Have you ever dreamed of being a ninja? At Hizen Yumekaido in Ureshino, Saga Prefecture, you can do just that. It’s a theme park where you can dress up as deadly Japanese assassins and fight samurai, meet beautiful princesses, and pledge your loyalty to feudal warlords.

Once inside, you’ll be transported to the Edo period, surrounded by medieval buildings and authentic characters.

While at the park, you’ll hone your ninja skills. You can join a shuriken (ninja stars) throwing class, or try your hand at shooting darts through a bamboo pipe. You’ll learn about the lives of ninjas during feudal Japan as staff guide you through recreated ninja dwellings.

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#肥前夢街道 #cosplay #ninja まあこうなるわな！！！！！！！！

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On the streets, you will find puppeteers, merchants, and fortune-tellers trying to share their trade and entertain you.

Attention all film buffs

Hizen Yumekaido recreates Edo atmosphere so well that it’s used as a filming location in Japan. You could even see one being made if you visit on the right day.

For those just happy to watch instead of taking part themselves, the ninja shows are for you. The performances showcase ninja acrobatics and include storytelling about famous Japanese characters like Mito Komon. Activities such as ninja puppetry and ninja arts are also suitable for children.

For a more relaxing activity, try porcelain painting, where you can make a handmade plate or tea mug, then personalize it with your very own ninja clan seal.

Photo by: Hara-hat Ureshino Onsen in Saga.

The park is a great day trip for ninja fans of all ages and is located in a beautiful area with a truly authentic feel. After a fun day being a ninja, you can explore the town of Ureshino, and its traditional restaurants, or relax at the local onsen.

• Fuji-Q Highland has reopened, however guests from specific warning prefectures when the emergency declaration was released on May 25 (Hokkaido, Saitama prefecture, Chiba prefecture, Tokyo metropolitan area, and Kanagawa prefecture), are not allowed to enter the park until further notice. For updates on the COVID-19 situation in Japan check GaijinPot Blog: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/is-it-safe-to-visit-japan-as-the-coronavirus-cases-increase/

Fuji-Q, which is one of GaijinPot’s Top 5 theme parks in Japan, is located in Yamanashi and coaches from Shinjuku make this super convenient for day-trippers, or as part of a longer tour of this beautiful prefecture. Tickets including roundtrip transportation and access to all the main rides clock in at only ¥7,800 if you choose the special QPack deal.

Look, they’re having fun…right? Photo by Nick Turner.

You certainly get your money’s worth. The rollercoasters are top quality with attractions like Takabisha, a ride with the steepest drop in the world (at 121 degrees!) and Eejanaika with a record breaking number of spins sure to satisfy even the most extreme of adrenaline junkies.

For those who are unaware of the Japanese obsession with haunted houses, it’s time to get initiated with the Super Scary Labyrinth of Fear. The entire building is made up like a hospital with a terrifying assortment of ghosts and ghouls ready to turn your darkest nightmares into reality. Need more proof of how horrifying it is? Check out the impressive amount of Japanese grandmas queuing – renowned for being tough cookies, they just can’t get enough of this test of courage, and neither will you.

You can take the scenic Fujikyuko railway from Otsuki station.

Now you may be wondering if there’s anything for the less adventurous and the answer is yes. The Great Zaboom is a fantastically fun water ride (bring a towel to mop yourself up), as well as fairground classics like Tea Cups and a Merry-Go-Round. If the Labyrinth of Fear (!) is making you quake in your booties, try out the more child-friendly haunted house based on the works of famous manga artist, Mizuki Shigeru, named Ge-Ge Haunted Mansion. Fans of anime franchise Evangelion can also seek solace in EVANGELION:WORLD, which is more exhibit than ride. Life-sized models and a recreation of the cockpit of an EVA plane are what’s on offer.

After a long, hard day of riding rollercoasters, the Highland Resort Hotel and Spa is the perfect place to relax and wind down in one of their stunning onsens, which boast world-class views of Mt Fuji. As far as theme parks go, Fuji-Q Highlands is truly one of the best in the world.

• Nagashima Zombie Island Dates: The zombie rave goes down in the party dome every Saturday and Sunday of October.
• 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (3:30 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20)

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G-force training ? #rollercoaster #coaster #training #gforce #ride #amusement #japan #nagashimaspaland

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The theme park, located on the isle of Nagashima near Kuwana City in Mie Prefecture, offers a lot to do and see that makes it worth the trip. The park is part of the “Nagashima Resort,” which has four main areas besides the spa land and amusement park. It also has an outlet shopping mall, a museum and amusement park dedicated to beloved children’s anime character Anpanman, and a flower park called “Nabana no Sato.”

Ever wanted to have a dance party with zombies? You can do just that during the month of October when the park becomes ‘Nagashima Zombie Island.’

The amusement park is perfect for both adults and kids. With more than 50 rides, it boasts over 10 major roller coasters that will leave you screaming for more. Take the Steel Dragon 2000, for example. The gigantic roller coaster ride which spans the entire length of the park and will take you upside down.

After screaming your lungs out, take a relaxing ride on the Aurora Wheel, a giant Ferris wheel standing 90 meters high. And for the kids, try attractions in the aptly named “Kids Town.”

Seasonal attractions

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ナガシマゾンビアイランド5日目? ショートバージョンでお届けしました? 15:00〜と少し早めのスタートですが、大迫力のゾンビには関係ない！！ むしろ鮮明にゾンビが見えるので恐怖度倍増 パーティーは安定の大盛り上がり?? 来週のスケジュール 20日(土) 17:00スタート 19:30終了 21日(日) 15:00スタート 16:30終了 ※ゾンビアイランド終了後も遊園地は開園しております。詳しくはナガシマスパーランドHPをチェックしてください。 圧巻のホラーエンターテイメントを是非体感してください? #ナガシマスパーランド#ナガシマ#ナガシマゾンビアイランド#ゾンビアイランド#ハロウィン#ハロウィンメイク#ゾンビ#イケメンゾンビ#パーティー#DJ#コスプレ

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Ever wanted to have a dance party with zombies? You can do just that during the month of October when the park becomes “Nagashima Zombie Island.” Try to find all the “rare zombies” and snap their pics for the gram, dress up as a zombie yourself and dance with the undead in the “party dome” for Halloween.

For Christmas, the park hosts one of Japan’s biggest winter illumination “Nabano no Sato” with a shimmering tunnel of 700,000 sparkling LED lights.

Photo by: Nagashima Resort Co. Nabana no Sato’s light tunnel is one of Japan’s biggest winter illuminations.

Waterpark

Hop on over to the water park, “Joyful Waterpark,” to cool off in the summer. With more than 15 different pools and slides, it’ll take the edge off. The waterpark has a jumbo ocean water pool, plus a lazy river, family pool and children’s area.

Photo by: Steve What a joyful looking waterpark.

Again, for those thrill seekers, try any of the 9-plus major water slides, including the sliding into steep tunnels during the “boomerang twist.” (Note: People with tattoos are not permitted into the water areas).

Nearby spa

Just around the corner is “Yuami no Shima” hot spring area. It has 17 kinds of unique outdoor and indoor baths. For those looking to get into the relaxing nature of Japan without actually making the hike out there, try an array of outdoor baths. Several of the baths have recreated iconic spots in Japan like Kurobe Gorge in Toyama Prefecture and Oirase Stream in Aomori Prefecture.

Like any great spa, visitors can also try out hot tubs, saunas, massage services and restaurants.

While the park can get crowded, there is a lot of space to rest. Nagashima Spa Land really has the best of all worlds and is located conveniently outside the major city of Nagoya.

If Tokyo DisneySea isn’t enough to help you get your Disney fix, head on over to Tokyo DisneyLand for more fun, characters, and rides. Aimed at a younger crowd, the park (which is actually located in Chiba prefecture) continues to expand yearly, ensuring magical moments with each visit. It’s also one of GaijinPot’s Top 5 theme parks in Japan.

Photo by: Of other days Go to TDL on a cloudy day to ditch the crowds.

As you make your way through the park (and wait lines), you’ll be entertained by other park goers dressed in Disney cosplay (especially around Halloween).

