Circle Japan with Summer Festivals

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866.

Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It’s a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza – an international shopping mecca – stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience.

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the “Eastern Capital,” to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the “Western Capital.”

Nagoya, capital of Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, is a manufacturing and shipping hub in central Honshu. The city’s Naka ward is home to museums and pachinko (gambling machine) parlors. Naka also includes the Sakae entertainment district, with attractions like the Sky-Boat Ferris wheel, which is attached to a mall.

Tokushima is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan. As of June 1, 2019, the city had an estimated population of 255,439 and a population density of 1,335 persons per km². Its total area is 191.39 km².

For centuries, Osaka was Japan’s cultural and commercial gateway to Asia – the point of entry both for trade goods and, most importantly, cultural influences that shaped Japanese society. From tea to Zen, from art to science and philosophy, Osaka was Japan’s contact with the great East Asian cultures that flourished in China and Korea. The city reached its zenith in the late 16th century, when the great feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi made Osaka his capital. Toyotomi was master of Japan, and an immense administrative and commercial center rapidly developed around Osaka Castle. After Toyotomi’s death, the nation’s seat of power shifted from Osaka to a sleepy little fishing village called Edo – modern Tokyo. While overshadowed by Tokyo, Osaka remains Japan’s second largest city and a vital commercial center.

Modern Osaka is home to monuments from Japan’s past including Toyotomi’s immense castle and the Sumiyoshi Shrine. The city is also your gateway to Kyoto, Japan’s ancient imperial capital and the nation’s cultural and spiritual center.

For most travelers, Nagasaki is a symbol of the horror and the inhumanity of war. An estimated 75,000 people perished in 1945 when the city became the second target of a nuclear attack. Today, Nagasaki’s Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum draw visitors from around the world.

But this beautiful city on Kyushu offers other sights. Often described as the San Francisco of Japan, the city occupies verdant hills surrounded by a deep-water bay. For three centuries, Nagasaki was Japan’s sole window on the world. The city is also celebrated as the setting for Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly.”

The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city’s bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia’s most sophisticated and venerable cultures.

Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict.

The serene calm of this largest city in the Wakasa region of Japan is one steeped in culture and poetic tales. The brilliant, wandering, Edo poet Matsua Basho was inspired to write a haiku about the glimmer of the moonlight over Tsuraga Bay, and the plethora of artisan crafts from lacquerware to washi (Japanese paper) keep the traditions of cultural beauty alive today. The area is home to one of the most picturesque pine groves in the country at Kehi-no-Matsubara, where white-sand beaches fringe the fragrant green boughs of the magnificent pines. The area of Mikata-goko is home to five sparkling, small lakes with colors ranging from turquoise blue to jade green, and the region is home to a number of important, brightly painted shrines. The Kehi-jingu Shrine was reared in 702 and a massive, vermillion, wooden torii gate was re-constructed in 1645. Museums abound, and the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is popular with families wanting to explore the origins of the prehistoric world, while the moving Port of Humanity Museum honors the humanitarian work of Chiune Sugihara, credited with saving as many as 6,000 souls from the Nazis. Whether your interests lie in natural scenery, authentic experiences or historic sites, a day spent on these captivating shores will have you writing poetry of your own.

Traditionally famous for rice making and sake production, Niigata is the place for gourmet aficionados. It is also well known for the seafood caught from the Sea of Japan. With this variety of the commodity produced locally, Niigata developed from the wealth gained through shipping and trade by Kitamae-bune, which were cargo ships operated along the Sea of Japan between Hokkaido and Osaka from mid-18th century to the end of the 19th century.
To the south of Niigata is the Tsubame-Sanjo area famous today for metalworking. This derives from the production of Japanese nails used for Japanese traditional architecture. To discover Japanese craftsmanship, you will have the chance to visit the Suwada Open Factory. Also nearby is the religious center of Niigata in Yahiko. The Yahiko Shrine has gathered the devotion of the locals for more than a millennium.

There is a celebratory air in Akita, where year round festivals and street parades are colorfully integrated into daily life. A key city in the Tohoku region since medieval times, Akita was once a castle town of the Satake clan, but today is a vibrant, prosperous city that seamlessly honors its past but embraces its young energetic spirit. Noted for its burgeoning art community, there are several fine museums to explore including The Hirano Masakichi Art Musuem housing a collection of work by Western and Japanese artists, the Akita City Folklore Museum and the Kakunodate Samurai District, a living museum that showcases the samurai way of life. In the neighboring Oga Peninsula, the region’s most famous icon, the terrifying Namahage, has it’s won cultural center and festival ritual performed in his name. Surrounding the city, fertile farmland and rice fields produce some of the best sake in the country and nature lovers won’t know which way to turn – to the west is the picturesque Sea of Japan and to the north, south and east, majestic mountain ranges including the UNESCO World Heritage sight of Shirakami-Sanchi proudly stand. A trip to the revolving observation center Mt. Kanpuzan Observatory solves the dilemma.

It took Commodore Perry and American gunboat diplomacy to open Japan to the outside world after two centuries of self-imposed isolation. In 1859, the port of Hakodate became the first Japanese city fully opened to Westerners under the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Foreigners soon flocked to Hakodate, and today visitors wandering the cobblestone streets of the city’s Motomachi District can view their Western-style frame houses. Hakodate, once a fishing port famed for its high quality fish and shellfish, quickly became Hokkaido’s largest city and one of Japan’s most important ports. The Great Hakodate Fire of 1934 dealt the city a near fatal blow – a blow from which Hakodate was slow to recover. Today the city is Hokkaido’s third largest – surpassed by Sapporo and Asahikawa – but retains its foremost position as the finest Japanese producer of sushi’s raw product: the high quality seafood caught in Hokkaido’s cold waters.

It may not compare to Tokyo’s Tsukiji’s Fish Market, but at Hakodate’s four-block-long Morning Market, vendors offer a stunning array of fresh fish and shellfish prized for sushi including salmon roe, sea urchin, scallops and crab. Restaurants and food stands prepare a wide arrange of dishes including domburi topped with fresh seafood.

Ishinomaki is enjoying a period of revitalization after being hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Its lively and colorful urban core showcases its “manga” culture-the art of Japanese comic books and illustrated novels-thanks to famed writer Shotaro Ishinomori, known for his Kamen Rider series. Throughout the city, youll see comic book artwork and statues. The thriving city of Ishimonaki serves as a gateway to a variety of cultural and historical adventures. Explore exquisite temples from the national treasure Zuiganji Temple, the oldest example of Momoyama architecture in northern Japan, and the decorative paintings, gold-leaf ornamentation and manicured gardens of the Entsuin Temple. Stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hiraizumi, said to once rival Kyoto in its grandeur, or-for unique gastronomic delights-wander along the stalls of the Shiogama Fish Market, where the catch of the day is only the beginning and you can dine on extraordinarily fresh sushi and rice bowl creations. With magnificent vistas around every turn, youll delight in Japans natural beauty while soaking in the warm waters of an ancient hot spring surrounded by spectacular forests and mountain views or on a scenic cruise through sparkling Matsushma Bay, studded with more than 200 pine-covered islands and considered one of Japans three most picturesque views.

Hitachinaka is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2020, the city had an estimated population of 154,663 in 64,900 households and a population density of 1547 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 26.1%. The total area of the city is 99.96 square kilometres.

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866.

Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It’s a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza – an international shopping mecca – stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience.

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the “Eastern Capital,” to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the “Western Capital.”