Program Contents (September 4th, 2010)

Shizuoka Prefecture

Shizuoka Guide

Shizuoka City has a wide variety of sightseeing opportunities. In addition to being one of the important cities along the ancient Tokaido Road, Shizuoka City was also the headquarters of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the Edo Shogunate, which oversaw two-and-a-half centuries of peace and cultural development. Shizuoka City is rich in historical assets, such as its famous historical remains. In addition, its hilly landscape gives rise to beautiful scenery, making it an ideal place for travelers to visit. The fertile land, temperate climate and pacific coastline produces rich natural products that continue to delight the taste buds of travelers. It is amidst this scenery that the ancestors of Shizuoka City created all sorts of human drama, and shaped the wonderful culture of the city.

*Quoted from Shizuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau (Click here!).
*Photo Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)

Special - Eco Tour and Nature in Japan

JAPANESE TOURISM GOES GREEN
The sacred site and pilgrimage routes of the Kii Mountains were designated a World Heritage Site in July 2004. These mountains are sacred to both the Shinto and Buddhist faiths, and their temples and shrines show a remarkable fusion between the two religions. The wild and beautiful forests of mount Koya and Kumano contain many attractions for the visitors- wonderful walking, unique architecture, giant waterfalls and the change to stay in mountain temples.

HIKING THE SHINETSU TRAIL
This newly completed hiking trail runs for 80 km through the Sekida mountains, an easily accessible range of 1,000 m peaks covered with old forests of Japanese buna beech trees. These woods, filled with springs, lakes and ponds, are unique for being almost entirely free from other tree species, and also for the way they have been shaped and polished by the region's heavy winter snowfall. The Shinetsu Trail is open year-round, and is a wonderfully convenient way to explore the delights of nature in Japan.

HOKKAIDO HORSE-TREKKING
The northern island of Hokkaido covers over 20% of Japan's land mass, and contains some of its most beautiful and unspoiled scenery. It’s also the home of an ancient breed of Japanese horse called the dosanko. A strong animal able to carry great loads and very stable on hillside trails due to its short legs, the dosanko played a significant historical role in the development of Hokkaido's agriculture. After having become somewhat rare in recent times , the dosanko is now seeing a revival due to the popularity of horse-trekking tours. This docile, stable mount can be ridden easily even by complete novices, and is the perfect way to explore the magnificently varied landscape of Hokkaido.

*Photo Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)

3 Cities Special - Tsukuba, Tokyo Bay, Kanazawa

ONE DAY TRIP TO TSUKUBA
This segment introduces an attractive location for a day trip from Tokyo on which you can enjoy mountain scenery, ocean delicacies and advanced technology. Since the opening of a new railway service in 2005 it has become possible to travel from central Tokyo to Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture in just 45 minutes. The symbol of the city is the famous Mt. Tsukuba, which often featured in classical Japanese poems and is today a popular location for casual hiking. The research carried out at Tsukuba Science City supports Japan's leading-edge technologies and the facilities of many of the research organizations are open to the public; the tours given by English-speaking guides are very well received. And just east of Tsukuba is the Pacific Ocean where the angler fish, a winter delicacy, is in season.

A DAY TRIP ACROSS TOKYO BAY
Thanks to the "Tokyo Bay Aqua - Line" expressway that goes right across the bay, it's now a drive of just 15 minutes to the Minami Boso area, where spring arrives early. The Boso Peninsula has traditionally had a thriving flower-growing industry because it is near Tokyo, the major market for flowers. Besides the shipping of flowers, the local communities have recently been making efforts to promote tourism, including the serving of dishes that use flowers as ingredients combined with seafood. This segment introduces a day-trip to enjoy the early arrival of spring in Chiba Prefecture that offers the fruits of both the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay.

TRADITIONAL CRAFTS, MODERN DESIGN - THAT'S KANAZAWA
In its golden age from the 17th to the 19th century, Kanazawa was one of Japan's greatest centers of culture and commerce. The old city retains much of its samurai era atmosphere, and its many highly-sophisticated traditional arts and crafts such as Kaga Yuzen dyeing, Kutani ceramics and fine gold leaf work continue to prosper. Today, the city is encouraging these local craft industries to apply their traditional artistic skills to modern designs, aiming to make beautiful hand-made objects, from fashion to jewelry and tableware, once again part of people's daily lives.

*Photo Credit: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)

Yamanashi Prefecture

Yamanashi Tourist Information

Yamanashi Prefecture is located in the center of Japan, surrounded by beautiful nature and mountains such as Mt. Fuji which is the highest mountain in Japan. In spring, peach flowers will bloom like a pink carpet. A refreshing summer breeze, red autumn leaves and Mt. Fuji’s winter snow will impress people. Yamanashi is also known as a fruit kingdom. In especially, Yamanashi is the largest producer of grapes and peaches in Japan, and its taste is on the top of the world. Wine manufacturing is also well-developed in Yamanashi, and various wines, receiving high reputations from overseas, are sold in Japan. Yamanashi has many hot springs and you can relax and they will heal your tense body. Please come over to Yamanashi to experience our beautiful nature and a lot of excitements. We are waiting for you!