Moopon

1. Once visitors exit immigration and customs at Kansai Airport, visitors will be on the 1st floor. Follow the signs for “Railways”, taking one of the 4 escalators or 3 elevators to arrive at the 2nd floor.

2. Once on the 2nd floor, follow the signs to one of several walkways and walk across the road to Kansai-airport Station. Visitors need to exit the air terminal building to arrive at the JR Station (two separate buildings connected by a walkway). Two train companies use Kansai-airport Station: JR (blue/green) and Nankai (orange). Only JR can take visitor to the platform Haruka departing from. DO NOT use Nankai.

3. Before entering tickets gate, find JR Ticket Office where visitors can purchase ticket or reserved ticket for JR train.(there is a huge sign in English above their head).JR ticket office staff may or may not speak English, but they can read place names and train types written in the Roman alphabet. 

4. With one’s tickets, go through JR ticket gate and take an escalator to get to Platform 4.

The Machiya Museum is a small building at the southern end of the old town, which is open to the public. It shows how a typical merchant's residence looked like during the Edo Period. You can take a break in this facility learning how people in the old days lived.

Admission: Free
Hours: 9:00 to 16:30

Uchiko's name became synonymous with high quality white wax production in the late 19th century. At that time, wealthy local merchants built new homes or added to their own, resulting in beautiful streets lined with large, stylish, Meiji Period houses. The Yokaichi district has since been restored to preserve these buildings.
Yokaichi (八日市, Yōkaichi) is comprised of about 90 buildings along a single street. Two of these buildings are open to the public as museums, the largest and most impressive of which is the Kamihaga Residence. A combination ticket for Kamihaga Residence, the Uchiko-za kabuki theater and the Uchiko History Museum is sold for 900 yen from any of those locations.
Uchiko's Old Town is located about one kilometer or a 15 minute walk from JR Uchiko Station. The preserved section of the town is about 600 meters long and consists of about 90 historical houses.

Hagi Castle (萩城), built in 1604, was the ruling home for the Mori Clan, one of the most powerful clans in Japan.  At the end of the feudal era (second half of the 19th century), the castle was destroyed.  Only its moats and walls remain today.

The castle ruins are located in the Shizuki Park in the northwestern tip of the city. Besides the remains of the castle, the park has a teahouse and shrine.  With bicycles allowed in the park, visitors can see people cycling around or taking a leisurely walk.  Mount Shizuki is located in the park and visitors can climb to the peak in about 20 minutes.


Access Information:
**By Bicycle: 10-20 minute bicycle ride from Higashi-Hagi Station
**On foot:  30-45 minute walk from Higashi-Hagi Station
**By Bus:  “Maru Bus” West Loop and disembarking at Shizukikoen Iriguchi bus stop. From the bus stop, a 5 minute walk

Hours: 8:00 to 18:30 (April to October)
8:30 to 16:30 (November to February)
8:30 to 18:00 (March)
Closed: Opened all year round
Admission: 210 yen

Tottori Castle, located 30 minutes from Tottori station, was originally built in 1532. The castle was part of Ikeda Clan’s, who ruled Tottori during the Edo Period, empire. However, the castle was destroyed in the Meiji Period due to the modernization policies of that period.

Today all which remains of the castle are only the castle's stone walls and a single wooden gate. However, visitors will find there are still many interesting things to do within this area.

The Tottori Castle ruins remain on the side of Mount Kyusho.  Visitors have the option to climb the castle’s courtyards to the observation point to see breathtaking views of the city. As the observation point was used to track enemies approaching the city, visitors can see all over Tottori city from this location.

There are also hundred of cherry trees planted along the former castle’s stone walls and along the banks of the river.  These former Tottori Castle grounds are known as Kyusho Park. In the spring, there are picnics under the cherry blossoms or sakura. This cherry blossom viewing custom is known as hanami.  Kyusho Park is Tottori's most famous hanami spot. During this season, paper lanterns hung on the trees provide illumination to view the sakuras in the evenings.

Jinpukaku, the white wooden European style building was constructed at the base of the castle ruins at the end of the feudal age in 1907. Architectural features of this building include its open verandas, brick fireplaces and a beautiful wooden spiral staircase.

As a symbol of modernization, this was the first building in Tottori to have electric lights. Over the years, Jinpukaku served many roles including but not limited to being used as a guest house for the visiting crown prince, public hall, reception hall and a prefectural museum. Currently it serves as a small museum concentrating on the Ikeda Clan. Public events are also sometimes held here. 

