This is Kamakura's most important shrine, built first in 1180 and, after a disastrous fire, againin 1191 by Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. The Shrine is designated to Hachiman, a Shintogod of war and also the patron deity to the Minamoto clan. Additionally, the souls of...
More than living up to its name, this 296 meter building is Japan’s tallest after Tokyo Tower, hosting offices, a hotel, restaurants and shopping spaces. One of the world’s fastest elevators will rush you to the 69th floor in just forty seconds, where you’ll enjoy spectacular views from the Sky Gar...
Another of Kanagawa’s attractions is the Enoshima Aquarium, certain to be a hit with anyone interested in marine biology. The Big Sagami Bay Tank recreates the ecology of nearby Sagami Bay, including a school of over 8,000 sardines that swim together in tight, spiraling formation. The Jellyfish Fa...
The Yokohama Raumen Museum is another food theme park, this one devoted to one of Japan’s true obsessions, the now world-famous noodle soup called ramen. The museum’s odd spelling of ramen is intentional, an old fashioned pronunciation that sounds nostalgic to Japanese visitors.
The museum docu...
Anyone with even a passing interest in Art Nouveau or Art Deco may want to stop by one of Hakone’s newest museums, dedicated entirely to the work of the French jeweler and glass artist Ren Lalique, a leading figure of both styles.
Over the course of his celebrated career, Lalique made jewelry for...
A wealthy silk trader named Tomitaro Hara built Yokohama’s beautiful Sankeien Garden in 1906. Slightly eccentric but very public-minded, Hara took the pen name Sankei, later bestowed on this garden. In his later years, he invited first young artists and later the general public into his garden, an...
Hakone is both a town and its surrounding area, south of Mt. Fuji in Kanagawa Prefecture, at the edge of Fuji-Hakone National Park. It’s a pleasant destination, and you can easily spend two or three days exploring the areas offerings at a leisurely pace.
Several of these attractions have their...
Kawasaki’s Toshiba Science Museum was launched, in part, to combat waning interest in the natural sciences among children. It does a pretty good job of this, overall, not only through its exhibits but also through various events and educational outreach and awards programs for youth. As a corporat...
Japan’s oldest Zen training monastery will be familiar to some readers through Lafcadio Hearn’s vivid descriptions in his 1894 book Glimpses of an Unfamiliar Japan. Founded in 1253 by the Chinese Zen Master Rankei Doryu, Kenchoji is the leading temple in Kamakura, long a center of Zen.
The Zen ...
Odawara once flourished as a castle town in Kanagawa prefecture. You can still visit Odawara castle to view the city.
This truly massive shopping mall is attached to the west exit of the JR Kawasaki Station. Designed by the well-known Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill, the mall is home to about 300 shops and a wide choice of dining options, especially in the enormous “Grand Food” food court on the first floor. Wit...
Owakudani is another of Japan’s “Hell Valleys,” and was once called such until a visit from the Emperor prompted a switch to a less inauspicious name. Owakudani means Big Seething Valley, a more or less perfect description of what travelers will find here. The valley was created in an eruption abo...
This eight-floor spa and hotel facility was opened in 2005 and offers visitors a variety of indoor and outdoor hot-spring style baths, from traditional cypress tubs to a rooftop garden where you can soak your feet in a hot footbath while enjoying the famous night view. The eighth floor also has an ...
Only about an hour from Tokyo by train, the historic onsen town of Yugawara offers an ideal getaway for travelers looking for a dramatic change of pace. Tucked between Sagami Bay and the Izu-Hakone mountains at the neck of the Izu Peninsula, the town has a large assortment of onsen spas and ryokan ...
