Travel to Japan

Lots of fun in Chiba

In Chiba you can find good shopping, good prices, a nice free zoo,one cool monorail sysytem, it is close to Tokyo and  not an intimidating place,it is also a young happening city. it can be compared  to Chicago of the USA. It's a huge lace with LOTS to do, but not as OVERDONE as a New York, LA, or Tokyo.

Ueno Zoo

Don't let  the size of the map full you, this is not a small zoo.  It is easy, if you read all the signs, to spend all day there. The animals looked healthy and well fed. The best part for the kids are the tiger cages. The enclosure is strong glass and stone. Where the tigers are laying and you  can almost reach out and scratch them behind the ears (if its not for the glass). Very cool. None of your small cages here. You can get a map in English. It's a good and inexpensive way to send the day.

Yokohama History Museum

Besides real artifacts that chronicle Yokohama's 20,000-year history, there are numerous, models, exhibits and displays for further learning. Of particular interest is the model of a teahouse from the Tokaido highway. The seven-floor building includes the following facilities: a library, reading room, auditorium, seminar room and a gallery for special exhibitions.

Snow Festival

The Sapporo Snow Festival every February attracts two million visitors to the city and is the highlight of the year. The 2006 festival was the 57th since a group of Hokkaido students first had the idea of creating ice sculptures in Odori Park not long after the end of World War II. Anyone hoping to stay in Sapporo during the festival needs to plan well in advance.

Historical Village

Just outside Sapporo you can visit the Hokkaido Historical Village, where about 60 old buildings from around the island stand as they did in the pioneering years of the 19th century. You can see Sapporo's first railway station, and the newspaper building from the seaside town of Otaru. Depending on the season, visitors can travel through the village on horse-drawn carriages or sleighs.

Yuki Matsuri - Snow Festival

This was a great experience for anyone! First let me just say that you wil find so much snow - It's best to arrive a day or two before the start of the festival so you can experience the process. At the end of Odori park is the international section. Here you can meet volunteers building sculptures from all over the world! I also highly recommend taking the bus tour to the Chitose Ice Festival on the lake. It is lit with colored lights at night and is more interactive than in Sapporo. A bus tour runs about 2900yen.

Sapporo Clock Tower

Read any travel guides and you will find this place listed as a landmark. It is probably always part of the itinerary in any tour package to Sapporo. This quaint old building is nestled amongst tall office building. The clock tower building is small, so dont get too excited. There are some exhibits in it, (about 2 to 3 levels of it), mostly in Japanese and some English. Not very interesting inside, but the exterior is good for a holiday shot to bring home.

Grand old Dame

This grand old dame provides a picturesque setting to your photos. Especially in winter, the red bricked building looks very pretty in the snow. This place is a about a 10min walk away from the main Sapporo JR line train station. If you just want to have pictures taken, the compund takes about 10-15 mins to walk through p.s. : see my other tips on Otaru, Hokkaido (30 mins train ride from Sapporo)

Kanagawa Prefectural Kanazawa Bunko Museum

Here you can find  the collection of the foundation which was established in mid-XIII century by the Hojo family. Since the mid-XIV century it has been maintained by the Shomyo-ji Temple. The specialist in Kamakura era paintings will find a number of Shomyo-ji priests and Hojo family portraits represented. The Kamakura sculpture is in the standing exhibit. There is some amazing celadon from Song period and pottery from Tang and Han. In the library are priceless classical Buddhist writings for you to enjoy.

Yokohama Municipal Tourist Association

The Yokohama Municipal Tourist Association is an excellent English-speaking city tourist office that serves the needs of visitors to Yokohama. Located near by the Kannai Station, and close to the Silk Center and Yamashita Park, this tourist office offers a broad selection of brochures on Yokohama, a good English-language map, and lots of free advice on good dining, fine accommodations, and the city's sightseeing hotspots. Yokohama Municipal Tourist Association also has a Home Visit System where they can arrange for you to visit with a Japanese family.