Hi, everyone.
According to news, more than 12 million people visited Japan from foreign countries from January to August in 2015. Thank you! I am so glad to hear that.
I am often asked where to visit in Japan from many foreign people. Actually, I visited 40 prefectures out of 47 in Japan on business trip or traveling. So I wanna recommend some my favorite places.
Before that, I wanna mention about 20 places to visit in Japan selected by Michelin. Michelin, which is French tire macufacturing company, announces places to visit as well as restaurants to visit every year. How many places have you visited in this list?? I have visited 9 red-colored places out of 20 places..
| No. | Place name in Japanese | Prefecture in Japanese | Place name in English | Prefecture in English |
| ① | 知床国立公園 | 北海道 | Shiretoko National Park | Hokkaido |
| ② | 中尊寺 | 岩手 | Cyusonji | Iwate |
| ③ | 松島 | 宮城 | Matsushima | Miyagi |
| ④ | 日光 | 栃木 | Nikkou | Tochigi |
| ⑤ | 明治神宮 | 東京 | Meiji Shrine | Tokyo |
| ⑥ | 高尾山 | 東京 | Mt. Takao | Tokyo |
| ⑦ | 鎌倉 | 神奈川 | Kamakura | Kanagawa |
| ⑧ | 富士山 | 山梨 | Mt. Fuji | Yamanashi |
| ⑨ | 松本城 | 長野 | Matsumoto Castle | Nagano |
| ⑩ | 兼六園 | 石川 | Kenrokuen | Ishikawa |
| ⑪ | 白川郷 | 岐阜 | Shirakawagou | Gifu |
| ⑫ | 高山 | 岐阜 | Takayama | Gifu |
| ⑬ | 伊勢神宮 | 三重 | Ise Shrine | Mie |
| ⑭ | 東大寺 | 奈良 | Toudai temple | Nara |
| ⑮ | 京都 | 京都 | Kyoto | Kyoto |
| ⑯ | 高野山 | 和歌山 | Kouyasan | Wakayaama |
| ⑰ | 姫路城 | 兵庫 | Himeji Castle | Hyogo |
| ⑱ | 宮島 | 広島 | Miyajima | Hiroshima |
| ⑲ | 屋久島 | 鹿児島 | Yaku Island | Kagoshima |
| ⑳ | 石垣島 | 沖縄 | Ishigaki Island | Okinawa |
(I wonder why no place in Kyusyu Island is selected, but these places are worth visiting. )
In this 20 places, I reccomend Kamakura(No.⑦) because there are many historical temples and shrines including big Buddah, which you can enter inside of this Buddah and nice beach in Kamakura. It is one and half hour from Tokyo bu train. I often visited Kamakura when I lived in Tokyo.
Personaly, I recommend Karuizawa in Nagano near Matsumoto(No.⑨). There are big outlet shopping mall, delicious soba noodle, cozy inn and cool weather. John Lennon loved Karuizawa and he often visited this cozy place with his wife, Yoko Ono. It is only one hour from Tokyo by train.
If you want me to recommend where to visit in Japan, please contact me!
