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Itanagar

Itanagar is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.

By plane

Another option is Lilabari Airport in Lakhimpur.

By bus
Overnight super express buses connect Itanagar with Guwahati and takes about 12 hours. Arunachal State Transport buses connect Itanagar with other North East cities in India.

By train
Naharlagun is the nearest railway station, which is nearly 15 km. away from the city. Taxi and bus services are easily available from the railway station to Itanagar. Donyi Polo Express can be availed which runs on all days of a week from Guwahati and Shatabdi Express is available thrice a week from Guwahati.

Inner Line Permit
Before you enter Arunachal Pradesh you need to get an inner line permit either from Arunachal Bhavan located at New Delhi or in Kolkata. There is a checkpost at the Assam Arunachal Border in Bandardowa where you need to show the permit and explain your reason for travelling. Foreign tourists too need to get this permit before they can enter in the city.

Do

 * Rafting

title: Itanagar


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Itanhaém

Itanhaém is a city in the South Coast of São Paulo state.

Understand
One of the oldest municipalities in Brazil, Itanhaém was founded in 1532. Its name comes from the Tupi-Guarani language, meaning either "plate of rock" or "crying rock", depending on who you ask.

Get in
The city has intercity bus lines from São Vicente, Santos and Peruíbe.

See

 * Saint Anne Church

A Cama de Anchieta is a rock formation carved by the wind in the "Playa de los Sueños", which according to legend, was the favorite place of the Blessed Jesuit José de Anchieta, to spend hours of rest or mediation and find inspiration to compose verses and poems. The site attracts thousands of visitors and draws attention for its natural beauty and for the dazzling view towards the sea, from the coast and the surrounding hills.

Do
The principal beaches in Itanhaém are:

Further attractions are:

 * Clean rivers, used for bathing and fishing
 * Upstream or offshore boat trips
 * Waterfalls of clean water coming from the mountains of the region
 * The Atlantic Forest (which earned the city the nickname "Amazônia Paulista"):
 * Take a trail descending from the Engenheiro Marsilac region, in the extreme south of the City of São Paulo , crossing the untouched Atlantic Forest of Serra do Mar, until reaching the valley of the Rio Branquinho, already in Baixada Santista, in Itanhaém;
 * Take a trail descending from the Embu Guaçu region, passing by Cachoeira do Funil and the Mambu River, until you reach Fazenda Mambu, in Itanhaém
 * The Old Center with Beco de Sant'Anna, with a gastronomic variety in restaurants, bars and nightclubs
 * The Chamber and Jail House (probably the oldest existing jail and Legislative Chamber building in Brazil)
 * The Igreja Matriz de Sant'Anna, dating from the 18th century and the Ruins of the Convent Nossa Senhora da Conceição
 * The seaside hills of Sapucaitava, Costão and Paranambuco, with lookouts that provide a beautiful view of the sea, beaches, the city and the maritime islands
 * You can go to the maritime islands of Queimada Pequena and Queimada Grande
 * The "Cama de Anchieta", a beautiful natural rock formation, located on a rocky shore by the sea. According to legend, São José de Anchieta used it several times to sleep, during his various passages through the region. There is a wooden walkway leading to the site
 * The monument "Mulheres de Areia" at Praia dos Pescadores, one of the city's postcards, was built in homage to the homonymous soap opera, recorded in the region and shown in 1973, by the extinct Rede Tupi.
 * The Itanhaém Rodeo, considered the largest rodeo in the country in a coastal city, held annually since 2005 , always with the participation of singers of great national success
 * Shows, promoted by the City Hall, with singers and musical groups of great national success during the high summer season.

Stay healthy
As elsewhere in Brazil, some beaches in Itanhaém are not suitable for bathing, and conditions can change from day to day. On the day of your visit, check the map of the latest weekly beach quality bulletin (in Portuguese, boletim de qualidade das praias) of the state's Environment Department (CETESB).

Go next

 * Peruíbe
 * Praia Grande (São Paulo)
 * Santos
 * Guarujá
 * São Paulo

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Itanhaém


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Itaparica

Itaparica is an island in All Saint's Bay (Portuguese Baia de Todos de Santos), about 10 km from the city of Salvador in Brazil. Itaparica has 40 km (25 mi) of beaches and exuberant tropical vegetation.

