Japan is cute animal sanctuary central and what could possibly be cuter than a fox village? In the picturesque mountains of Miyagi prefecture you can watch, feed and take adorable pictures with six different breeds of Japanese foxes.

Once you arrive, stock up on cheap bags of fox food at the entrance and get your camera ready to capture some foxy hijinks.

You can pick up bags of fox food for around 100 yen at the entrance to the village.

The main part of the village works as a kind of open-air fox preserve where foxes roam freely outside. There are a few houses and play areas for the foxes but you can pretty much get away with pretending you’re the Lord of the Foxes in your own live-action fairy tale.

The foxes are wild so avoid trying to get too close to them without permission from the friendly staff. If you do desperately want to play or stroke one of the many fluffy inhabitants, they can set you up with a more docile member of the crew.

A special section is set aside for those who want to cuddle a sleepy fox, and let’s face it, who doesn’t?

This is obviously very popular, so make sure you give yourself enough time to line up before your coach or taxi leaves. If you don’t fancy getting comfy with the real thing, you can always purchase a range of fox plushies and souvenirs from the on-site shop.

Sadly, you can’t take a real one home.

Although accessible all year round, visiting in winter is highly recommended for the ethereal quality it adds to the village. Bring hiking boots (whatever the season) to make it easier to explore in the snow and protect you from the inevitable piles of fox poo.

Foxes get a pretty bad rep for being tricksters in many cultures but in Japan they’re also believed to be magical beings and messengers of Inari Okami, the Shinto deity of fertility, prosperity and rice. After an hour or two hanging out with these little guys you might just believe they’ve got a little magic in them too.

• 2019 Autumn Kochia: Peak time to see the kochia at their most vivid shade of red is between Oct. 17 to Oct. 23.

The sprawling public park overflows with blooming seasonal flowers through the year that draw crowds from all over Kanto. The park also contains an amusement park, cycling paths and BMX courses, as well as hosting one of Japan’s largest rock music festivals.

From late April to early May, Miharashi Hill is covered in 4.5 million nemophila flowers, transforming the hill into a sea of blue.

Miharashi Hill is the famous slope on the seaside and the most photographed area of Hitachi Seaside Park. Hundreds of camera-toting visitors come for the baby blue nemophila blooms in the spring, returning again in the fall for the summer cypress kochia balls. For in-between, there’s gardens filled with tulips and cosmos, lily and lavender, zinnia flowers and rapeseed to stroll among.

The hill is awash in red with kochia flowers in mid-October.

At over 150 hectares, the park can be quite large to cover on foot. Grab a bike for a gentle ride around.

Wanna see more autumn colors?

For those who want to exert the minimum effort possible, the Seaside Train is a relaxing way to get around and covers the park in about 35 minutes.

With stops at 10 different locations, visitors can hop on and off at their own pace.

Go on, be lazy. Photo by Zhao !.

The amusement park has retro rides for both children and adults. Kids can run around while the adults handle lunch at the BBQ Plaza – groups can reserve spots and grill as they will. A variety of restaurants and cafes serve regional foods and seasonal sweets, decorated with the current flowers in bloom.

If you’re a fan of J-Rock or J-Pop, head to the Rock in Japan festival held at the park over three days in August. It’s one of the biggest music festivals in the country and a great chance to rock out in a field of flowers – Woodstock eat your heart out.

• 2019 Monster Parade: Sat, October 19th, 2019
• 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• http://kyoto-taisyogun.com/en/

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And here’s a really cute kitsune (fox) girl who runs a spooky-themed tenugui (traditional Japanese cloths) shop. Or maybe she’s just hanging about to make mischief? ? [Minolta a7 / Astia100f] #youkaiseries

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Today, this street is known as “Yokai Street,” where you can see some of these traditional and not-so-traditional monsters. The owners of shops on this street started to construct monsters as a celebration of the legends. Some of them are based on Japanese folklore, and others are just a hodgepodge of things thrown together to look like a monster. Either way, it’s worth a visit while in Kyoto City.

