Saijyo is well known to be the place for famous Japanese sake such as Nada and Fushimi, is located about 35 minutes away from Hiroshima station by train. For those that are interested in Japanese sake lets head out of Hiroshima city.

Saijyo is located in a basin about 250~300 meters in height, and sake creation started from 1650. With its various natural spring water and rice, Touji-no-eda, and with its perfect climate of 5 degrees for brewing, it is the best environment for making sake.

Manhole cover with a Kuramoto depicted

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Photo by Yuuki Honda

Photo by Yuki Honda

Shukkei-en (a historic Japanese garden located in Hiroshima)

Entrance

Shukkei-en is a garden which served as a villa for a historical Japanese family. It was constructed in 1620, and opened to the public and donated to Hiroshima Prefecture in 1940. The garden is also nearby the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum.

View in the garden

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Photo by Yuuki Honda

Every year, usually in February, it snows at least once in Tokyo. The snow doesn’t usually last very long, nor is it very heavy, but it brings a true feeling of winter with it. The atmosphere of Tokyo; usually fast paced and charged with energy, changes when the snow falls, and everyone slows down so they can enjoy this rare event..

The snow literally transforms Tokyo from a city of sky scrapers and commuter trains into a wonderland full of hidden beauty. Even the busiest areas of Tokyo cannot escape the excitement that the snow brings with it.

■Shibuya Station

Shibuya Crossing.

Umbrellas in the crossing.

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Photo by Yuuki Honda

Hiroshima is well known for the tragedy that occurred during World War Two when the USA used an atomic bomb to destroy the city. Years later both the USA and Japan recovered, and Hiroshima used the horrific event to send a positive message to the world about peace.

In Hiroshima there are two world heritage sites, which are very popular tourist attractions among both Japanese and foreign visitors. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial commonly called the Genbaku Dōmu (lit. Atomic Bomb Dome) and the Itsukushima Shrine are both very important attractions in Japan.

Starting with the Genbaku Dōmu and Hiroshima Palace there are many wonderful places to visit within Hiroshima.

■Hiroshima city
After arriving at Hiroshima station, the Genbaku Dōmu and Peace Memorial Park are easy to access by street car.

Street car

Street cars are very uncommon in Japanese cities these days, so it is important to not miss out on the chance to ride one while visiting Hiroshima. By street car it takes only about 15 minutes to get to the Genbaku Dōmu.

Genbaku Dōmu

After arriving at the station you can immediately see the Genbaku Dōmu as you enter the Peace Park.

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Photo by Yuuki Honda

Photo by Yuuki Honda