Understand
It is about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the city of Salvador, Bahia and covers km² (56 sq mi). There are two municipalities on the island: Vera Cruz (87% of the land area) and Itaparica (13%).

Get in

Itaparica can be reached in about 1 hour by ferry from Salvador. The smaller passenger-ferry departs from near the Mercado Modelo, while the larger car-ferry goes from about 2 km north of here to Bom Despacho on the main island.

Get around

 * Vans - The cheapest way to get around on the island is by van. There are regular routes all over the island.  Make sure you are on the right side of the street and you can flag one down.
 * Taxi - If flagging down a crowded van isn't your style, you can take a taxi. They are a lot more expensive but are easier and faster.
 * Private Car - When you arrive in Itaparica, you will likely get approached by someone trying to get you to take a tour by private car. You can negotiate a price and they can take you to all the tourist attractions on the island.  They are private cars so be careful whose car you get into.

title: Itaparica


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Itasca

Itasca is a city in Illinois.

See
There is a Gazebo

Do
There is a Water Park

Buy
There is a 711.

Eat
There is a Tree Guys Pizza Pub on Irving Park Road.

Drink
You can drink at Tree Guys Pizza Pub on Irving Park Road.

title: Itasca


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Itasca State Park

Itasca State Park is in northern Minnesota, in the United States. It is the oldest and largest of Minnesota's state parks, and is considered the "jewel" of Minnesota's state parks system. Itasca offers the classic northwoods experience, with an old growth forest, diverse and plentiful wildlife, fishing, swimming, and crystal-clear streams and lakes, including Lake Itasca, which is the source of the legendary Mississippi River.

Landscape
Itasca's 32,690 acres include lakes, streams, old growth forest, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails. No visit to Itasca is complete without seeing the headwaters of the Mississippi River, at the outlet of Lake Itasca.

Itasca's landscape is a glacial moraine, sometimes referred to as "knob and kettle." The land was shaped by advancing and receding glaciers, and the lakes are the residue of glacial melt.

Flora and fauna
Typically for northern Minnesota, the park is home to a great diversity of songbirds, predatory birds, freshwater fish, amphibians, and mammals. Observant visitors have a good chance of seeing deer, beavers, porcupines, black bears, and maybe even wolves.

The grand forests of Itasca State Park include red pine, white pine, cedars, aspen and birch. In undisturbed areas, some of the old growth trees have been determined to be more than 500 years old.

title: Itasca State Park


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Itatiaia National Park

Itatiaia National Park is in Southeast Brazil at the border between Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.

Landscape
Itatiaia National Park is a ruggedly beautiful region of lush forests, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, alpine meadows, and both primary and secondary Atlantic Rainforest. Though from the Atlantic Ocean, the park covers a broad range of elevations rising to. This range in altitudes contributes to a most diverse variety of habitats from lower elevation forest to alpine meadows surrounded by granite cliffs.

Flora and fauna
This is one of the best opportunities in southeastern Brazil for bird watching.

Climate
In the Pico das Agulhas Negras, temperature reached up to -10 °C (14 F). In the months June to August (austral winter), the decreases in temperature and rainfall too well, leaving the dry climate and very cold, guaranteed visitors, in a country with almost 93% of area located in the tropical zone, the observation of phenomena such as frost on the fields and plants of the park and also the precipitation of snow in the coldest days of local, rare now. In June 1985, was a memorable and intense precipitation of snow, which was unusual for the region, and the third highest precipitation of snow in Brazil.

Get in
Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia), established in 1937, is the oldest national park in Brazil.

It is on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, between 22º16’ - 22º28’ S and 44º34’ - 44º42’ W.

The park is part of the Mantiqueira mountain range, and home to Brazil's third highest mountain, Pico das Agulhas Negras, which stands at. This peak is visible to the northwest of Resende when driving between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on the Via Dutra highway, which is the easiest route to get there.

The park attracts bird watchers from all over the world with its 250 species of birds. Other attractions include hiking and rock climbing.

