Tokyo Disneyland
Known and loved as the “kingdom of dreams and magic”, this full-scale themepark is just a 15 min. train ride from Tokyo Station.
After the fireworks, it was really late and we were all exhausted. It's definitely best to stay at a hotel inside the park.
Michi-no-eki Daiku-no-sato
During the WWI, captured German soldiers were kept in Bando POW camp. The former camp was renovated into German Village Park. Michi-no-eki is added in the park and named as Daiku no Sato (Home of #9) since Beethoven’s Symphony #9 was played first in Naruto City of all Asia.
The most famous local specialties in Tokushima, Shikoku are the original Naruto Kintoki sweet potatoes, Naruto seaweed, and authentic sweet potato shochu, among others. They're all regional exclusives, so before I knew it, I ended up buying a whole box! 😅
Okunitama-jinja Shrine
Okunitama Shrine, with a history stretching back about 1900 years, is where Okunitama-no-Okami, the deity protecting the Musashino area, is enshrined. Musashino was a vast area including modern-day Tokyo, Saitama, and parts of Kanagawa. Inside the shrine grounds are several smaller shrines, each one granting its own blessing. Among those, the shrine blessing love and marriage is especially well-known.
I happened to visit during Shichi-Go-San, a special festival for Japanese kids. The children dressed in kimonos looked absolutely adorable.
Shuhoukaku Kogetsu
Shuhoukaku Kogetsu is located on the northern coast of Lake Kawaguchi, one of the five lakes at the bottom of the Mt. Fuji UNESCO site. The hotel offers a beautiful uninterrupted view of the mountain and the lake from all guestrooms and outdoor baths.
The view from the room was stunning. It's a fantastic spot for seeing Mt. Fuji.
Gero Hot Springs (Gero Onsen)
The historic hot spring “Gero Onsen” is said to have been discovered in the Engi era (901-923) and the Tenryaku era (947-957). During the Edo period, a Confucian scholar who served the Tokugawa family, Hayashi Razan, noted the hot spring as one of "the three famous springs in Japan," alongside Arima Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture and Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture.
Enjoying a delicious meal at the ryokan and soaking in the hot springs is the perfect way to relax after a day of sightseeing. We always make sure to include a trip to Japan for our family vacations.