Tokyo DisneySea

Of course, the big attractions are what make it memorable, too. Some that are unique to Tokyo DisneyLand are Pooh’s Honey Hunt and Monster’s Inc Ride and Seek, but you can enjoy crowd favorites like Space Mountain and It’s a Small World, as well. Once you hear the Japanese lyrics for “It’s a Small World,” you’ll never get it out of your head. You’ve been warned.

Photo by: Saytolk Try a turkey leg, a signature food of the park.

While alcoholic drinks are not permitted on the premises, why not try Tokyo DisneyLand’s specialty gourmet items instead? The park’s famous giant turkey legs are an odd but perfect finger food. However, brace yourself for a bit of a wait, as that the lines for the savory treat can rival those of any attraction.

If you prefer something less messy to munch on, go for the popcorn. The flavor list is as long as it is impressive, with tastes such as curry, caramel, soy sauce and butter, salt, BBQ, honey, and milk chocolate.

Complete your visit by with the dazzling Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights, followed by the nightly fireworks display.

Disney Halloween

Every year Tokyo Disneyland turns into a ghost town (not the abandoned kind), during the Halloween season. The theme park gets filled with pumpkins, ghosts and bat decorations, food, and merchandise. Anyone for a Jack Skellington hamburger steak a la The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Mickey, Minnie, and other Disney friends dress up in their spooky-themed costumes aboard special Halloween themed floats for the annual Boo Parade. This parade is one of the biggest highlights of Disney Halloween. As it only takes place twice a day during the season, it shouldn’t be missed.

Feel free to come in your own costume, but do note the park has strict rules that only costumes of Disney characters are allowed!

Before you go

A one-day passport includes admission to the park and access to attractions and entertainment. Some attractions may require an additional fee.

Open 365-days a year, this place doesn’t stop. It’s always crowded, particularly on weekends, national holidays and school vacations. If you don’t mind getting wet, plan your trip on a rainy day, and you’ll be able to get on all your favorite rides back to back with little interruption.

You can also take a cue from the locals and beat the crowds by taking advantage of the night passports, After 6 and Starlight Passports. Buy your tickets in advance online, or in person at participating retailers.

• 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.

• Universal Studios Japan will begin general operations on Fri, June 19th, however, admission will be limited to guests with an annual pass or other studio pass who live in one of the 6 prefectures in the Kansai area. For updates on the COVID-19 situation in Japan check GaijinPot Blog: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/is-it-safe-to-visit-japan-as-the-coronavirus-cases-increase/

Photo by: masatsu Stay out of the water.

It’s also one of GaijinPot’s Top 5 theme parks in Japan. By the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the park will open a Super Nintendo World, featuring a full Mario Kart racing course!

Halloween Horror Nights

Visitor beware, you’re in for a scare. The theme park gets infested with zombies and aliens during its annual Halloween Horror Nights. Try to escape from the undead in the Biohazard survival horror maze and confront your fears in Chucky’s Hospital Ward of Madness. Or just run away from the zombies who roam the streets nightly.

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USJで開催中のハロウィーン・ホラー・ナイトのアイドルゾンビがかっこ可愛くてびっくりした? アイドルなのでちゃんと握手会もありました笑 グラマシーパークステージのラタタダンスも楽しかったまた行きたいなぁ〜！ #usj #ユニバーサルスタジオジャパン #ハロウィーンホラーナイト

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Everyone’s favorite long-haired ghost Sadako has even crawled out of the TV right into USJ for her own haunted attraction. There’s trick or treating and a costume parade for the kiddies, or adult scaredy cats, too. Check the official website for a full list of attractions.

Spiderman, dinosaurs, and Jaws, oh my!

For the thrill-seekers, it would be a waste to leave USJ without trying classic rides like Jaws or the more modern, adrenaline-pumping Jurassic Park roller coaster: The Flying Dinosaur.

Marvel fans, make a bee-line for The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. Winning the world’s best ride award for seven years in a row, this immersive and mind-bending experience never fails to live up to expectations.

The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman has been awarded the world’s best ride award for seven years in a row.

