Japan: A Journey Through Time

Otaru, a port city on Hokkaido (Japan’s northernmost island), lies northwest of Sapporo on Ishikari Bay. The city is known for glassworks, music boxes and sake distilleries. Nishin Goten (“herring mansion”), a former fish processing plant built in 1897, explores the industry’s key role in the city’s earlier years. Completed in 1923, the Otaru Canal is now lined with cafes and shops in converted old warehouses.

Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the T?hoku region of Japan. As of 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of 824.61 square kilometers.

Hakodate is one of the main cities on Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island. Looming over the town is 334m-high Mount Hakodate. The mountain's summit, reachable by aerial ropeway gondola, offers dramatic nighttime views. At its base is Motomachi, a neighborhood of steep streets with Western-style, early-20th-century buildings. A city landmark is the grand Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward, built in 1910.

Sado Island is an island located in the eastern part of the Sea of Japan, under the jurisdiction of Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, with a coastline of 262.7 kilometres. In October 2017, Sado Island had a population of 55,212 people.

Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It's known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and regional handicrafts. Kenrokuen Garden, begun in the 17th century, is celebrated for its classic landscape designs incorporating ponds and streams. Adjacent Kanazawa Castle was built in the 1580s, after the defeat of the Peasant’s Kingdom, Japan's only Buddhist fiefdom.

Maizuru is a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, on an inlet of the Sea of Japan. The city was founded on May 27, 1943.

Hagi is a coastal city in Japan. The ruins of Hagi Castle sit in Shizuki Park, known for its spring cherry blossoms and the forested slopes of Mt. Shizuki. Nearby is Kikugahama beach. The Castle Town area’s narrow streets are lined with samurai-era residences. Ukiyo-e woodblock prints and ceramics are on display at the Hagi Uragami Museum. Farther east, T?k?-ji Temple is known for its collection of stone lanterns.

Busan, a large port city in South Korea, is known for its beaches, mountains and temples. Busy Haeundae Beach features the Sea Life Aquarium, plus a Folk Square with traditional games such as tug-of-war, while Gwangalli Beach has many bars and views of modern Diamond Bridge. Beomeosa Temple, a Buddhist shrine founded in 678 A.D., is at the base of Geumjeong Mountain, which has hiking trails.

Matsuyama is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on Japan’s Shikoku Island. It’s known for its central D?go Onsen Honkan bathhouse, dating from the Meiji Period, with ornate, tiered wooden buildings. Nearby is Shiki Memorial Museum, dedicated to Masaoka Shiki’s haiku poetry. To the west is the restored, feudal-era Matsuyama Castle, with its hilltop gardens and seasonal cherry blossoms.

Hiroshima, a modern city on Japan’s Honshu Island, was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II. Today, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park commemorates the 1945 event. In the park are the ruins of Genbaku Dome, one of the few buildings that was left standing near ground zero. Other prominent sites include Shukkei-en, a formal Japanese garden, and Hiroshima Castle, a fortress surrounded by a moat and a park.

Honshu historically called Hondo is the largest and most populous main island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaid? across the Tsugaru

Osaka is a large port city and commercial center on the Japanese island of Honshu. It's known for its modern architecture, nightlife and hearty street food. The 16th-century shogunate Osaka Castle, which has undergone several restorations, is its main historical landmark. It's surrounded by a moat and park with plum, peach and cherry-blossom trees. Sumiyoshi-taisha is among Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.