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おはようさん！ たまには、こんなんのもいいやろ? 仕事しよ。 #photo #写真 #カメラ #camera #一眼レフ #NIKON#d7200 #myphotography #写真好きな人と繋がりたい #カメラ好きな人と繋がりたい#写真撮ってる人と繋がりたい #team_jp_西 #igersjp #ig_japan#icu_japan #ig_nihon #bestjapanpics #nikonasia #NikonGlobal #kyoto #japanlicious #妖怪ストリート

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As the story goes…

In Japanese folklore, yokai are feared and renowned. Most of the legends are used to scare children into doing their chores or being kind to each other. This is why you will sometimes see “monsters” made out of old broomsticks, or other household items. Make sure to sweep the house or the broom monster will come and get you!

The street is home to a shopping district called Taishogun Shopping Street, where the 400-meter walk is populated with homemade sculptures of these legendary monsters.

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前回の大将軍八神社の記事でチラッと書きました妖怪ストリートの妖怪達を紹介します。 . 平安時代最強の陰陽師・安倍晴明が式神を隠した一条戻橋に通じる一条大路。現在の一条通りにこの妖怪ストリートは有ります。 . 10月には妖怪に扮した人間達が百鬼夜行をする妖怪イベントもあり面白いですよ。 . #大将軍八神社#妖怪ストリート#百鬼夜行#平安時代から#妖怪#yokai #travel #trip#kyoto#宿泊 #旅館業許可 #町家#京都旅行#kisshoan#吉祥庵#お宿#ゲストハウス #umetree#umeblossom #ume#guesthouse #建築士#簡易宿泊所 #ホテル#hotel#リノベーション#renovation#newwebsite http://kissho-an.jp/

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This is your opportunity to grab some authentic Japanese food and souvenirs. Since the street is not really a tourist destination, it is a great opportunity to experience a different side of Japan. Most of the shops cater to locals and some of them are hundreds of years old. Everything from fresh fish, to clothing and tea shops line the streets.

Seasonal events

If you happen to visit in September and October, the street also boasts “Monster”-themed events such as the “yokai parade” which is the area’s largest event of the year. Hundreds of people dress up as different monsters and parade through the streets in the evening, much like ancient Halloween traditions. They also hold a “ghost” flea market on the weekend, where monster-themed goods are sold from dozens of shops. If you ever wanted earrings shaped like eyeballs, Japanese rice wine with spooky art labels, or stuffed animals of legendary Japanese monsters, you have come to the right place.

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一条百鬼夜行妖怪パレード＠大将軍商店街。 力作過ぎるよ！ #kyoto #festival #京都 #大将軍商店街 #大将軍商店街一条妖怪ストリート #百鬼夜行 #妖怪パレード #パレード #妖怪

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These events have different dates each year, so be sure to check out the official website to find the best time to go. Don’t miss out on this spooky treat when visiting Kyoto.

Looking for more strange parts of Japan? Check out some “offbeat” places!

• Permanently closed as of Nov. 17, 2019

Photo by: Matthew Coslett Outside the warehouse.

Anata no Warehouse (meaning “Your Warehouse”) is a place that has such a foreign feeling that a visitor could conceivably get cyberpunk culture shock simply from entering. Of course, in the case of this arcade, this effect is intentional. The building is based on Kowloon’s “walled city,” an infamous overcrowded slum that used to exist in Hong Kong. To add authenticity to this illusion, there is a carefully designed layer of grime on everything.

…Make no mistake about it, most people are here to game.

As you take the escalator up from the ground floor into the arcade itself, gradually the sounds of the faux-Chinese townscape melt away and are replaced by the noisy roar of arcade machines. Sure, the unique atmosphere of the location is a big part of its attractiveness, but make no mistake about it, most people are here to game. Each level of the building is dedicated to different types of gamers from pool sharks to people trying to win cuddly toys on the coin drop machines to the UFO catchers.

Photo by: Matthew Coslett Inside the slum.

The main attraction for most visitors is undoubtedly the video games. Unsurprisingly for a venue based on a part of Hong Kong that only exists in the memory for its citizens, its Japanese doppelganger is filled with the type of games that would have been played in Kowloon during the late 80s/ early 90s when the slum saw its final days.

Photo by: Cristina M An iconic scene you walk across.

If you are from the generation that hears names like Spikeout, Darius, Space Harrier, Parodius and Gauntlet and think they sound like the names of exotic cars or designer drugs, then you may not appreciate the gaming experience that Anata no Warehouse has to offer. Most of the more modern games seem almost guiltily on display, tucked into the corner just in case. If you are willing to give retro gaming a try or desperately want to re-experience the 90s; however, you’ll soon find yourself on your next roll of 50 yens, desperately trying to beat that boss.

Photo by: GurtyGurt Arcade time!

This is definitely a place for adults (age limit is 18 and up only). The fifth-floor of the warehouse continues the 90s theme with an internet cafe where you can even get a massage. Alright, then. However, in order to use all the cool facilities inside (like the comic shop with the latest magazines, the Mahjong booths or the darts corner)  you will need to make a membership. You can find more information about the membership here.

Photo by: Ruxandra Florea Front desk area of the internet cafe

In short, Anata no Warehouse is a place with a real sense of time, place and identity. It genuinely feels like it could be a part of a Chinese slum in the late 90s. Admittedly, part of the run-down area that focuses more on more innocent fun than the notorious gambling dens that the real area was known for. While you will have to endure the narrow corridors, neon and noise that both areas were notorious for, the brave of heart will Anata no Warehouse a great place to come not just for the games but also for the experience.

• 2019 Date: Sat, Oct. 5
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fireworks are from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
• Katsunuma Central Park - Map

Katsunuma is a small town in the heart of Yamanashi Prefecture about a one-and-a-half-hour train ride from Tokyo. What better way to delve into Japan’s wine paradise than going to the Katsunuma Grape Festival held yearly on the first Saturday in October.

Photo by: Kaitlyn Smith Every October, it’s a celebration of the grape harvest.

Wine all day

Katsunuma has an abundance of delicious grapes, and of course, wine. Sweet, sour, bitter, and every flavor imaginable is available at the festival. Including peach and yuzu (citrus) wine!

Photo by: emiliainjp All-you-can-drink samples.

The festival, located at Katsunuma Central Park and on the nearby middle school grounds, showcases over 24 wineries and each one brings at least three to six wines you can try. After buying a wine glass, it’s time for some all-you-can-drink juice of the gods. The whole area becomes a big outdoor picnic party where you can continue to sample from each wine stand until it runs dry. A small amount of wine is poured into the glass by vendors, or there’s also a self-service barrel wine area for people (us!) who don’t want to wait. If you’re lovin’ on a certain brand of wine, feel free to purchase a bottle at the stand to take home or to drink on the spot.

Fire at night

Photo by: lifeinyamanashi Fire time!

There are also plenty of food stands, free grape giveaways and a grape skin spitting contest. During the day, there is a taiko (drum) performance and parade where children carry the mikoshi (portable shrine).

Photo by: lifeinyamanashi Come for the wine, stay for the fire.

Even after all that fine wine, there’s more. The night lights up with the Katsunuma middle school students running through the festival with giant torches. The students perform a short ceremony on the festival grounds and then proceed to run up to the top of the mountain and perform a tori-yaki (firing tori gate) — a totally mystical sight not to be missed. The night ends with a bang as fireworks light up the sky with the burning tori gate in the foreground.

If you’re wine-dering what all this will really look like, it’s a grape idea to head out to this local festival!

Nishinari is a ramshackle slum filled with ragtag vagrants and dangerous criminals — at least, that’s what the Osaka locals will have you think. Tourists, on the other hand, view it as a backpacker’s paradise packed with cheap hotels and Airbnbs conveniently positioned near  tourist attractions like the Shinsekai area.

The reality is something else — a rundown but bustling district with heaps of character and a complicated history. Welcome to one of Osaka’s most fascinating, yet controversial, neighborhoods.

Osaka’s underbelly

Photo by: goppe728 Bart Simpson is a big fan of these ¥50 vending machines.

Nishinari is one of Osaka’s 24 wards. It’s located just south of Namba, a glitzy nightlife and shopping district geared towards tourism. Nishinari is essentially the opposite, characterized by an aging male population, faded storefronts, and dingy karaoke and pachinko joints. Day laborers, unable or unwilling to find steady work in the suit-and-tie world, have congregated in the area since 1898, seeking shelter in doya (cheap and often minimalist inns).

