Kansai - ブローディ

Sun Child (サン•チャイルド)

March 11, 2012 marked the one year anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake and became the opening date for the statue ‘Sun Child’ or ‘Taiyo no Ko’ in Japanese.

Osaka

Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum (司馬遼太郎記念館)

Architect Tadao Ando designed a museum dedicated to Shiba Ryotaro, a post WW2 author known for his novels based on historical events.

Kobe

Oji Zoo, Kobe (神戸市立王子動物園)

A zoo in Kobe with all the big ticket animals including a giant panda, a red panda, sloths, and a polar bear.

Mie

Forty-Eight Waterfalls of Akame (赤目四十八滝) Walk

An unexpectedly amazing walk starting from Akameguchi Station in Mie, through a salamander museum, along a river through a valley and into a forest.

Kyoto

Tadao Ando Designed Oyamazaki Museum

An entrepreneur's Tudor style home from the 1920s received an addition in 1995 by architect Tadao Ando for the Oyamazaki Museum.

Osaka

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館) & Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan (大阪文化館・天保山)

The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館), designed by Peter Chermayeff and the Culturarium (大阪文化館・天保山) by Tadao Ando sit beside each other overlooking the bay; a short stroll from Osakako station.

Osaka

Empty City Streets, Osaka (大阪市)

Central Osaka is a maze of concrete and overhead expressways. At night cars speed past metres away from apartment and office buildings.

Hyogo

Taiyo Park (太陽公園), Himeji (姫路)

Replicas of Neuschwanstein Castle, The Great Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors and The Arc de Triomphe fill this strange theme park near Himeji City.

Hyogo

Namaze To Takedao Abandoned Fukuchiyama Railway Line Walk

The hike starts 10mins walk from Namaze Station in Nishinomiya along the Muko river and takes you through an old tunnel and over a rail bridge; ending at Takedao Station.

Osaka

Banpaku Kinen Koen (万博記念公園) Osaka (大阪)

Osaka hosted the World Expo in 1970 and constructed a vast site now called Expo '70 Commemorative Park or Banpaku Kinen Koen.

Kyoto

Miho Museum, Shiga (滋賀県)

A museum design inspired by an ethereal utopia in writings from ancient China. The owner's strong belief in beauty, peace and joy through art is achieved in this mountain top masterpiece by architect I.M. Pei.

Osaka

Before The Osaka Yodogawa (大阪市淀川) Fireworks Festival

Every year, thousands of people sit at the banks of the Yodo River to watch a large fireworks festival.

Osaka

D & Department Project Osaka (大阪)

A design store with the motto 'Long Life Design' with many locations throughout Japan.

Osaka

Osaka Bicycles (大阪自転車)

Japan's love of bicycles is evident throughout the country and Osaka is no exception. Areas such as America-Mura and Horie show off thousands of unique bicycles parked on the streets.

Hyogo

Arima Onsen Cable Car

A mountainous town known for its hot springs accessible via cable car over Mount Rokko. This is the cable car ride.

Japan

Arashiyama Kyoto (嵐山)

A mountainous area north west of Kyoto City famous for it's beautiful river, monkeys and bamboo forest.

Hyogo

Ako Misaki Beach (赤穂御崎)

A picturesque beach area in Ako city by the Seto Inland Sea.

Osaka

Osaka Chuo (大阪中)

Osaka's Chuo area has streets lined with trendy cafes and shop scattered amongst architectural gems.

Osaka

Osaka City Sakura (大阪市さくら)

Osaka Castle is surrounded by parklands filled with cherry and plum blossoms. Each year in April, people swarm to the park for picnics while the blossoms fall.

Hyogo

Ako City Sakura (赤穂市さくら)

Streets throughout Japan, in big cities and small, are lined with cherry blossoms which come out in full bloom briefly, every year. Time to head out and enjoy the sunshine!

Osaka

Pennennemu (ペンネンネネム) Children's Book Cafe

A cosy cafe selling children's books with dishes themed from the stories.