Castle Ruins
Hours: Always opened
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: Free

Jinpukaku
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (except if Monday is national holidays), New Years and the day after national holidays.
Admission: 150 yen

Access Information:
**By Bus:
From Tottori Station, board the green line of the 100 Yen Kururi Bus.
Disembark at  bus stop number 12.
From here it is a short walk to the Castle Ruins.
The bus ride will take about 10 minutes and the fare is 100 yen.
Buses depart every 20 minutes.
**On Foot:
From Tottori Station, a 30 minute walk.

The Okayama Prefectural Museum focuses on Okayama region. Visitors can learn the history and development of this region.  Displays date from prehistory to the end of the feudal age. There is a special focus on sword making and pottery, the regional specialties of Okayama.

Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (April to September)
9:30 to 17:00 (October to March)
Closed: Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday, the museum will be closed the following day) as well as New Year holidays. There are irregular closures between exhibitions
Admission: 250 yen (there may be an additional fee for special exhibitions)
English Information: Very Limited

The Chichu Art Museum (地中美術館, Chichū Bijutsukan) is a unusual modern art museum built into a hillside overlooking the southern coast of Naoshima. The museum building, designed by Ando Tadao and itself a work of art, is mostly located underground and solely utilizes natural light to illuminate the artwork. This creates a viewing experience that is deeply influenced by the surrounding natural environment.

The museum has been built around quite a small collection of art. The first gallery shows large murals from Claude Monet's "Water Lilies" series. This is followed by a few works by James Turrell, who uses light as a medium. They include the "Open Sky" room from his "Skyspaces" series which has sister exhibits around the world including the 21st Century Museum in Kanazawa. Finally, the deepest part of the Chichu Museum houses the "Time/Timeless/No Time" installation by Walter De Maria.

Tickets are purchased at the museum's ticket center which is located a short walk downhill from the museum entrance. The ticket center has a small cafe and waiting area as only a limited number of visitors are allowed to the museum at one time. There are also coin lockers available since bags and cameras are not allowed in the museum and must be stowed before entering.    
Access info                                                                        
There are one or two buses per hour from Miyanoura Ferry Terminal via Honmura to the Tsutsujiso bus stop at the east gate of the Benesse House (15 minutes, 100 yen), from where it is possible to walk (30 minutes) or take a free shuttle bus to the Chichu Art Museum (10 minutes). Or the museum is about a two kilometer bicycle ride (10 minutes) or walk (30-40 minutes) from the Miyanoura ferry terminal.

From the Chichu Art Museum it is just a few minutes on the free shuttle bus to either the Lee Ufan Museum or the Benesse House. It is also possible to walk between the museums (5 and 15 minutes respectively).                                                      

Chichu Art Museum
Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from October to February) 
Admission ends one hour prior to closing time
Closed: Mondays (or Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday)
Infrequent irregular closures for maintenance
Admission: 2060 yen

Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes and is the symbol of Kagoshima.


The volcano emits smoke constantly, and minor eruptions often occur many times per day.


Located in the middle of Kagoshima Bay, Sakurajima is the area's most splendid geographic feature,

having an elevation of 1117 meters and a circumference of about 50 kilometers.
 

Before a strong eruption in 1914, Sakurajima used to be an island in the bay,

but the massive lava flow from that eruption created the volcano's current land connection to the Osumi Peninsula in the east.


However For a great number of travelers the volcano is still most easily accessed by the ferries that run the 3.5

kilometers between Kagoshima Port and the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal.
 

Sakurajima has three main peaks: Kita-dake(peak) (, 1117 meters),

Naka-dake (1060 meters) and Minami-dake (1040 meters).


The Minami-dake peak is currently the most active,

with a lot of eruptions taking place from the Showa Crater on the peak's eastern slope.


Approaching within two kilometers of the volcano's craters is banned,

but there are many observation points around Sakurajima where eruptions can be seen from about three kilometers away.
 

Access information

In Sakurajima

Travelers visiting Sakurajima can find many attractions just around the Ferry Terminal,

including an onsen, foot baths, short hiking trails and an information center.


Those who would like to further explore the volcano should travel by rental car,

which can be taken across the water from Kagoshima by the ferries.

Sightseeing buses, regular buses and rental bicycles are other possible methods of travel.