If even the idea of roller coasters make you feel queasy or you’ll be traveling with people who don’t quite fit the height limits (children, we’re looking at you), there are plenty of things for you to do too. Take The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Step into the world of Harry Potter

Hogsmeade truly comes to life in this stunning recreation from the popular franchise.

A Guide to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Rides like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or Flight of the Hippogryph often have lengthy wait times. This is for good reason: short of receiving your letter to Hogwarts, it’s the closest muggles like us can get.

Those more into cute and peppy characters than death eaters will love Universal Wonderland.

Photo by: mono There’s Hello Kitty, Minions, and Sesame Street for the kids!

Attractions themed around Snoopy, Hello Kitty and Sesame Street make this area is perfect for children and adults alike. Stage shows and parades abound throughout the day.

Like Minions? Those yellow critters can be found traveling around the park averting emergencies and rescuing damsels in distress. Want your day to end with a bang? The Universal Re-Born parade offers party-streamers, bubbles and fun by the gallon.

Though the Yokohama poop museum will close its doors on Sept. 30, the poop-filled fun will continue at Tokyo’s permanent poop museum in Odaiba!

If checking out wacky “only in Japan” locales is your thing, you’re in for a treat because Yokohama now has a museum dedicated entirely to poop. Take pictures of flying poop, step on exploding poops, and play the poop-version of Space Invaders at the Unko Museum Yokohama until September 30, 2019.

Space Invaders but with poop.

The pop-up museum’s three exhibition areas are all named with a play on the word unko (that means poo in Japanese if you haven’t caught on yet) “Unstagenic,” “Untelligent,” and “Unteractive.”

Poop…. In a museum?

Don’t worry there’s no real human dung at the museum, just ridiculously cute emoji-inspired ones. Yes, Japan has found a way to make even poop kawaii.

The different poop-themed scenes are an Instagrammer’s paradise. Join a bubblegum pink tea party with poop-frosted cupcakes in the “Princess and the Poop” room. Or, snap a shot of you and your lover sitting on matching toilets in the “Unko Lovers’ Room.”

Photo by: Randiah Camille Green Poop-frosted cupcakes!

Before you get to all that though, you have to first experience the glory of making poo. When you enter, the staff will instruct you to yell “unkooo” with as much enthusiasm as you can muster, choose a toilet and pretend to drop a load. Your new unko friend that has magically appeared in the toilet will accompany you along your poop-tastic voyage.

We couldn’t make this up if we tried. After laughing your head off at the huge poop in the middle of the floor that erupts with smaller poops, join in the exhibition by drawing your own inside one of the mini toilet seat frames on the wall.

The gateway to poop: AsoBuild

What kind of place would play host to a poop museum, you ask? That honor goes to AsoBuild. It’s a trendy new six-story complex that houses all kinds of fun exhibitions, bars, and restaurants that is a permanent fixture, unlike the pop-up museum.

Paint your own poop masterpiece.

Maybe the museum is actually satire and the creators want us to reflect on selfie culture and why we are so obsessed with photographing such silly things “for the gram.” But then again, art is subjective and nobody likes a party pooper.

Read more about the Unko Museum Yokohama on GaijinPot Blog.

Home to Toyota and the birthplace of pachinko, Japan’s fourth-largest city is a commercial powerhouse with a lesser-known cosmopolitan side that has plenty to offer visitors.

The capital of Aichi Prefecture in the central Chubu Region of Japan, Nagoya is a bustling hub of commerce and manufacturing. These industrial roots might be what has given Nagoya its undeserved reputation as one of the country’s most boring metropolises, however, the city is far from strictly business.

Japan cityscape at oasis21 and Nagoya Tower at night

Often only seen by tourists out the window of the shinkansen (bullet train) as they travel between Tokyo and Kansai, Nagoya is a sleek, modern locale with plenty of green spaces. Its wide streets and convenient public transportation networks make the city a breeze to travel around, while its central location means it’s an ideal base for day trips to other areas of Japan.

Nagoya city’s skyline with Nagoya Tower.

Shopping, food, and museums

Don’t be too quick to leave though, as there’s plenty to see and do here. Nagoya boasts great shopping opportunities, particularly in downtown Sakae and around Nagoya station.