The park is surrounded by the Mantiqueira Mountain Environmental Protection Area which provides an ecological buffer zone for the park.

The park is divided in two areas: high and low. The high area is accessible through an entrance about 35 km from the main entrance and gives access to the Pico das Agulhas Negras and Prateleiras complex. Josef Mengele lived in this area after World War II.

The low area of the park is much closer to the city of Itatiaia and has many waterfalls, such as Véu da Noiva with 45 m. The low area has also a Natural History museum.

Itatiaia means "many-pointed rock" in the Tupi language.

See
Agulhas Negras and Prateleiras are the highest points in the park, and among the highest points in the whole country. The vegetation gets sparser the higher you go, so don't forget sunblock and a hat. The views are fabulous, especially in the dry season (May-Aug). Prateleiras is an easy climb but Agulhas Negras is a little tougher, and requires some effort, if not actual moutaineering skills. Due to an arson attack a few years ago, which resulted in a huge fire that destroyed most of the area's vegetation (it has since recovered), access is only possible with a registered guide or agency. These can be hired through the local pousadas (small hotels). Agencies usually provide their own 4x4 transport, probably the better option, because access is through a secondary gate very far from the main entrance and the access road is very rough.

Do
From its summit you can see across the region, such as the dam of the funnel, Sierra Fina, the region of Visconde de Mauá, the vast region of Vale do Paraíba, where are located the most populous cities in the axis of Brazil, the Rio-São Paulo, and Rio Paraiba, which causes the name of the valley. The region is highly sought by tourists seeking to stay in hotels near the park-farm during the winter and by adventurers who set up in camps close to the peak for the practice of sports such as mountaineering, trekking and rappelling the, what is known as adventure tourism.

Sleep
There are small hotels (pousadas) and one large hotel within the park. A good small one is Donati, (24) 33521110. Its fairly expensive, but the rate includes all meals, and it is situated in a forest clearing, which makes for unequaled access to the park itself 24 hours a day.

Apparently this is only national park in Brazil that has this kind of infrastructure within the park.

Lodging
Penedo, which lies at the foot of the Serra da Mantiqueira at an altitude of 600 m (2000 ft), is the best equipped tourist center in the region. Founded in 1929 by Finnish natural scientists, it lies within the commune of Itatiaia, 3 km (2 mi) north of the town and 170 km (106 mi) north-west of Rio de Janeiro.

Stay safe
Before visiting Itatiaia National Park read about it. Many books are available:
 * Jorge Pádua, Maria Tereza e Coimbra Filho, Adelmar F. Os Parques Nacionais do Brasil. Instituto de Cooperação Iberoamericana. Madrid. José Olympio Editora, 1989. ISBN 8485389190, pág. 122 a 129
 * Corrêa, Marcos Sá "Itatiaia - O Caminho das Pedras" São Paulo. Metalivros, 2003. ISBN 8585371501, 240 pág.
 * Leite, Helton Perillo Ferreira - "Planalto do Itatiaia - Região das Agulhas Negras", Rio de Janeiro. Montanhar / Publit, 2007. Edição parcialmente trilíngue. ISBN 9788577730766, 232 páginas.

title: Itatiaia National Park


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Itayanagi

Itayanagi (板柳) is a town in the Tsugaru peninsula of Aomori prefecture, Japan.

Get in
The JR Gono Line (五能線) from Hirosaki to Higashi-noshiro passes through Itayanagi. If you get the "Shiteiseki" (reserved seating) train, you can travel there in class while a little video expounds upon each small town's chosen town symbol and/or product. Itayanagi's is the apple, which is lucky for you, because it is much harder to come up with swan or crane-themed baked goods. Watch for the (supposedly) apple-shaped streetlights on the main street.

Get around
Walk it, or buy a bike and explore the whole region. The train comes rarely but regularly - once every two hours or so. To get to Aomori, you'll have to endure a half-hour transfer at Kawabe station.