The way up to Sakurajima

Kagoshima and Sakurajima are connected around the clock by frequent ferries.

The one way ride takes 15 minute and costs 160 yen.

The ferry terminal is a ten minute walk from JR Kagoshima Station or a five minute walk from the Suizokukan-guchi tram stop,

and is also served by the City View Buses.

The way up to around Sakurajima

The easiest way to travel around Sakurajima is by rental car,

which can be taken onto the ferry (1150 yen one way for 3-4 meter long cars; 1600 yen one way for 4-5 meter long cars).

Driving once around the coast of Sakurajima takes about an hour.

Many car rental outlets are found in the city center and at the airport.


There is some transportation for travelers who want to travel around Sakurajima,

like a loop bus, the Sakurajima Island View Bus,

that operates hourly from the ferry terminal to the Yunohira observation point and back.


The fare depends on the distance traveled or is 500 yen for a 1-day pass.

Instead,sightseeing bus tours are available for Sakurajima (3-4 hours, about 2500 yen) or in combination with Kagoshima (6 hours, about 4000 yen).

 

There are also regular city buses that run infrequently from the ferry terminal along the northern

coast (departures every 1-3 hours) and along the southern coast (departures every 40-90 minutes) of Sakurajima.

 

Heiwadai Park, or Peace Tower Park, was built in 1940 to celebrate the 2600th anniversary of the ascension of Emperor Jimmu,who was the first emperor of Japan,
on what is believed to be the original site of his capital.

Inside the park stands Heiwadainoto, or the Peace Tower, a tower constructed of stones sent from all around Asia and one of Miyazaki's most famous landmarks.

The Peace Tower was meant to be a symbol of a united world.
On the front of the tower is the phrase "Hakko Ichiu", which is attributed to Jimmu or Emper and means "United under one roof".
While it is a little ambiguous what he meant, this was often used as a rallying cry for imperialists who believed that peace wouldreign once Asia was united under Japanese leadership.

Heiwadai Park also has an interesting acoustic trick.
If you face the Peace Tower from the center of the wide lawn at its base and make a sound,
your sound will be magnified and reflected back toward you.

At the far end of the park is the Haniwa Garden, a collection of over 400 replica haniwa (burial figurines) depicting animals,
warriors, dancers, houses and boats arranged along a walking path through the trees.
During the Kofun Period these clay figurines were placed around burial mounds in tribute to the deceased.

Hours: Always Open
Closed: No closing days
Admission: Free

Access Information:
By Bus 
From Miyazaki Station (West Exit), board a bus for Heiwadai Park.
There are 1-2 direct buses per hour .The one way journey takes about 30 minutes with a cost of 320 yen.
Alternatively, board a bus in the direction of Tachibana Dori and get off at the Depato Mae bus stop (4 minutes, 150 yen)
and then transfer to a bus bound for Heiwadai Park (12 minutes, 240 yen). 
Heiwadai Park can also be reached in a 15 minute walk from Miyazaki Shrine and the Prefectural Museum.

The Phoenix Seagaia Resort is a gigantic oceanside resort spanning nearly 10 kilometers of coastline just north of central Miyazaki City.
More than just a collection of hotels, Seagaia is a symbol of Miyazaki's resort heritage and offers its guests a lot of things to do.

Although some parts of Seagaia have been closed because of post economic bubble restructuring,
there are still many attractions on the grounds including hot springs, beaches with excellent surfing and a zoo.
There are also world CLASS tennis and golf facilities where international competitions are regularｌｙheld.

Miyazaki was once the most popular honeymoon site for domestic newlyweds until it was exceeded by Okinawa and Hawaii in the 1980s.
The Seagaia resort was built in the early 1990s as state of the art symbol of Miyazaki's resort tourism with the hope of attracting tourists and revitalizing the economy.

By 2001, however, the Seagaia Resort went bankrupt and was sold to a foreign investment firm that revitalized the resort,
streamlined its operations and closed unprofitable attractions like the Ocean Dome, which is the world's largest indoor water park and a main landmark of the resort.
More recently the resort, which is still struggling financially, was sold to Sega Sammy in 2012.

Access Information:
From Miyazaki Station
By Bus Board a bus to Sheraton Grandebus stop.
The one way journey will take 25 minutes with a cost of 510yen.
By taxi: It will take about 15 minutes with a cost of about 2500yen.
From Miyazaki Airport
by bus: It will take 25minutes with a cost of 850yen.
By taxi: It will take around 20 minutes with a cost of about 4500 yen.