The front and back streets are still packed with doya, as well as lively local haunts and covered shopping arcades. Everything is ridiculously cheap with izakayas, grocery stores and even vending machines advertising prices much lower than Namba and the surrounding areas.

Photo by: Simon Cozen Some inns in Nishinari are as cheap as ¥850 a night!

Restaurants serving filling meals for around ¥400 to ¥500 line the streets, and local supermarket Super Tamade offers boxed lunches for around ¥200. The supermarket also has a wacky system where select items are only ¥1 after you spend ¥1,000. Some hotels are even as cheap as ¥850 a night!

As such, Nishinari has become a sought after spot for tourists both trying to save money and looking for a glimpse into Osaka’s rougher and more authentic side. It’s an exciting place to simply wander, that is if you feel safe enough to do so.

Photo by: Wiki Super Tamade has a crazy cheap system where many items only cost ¥1 if you spend ¥1000.

Kamagasaki and the red-light district

Sure, it’s great for the budget conscious, but if the stories are to be believed, are travelers staying in Nishinari asking to get robbed or kidnapped? Let’s look at the facts.

Osaka has the highest crime rate in Japan. This may shock people who’ve already visited and left their wallet unattended without incident, but that’s because the corruption is mostly concentrated in Nishinari, specifically, in the Kamagasaki district.

Sketchy things can and do happen— indecent exposure and rancid smells usually being the worst.

Kamagasaki (also known as Airin-chuku) is home to the largest concentration of day-laborers in Japan. Thousands live within a small radius either on the street or in doya, creating slum-like conditions. Crime is a regular occurrence, though offenses typically relate to drugs and gambling. Over 20 riots have occurred here, with the first in 1961 and the most recent one in 2008.

Photo by: Shoji Ogawa Tsutenkaku Tower looms in the distance, only a few steps away from Kamagasaki.

Nishinari is also home to Osaka’s morally questionable Tobita Shinchi, the city’s red-light district. It’s the largest red-light district in Western Japan rivaling Tokyo’s Kabukicho and Sapporo’s Susukino. To top it off, Nishinari is supposedly the base of two yakuza (Japanese mafia) factions.

A red light district famous for ramen and LGBT friendly?

Let’s be real though, the crime rate in Japan is lower than many of its Western counterparts in Europe and the United States.  Even its most dangerous areas are tamer than what a large chunk of Western tourists are likely familiar with. Though clearly shady, the criminals of Nishinari are unlikely to mess with tourists.

To stay or not to stay

That is definitely the question, and ultimately, it’s up to you to do your research before visiting. Despite the area’s bad rap locally, many outsiders scoff at the warnings. Sketchy things can and do happen — indecent exposure and rancid smells usually being the worst — but robbery, assault, and murder? Highly unlikely.

For travelers, a more pressing drawback may be the cleanliness or lack thereof. Compared to the rest of Japan’s pristine appearance, Nishinari’s tent cities and urine smell can be jarring.

Nishinari is a great lodging option for travelers visiting the Shinsekai area looking to save some cash.

It isn’t all bad. Nishinari is also home to lively and generous people who live and work there legitimately, charming old buildings displaying a glimpse into Japan’s storied Showa era, and gaudily-lit shops patronized by perfectly friendly folks. It’s a great option for those visiting Tennoji Park or Tennoji Zoo as it’s only a few steps away from the Shinsekai area.

If saving money is your primary objective, go for it! If you’re concerned about safety or ethics — the area is gentrifying which could ultimately displace the day laborers — it might be best to stay elsewhere.

Even though it is probably only known to the locals of Nagasaki, Nichieiyu Bathhouse has been the social hub for bathers since around the 1930s.

The sento (public bathhouse) is actually located near an important shrine in Nagasaki. As you walk around the bright red Confucius Shrine in the city center, you may notice a retro-looking building right outside the shrine. It becomes obvious that you’ve reached a bathhouse upon spotting the cute elephant character on the hanging noren (traditional curtains), as well as the Japanese character for bath, ゆ, pronounced “yu.”

Photo by: eeeeemi23 Look for the pink elephant to enter into the bathhouse.

Nichieiyu Bathhouse has been in use since the end of Taisho Period, making this classic no-frills establishment one of the oldest still in use in Nagasaki Prefecture. However, locals who hang out there will tell you it is, in fact, the oldest.

