SEARCH RESULTS: 2024
Tsukiji Outer Market
Tokyo’s most famous market, Tsukiji Outer Market is a foodie paradise for those who want to sample the best and freshest produce available! Opened in 1935, the market has a long history with Tokyo and local people who still come here to enjoy the produce on offer. Open from 5am to 2pm, it’s a great first stop to have breakfast or lunch. Just a 3 minute walk from Tsukiji station, it is conveniently located for visitors and well sign posted. The market has a bustling and lively atmosphere which adds to the experience! You can see stall owners busily preparing food, slicing and dicing fresh fish for sashimi and grilling […]
Yanaka
Yanaka is a hidden gem that we at Snow Monkey Resorts love! A small but cosy neighbourhood, Yanaka managed to retain much of its traditional appearance and architecture despite there being fires, earthquakes and air raids throughout Tokyo’s history. Therefore, is the perfect place to spend a few hours strolling around and feeling like you’ve stepped back in time. Yanaka is home to small but beautiful temples and shrines, a retro but lively shopping street, and museums. It has a great art scene, so you will find some galleries and shops selling beautiful ceramics and pottery. Museums and galleries include the Calligraphy Museum, Asakura Museum of Sculpture and Scai the […]
Ueno Park
A pocket of greenery and an escape from the modern skyline of Tokyo, Ueno Park is a must visit for some rest bite among nature and tradition. The park is home to some of Tokyo’s most famous museums, Ueno Zoo, temples and shrines, and therefore makes for a great location for any culture vultures! Exploring the park and surrounding area of Ueno is a great way to spend a day in Tokyo! Ueno park was established in 1873, and was the first public park to open in Japan. Visitors can easily spend a whole day and more exploring the 10 hectares of the park. It is home to some of […]
Tokyo Tower
Built in 1958 in Minato ward and nearby the luxury area of Roppongi, Tokyo Tower is now the oldest observation tower in Tokyo. However, the retro charm of the Tower is beloved by locals here in the city and across Japan, and we highly recommend that you pay a visit to this great observatory on your trip! The shape and design of the structure was heavily influenced by the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris. However, standing at 333 meters tall, Tokyo Tower is actually 13 meters taller than its French counterpart. The tower has two decks visitors can go up to, the main deck (150m high ) and the top […]
Hisaya-odori Park and Mirai Tower
Renovated in 2020, Hisaya-odori Park is a two kilometer long green space in the heart of Nagoya. The park also has roughly 40 different restaurants, cafes, and shops offering everything from coffee and gelato to the latest fashion. Located in the center of Hisaya-odori Park is the Mirai Tower. Originally constructed as a broadcasting tower for radio and TV in 1954, the 180 meter tower was the highest in Asia and was said to be the “Eiffel Tower of the East.” It quickly became one of the most recognizable landmarks of the city of Nagoya. In 2020, the tower transitioned from a broadcasting station into a hotel. The TOWER HOTEL […]
Sanko Inari Shrine
At the base of Inuyama Castle sits the Sankyo Inari Shrine. Built in the 1500’s, the shrine is said to bring fortune in romance, peaceful households and harmonious marriages and is a destination for many seeking luck in matchmaking. Amulets and charms in the shape of hearts can be seen throughout the grounds along with long rows of tori gates—making the shrine a popular location for photographers. While the shrine specializes in love, it is dedicated to the guardian deity of Inuyama castle. Additionally, there is a legend of a wish-granting stone here. It is said that if the stone is easy to lift, your dreams will be realized with […]
La Collina Omi-Hachiman
This confectionery shop is part nature preserve and part theme park. The flagship store of the Taneya Group, the shop is surrounded by nature and serves up a wide variety of popular seasonal confections. As a bakery, the owners developed a deep appreciation for natural ingredients and thus decided to turn their shop into a nature preserve where they could grow their own ingredients and be in tune with the seasons. With its grass-covered roof, the shop has been described as Ghibli-like in appearance and is a great location for photography lovers. Of course, the desserts are not to be missed either. La Collina is best known for its baumkuchen, […]
Omi-Hachiman
On the shores of Lake Biwa sits the picturesque town of Omi-Hachiman. Once a thriving merchant town on the Nakasendo Road, the city still retains much of its Edo-Era charms. The city first developed during the Warring States period (1467-1603) after the construction of Hachiman castle. Later, the Hachiman-bori canal system and its central location propelled the town into a transportation hub. Today, visitors can take a cruise through the merchant town and see the Edo-Era constructions just as they would have looked some 400 years ago. The town is particularly beautiful in spring as the cherry blossoms frame the bridges and canals throughout the city. Movie lovers may find […]
Uraku-en Garden and Joan Tea House
Inuyama is most known for Inuyama Castle, the oldest original castle in Japan and a National Treasure. However, Inuyama boasts a second national treasure at Uraku-en. The garden grounds are a sight to behold on their own, but the truly unique feature is the 400-year-old Joan tea house designed by the master of tea ceremony Oda Uraku. Considered a masterpiece of early Edo-period architecture and one of only three tea houses to be designated the status of “National Treasure,” the tea house features a fusuma (sliding paper door) covered in an old lunar calendar, windows with bamboo sun shades, and an unusually placed entry. It is said that the entire […]