Be sure to stop by Oasis 21, a shopping complex nearby Nagoya Tower, with its impressive large oval glass roof structure that seemingly floats above ground level. Snap a few photos, grab some souvenirs and try some local dishes like Nagoya’s local delicacy, kishimen. These broad, flat noodles are similar to udon, and usually served in a rich broth.

What foods should you try?

To get a glimpse of the city’s picturesque side, head to Tokugawa Garden (next to the art museum) and admire the seasonal flora and stunning Ryusenko Lake.

Nagoya Castle is another must-visit, particularly during the spring cherry blossom season and in the autumn when the leaves turn fiery shades of crimson. History buffs won’t want to miss the museum inside the castle, with its original murals and exhibits of samurai artifacts.

The Nagoya cityscape is graced by Nagoya Castle.

Belying its commercial image, Nagoya is also home to one of the most important Shinto shrines in the country. Atsuta Shrine houses the sacred sword Kusanagi, one of the three Imperial Regalia – the most sacred objects in Shinto and symbols of the legitimacy of the Emperor.

Theme parks

More modern attractions make for an awesome change of pace. While in Nagoya, check out some of these lively theme parks.

Photo by: Luka Zou Yup! It’s all Legos all the time at Legoland Japan

• Legoland Japan, which opened in Nagoya in 2017, is the eighth Lego theme park in the world where you can even check into a Lego-themed hotel
• Nagoya Port Sea Train Land, a bay-side family-friendly theme park with an 85-meter-tall Ferris wheel and many seasonal events
• Dino Adventure Nagoya, another family-friendly park where you can experience life-sized robots in the form of a Tyrannosaurus and other dinosaurs in the forest
• Nagashima Resort, which is just across the way in Mie Prefecture, is a leisure complex just outside the city with an amusement park, a water park, an onsen (hot springs) complex, a sprawling outlet mall and the Nabana no Sato flower park.

Photo by: maeda_motoki_1 Dino Adventure Nagoya lets your see dinosaurs up close in the forest.

That’s just the beginning of this dynamic city, which continues to transform with new and exciting sightseeing into 2020 and beyond.

Minetopia Besshi is a unique theme park where you can step inside the world of mining and go beyond the typical sights of Ehime Prefecture.

Big sightseeing in Ehime, one of the four prefectures that make up the island of Shikoku, is that of Matsuyama Castle and Dogo Onsen. While not as famous, Minetopia Besshi, located in northern Ehime, is a theme park that lets you become Indiana Jones for a day by riding along old minecart tracks and exploring the once-lively mining community of Besshi.

Photo by: Dokudami The tiny but scenic train.

It is definitely worth a day trip, especially if you are going with children. The theme park was inspired by one of the largest mines in Ehime, making use of the real tunnels, tracks and buildings that the miners once used. The original mining complex dates back to 1690 when copper deposits were discovered. Because of its unconventional location, the park is not overly busy but still great fun.

The whole place is made to not only educate you but make you feel like you’re really there.

At the main area of the park known as Hadeba, you will be greeted by courteous staff and a welcome center. Around the back of the building is a platform where a miniature steam engine will take you on a wild ride along the old tracks that used to ship copper in and out of the mines. The tracks go through tunnels and along rickety bridges, and then finally stop at the mine shafts.

Photo by: Dokudami A little understated but definitely a park worth visiting!

At the end of the tiny train line is the actual mine where workers used to extract copper. Take time to explore the tunnels, but be careful not to get lost! Some of the ceilings can be pretty low.

Inside the mine shafts, you will find mannequins reenacting the process of mining back in the Edo period. The whole place is made to not only educate you but make you feel like you’re really there, surrounded by the workers as they sweat and toil.

In spring, Tohnaru is covered in sakura.

Once you’ve seen how the real miners used to do it, kids big and small have a chance to recreate the thrill of panning for gold inside the museum’s touch pool filled with sand and unrefined minerals. The best part: anything you find you can take home with you. After a hard day in the mines you can grab something to eat at the local restaurant, Mori no Kaze, or relax in the therapeutic Seiko Onsen also known as “Heaven’s water.”

