The Shinkansen is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Since the initial Tōkaidō Shinkansen opened in 1964 running at 210 km/h (130 mph), the network (2,459 km or 1,528 miles) has expanded to link most major cities on the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū with running speeds of up to 300 km/h (188 mph), in an earthquake- and typhoon-prone environment. Test run speeds have been 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a world record of 581 km/h (361 mph) for maglev trainsets, in 2003.

Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima) in the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan.

My friend took the picture below.

The dramatic gate (torii) of Itsukushima Shrine is one of Japan’s most popular tourist attractions.

The shrine are built in the water.

How to get there 

Miyajima is accessible by ferry from Hiroshima. High-speed ferries fro Ujina Port take only 20min, but are much more costly (1465 JPY) than taking the train (25min, 400 JPY) or tram (55min,  270 JPY) to Miyajima-guchi station, then a ferry from there (10min, 170 JPY).

Shibuya is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 208,371 and a density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km².

The name “Shibuya” is also used to refer to the central business district of Shibuya Ward, which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo’s busiest railway stations. Shibuya is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.

Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing. The large intersection in front of the station (Hachiko Exit), which is heavily decorated by neon advertisements and giant video screens and gets crossed by amazingly large crowds of pedestrians each time the traffic light turns green.

Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the kami (spirits) of soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan. Currently, its Symbolic Registry of Divinities lists the names of over 2,466,000 enshrined men and women whose lives were dedicated to the service of Imperial Japan, particularly to those killed in wartime.

The shrine is a source of considerable controversy. Of the almost 2.5 million enshrined, 1,068 have been convicted of war crimes by a post World War II court, including 14 Class-A war criminals (”crime against peace”). The Yūshūkan—a shrine-owned history museum—has been accused of revisionism in its accounts of Japan’s actions in World War II, as well as glorification of Japan’s aggressive militaristic past. Visits to the shrine by Japanese Cabinet members and Prime Ministers, in particular, have been the cause of protests at home as well as abroad. China, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan have protested against various visits since 1985.

Aug. 15, 2008 marks the 63rd anniversary of the end of  World War II. For the people of Japan, including relatives of the war dead, it is a day of remembrance and of peace.

And every year on this day, the spotlight shines on Yasukuni Shrine — especially on whether the prime minister and Cabinet ministers will pay a visit to pray for those enshrined there.

Tokyo’s Akihabara district draws throngs not only with its hundreds of electronics shops but also because it is the mecca for “otaku” computer geeks, and fans of “manga” and “anime” pop culture. Akihabara is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to Akiba in Japan. Akihabara is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items.

Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu is most important shrine in the city of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It was founded by Minamoto Yoriyoshi in 1063, and enlarged and moved to its current site in 1180 by Minamoto Yoritomo, the founder and first shougun of the Kamakura Gavernment.

Kamakura offers numerous temples, shrines and other historical monuments.

Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, located in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshū and is a major commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area.

KarsJapan Co., Ltd. is located at very close to Yokohama.

Yokohama’s population of 3.6 million makes it Japan’s largest incorporated city and second most populous urban area after Tokyo (during nighttime - Yokohama ranks 3rd in daytime population, after Osaka).

Yokohama developed rapidly as Japan’s prominent port city following the end of Japan’s isolation in the late 19th century, and is today one of its major ports along with Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Hakata, Tokyo, and Chiba.

Yokohama is also one of the very few cities in Japan with a diverse multicultural population, although there has been an influx in immigration into Japan as a whole in recent years. As a result it has become a multicultural city with multicultural attractions including multicultural festivals and events.

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The Minato Mirai 21 district of Yokohama, featuring the Landmark Tower and surrounding buildings, and is a large urban development in Yokohama, Japan.

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Yokohama Marine Tower is a 106 metre high (324 ft) lattice tower with an observation deck at a height of 100 metres in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan.

Yokohama Marine Tower was inaugurated in 1961. The Marine Tower is the tallest lighthouse in the world. Visitors can see Mount Fuji from the 100-metre high observation deck.

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Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in Japan and one of the largest in the world.

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,388 ft). An active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08, it straddles the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures just west of Tokyo, from which it can be seen on a clear day. It is located near the Pacific coast of central Honshū. Three small cities surround it: Gotemba (east), Fujiyoshida (north) and Fujinomiya (southwest).

Mount Fuji’s exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers.