2014 Gion Festival in Kyoto (Part 1)
The Gion Festival in Kyoto is perhaps Japan’s best known festival. Running the entire month of July each year. The festival is named after Kyoto’s Gion district. Gion is Japan’s most exclusive Geisha entertainment district. The peak of the festival are the Yamaboko Junk parades on July 17th and July 24th. The streets of Gion are reserved for pedestrian traffic for the three days (July 14-16) leading up to the parade.
Kyoto Imperial Palace
Kyoto Imperial Palace is located in Kyoto Imperial Park along with the Sento Palace. The emperor and Imperial court resided here until 1868, so it is a great place to visit for those interested in Japanese history and royalty. The tour is free, but you need to be registered and have your ticket to enter.
Hedo Point, Okinawa
Hedo Point, the northernmost tip of Okinawa. This is a fantastic area of sheer stone cliffs and huge breaking waves. This point is where the Pacific Ocean and East China Sea meet, and makes for an excellent dive site when tides are right. It has an amazing view that on a clear day will go on for miles. The rock cliffs are so astounding & there is also a musuem out there with photos and artifacts.
Fujikyu Highland
Fujikyu Highland, is an amusement park near the base of Mount Fuji in the town of Fujiyoshida. Entrance is just 1,400 Yen, or you can get a one-day pass that includes rides for 5,400 Yen per adult. The park has about 25 rides for both adults and children, restaurants, some souvenir shops, and a resort hotel with hot springs. You can get plenty of thrills from the brand new roller coaster with “the steepest drop in the world at 121°”.