The ruins at Tohnaru

So far we have only talked about the Hadeba area at the base of Mount Inukeashi, but there is even more to see at the park’s second section called the Tohnaru area.

Photo by: As6673 The ruins from above.

Tohnaru is situated higher in the mountains. Here, you will find long-standing ruins of the ore storage depot from the original Besshi copper mine. Now the structures are completely unrecognizable, looking more like an ancient forgotten city than a mining facility, giving it the nickname the “Machu Picchu of the Orient.” Tohnaru is a 20-minute drive away from the main park but it is recommended that you get the local sightseeing bus because the road up there is quite narrow. The bus tours the whole area in just over two hours, but be aware that the buses do not run from December to February.

Minetopia Besshi is a unique theme park where you can go beyond the typical sights of Ehime.

At first, Mount Ikoma, located on the border between Osaka and Nara prefectures, may seem like the other sacred mountains in Japan. But beyond the long history and worthwhile temples to visit there are quirky features like its mountaintop amusement park.

The mountain has attracted visitors for over a thousand years as anoramic views, historic and modern sites draw curious travelers from around the world. But before getting into what to do and see there, here’s a bit of its rich history.

Photo by: louis .® Mount Ikoma’s Hozan-ji Temple.

History of Mount Ikoma

Ikoma has been inhabited and revered since at least the 5th Century, when Ikoma Shrine, a Shinto site dedicated to the mountain, was built. During imperial times, this shrine had a deep connection to the royal family.

In 655, a Buddhist training site was established on the mountainside by En no Gyoja. This legendary monk pioneered an ascetic lifestyle still practiced today and was said to have superpowers. This location became a sought-after school for religious training and many famous monks — including Kukai, the founder of temple town Koyasan — are said to have studied here.

Night view of Osaka from Shigi-Ikoma Skyline.

Later, in 1678, a temple named Hozan-ji was built on this site. Hozan-ji was dedicated to the god of wisdom, joy and prosperity and became popular for vendors and entertainers. During the Showa Era (1926-1988), the area at the base of the mountain became an entertainment and red-light district. While this is no longer the case, the present-day towns still retain this retro feel. Today, Mount Ikoma is a popular place to sightsee, hike, picnic, and play.

Attractions at Mount Ikoma

Mount Ikoma is home to a number of attractions, the most well-known ones being Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park and two major temples: Hozan-ji and Kouhou-ji.

Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park is a children’s theme park for people of all ages located at the very top of the mountain. The views from the rides are stunning. The park is closed during the winter months but hikers can still stroll through and admire its vintage charm.

Photo by: KENPEI Skyland ride at Ikoma Sanjo Amusement park.

Hozan-ji, a historic Buddhist temple, is an incredibly beautiful and serene escape. This temple complex features ornate statues, ancient wooden structures and a forested graveyard.

Photo by: Brooke Larsen A colorful Hozan-ji Temple.

Kouhou-ji is another temple located near the peak. Surrounded by lush greenery and rarely crowded, this wooden and concrete structure conveys a feeling of whimsy. Beside the three main attractions, others include the ancient Ikoma Shrine, the Kintetsu Ikoma Cable Car, and the Sushidani Waterwheel.

Hiking

If you want the exercise those legs, you can ascent the steep stairs to Hozan-ji, explore the famous temple there and take the cable car up to the mountaintop from there.

Photo by: Brooke Larsen A small temple on the hike to the summit of Ikoma.

Feeling adventurous? You can also opt to hike one of the trails. One such trail is the Zushidani Hiking Course, which takes explorers through almost every attraction Mount Ikoma has to offer in just a matter of few hours. To hike this course, you will need to start at Isikiri Tsurujiya Shrine, near Ishikiri station, and walk up Ishikiri Shopping Street, famous for fortune telling, as shown below.

Photo by: Brooke Larsen Take this road to the trail.

From there, follow signs for “Zushidani Hiking Course” (辻子谷ハイキングコース), which will take you to most of the sites mentioned above and others. The hike should take about 3 or 4 hours and includes a few steep ascents but isn’t too difficult.

While this might not be the first thing on tourists’ lists to see in Nara, perhaps that means a more authentic experience for those who who do!