See

 * Furusato Center (ふるさとセンター) is the collective name for the town's facilities near the station - small museum on apples, farm and greenhouse, park with a pond, restaurant and even onsen and cottages. A short apple-themed trail, which is lovely, and might provide an hour or two's amusement if taken slowly, runs from the town hall to the Ringo Work center, where it ends at a fish pond. A vending machine sells fish food. On warm weekends, the park is often filled with children racing little carts, which are available for rent there (\100/3 min). A town theme chimes at 06:00, 12:00, and 20:00, much to the chagrin of light sleepers and the great amusement of anyone who has played Animal Crossing.

Buy

 * Max Valu (マックスバリュ板柳店). A supermarket on the big 339 (there are two 339s that run through town.  The big 339 is sometimes called the bypass.)  Not a huge selection, but they do sell fresh cilantro, if that tells you anything.
 * Itoku (いとく). The other supermarket.  Also on the big 339, a little further towards the Fujisaki side, it tends to have fresher vegetables, and has a small bakery attached to it.  It also tends to have cheaper sashimi.  Closes at 23:00.  You can get good deals on meats and breads after 20:00 or so every evening.
 * Saisaikan (彩菜館). On the same street as the train station.  Here, local vegetables are sold year-round (predictably smaller selection in winter).  Much cheaper than the supermarket, and fun to shop in.  Just up the street is another vegetable stand - less local and a little more expensive, but with a better selection.

Eat

 * Ringo Work. The slightly unnervingly Beatles-referencey name given to the town's restaurant as one of the Furusato Center facilities.  ("Ringo", to be fair, does mean "apple" in Japanese.)  Serves traditional Japanese-style dishes and Japanese-western fusion (occasionally with apple artfully added) at incredible prices (¥750 for an enormous plate of yakisoba, \600 for today's lunch).
 * Korakuen (幸楽苑). Chain ramen shop. Cheap ramen noodles or a curry set for about ¥400. Open until midnight.  Free water at the table, which is kind of a luxury.  They also have beer, gyoza, and a few desserts.
 * Ōshō Horumon (大昇ホルモン). The bibimbap/yakiniku place next to the Itoku supermarket.  Typical bibimbap/yakiniku fare.  Kimchi chahan available if you want a change from white rice.  The menu has no pictures, but the owner's fairly accommodating to foreigners who need the meats explained.  Note that "pork" plus a circular gesturing towards the stomach means "intestine", which is commonly eaten here, and not too bad, but not really flavorful, and very chewy.
 * Yōrō-no-taki (養老乃瀧). Chain izakaya. The menu has pictures, and a variety of pizzas, a nice seafood Caesar salad, meat on a stick and a good selection of cocktails. Within walking distance of most of town.

Drink
There is at least one Izakaya in town, and at least one functioning karaoke place, but you'll have to find out where they are for yourself.

Sleep
The Furusato Center has cottages available to let in both Western and Japanese traditional styles. \6,000 for one person, ¥20,000 for 5-8 person group.

Go next
Take the train!
 * Tsuruta
 * Fujisaki
 * Hirosaki
 * Kuroishi
 * Inakadate
 * Aomori
 * Goshogawara
 * Ajigasawa
 * Hirakawa

title: Itayanagi


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Itea

Itea is a seaside town in the Phocis region of West Central Greece. It is the old port-town of the nearby temple in Delphi. There is a lot of Bauxite mining in the area and this remains the primary source of economic activity for the city.

Get around
There are three daily buses to Delphi.

See

 * — A historic monastery, listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites

Go next

 * Delphi is full of ancient things to see.
 * Arachova and the nearby mount Parnassos is the place to go for skiing in the winter months

title: Itea


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Ithaca

There is more than one place called Ithaca:

United States

 * Ithaca (Michigan) - A city in the state of Michigan.
 * Ithaca (New York) - A city in the state of New York.

Greece

 * Ithaca (Greece) - One of the Ionian Islands.

title: Ithaca


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Ithaca (Greece)

Ithaca (sometimes spelled Ithaka ; Greek: Ιθάκη, Itháki) is one of the Ionian Islands in Greece.

