9 Days 7 Nights Japan Discovery–Snow Wall + Flower Festival Kyoto/Takayama /Shirakawa Gassho Village/Kanazawa/Kusatsu Onsen/Tokyo

Fushimi Inari Grand Shrine
Was dedicated to the gods of rice and sake by the Hata family in the 8th century. As the role of agriculture diminished, deities were enrolled to ensure prosperity in business. Nowadays, the shrine is one of Japan’s most popular and is the head shrine for some 40,000 Inari shrines scattered the length and breadth of the country

 Takayama Jinya
Was a local governor’s office during the Edo period. Has more than 60 similar buildings in Japan, however Takayama Jinya is the only one left today. Prefectural and district governors used it as an office to govern Hida during the Edo period. The present building complex is called “Jinya” that includes residential space and storehouses for rice paid as tax. Takayama was well known for its abundant forest resource to produce timbers and an underground natural resource of gold, silver, copper and lead. This is one reason why the Shognate put Takayama under the direct control as an important economic area.

Takayama Old Street : San-machi
San-machi, the old streets, is the iconic district for sightseeing in Takayama. This merchant center was the prosperous heart of the community during the old castle town days. Kami-Sanmachi is especially worth a visit. The old Sanmachi downtown area grew as people gathered along the lanes linking the castle, prominent temples and shrines, and also flourished around the Takayama-Jinya, the old government office that was built over 300 years ago. The Jinya still stands today. History feels alive in these beautiful old streets, which have been selected as an important traditional building preservation area.

Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine (Takayama Yatai Kaikan)
The Float Hall is in Sakurayamahachiman, and houses 11 floats for the fall Takayama festival. They rotate the floats 3 times a year (March, July, and November) putting 4 on display each time. In a revival of the festival parade, a shrine maiden takes visitors on a tour.

Shirakawa Gassho Village
Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms. (Sakura Viewing : Mid of April)

Higashi Chaya
A chaya is an exclusive type of restaurant where guests are entertained by geisha who perform song and dance. During the Edo Period, chaya were found in designated entertainment districts, usually just outside the city limits. Kanazawa has three, well preserved chaya districts, Higashi Chayagai , Nishi Chayagai and Kazuemachi.

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Is a unique and spectacular route through the Northern Alpine Mt., which is traversed by various transportation, including cable cars, train, ropeway and bus. The route is particularly famous for the high Snow walls that line some of its roads in spring. This road is only opened from April to November.

Ice Wall Travel Route ( around from 20 Apr ~ 30 May ) :

1. Tateyama Station→Bijodaira  : 【Train】 (1.7km – 7min – sea level 977m)

2. Bijodaira→Amithaba Field→Tengudaira→Murodo : 【Bus】 (23km – 50min – sea level 2450m)

3. Murodo→Tateyama→Daikanbo : 【Train via the tunnel】(3.7km – 10min – sea level 2316m)

4. Daikanbo→Kurobedaira : 【Cable Car】(1.7km – 7min – sea level 1828m)

5. Kurobedaira→Kurobe Lake : 【Underground Train】 (0.8km – 5min – sea level 1455m)

6. Kurobe Lake→Kurobe Dam : 【Walking Distance】 (0.8km – 15min – sea level 1470m)

7. Kurobe Dam→Ogizawa : 【Train】 (6.1km – 16min – sea level 1433m)

Matsushiro Castle 
Matsushiro Castle is a Japanese castle located in former Matsushiro town, now part of the city of Nagano, northern Nagano Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Matsushiro Castle was home to the Sanada clan, daimyō of Matsushiro Domain. The site is a registered National Historic Site by the Japanese government. (Sakura Viewing : Mid of April)

Zenko-ji Temple  

Is one of the most important temples in Nagano. There are lot of shops along the building selling local souvenirs and small restaurants to eat. ( Sakura Viewing : Mid of April )

【Kusatsu Onsen ( Japan Top 3 Hot Spring )】
visit Yubatake Onsen Old Street .  In the middle of the town there is an area called the “Yubatake,” where 230,000 barrels of onsen water flow out of the ground every day.

Ikaho Mizusawa-dera
According to temple legend, the temple dates to the Asuka period and was founded by the Kokushi of Kozuke province during the reign of Empress Suiko, who invited a high-ranking prelate from Goguryeo to introduce Buddhism to the region. However, the temple has no records or structures pre-dating the Edo period to help verify its claim.

  Ikaho Onsen Street
The most interesting view in Ikaho Onse Street will be the 300 metres long and 360 steps stairs which have more than 400 years of history. There are a lot of beautiufl scneray with the many of hot spring resort and souvenir shop along the stairs.

Ikaho Shrine
The stone steps of Ikaho is one of the most famous spots in Ikaho. It is made with more than 360 stone steps. Once you are on the top of the steps, there is Ikaho Shrine. It is so quiet and peaceful there.                                

Misato Shibazakura Park
Every year from the middle of April, the Shibazakura (moss phlox or moss pink) Park in Misato is open for just one month. Visitors from near and far come here to be surrounded by tens of thousands of brightly hued moss phlox（end of April ~ Begining of May）

Kameidoten Shrine
Kameido Tenjin Shrine is known as the best place in Tokyo to view wisterias. Beneath the wisteria trellises is a quiet pond, creating the unique scenery of purple flowers reflected on the surface of the water. These beautiful wisteria flowers were planted during the Edo period.