The statue of the loyal dog “Hachiko” can be found just outside Shibuya Station’s Hachiko gate. The 162cm-tall statue was built in 1934, and stands elevated 180cm from the ground. Today, the statue of Hachiko has become a symbol of Shibuya and a popular landmark for meetups and tourism. Hachiko is based on an Akita dog named Hachi, whose owner was a professor of the Tokyo Imperial University. Even after the sudden death of his owner, Hachi continued to wait for his return at the ticketing gate. The story of this loyal dog, Hachiko inspired film and literature worldwide, time and again. Another statue of Hachiko can be found in front of Tower Records Shibuya, but this one is warped diagonally in a peculiar way. In front of the Hachiko statue is a green train car formerly used on the Toyoko line, and by Shibuya Station’s south gate is a lesser-known monument named the “Moyai Statue”. The nearby department stores also carry souvenirs related to Hachiko.

You can find the Nakiryu, or the roaring dragon, in the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, located in the northern west part of Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture. The Nakiryu is drawn on 34 sheets of Hinoki panels. This drawing has been placed on the panel-lined ceiling of Toshogu Shrine's largest structured building, the Yakushi Temple. The painting of 6m vertically and 15 horizontally, is so large that it seems as if the dragon will pop out at you any second. If you ring the wooden clappers under the dragon's head, a loud echo fills the room, making a similar sound to the roar of a dragon. Although the painting was burnt once in 1961, it was quickly repaired, and has been kept safe ever since. There are also a couple other shrines and temples in its surroundings that are worth taking a look at!

Towada Shrine, located by Lake Towada in southern Aomori prefecture, is a holy site sitting in a cedar forest. It was founded in 807, and enshrines Yamatotakeru-no-mikoto. There is a legend that at Towada Shrine, a monk transformed into a nine-headed dragon, and slayed the python that was controlling Lake Toawada. Because of this legend, Towada Shrne is known as a shrine of good luck. The Uranaiba, or fortune telling spot, is a popular site at Towada Shrine. Purchase a special slip of paper called oyori-gami at the shrine, and throw it into the lake. It is said that if the paper sinks into the lake, your wishes will be granted. The Uranaiba is currently closed, so visitors can instead perform the fortune telling ritual from a different nearby site.

Akagami Shrine Goshado can be reached after going up the 999 stone steps leading up to it. The shrine was founded in 860, and its five prayer halls locate higher up and deeper into the woods. The five prayer halls were designated as an important national cultural property in 1990. According to legend the 999 stone steps were built by a demon, and that demon is said to be the origin of the namahage. Akagami Shrine Goshado is where the Oga Peninsula’s culture can be experienced and felt.

Yabaton specializes in miso-katsu, a Nagoya specialty dish. Miso-katsu is a fried pork cutlet drizzled with a thick, flavorful miso sauce. Yabaton has 13 restaurants in Aichi and a few nation wide, and their miso sauce uses a special recipe since its opening in 1947. You can buy items with their original mascot Bu-chan on it, such as tshirts and mugs.

Oarai Isosaki Shrine rests by the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Here, the deities Sukunahikona-no-mikoto and Onamuchi-no-mikoto are enshrined, as they are said to have landed here over 1,000 years ago. Here, you can pray for family safety, on-sea safety and health. The torii gate standing on the ocean provides a dreamy view, and is a popular photo spot. The shrine is popular as a hatsu-hinode, or first sunrise of the year destination.