Honshu Attractions

Kobe has served as an important Japanese port town located on the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea. Much of the city was destroyed in 1995 by the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Kobe rose from the ashes with more attractions, hotels, and urban redevelopment.

The Disaster Reduction Museum highlights experience and lessons learned from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. The Human Renovation Museum allows visitors to realize and understand the preciousness of life.

Shirakami-Sanchi is noted as an unspoiled expanse of virgin forest that has maintained a high level of preservation. The area has never been opened to human activity or trails other than mountain climbers' paths, and the intention is keep it in this protected state.

Shirakami-Sanchi became a World Heritage site in 1993. Siebold beech trees make up a large part of the forest as well as Japanese Hop-hornbeam and other species of tall deciduous trees.

Shirakawa-go is located in the remote mountains that span Gifu. Some of the traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses are as much as 250 years old and the site was declared a World Heritage site in 1995.

The architectural style includes steep thatched roofs that were built to resemble the hands of Buddhist monks in prayer. The style of the roof was designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter months.