The Samiyoshi Taisha Shrine is one of Japan’s oldest shrines and it is registered as a National Treasure. Many events are staged at this historical location. Every year on New Year's day, a large crowd gathers at the shrine to celebrate.

The Universal Studios Japan is the Hollywood equivalent theme park with attraction from your favourite movies. This is a great place for a whole day of family fun with numerous restaurants, rides and shows.

Plentzia is a happening resort just outside Bilbao, in the province of Biscay. Located atop a hill, its streets pour down the hillside leading to lovely sandy beaches. Plentzia is a popular weekend destination from Bilbao, as it takes a short 30 minutes to get there on the overground metro service from the centre of Bilbao. In the town of Plentzia, there are plenty of bars and cafés which serve locally caught fresh seafood. The town also has an indoor court for the sport of Basque pelota. Here you can watch this traditional game, which involves two teams of players who hurl a small hard white ball at a wall swinging at it with the full force of the palms of their bare hands.

This stunning, white-limestone church was constructed between 1087 and 1197 and has always held the remains of San Nicola (who is also known as Santa Klaus). It is both a Catholic and an Orthodox church and, partly for this reason, it is a place of annual pilgrimage for many people from all over the world.