Sapporo Brewery Museum
Sapporo Brewery Museum is a must to visit, as Sapporo Beer is famous in every nation. Even if you’re a non-alcoholic person, this visit will certainly be an educational experience. Some displays are presented using 3D animated exhibits. Explanations are in Japanese therefore you should get an English flyer (free) from the receptionist as you enter the museum.
Sapporo Snow Festival
The Sapporo Snow Festival every February attracts two million visitors to the city and is the highlight of the year. Every winter, a large number of splendid snow and ice sculptures lining Odori Park, the grounds at Community Dome Tsudome, and along the main street in Susukino. For seven days in February, Sapporo is turned into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow. Anyone hoping to stay in Sapporo during the festival needs to plan well in advance. The 65th Sapporo Snow Festival will be held from February 5 (Wed.) through 11 (Tue.) in 2014.
Snow Monster in Zao
Zao Onsen is well-known for it’s spectacular “Snow Monsters”. One of the natural wonders of Zao Onsen, these can be found at the top of the mountain during the coldest months, usually from late December to the middle of March. These Snow Monsters (“Juhyo”) make for some truly spectacular and unique scenery which combined with the wide panoramic scenery make Zao Onsen one of the best resorts in Japan for scenery. The Snow Monsters can be also fully appreciated during the night illuminations at the top of the mountain during the peak season.
Jigokudani Yaen monkey park
One of the coolest spectacles in all of Japan is to watch the wild snow monkeys of the Japanese Alps sit out a snowy winter day soaking in the hot waters of a naturally-heated onsen. At Jigokudani Yaenkoen monkey park, just above Nagano, you can see these migratory macaques, the world’s most northerly primates (besides man) forage for food under the snow and soak in an onsen to relax after a hard days work. The monkeys can be reached after a 1.6 km hike over a wide path covered in cedars along the Yogoku River (itself a beautiful activity during a snowfall).
Shuri-Castle
It is a world heritage site, the palace of ancient Ryūkyū Kingdom. The current palace is rebuild by Japanese after its occupation, and its interior is changed to Japanese style. The original style is like the Chinese palace. Shuri-castle is without doubt the main tourist-attraction of Okinawa and Naha. The palace burned down several times but had always been restored. The lovely and bright castle and park grounds is situated on a hillside which overlooks the city of Naha.
