Japan Observation Decks

The beautiful gardens of Shikina-en are probably the best known landscaped gardens in Okinawa, located slightly over one kilometer south of Shuri Castle, as the crow flies, i.e. very...

Mount Fuji is a Japanese mountain in the shape of a volcanic cone located on the main island of Honshu, sitting between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, a hundred kilometers away...

A few dozens of minutes from the heart of Tokyo is Takao-san, a mountain which Japanese people have revered for a very long time. They'll refer about it with terms such as "hiking"...

The city of Kamakura, the ancient capital of Japan south of Tokyo, is a popular tourist destination thanks to its great Buddha or its many temples and shrines. Nearby is the...

If you are a regular Kanpai reader, you will know that I am particularly fond of high vantage points. It does obviously make sense to observe topographical features as well as the...

The huge and recently opened Tokyo SkyTree has become an inevitable part of your visit to the Japanese capital. Opened to the public since May 22nd, 2012, the Sky Tree was accessible...

I can't explain why, but only a few travelers to Japan know about Nokogiriyama. However, I can assure you that this is one of the most beautiful expeditions that I've been given to...

Since the inauguration of Tokyo Sky Tree in 2012, Tokyo Tower seems to have been neglected by many travelers. It is, however, well worth a visit on the basis of the following...

The recurring question of which Buddha in Japan is the largest of all remains open to debate although the names of the very famous and much worshipped Buddha statues of Kamakura and...

Discovering Nara can be easily done on a single day, from Kyoto or Osaka for example. The counterpart is that many visitors limit themselves to some very touristy spots, often...

Let's continue our tour of observatories in Tokyo with this new perspective point: Sunshine 60. It's located in Ikebukuro, in the commercial heart of the neighborhood, a few hundred...

Tokyo tourists, you've probably already heard of Roppongi Hills, a huge urban project built ten years ago in the capital's eponymous district. This complex of 27 acres is organized...

Traditionally (back from the 17th century), these three most famous views in Japan, called "Nihon sankei"; are the most beautiful to contemplate: the famous Miyajima and...

Daimonji-yama, this beautiful mountain northeast of Kyoto, is especially know for "Gozan Okuribi", an event which takes place on August 16. Every year on this night, huge kanji...

Kiyomizu (which means "pure water"), apart from being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another essential visit to plan during your trip in Kyoto. Located east of the city, this...

Tourist attractions in Takamatsu are actually visited quite quickly. Yashima, located not far from the city, offers an interesting perspective on the region and the Seto Inland Sea....

Like many castles in Japan, Osaka-jô (Osaka Castle) was rebuilt several times. Created during the 16th century, the last rebuilding of Osaka castle was in 1997 and its inside now has...

Shinjuku City Hall (Tocho) seems to be the most famous spot to shoot aerial photos of Tokyo. Let me introduce you the Bunkyo Civic Center, a 535 feet tall building completed in 1970....

If you intend to visit Osaka, I would recommend going to the district of Shin Umeda City. There is one particular point of interest: Umeda Sky Building, built in 1993 by Hiroshi Hara...

He who climbs Mount Fuji once is a wise man, He who does it twice is a fool. – Japanese proverb Tokyo aside, Mount Fuji is probably the most famous tourist attraction in...