Understand
Ithaca is one of the smaller Ionian Islands in western Greece. The island is 23 km long, 6 km wide, has an area of 98 km² and approximately 5,000 inhabitants. It is separated from the neighboring island of Kefalonia in the west by a 2 to 4 km wide strait. The rocky island is separated by the bay of Molo, from which two further bays, the bay of Vathy and the bay of Schino, separate into two roughly equal parts, which are connected by the 600 meter wide isthmus of Aetos (eagle). The highest elevation in the southern part is the Merovigli (671 m), in the northern part the Anoi (808 m). The west side of the island is not very structured, only the east side has several deep bays. The main town of Vathy has one of the largest natural harbors in the world.

Ancient times
Since the early Bronze Age, settlements have been located above the Bay of Polis in the northwest of the island and on the Pelikata hill north of the village of Stavros. Ithaca flourished in the Mycenaean period (Late Bronze Age, Late Helladic, 1500 to 1100 BC). This is the time of the kingdom of Odysseus. Homer's epics Iliad and Odyssey are believed to have been in the 9th or 8th century BC. have been written and reflect older mythological and poetic traditions. After the Odyssey, Ithaca was the capital of a powerful empire that stretched over the neighboring islands of Same (Kefallonia), Dulichon and Zakynthos, and across to the Greek mainland opposite. The most important archaeological evidence from this period comes from Stavros and the Louizos cave in the Bay of Polis. The Loisos cave had been there since the 9th century BC. Cult place, where the nymphs and Odysseus were later worshiped. A fragment of a clay woman's mask with the inscription "dedicated to Odysseus" was found in this cave. This mask is the most important find that points to Ithaca as the setting for Homer's stories. It is exhibited in the Stavros Archaeological Museum. Ceramic finds from the 8th and 7th centuries BC. from Crete, Rhodes and Corinth have shown that there were trade relations between Ithaca, mainland Greece and Ionia and probably also to Sicily and Italy. During the excavations, numerous Mycenaean shards of the Kylix type typical of the time of the Trojan War were found. After the decline of the old kingdom, the Dorians came to the island. From 800 to 180 BC Ithaca served as a base for the Corinthians on their trade routes to Sicily and southern Italy. 180 BC Ithaca came under Roman rule and became part of the province of Illyria. After the division of the Roman Empire in 395 AD Ithaca and the neighboring island of Kefallonia belonged to the province of Achaia in the Eastern Roman Empire.

Middle Ages
Saracen pirates struck the Ionian Sea. The name of the Sarakino Bay ("Saracen Bay") reminds that the Saracens established a base here. The population is entrenched in the mountain villages of Paleochoa, Anoghi and Exoghi. End of the 12th century the Normans took Ithaca, in 1204 the island came to Venice and was first administered by the Orsini family, later by the Tocchi family. Ithaca was under Turkish rule from 1484 to 1499, and from 1503 Ithaca was under the rule of Venice.

Modern times
In 1571 the sea battle of Lepanto took place between Ithaca and the mainland, in which numerous seamen from the western Greek islands took part on the Venetian side. Under Venetian rule, Ithaca was an important station for the trade with the Levant. The Venetians gave land free of charge to anyone who wanted to cultivate it. Vathy became the capital of the island. Mid 17th century 4,500 people lived in Vathy, by the end of Venetian rule the population had grown to 10,000. The island achieved modest prosperity through the cultivation and export of raisins, olives and oak, and through the establishment of its own trading fleet. From the 17th century the Kathara monastery with the Panagiaa Katharotissa church. After the end of the Republic of Venice, Ithaca was ruled by two elected representatives (demo-voices, people's elders) and achieved extensive independence. In 1799, the first modern Greek state, Heptanisos (state of the seven islands) was created. The government consisted of a democratically elected Senate based in Corfu. The foundation was confirmed by 1800 by the Treaty of Constantinople between Russia, the Ottoman Empire and Great Britain. In 1809, Ithaca came under British rule. The "United States of the Ionian Islands" was founded. Lord Byron was in Ithaca in 1825. In 1864, Ithaca joined the Greek state along with the other Ionian Islands. In World War II, Ithaca was first occupied by Italy and then by Germany. In 1953, a strong earthquake destroyed most of the structure on the island.

