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In 2021, UNESCO awarded Japan a new World Heritage Site, collectively known as the Jomon Prehistoric Sites of Northern Japan. The sites are located in 17 different locations across four prefectures and document the history and culture of Japan’s prehistoric era. The Jomon period began at the tail end of the last ice age. The ice and land bridges that once connected the Japanese archipelago to the Asian mainland disappeared, and Japan became the set of islands we know today. The Jomon people lived in many places throughout Japan and shared a common lifestyle and culture. The Jomon period contin...
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American Commodore Matthew Perry opened Japan’s borders in 1853, following centuries of isolation. The following year, Hakodate became a port that was used exclusively by the American Navy. By the end of the decade, however, the port opened up to other international powers. For Hakodate and other treaty ports in Japan, that meant transforming the urban landscape. At the foot of Mount Hakodate, the Motomachi area became a residential and political heart of the foreign population in the city. Located in Motomachi, Hakodate’s Old Public Hall is a great place to learn more about this transformativ...
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The Tokyo Daibutsu (big Buddha statue) is unknown to many travelers despite being in one of the busiest cities in the world. It’s hidden in deep in the suburbs within a temple with an ancient history. The immense bronze statue, once ranked next to Nara and Kamakura, can be seen at Tokyo’s Joren-ji Temple premises. Statue originsJoren-ji is a temple of the Jodo sect located in Itabashi Ward on the northwest corner of Tokyo. This 600-year-old temple was originally located in Itabashi-juku on the Nakasendo, one of Edo’s four post towns. But due to the modernization of the city and the constructio...
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Nageiredo Hall is coined as Japan’s most hazardous national treasure. It is a wooden hall perched high on the cliffside of Mount Mitoku in Tottori prefecture. This structural wonder clings to the rocky cliff edge above the ravine beneath, which gives off an illusion that defies the laws of physics. Nageiredo Hall is a part of Sanbutsuji Temple and has been in existence for more than a thousand years, rightfully earning its place as a National Treasure of Japan. The title “Nageiredo” makes much more sense upon seeing the hall. There is a theory that someone long ago with supernatural powers ess...
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With the Aomori City harbor on one side and Tsugaru Peninsula on the other side, Aomori Bay is a nexus of Nebuta floats and shamisen music, towered over by one of the prefecture’s longest bridges. Aomori is famous for its lantern-lit Nebuta Festival, which traditionally draws up to three million visitors annually. However, several prominent landmarks are within the city’s bayside area, including the triangle-shaped tourist center, ASPAM and the soaring Aomori Bay Bridge, designed to convey a similar “A for Aomori” appearance with its suspension cables. Strolling along the boardwalk will take y...
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It’s been a scary year, and everyone is looking for an escape. We asked our readers to vote for their top 10 travel destinations in Japan for 2021 (once travel is safe again), and these are their picks. Each destination highlights an escape from busy tourist spots and everyday life for a chance to reflect and get back in touch with nature or even discover the heart of communities in rural and small-town Japan. If you’re traveling to one of these destinations, we want to hear about it. Tag us on social media with #GaijinPotTravel.
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Aizuwakamatsu in western Fukushima Prefecture is known for its pristine landscapes, quality sake, traditional crafts, and rich samurai history. It’s a bustling former castle town with friendly locals deeply proud of their history and culture. Home to thousand-year-old hot springs, lakes swimming with swans, and the last refuge of loyal samurai, Aizuwakamatsu is worthy of history buffs and nature lovers alike.Aizuwakamatsu CastleTsuruga Castle (also called Aizuwakamatsu Castle) is Aizuwakamatsu’s symbol and city center. Once the seat of the powerful Aizu Domain, it was the site of the Battle of...
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