 

The Yoshinogari Historical Park (Yoshinogari Rekishi Kōen) is a remarkable archaeological site in Saga Prefecture.
The vast park covers a large settlement from the Yayoi Period (300 BC - 300 AD) where dozens of pit dwellings,elevated store houses and over 2000 tombs were excavated.
It is the largest and most important Yayoi Period site in Japan, and the best place for people who want to learn about this era of Japanese history.
 

The settlements unearthed at Yoshinogari are believed to have been some of the largest moat surrounded villages of their time and are speculated
to have been the seat of one of the earliest forms of state government discovered in Japan.
Today the ancient site has been preserved with impressive reconstructed villages and visitors can explore and learn about Yayoi life and culture.

The careful reconstructions include dozens of elevated store houses, pit dwellings, watchtowers, shrines and other structures, many of which can be observed from inside.
Some contain tools and implements, while mannequins re-act jobs and ceremonies in others.

Of the reconstructed villages, the Minami Naikaku settlement placed at the center of the park which is one of the most important.
Enclosed by moats and defensive walls, this is where the Yayoi Period kings were thought to have governed from.
Nearby is an exhibition house displays tools and clothes of the Yayoi people as well as artifacts,explaining their agricultural techniques.
Another section displays burial jars excavated around the site.
The exhibitions include detailed English descriptions.

A short walk north is another important enclosed settlement called Kita Naikaku, which is a place for those who were involved in ancient ceremonies.
Further north is another museum focusing on the ancient forest that covered the area two thousand years ago.
A living center near the East Gate allows visitors to take part in hands-on activities
(100 to 500 yen) such as stone carving and building a fire with a bow-drill.

Furthermore, the large park includes other recreational areas such as a sprawling open field where people can picnic and play sports, playgrounds,
disc golf and miniature golf courses, and agricultural fields where flowers and various display crops are grown.
There is a restaurant and souvenir shop.
 

Yoshinogari Historical Park
Hours: 9:00 - 17:00 (until 18:00 June - August)
Closed: December 31st and the third Monday and Tuesday of January
Admission: 420 yen
Level of English: Good

Access Information:
From Fukuoka
Via Shinkansen
From Fukuoka's Hakata Station, board the Kyushu Shinkansen to Shin-Tosu where you can transfer to a local train for Yoshinogarikoen Station.
The one way journey will take around 35 minutes with a cost of about 2500 yen
(Fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass and Kyushu Rail Pass.)
There are good connections once or twice an hour, but keep in mind that not all Sakura trains stop at Shin-Tosu Station along the way.
Via local or limited express train
From Fukuoka's Hakata Station, board a local or limited express train to Tosu and a local train for Yoshinogarikoen.
The trip takes between 45-75 minutes and with a cost of 840 yen by local or about 1500 yen by limited express train.
There are multiple connections every hour.
From Yoshinogarikoen Station it is a 10-15 minute walk or 700 yen taxi ride to the park's East Gate.

From Nagasaki 
Via local or limited express train
Take a limited express train from Nagasaki to Saga and transfer to a local train for Kanzaki Station.
The one way trip takes around two hours with a cost of about 3500 yen
(Fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass and Kyushu Rail Pass.) 
Via only local trains
A few direct local trains go all the way in about three hours and for 2130 yen one journey.
From Kanzaki Station it is a 10-15 minute walk or 700 yen taxi ride to the park's West Gate.


 

Tozan Shrine, located in Arita Town of western Saga Prefecture, is a “porcelain” shrine,
incorporating Arita’s famous pottery in the shrine’s construction.

Arita-yaki (Arita Porcelain) has a history of over 400 years, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi brought highly talented Korean craftsmen to Japan.
In 1616, one of these talented gentleman discovered kaolin, one of the main ingredients for porcelain.
The kaolin was discovered at Izumiyama Quarry. As a result, Arita became the first place porcelain was produced in Japan.

Tozan Shrine was founded in 1658.
It is dedicated to Emperor Ojin, Nabeshima Naoshige, and Yu Sam-pyeong
(the father of Arita Porcelain).
The shrine has porcelain Komainu—guardian dogs—as well as a porcelain Torii gate.
In April 2000, the porcelain torii gates were designated as Tangible Culture Properties. 

Facility Information: 
Hours: Always open 
Admission: Free