Hashigui-iwa Rock
Formed by igneous activity around 15 million years ago and sculpted by marine erosion, some 40 rock pillars of various sizes stand in the sea in a southwest-running line stretching approximately 850 meters.
This coastal area in the southwest of Wakayama has some famous spots like Hashigui Iwa, Cape Shionomisaki, and Kaikongo. The scenery and vibe here are totally different from Kyoto or Osaka. I really recommend exploring Wakayama on your own!
Satsukiyama Park
The 315m-tall Mt. Satsuki is Ikeda City's symbol. Ina River runs along the foot of the mountain and has a nice driveway leading to the Satsukiyama Park on this mountain, which is a familiar oasis with leisure facilities to Ikeda’s residents.
Satsukiyama Park has the best spot for overlooking the Osaka Plain. It's also a super popular place for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. No wonder it's been selected as one of Osaka's Top 100 Green Spaces!
Kirin Beer Sendai Brewery
This beer brewery opened in 1923 has the longest history in the Tohoku Region. You can tour around how their major product “Kirin Ichiban draft beer” is made, and have a taste at the end.
At the Kirin Beer Brewery, you can watch a video in the classroom that covers how beer is made, the factory's history, and even some unreleased commercials. After watching, you'll definitely want a glass of Kirin beer right away—haha!
Abashiri Prison Museum
Abashiri Prison Museum is an outdoor history museum located in the Abashiri National Park area. On a site equivalent to 3.5 times the size of Tokyo Dome, the former Abashiri Prison buildings have been relocated, restored, preserved, and opened to the public.
The Abashiri Prison Museum's main building used to be the prison management center. The whole structure is a classic example of Meiji-era government architecture.
Karuizawa Garden Farm, Strawberry Garden
The farm gives a sweeping view of Mt. Asama, famous for the strawberry picking available throughout the year. The Summer / Autumn Strawberry Picking is held from July to November, and The Premium Winter Strawberry Picking is held from late December to June.
It's so warm inside the strawberry greenhouse! Being able to eat freshly picked strawberries is awesome. You can even dip them in condensed milk—so tasty. The kids really enjoyed picking strawberries too.
Kajo Park
This is a city park built on the ruins of "Yamagata Castle", which was recognized as one of the "100 Great Castles of Japan". "Yamagata Castle" is one of the largest outline-style flat castles in Japan, surrounded by three moats and earthen mounds in the Honmaru, Ninomaru, and Sanomaru areas.
Kajo Park looks like a castle made of flowers from afar! It's actually a bit of a walk from the river, but the flowers are so huge and impressive. You can really feel how majestic it is! ❤️
Kaiseizan Park
Kaiseizan Park, which stretches in front of Koriyama City Hall, is an urban park that can be called a symbol of Koriyama City. The park is centered around Lake Isuzu, which was developed for irrigation, and is well known by citizens as an urban oasis.
Kaiseizan Park—once you walk in, you'll see a whole forest of cherry blossoms. It's like walking through a tunnel of sakura. Absolutely stunning! ❤️