Check out this guide for the best places to visit in Japan during December and experience the wonder of a Japanese winter. This list includes some of the most scenic and picturesque locations in Japan. Covered in snow, Japan's landscape becomes even more mystical. December is a great time to make a trip to Japan as you can enjoy Christmas festivities and illuminations.
Omotesando
A trendy area. A neighborhood where you can encounter cutting-edge fashion and various other items
A sophisticated sense of high class engulfs the pedestrians walking there. From the main street to the backstreets, there is a variety of shops. Even walking through the back alleys brings an air of celebrity
Its origins lay in the opening of an avenue leading to Meiji-Jingu Shrine in 1920. There are a number of reasons behind its birth as a trendy area. One reason is the appearance of the Doujunkai Aoyama Apartments where high-ranking officials and people of culture had resided and the Washington Heights (the facility that housed GHQ officers) that was constructed after the 2nd World War. The Washington Heights was then opened as the Athletes’ Village at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and for other...
Website
www.gotokyo.org
Sanriku Railway
A train trip that links the picturesque Tohoku coastline with a grand panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean
The proud Sanriku Railway with Japan’s foremost window view of the Sanriku coastline. You will also enjoy the relaxation of having ekiben cuisine either within the gorgeous confines of the Retro Train or the O-zashiki Train which is equipped with sunken kotatsu.
Phone
0193-62-8900
Price
Along with regular operating trains, the Retro Train runs on the Minami Rias Line while the O-Zashiki and Kotatsu Trains run on the Kita Rias Line.
Advance reservations are required for the O-Zashiki and Kotatsu Trains on the Kita Rias Line.
Tele
Website
en.wikipedia.org
Shirakawago
The village of gassho-zukuri houses, which has been recognized as a World Heritage site where tradition and a way of life exist
Shirakawago is nestled obscurely in the mountains. The distinctive gassho-zukuri houses are located there and even now, the villagers continue on with their lives. It is a precious area which is an unspoiled landscape reminiscent of a nostalgic Japan.
A World Heritage village where 59 gassho-zukuri houses can be seen, Gassho-zukuri houses have the characteristic of solid thatched roofs that resemble hands pressed together. It’s said that these traditional houses only exist in Japan in Gifu Prefecture’s Shirakawago and in Gokayama in the adjacent Toyama Prefecture. Currently, 3 gassho-zukuri communities have been registered as World Heritage sites, and among them, Shirakawago is the largest. It has been maintained as an Important Preservation District of Historic Buildings which...
Phone
05769-6-1013
Website
shirakawa-go.org
Jigokudani Monkey Park
Famous worldwide! Japanese macaque monkeys soaking in a hot spring in a bitterly cold and snowy valley
Wild Japanese macaques looking for warmth dive into an onsen in a valley deep with snow. The park has been popular with many people from around the world visiting as a response to those pictures of monkeys.
Jigokudani Monkey Park is located in the beautiful Yokoyugawa Valley in northern Nagano Prefecture. At an altitude of 850m and surrounded by steep cliffs which are covered in plenty of snow in winter, the area is so desolate that it has been referred to as being “hellish” due to the spewing steam from the fountains. The wild macaques have been living here in this mountain area since long ago, but with the felling of the forests, their natural habitat was eroded and damage was done to...
Business hours
- Everyday (9:00 AM ~ 4:00 PM )
Phone
0269-33-4379
Price
- Adult: 500 JPY
- Child: 250 JPY
Website
www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp
Niseko Village Ski Resort
Enjoy sports, shopping and cuisine as you enjoy nature on Mt. Niseko Annupuri
The super popular ski resort will satisfy even the most advanced of skiers. The high-quality powder snow is the selling point. In 2014, a shopping area reminiscent of an old Japanese town was also opened.
It’s not just about skiing! You can enjoy a variety of activities. The lovely natural scene that spreads out there is especially full of winter sports, and during that season, many tourists visit so that they can enjoy skiing and snowboarding. Among the numerous ski resorts on Annupuri, the Niseko Village Ski Resort has a lot of slopes with a high degree of difficulty so that the advanced skiers can enjoy them to their hearts’ content. Furthermore, besides skiing and snowboarding, a...
Phone
0136-44-2211
Price
8-hour lift ticket (for all mountains in Niseko) Adults: 5600 yen Children: 3100 yen
1-day ticket Adults: 5000 yen Children: 3100 yen
（Peak season 12/13-3/22）
1-day ticket Adults: 4600 yen Children: 2850 yen
（Off season 12/1-12/12, 3/23-4/7）
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Website
www.niseko-village.com
