Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture and is located over 600 km south of the island of Kyushu. Okinawa consists of approx. 50 islands. Some of them are developed with modern resorts, others are remote islands that boast untouched beautiful natural landscapes. Visitors can enjoy distinctive Okinawan culture in food, craft, music and architecture which originated from the Ryukyu Kingdom which ruled the islands until the late 19th century.
If you travel by Shinkansen train from Tokyo to Kyushu Island, you will first come to Fukuoka Prefecture. Its capital Fukuoka City is a former castle town and now the biggest city on Kyushu Island. Ohori Park is located on the old castle grounds. The Kyushu National Museum has an excellent collection showing Japanese art and history. It is located nearby in Dazaifu, the former governmental center of Kyushu. The Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is the national headquarter for all Tenmangu shrines. Also in the Fukuoka area is Munakata Taisha, UNESCO World Heritage and one of the oldest shrines in Japan.
Hitachi Seaside Park is located 120 km north-east of Tokyo. The 200-hectare park faces the Pacific Ocean and is flush with a variety of flowers of various colors that are in bloom all throughout the year. Among them are 4.5 million nemophilas (baby blue eyes) on hills that occupy some 3.5 hectares of the park’s total area. The flowers are very popular amongst international tourists who visit Japan.
Yokohama was the first port opened up to foreign trade in the mid-19th century. It is located south of Tokyo and can be reached in about 30 minutes from Tokyo by train. The Minato Mirai 21 area was developed in the late 20th century and features many tourist attractions such as hotels, shopping complexes, and amusement parks. The traditional international town atmosphere is alive and well in Chinatown which is also popular among visitors to Yokohama.