You may even notice other bathers bantering together in the distinctive Nagasaki dialect.

Upon entering, the first thing you will notice is the changing area. With wooden floors and lockers, a cozy couch and a washing machine right there, the atmosphere is anything but pretentious. Before bathing, observe the long-lasting pink tiles as nostalgic melodies of old Japanese songs lightly play through the speakers. You may even notice other bathers bantering together in the distinctive Nagasaki dialect — this place is as about as local as it gets.

Photo by: Cara Lam Wicked massage chair, though…

There are three indoor baths in total. In addition to a “jet bath” with massaging effects and a cold bath, there’s also an herbal bath. The milky-colored water consists of 20 types of herbs, which are particularly recommended for people with rashes and waist pain. In summer, you can further relax with a citrus fragrance. It’s also a denki bath. “Denki” means electricity in Japanese — which is exactly what travels through the water to shock bathers at points across their body via small currents. A unique way to relax, this isn’t exactly uncommon in Japan, but it does make for an interesting bathing experience.

If you want to bath in a cozy environment and maybe even make a few friends, stop by Nichieiyu Bathhouse while in Nagasaki!

If there is one single location that could be described as the physical manifestation of Tottori Prefecture’s laidback hospitality and innovative spirit, it would have to be Mabuya. A vibrant community hub, cafe and art space located in the northwestern corner of Daisen, right by the coast of Tottori — a part of Japan where travelers can explore beyond the big city.

Photo by: Mabuya Welcome to Mabuya!

Still, Daisen is an interesting city. With a population of only 16,000 it feels big and small simultaneously — small in that way community-centric living feels, but with a creative communal mindset that goes far beyond the prefectural boundaries of Tottori. This special dichotomy is thanks in large part to Mabuya.

Once an abandoned hospital, this large, multi-level, traditional-style house had a rebirth in October 2013, after it was donated to the town. Since, it has been renovated and reopened as a vibrant hive buzzing with art, culture, creativity and excellent food and coffee.

Photo by: Lucy Dayman The rolling hills of the surrounding Daisen countryside.

Cafe

Open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., the cozy, softly lit cafe offers your classic drink staples; lattes, iced coffees and a few more offerings like banana shakes and carrot smoothies, with nothing costing over a modest ¥250.

You don’t come to Mabuya for your regular stock standard lunch. The kitchen here runs on a rotating roster of featured guest chefs that switch each week. Most of these hardworking cooks are locals either volunteering or are aspiring professionals serving up eclectic homestyle fare while learning on-the-job skills that can one day in assist in hopefully running their own hospitality business.

Artspace

To the left of the main cafe sits the art gallery, a space open to both locals and visiting artists alike, here is where you’ll find the creative talent of the town on full display. Not limited to one specific style or form, the gallery space hosts painting, sculpture, photography and animation exhibits.

Photo by: Mabuya Artists can have exhibitions here.

With a large focus on helping draw new people to the community, the center also welcomes creatives from across the globe with their animation focussed Artist In Residence (AIR) program, which typically runs between September to November. During the residency, guests are invited to live on the premises (upstairs above the cafe, in fact), collaborate with locals and become a fully integrated member of this tight-knit community. If you’d like to know more about AIR opportunities you can contact the center’s art director Shiho Oshita for further information, you can find all the contact and previous residency details here.

For those considering a country change, the hub also doubles as a relocation support center. Between 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Friday, there are community members like Nakamura-San, a freediving fisherman who moved from Tokyo, who are happy to chat to anyone wanting to know a little more about what it’s like to live here. Most of the assistance here will be in Japanese, however Oshita-San, the community art director studied in Vancouver and speaks English, so if you’re nervous about your Japanese skills, you can always ask for her!

If you’re passing through Tottori on the way to explore the dunes by the bay, or hike the impressive Mt. Daisen, it’s well worth a detour to Mabuya to really get a glimpse of life in this peaceful pocket of Japan. Who knows you just might be tempted to stay.

As you approach Sagi-ike, a pond located inside Nara Park, south of the main area of Nara city,  you will quickly notice that this peaceful spot is very different from other surrounding attractions. Whereas Nara’s main area is full of temples, tourists and deer, the Sagi-ike Pond feels like an isolated and magical reprieve, despite being right next to the busy area.

