Isshiki Beach / Zushi, Kanagawa

There's a beach near Tokyo where chosen as “100 of the World's Most Chosen Beaches” on CNN in America.

Access:
From Downtown Tokyo, take the JR Yokosuka Line to Zushi Station.
It takes about an hour from Tokyo Station to Zushi Station.
The train fare is 935yen.

From Zushi Station, go to the Bus Stop 3 and get on a Bus that indicated "逗12葉山行き"

Get off a Bus at Isshiki Kaigan.

The riding time is approximately 15 minutes.
Ask the Bus driver that I want to go to Isshiki Kaigan.

You go this way.

Isshiki Beach!

"Blue Moon" which built of logs open only July and August.
Please spend your time to relax with food, drink and music.
https://www.bluemoonhayama.net/

Imperial family chose this place as their villa around there.
Even though the summer is over, Isshiki beach is a very nice atmosphere without commercialize but nothing. You don't need anything other than just relax.

You can lie down on the grass, I recommend someone those who don't want to lie down on the sand to visit there.

Isshiki beach is the best place not only swimming but also playing at rocky shore or snorkeling.

I don't know the reason why Isshiki beach was chosen as 100 of the World's Most Chosen Beaches.but Feeling free atmosphere in the summer, quiet and relax in the winter and an unique scenary of Japan maybe characteristic compare to wonderful beachs like Hawaii and Australia.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>

Chinese Temple / Ochanomizu, Tokyo

Yushima Seido was built as a confucian temple in 1690. After that,Yushima Seido was establish as a educational institution aside from confucianizm.
During the period of feudalism in Japan,there were lots of school like that. so people studied very hard at school. Yushima Seido was the top grade school in Japan.

Why was Japan succeed to change modernization after closed down feudalism? I think that Japanese people in those era studied so hard that literacy rate was high that why Japan was able to catch up with western countries to be modernization.

Access:

Take JR Chuo Line or JR Sobu Line to Ochanomizu Station.
Leave Ochanomizu Station from Hijiribashi Exit.

1.
Cross the signal light and turn your left.

2.
Across the bridge and then go down this stair.

3.

4.

5.
Main Hall.

Yushima Seido was destroyed by earthquake in 1923 but was rebuilt by reinforced in 1935. The main hall is open to public on saturday , sunday and national holiday. so you should better visit there on weekend.

6.
The statue of Confucius was donated by Taiwan in 1975.

7.
Actual main gate is here.

As I mentioned above, Yushima Seido is strongly effected by China. Therefore Yushima Seido was sometimes used as a  shooting place for a movie and TV drama series.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>

StarDust / Higashi Kanagawa, Yokohama

"Mizuho Futo" also called North Pier in Yokohama is a United States military's loading facilities. During the period of Vietnam War, Mizuho Futo flourished as a base to transport supplies to the United States military base in inland around of Tokyo.

Access:
Take JR Keihin Tohoku Line to Higashi Kanagawa Station.
It takes about ten minutes from Higashi Kanagawa Station East Exit on foot.

Take a walk which I shown an allow in the picture below.
All you need to do are go straight that street for ten minutes, that all.

Even though Yokohama Bay Area was redeveloped, An Unspoiled landscape like that are still remaining around there.

StarDust, A Bar that expected United States military customers which opened 50 years ago is still remaining. I heard that there were lots of bars like that around there. When you go into a  Bar, you would feel like as if you went back to the old days in 70's.

Formerly, you couldn't across that bridge because of the United States military site. but everyone can across the bridge at the moment.

That railway track is no longer used.

We are looking at the view form the area where was not selected as development to the redeveloped bay area.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>

A God of Literature / Yushima, Tokyo

A shrine which I introduce now enshrined a god of literature, students who are preparing for a school exam from all over Japan visits there prays for success in entrance exam, Yushima Tenjin.

Access:
Take Subway Tokyo metro Chiyoda Line, Yushima Station, Exit 3.
It takes approximately two minutes from Yushima station Exit 3 to Yushima Tenjin.

This is an entrance, however it's not a main gate. but the reason I recommend there because it's a easier way to get to Yushima Shrine.

Wash your hands and purify your mind.

Guard Dog

Main Hall

You can buy souvenir goods like a talisman at there.

Many of students who are preparing for a school exam wrote their wishes on a wooden board and displayed like that.

It is said that make you brainier to pats a cow on the head.

Pray here and study hard, your dream would comes true.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>

Like a Hotel California / Yushima, Tokyo

There's an old residence near Ueno Park where is well known Ueno zoological garden.　This residence was built for Hisaya Iwasaki who is a son of the third generation of Mitsubishi which is a Japanese company syndicate,　Old Residence of Iwasaki Family. This residence was built by a British architect in 1896.

Access:
Take Subway Tokyo metro Chiyoda Line, Yushima Station, Exit 1.

This is a entrance of Old Residence of Iwasaki Family.
It takes about 3 minutes from Yushima Station.

A short walk from here brought you to your destination.

We are there! It feels like as if Eagles' Hotel California album cover.

Unfortunately, An old residence was surrounded by scaffold due to the under construction.

The impression of its residence, like this.

Let's go into the residence. Admission fee is 400 yen.
It opens form 9 to 5.

Western style rooms were used for the guests. Japanese style rooms were used for the daily life.

There is a spacious greener garden at the back of a residence. That was designed to represent of Pennsilvania where he studied.

This house used to be a billiard room which is connected to a residence by underground passage.

As I mentioned earlier, Hotel California is located near Ueno Park. Why don't you stop by there when you sightseeing at Ueno Park or shopping at Ameyoko Street.

<< PREVIOUS | NEXT >>