
The center of the former Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa Main Island (Okinawa Honto) is by far the largest and most populous island in Okinawa Prefecture and the regional transportation hub. The prefectural capital Naha and most of the US military bases are located on Okinawa Honto.
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March 12th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

The Miho Museum is located in Shiga Prefecture, just a short trip from Kyoto. It was designed by the renowned architect, I. M. Pei, and is named after Koyama Mihoko, one of the richest women in Japan and the founder of the museum.
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March 11th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

Hikone is a small city at the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake. The city is most famous for its castle, one of only four castles in Japan designated as national treasures. Hikone makes an easy and pleasant 3-5 hour stop-over (or more) on a trip between Tokyo and Kyoto.
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March 10th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off
March 9th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

The Fuji Five Lake region (Fujigoko) is located at the foot of Mount Fuji at an altitude of roughly 1000 meters above sea level in mountainous Yamanashi Prefecture. It is one of the best places to view Mount Fuji from a close distance and a convenient base for climbing the mountain.
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March 8th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

Rishirito (Rishiri Island) and Rebunto (Rebun Island) are two small islands near the northern tip of Hokkaido. The islands are part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park and offer beautiful hiking trails, costal sceneries, alpine flowers and small fishing villages.
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March 7th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

Abashiri is a city of 40,000 people on the eastern coast of Hokkaido, not far from Shiretoko and Akan national parks. The city’s main tourist attractions are its prison museum and the drift ice, which can be observed in the Okhotsk Sea during winter.
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March 6th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

Shiretoko National Park, located on the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido, is one of Japan’s most beautiful and unspoiled national parks. No roads lead further than about three fourth up the peninsula, and the northern tip can only be viewed from boats or be reached on multi day trekking tours.
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March 5th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

Furano and Biei are two towns in the center of Hokkaido, known for their pleasant and picturesque rural landscapes. The best time to visit is July and August, when many lavender fields are in bloom. During winter, the region turns into a popular downhill and cross country skiing resort.
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March 4th, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off

Akan National Parks is located in eastern Hokkaido. The park’s main attractions are its beautiful crater lakes, hot springs and mountains, which are of volcanic origin.
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March 3rd, 2009 | Posted in Japan Travel | Comments Off