughnuts filled with various types of cream. It was so good!

From Nagoya Station, take the train to Tomidahama Station. It's a 20 minute walk from there.

Go here on a weekend during/after sunset. This place is open only up to 5PM on some weekdays. On weekends, they close at 9PM. Great unique view, gives shinra feels (iykyk).

The museum is walking distance from Aomori Station; about 3 minutes.

You can get to Aomori Station from Tokyo Station via Shinkansen then local train. Aomori Station is not a Shinkansen Station but Shin-Aomori is, and it is only one stop away from Aomori Station.

You can also get to Aomori Station by highway bus which departs from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal. It is a 10 hour overnight bus that costs 9.5k JPY.

*Do note that the Tohoku Pass is cheaper than the roundtrip shinkansen ticket for Aomori.

The museum regularly hosts live performances that recreate the festival atmosphere. The visitors will feel the energy and excitement of the Nebuta Matsuri as it is an interactive experience. There are musical instruments that the audience can use and the staff will teach the audience the dance moves before they start.

The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is held annually from August 2nd to August 7th. The last day usually holds a fireworks display.

1. To take the boat tour from Naruto Station, take the bus going to the Naruto Tourist Port bus stop. It should be the last stop for that bus.

2. To go to Uzu no Michi walkway, take the bus from Naruto Station to Naruto Park. You'll have to walk from there.

3. The boat cruise website has info regarding how to get there by bus from Osaka/Kobe: https://www.uzusio.com/en/access/

The website also shows the best times of each day to view the whirlpools: https://www.uzusio.com/en/

Do note that Tokushima Prefecture does NOT accept IC cards at all so be ready to use cash for bus/train tickets.

you can make and dye your own paper and then use it to make different things (including goshuincho but you might have to ask!)

From Nagoya station, it is 2 trains and a bus away!

Nagoya Sta (take Sakuradori Line train going to Tokushige) - Gokiso Sta (take Tsurumai Line train going to Toyotashi) - Umetsubo Sta (take Toyota Oiden Bus 2 going to Kaminigi) - Kaminigi Bus Stop - walk to Senmi Shikizakura no Sato

https://shoryudo.go-centraljapan.jp/en/senmi-shikizakura-no-sato/

Bar with cheap oysters. There are many oyster bars in Sapporo, just search in maps. This one has great reviews.

There are many ways to get here from Sapporo Station. The most convenient would be to take the Namboku Line going to Susukino Station. It's a 5 minute walk from there.

There is a famous summer fireworks festival in August as well as a Taiko Drum Festival the day before.

Train from Nagoya is scenic and beautiful, or there are trains from Tokyo side. Takes half a day of travel, or driving is easy. I recommend staying in Matsumoto for hotels and planning early!!

No joke if you have questions at all, contact me (Kelsi Wilson) I love gushing about Nagano Prefecture, Okaya is my sister city and I have so much family there!

You can take the shinkansen to Okayama, and the express train into totori prefecture, where you can take a cute themed train into Sakaiminato!

to

Tomokomai (1 hour bus from Sapporo in Hokkaido)

www.sunflower.co.jp/en/

Naruto Honten. Otaru City's well known big fried chicken. http://otaru-naruto.jp/naruto/

7 minute walk from Otaru Station.

You can reserve in advance: https://autoreserve.com/en/restaurants/L6hTbtTTF5kA5ugn2Cg3?rwg_token=ACgRB3f6Y4YKDfOt3X0yXTKCjenE-_dGHTwyCr1M3n6ADxIyr62EOgggUXFrQo0npiZOp2UPE3xAs8qRBHthUeZEARKQ98qCZQ%3D%3D

A 40 minute walk from Jogasaki-Kaigan Station. Or, 20 minute walk from Izukaiyo Park Bus Stop, the closest bus stop.

Incredible views, lots of big spiders though.

Fresh seafood including King crab and huge kaisen don.

https://otaru-takinami.com/fr/5

5 minute walk from Otaru Station. Located in Sankaku market, 1st floor.

Wait times might be long, many tourists line up. But you can just take a number and come back when it's your turn.

More info:

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4414.html

There are many local trains and buses to get you here. The closest train station is the Odaiba-kaihinkoen Station; the closest bus stop is the Daiba-Nichome (Daiba 2). It is also accessible from the Tokyo Teleport Station but is a bit of a walk (20 mins).

Joypolis, a nice afternoon for a rainy day. Not great for people with motion sickness . Costs about 1200JPY for single entry.

https://tokyo-joypolis.com/language/english/

This place is quite hard to get to, but if you can afford it I would definitely recommend going on a tour bus for this location.

Live music venue that is popular because of Bocchi the Rock anime.

Very close to Shimo-Kitazawa Station, 4 minute walk.

Closest train station is Naka-meguro Staion which is a 10 minute walk. Also walkable from these bigger stations: Shibuya (35 mins) or Ebisu station (25 mins). By bus, the Kekobozakaue bus stop is closest which is also about 10 mins by foot.

To get here, you can go by bus from Shiroishi Station and ShiroishiZao Station. There are only like 2 or 3 buses in a day that would allow you to visit the fox village while it is open. Line up for the bus early because the bus has limited seating and if it gets full, the driver would turn people away. First come, first serve. Buses start from Shiroishizao station so probably better to take the bus from there.