Ithaca and the Odyssey
After Homer's Odyssey, Ithaca is the home of Odysseus. The Odyssey begins with the counsel of the gods, to end the homesickness of Odysseus, who has been on the wrong track since the end of the Trojan War. Then she describes the home of Odysseus, his steadfast wife Penelope, courted by suitors, and his son Telemachus, whom the aspirants to the throne of Ithaca want to kill. Odysseus is released by the nymph Kalypso and sails against Ithaca. Poseidon's anger has not yet evaporated and Odysseus is shipwrecked off the island of Scheria. The king's daughter Nausikaa finds him and leads him to the king's court, where Odysseus tells of his journey home. Then Odysseus returns to Ithaca. At the advice of Athena, he disguises himself as a beggar and goes to the farm of the swineherd Eumaios near the source of Arethusa. Odysseus comes to the royal court undetected, where he is insulted and insulted. Telemachus brings the bow of Odysseus and promises that anyone who can use it to shoot an arrow through the eyes of twelve axes in a row will be married to Penelope. None of the suitors can draw the bow. Odysseus reveals himself and defeats the suitors. The Odyssey describes Ithaca as an island off the north-west coast of Greece, rough, steep, rich in bays, not suitable for horses, but suitable for goats, without large plains or pastures, dominating two seas, near Doulichion, Sami (on Kefalinia), Zakynthos and not far from the mainland. Homer describes the great palace of Odysseus, a city nearby, a harbor with an island in front of it, Mount Neritos, a Naiad grotto, the pigsty of the shepherd Eumaios, which is a day's walk from the palace, a spring next to it. Since ancient times, Ithaca has been the island of Odysseus. Heinrich Schliemann dug the small Mycenaean acropolis from the 7th century BC on Mount Aetos in 1878. and was of the opinion that he had found the palace of Odysseus here. The German archaeologist Dörpfeld took the view that the island of Lefkas corresponds more to Homer's statements. British excavations in the years after 1930 again support the assumption that today's Ithaca is also Ithaca Homers. The dome tomb excavated in the years after 1992 near Tzannata in the southeast of Kefalonia led to the assumption that the Homeric Ithaca was the Paliki peninsula in Kefalonia, which was then an island of its own and the westernmost island of Greece. Heinz Warnecke has identified Homeric Ithaca with Kefalonia and believes that Mount Neritos, Mount Aenos, Phokys Bay, the port of Argostoli, the port city in the ancient settlement of Cranes and the Palace of Odysseus can be found on the LIvathos hill. The name, which has remained unchanged since antiquity, speaks for the equation of today's with Homeric Ithaca.
 * The port of the Mycenaean city, which was probably at Stavros in northeast Ithaca, was probably the Polis Bay on the west bank.
 * Odysseus' palace may have been in Pelikata, 1.6 km north of Stavros. An early Hellenic settlement from around 2,200 BC was founded here that existed until the Mycenaean period. According to the most common view, the Palace of Odysseus can be assumed here.
 * Vathy Bay could be Homer's Phyrkos harbor.
 * The place where the Phaeacians brought the sleeping Odysseus ashore would be the Bay of Dexia.
 * The farm of the swineherd Eumaios is seen on the plateau of Marathia southeast of the mountain Stephano in the southeast of the island, as well as the Arethusa source and the Korax cliffs. The Perapigadi spring in the south of the island corresponds to the Arethusa spring.
 * The Naiad Cave, where Odysseus prayed and hid his treasure, could be the poetic amalgamation of two caves in the mountains above Dexia and north on Polis Bay. During excavations, one found bronze tripods from a geometric period reminiscent of those hidden by Odysseus, and shards with inscriptions "for the nymphs" and a broken clay mask from the 1st century BC. with the name of Odysseus.
 * The nymph grotto (Marmora Spilia) was located near Vathy
 * The Neion Mountains are to be found in the Kavallares mountain range on the northwest tip of the island, the Reithron harbour on the northeast coast.

Get in
Ferries run to Ithaca from Patras on the mainland, and Sami on Kefalonia.

See
Ithaca is the legendary home of the Greek poet Homer's heroic Odysseus. There are various sites that are associated with this legendary figure including a cave said to honor this mythical hero at Polis Bay.

title: Ithaca (Greece)


text:
Ithaca (Michigan)

Ithaca is a city in Central Michigan. It has a historic downtown district, some beautiful historic buildings, parks and annual events.