Unsurprisingly for a spot that offers such a relaxing escape, the secluded attraction has been embraced by couples looking for a little bit of romance. The most popular time for romantic walks around the pond is during the cherry blossom season when the area transforms into a colorful gem.

Photo by: j0nc0x The Ukimi-do gazebo.

Sagi-ike is also a popular location for snapshots, from fun selfies to wedding photoshoots. The cherry blossom flowers, calm waters and the gazebo make Sagi-ike the perfect background scenery.

For couples who want a more remote experience in two, a popular activity is taking out rowboats. During the cherry blossom season, you can often see loved-up couples, one rowing, and the other acting as a camera person, maneuvering the little watercraft around the lake until the perfect shot of all the complementary elements is achieved.

Lantern festival

A scene from the lantern festival on the pond.

After enjoying some water-bound fun, head to the Ukimi-do gazebo. The hexagonal wooden pavilion is located in the middle of Nara Park and seems to be floating on the waters of Sagi-ike. One of the greatest things about the platform is that it allows you to walk all the way to the middle of the pond. If you want to take that perfect 360-degree panorama shot, this is the best spot in the whole area!

Every year,  from Aug. 5 to Aug. 14, the Nara Tokae Lantern Festival makes the area come alive at night. That is when the beautiful pavilion is lit up with candle lanterns, and Sagi-ike Pond becomes a sea of candlelight.

Whether you want to take a break from the busy city, go on a lovely date or admire cherry blossoms in spring, the Sagi-ike Pond in Nara Park is the perfect place for all that. It is a whimsical spot to take a break and see something that acts as a natural complement to the historical sights

Visitors to Matsumoto can choose from a number of appealing side trips in the surrounding area, from the scenic beauty of Kamikochi to the low-key charm of Narai-Juku. Just 30 minutes north of the city by train, Azumino City is home to another popular destination: Daio Wasabi Farm.

The facility not only boasts some of the highest quality wasabi in Japan but also offers a refreshing alternative to the usual city hopping and temple going that can begin to wear on travelers over time.

Photo by: k24da Picturesque grounds.

Decidedly rural in flavor, the Daio Wasabi Farm sits idyllically in the shadow of the Northern Japan Alps, with which has an unexpectedly intimate connection: the pure water that nurtures the farm’s wasabi crop comes from the Azusa River, whose ultimate source is melted snow from nearby mountaintops and spring water originating deep within the iconic Mount Yari. There is also a religious dimension to the waters of Azusa, as the Hotaka Shrine in Azumino performs annual omizutori (water drawing) and omizugaeshi (water returning) rituals with the affiliated Myojin Shrine in Kamikochi.

Sightseeing at the farm

Since it’s construction in 1915, the Daio Wasabi Farm has been producing a large annual yield of high-quality wasabi and has come to occupy 15 hectares (150,000 square meters) of land.  As for what you can expect from the farm itself, there’s plenty to pass a refreshing and laid back day in the country. For those of us who’ve been having wasabi in our sushi with no thought of its origin, seeing it being cultivated in the freshest, clearest water in Japan is educational.

More than that, the rustic setting powerfully evokes rural life in old Japan—so much so that the legendary director Kurosawa Akira chose the farm as the setting for a key scene in his 1990 film, “Dreams.” The production also added specially made, historically authentic water wheels which we can still see today.  You can even sit on a large stone where Kurosawa held court during filming and take in the scene as he once did.

Photo by: k24da Have a wasabi infused meal onsite.

Explore the grounds of the farm at your leisure or join a glass bottom boat tour of the surrounding waterways. Pleasing green foliage, expansive pond-side scenes, and bracing country air weave a certain spell, magically removing city fatigue in an instant. Of additional interest, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the farm’s patron divinity Hachiman Daio sits at the center of the complex, offering blessing and protection to the harvest.

Photo by: k24da Sip on some ‘sabi.

If you’re looking for a novel snack or souvenir, the onsite shop offers such oddball confections as wasabi ice cream, wasabi juice and even wasabi beer. For something more traditional, a taste of hon wasabi or freshly grated wasabi root can be a revelation for anyone used to squeezing it out of tubes.