More info on how to get there:

https://en.japantravel.com/miyagi/zao-fox-village/10167

The fox village has petting activities for an extra fee. If you are at all interested in holding and cuddling a fox, check the petting schedule upon arrival or on their website. http://zao-fox-village.com/descriptions/petting-zoo

to

Tomokomai (1 hour bus from Sapporo in Hokkaido)

Ferry information:

www.sunflower.co.jp/en/

How to get to Oarai Port:

https://www.sunflower.co.jp/en/port/oarai/

• Take the Chuo Bus No. 9 (Tenguyama Ropeway Line) from the bus terminal at JR Otaru Station. The ride takes about 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic, to the Tenguyama Ropeway stop.

  • One-way bus fare: ¥240 per person

• Ropeway (Cable Car)
  From the ropeway station, ride the cable car up to the observation deck—it’s a quick, scenic trip of around 4–5 minutes.

  • Round-trip fare: approximately ¥1,600 for adults, ¥800 for children

How to Get Here (from JR Otaru Station)

• Walking: Just a 5–10 minute stroll down the main road from Otaru Station leads you directly to the canal

• No bus needed—it’s comfortably walkable, especially convenient during colder winter evenings.

Festival Highlight: The Otaru Snow Light Path

• When & Where: Held annually in early to mid-February, including along the canal (Unga venue) and the old Temiya Railway stretch

• Atmosphere: From around 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the area glows with candles set in snow and ice sculptures, floating globes, and gas lamp-lit walkways—creating a scene that’s both serene and soul-stirring

• Extras: You can add your own candle, enjoy food stalls, and wander through nearby illuminated paths crafted by volunteers

From JR Sapporo Station, Odori Park is just a 10–15 minute walk south, or you can take the Namboku, Toho, or Tozai Subway Line one stop to Odori Station, which opens directly onto the park.

Access from JR Niigata Station

• By Bus:
  Take a Niigata Kōtsu local bus (such as the Suizokukan line) from the bus terminal at Niigata Station toward Seiryo University / Aquarium, and get off at Matsunami-cho 3-chome. From there, it's about a 5-minute walk to the park. The bus ride takes approximately 20 minutes and fares around ¥260 one-way.

• Hello Cycle (rental bikes) are available in Niigata City.

How to get there from JR Akita Station:
It’s about a 10–15 minute walk west from the station. Alternatively, you can take an Akita City Loop Bus (100 Yen Bus) to the Senshū Park-mae stop, which takes around 5 minutes and costs ¥100 one-way.

The Malios building is located just a 3–5 minute walk from Morioka Station’s West exit.

How to get to Matsushima Bay from JR Sendai Station:
Take the JR Senseki Line toward Ishinomaki and get off at Matsushima-Kaigan Station (about 40 minutes, ¥560 one-way). From there, it’s a 5-10 minute walk to the bay and sightseeing piers.

From JR Hiroshima Station, take the JR Sanyo Line toward Iwakuni and get off at Iwakuni Station. From the station, take a bus or taxi to Kintaikyo Bridge.

The castle is located right next to the station, just a 5-minute walk north, making it easily accessible on foot.

The Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Fukuyama Station takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, ¥9,000–¥10,000 one-way for a reserved seat.

How to get there from JR Tottori Station:
Take the Tottori Kōtsu Bus bound for Sakyu Center / Sand Dunes from the station’s bus terminal (about 15–20 minutes, ¥320 one-way). The dunes are a short walk from the bus stop.

The Sand Museum in the area showcases intricate sand art from international artists. The sand art changes yearly.

The park is approximately a 30-minute walk uphill from JR Hinase Station.

Once at the park, visitors can enjoy the Bell of Happiness, a real ship's bell symbolizing a wish for the sound of happiness to spread worldwide.

From Kumamoto Station, take a bus or a tram, transfer to a busline that can take you to Kumamoto Kencho mae. From there, it's a 5 minute walk.

It is situated on the JR Shikoku Dosan Line.

I went there by bicycle. By shinkansen and limited express train its abouy 7 hours from Mishima. You can probably fly there too.

It is possible to get here via local trains.

Can get the Tokaido shinkansen from Kakegawa to Mishima, then get off and get the JR Tokaido line to Otsuki. Finally get the Fuji excursion to Kawaguchiko.

I took local trains that are usually one-man trains along the cost of Wakayama on this trip. I really enjoyed this town and stayed at “Minshuku Katsuya” because it was available on booking.com easily. The owner of this ryokan drove me all around the area and seemed really excited to speak with a foreigner (in Japanese). I also swam in the ocean in the morning.

All you have to do is get to Nakano Station, Nakano Broadway is a quick 5-minute walk from the station.

A real cute island shrine dedicated to finding love! So all my single folks, you can come here if you're seeking a special someone ;)

Via Local Train, go to Hamamatsu, then take the train to Toyohashi Station. Then, take a train for Ogaki to Gamagori Station.

Then, it's about a 20 minute walk!

It's a really fun and short hike up the island, and then you can walk around the whole island and enjoy the beach!

Absolutely beautiful scenery, and many people who ride motorcycles go here.