Understand
Ithaca is the third largest population center of Gratiot County, with 3,098 residents. Nestled in the center of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, Ithaca greets visitors from all corners of the state. Ithaca serves as the county seat of Gratiot County, and is mid-point of the US-127 university corridor of Central Michigan University, Alma College, and Michigan State University.

The Ithaca Downtown Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is on Business US-127 along the former "Old 27" route. Ithaca's best known landmark is the masterfully preserved Gratiot County Courthouse, which has in its front lawn the Gratiot All Wars Memorial Monument. Just down the street you will find another beautiful landmark, the Ithaca Fire Hall, which once served as the original Village Hall.

In the summer months, visitors to Ithaca are greeted by beautiful flowers planted by area youth and community members, stretching along both sides of Business US-127 from the City Limits to downtown. Woodland Park is filled with rolling hills, mature trees, and a volunteer-built playscape, as well as a large sledding hill for winter use.

Ithaca hosts several annual events, including the Ithaca Hometown Funfest (August), Dust Off Car Show (May), Gratiot Ag Society Fair (June), Old US 27 Motor Tour (August), as well as many other seasonal events.

By car
Located on US-127 about 35 minutes north of Lansing, the city of Ithaca is easily accessible from all parts of the state of Michigan by car.

By train
The Great Lakes Central Railroad bisects Ithaca, used predominantly for freight service. However, special passenger train tours are a summer tourism attraction, transporting riders from as far south as Owosso, north to Mt. Pleasant or Cadillac and back.

By plane
The Gratiot Community Airport is 4 miles northwest of Ithaca.

By bicycle/foot
City sidewalks are very conducive to bicycle use within the city limits. The DALMAC bicycle tour takes 2,400 bicyclists through Ithaca each year on the way from East Lansing to Mackinaw City.

Get around
Ithaca is a very walkable community, especially in the downtown area. A full range of businesses and services are available within easy walking distance.

Go next
Ithaca is "on the way" to many larger metropolitan destinations throughout the state. Following US-127 north will lead to Alma, Mt. Pleasant, and many northern Michigan communities before US-127 becomes I-75 near Grayling. I-75 continues north across the Mackinac Bridge to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, before ending in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. US-127 will take travelers south to Lansing, Jackson, and all the way to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Several other larger metropolitan areas can easily be reached from Ithaca.

title: Ithaca (Michigan)


text:
Ithaca (New York)

Ithaca is a small city in the Finger Lakes region of central New York, at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake. In addition to being the home of Cornell University and Ithaca College, Ithaca is known for its several gorges and waterfalls, small eclectic shops and restaurants, and deep interest in politics.

Understand
Ithaca is a town of contrasts, and it attracts many different types of visitors. It is very much a college town, but it is also home to a solid and vibrant permanent community. The town is compact yet surrounded by extensive outdoor attractions. Even Cornell University is a study in contrasts: it has the noble, refined air of the Ivy League school that it is, yet as the state's land-grant university, it excels in agricultural and veterinary research.

Ithaca has a humid continental climate, and is markedly cooler than New York City. Winter is cold, sometimes bitterly so, with temperatures reaching or lower several times a year. There is also significantly more snow and more cloudy days than along most of the coast. The best time of year to visit is summer, as it is the sunniest and driest season; days are pleasantly warm but rarely too hot, and nights are crisp. Fall is also pretty—the fall foliage in the area, which peaks in early October, rivals that of anywhere in New England. The first snowfall can occur as early as around Halloween.

Visitor information

 * Official website

By plane
The, northeast of the city, has flights on Delta Air Lines to and from New York City (JFK) and on United Airlines to and from Newark (EWR). Hourly bus service to the Ithaca Commons and Cornell University are available on TCAT Route 32 (weekdays) and 72 (weekends), until around 11PM each night (4PM on Sunday) for $1.50. Taxi service is also available, although you may have to wait for a cab to arrive, especially during peak hours. It's a good idea to call as soon as your plane lands and the crew notifies you that use of mobile phones is permitted. Ride hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are also available to transport you from the airport upon arrival.

Airports in Syracuse, Elmira, and Albany offer additional departures and sometimes cheaper fares, although Ithaca's fares have become much more competitive since the addition of United.

By car
By car, Ithaca is about 1 hour south of Syracuse, 1 hour north of Binghamton, 2 hours southeast of Rochester, 4 hours north of Philadelphia, and 4 hours northwest of New York City. The main routes into the city are New York highways 13, 79, 89, and 96. Interstate 86 (formerly NY State Route 17) intersects NY State Rt 13 in Elmira, about 45 minutes southwest of Ithaca. Interstate 81 connects with NY State Rt 79 half an hour from Ithaca at Whitney Point, and with NY State Rt 13 about 20 minutes from Ithaca in Cortland. You can reach Interstate 81 by taking NY State Route 17 (parts of which are co-signed as Interstate 86) West from New York City, or Interstate 476 North from Philadelphia. Interstate 90 connects to NY State Rt 96 near Geneva, NY, about 45 minutes from Ithaca.

By bus

 * Greyhound offers daily direct departures to Binghamton, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and New York City, Albany and Boston via Binghamton, and Rochester, Buffalo, and Toronto via Geneva, from the Ithaca Bus Terminal.
 * Shortline (Coach USA) offers several daily departures to New York City via Binghamton, although Shortline primarily serves the Cornell University Campus and some departures skip the Ithaca City Bus Terminal. If using Shortline, your best bet is to board at Collegetown (across from Collegetown Bagels), all departures serve this stop and you can easily connect to the TCAT system here. Connecting busses are available in Binghamton to other destinations in the Southern Tier: Corning, Elmira, Big Flats, Olean, Jamestown, Dunkirk/Fredonia and Buffalo.
 * Trailways is a regional carrier primarily serving Western New York that offers service to Rochester, Buffalo, and southern Ontario in Canada.

By train
Although Ithaca once had rail connections to New York City, Scranton, Philadelphia, Buffalo and several cities in New England, the last passenger train left Ithaca in 1961, with the majority of service ending in the 1930s. Today, the nearest Amtrak stations are on the Empire Corridor in Syracuse and Rochester. There is one bus per day to Ithaca (Greyhound Station) from the Syracuse Amtrak station and two to three buses per day to Ithaca from the Rochester Trailways Bus Station, a three-minute walk from the Amtrak station. The two colleges sometimes run shuttles to the rail stations around semester breaks.

Get around
As Ithaca is a college town, bus service by TCAT (Tompkins County Area Transit) is frequent and runs late into the night. Taxi service is an inexpensive way to get around the small city, and it is available by phone, but expect to wait an hour or more on busy or cold nights. Avis & Hertz Rental cars are available at Ithaca Tompkins County Regional Airport, and Enterprise-Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental, in Ithaca. Ithaca has a car share program that offers instant access to a network of cars throughout the city, 24 hours-a-day.

Parking
Parking is easy in most parts of Ithaca. However, there are some parts of Ithaca where it can be tricky. If you park illegally the chance you will get a ticket is higher than average. It is also illegal to leave your car in the same non-metered space for more than 24 hours, although this is generally not enforced on weekends.

Downtown and the Commons
Street parking is metered and more difficult to come by (in some areas a 15 minute maximum on the meters), although there are always spots available if you're willing to walk. There are three municipal parking structures, one on Green Street just east of Cayuga Street, one at the corner of Tioga and Seneca Streets and the other on Cayuga Street to the south of the Commons. All three garages are free on evenings and weekends. Some local retailers will provide a token for an extra free hour. Parking at metered spaces and the garages is $1 per hour, up to a maximum of $10. Weekly and monthly parking passes are available at discounted rates.

Collegetown
Street parking in Collegetown is also metered with some non metered spaces a few blocks from University or Stewart Avenues. There is one, spacious parking garage on Dryden Road. Unlike the downtown garages, the first hour is not free, the hourly rate is $1.50 (with no daily maximum) and fees are charged around the clock including weekends with an automatic payment machine being used in the off-hours.

Cornell University
It is difficult to find parking on the Cornell University campus. It is generally best to avoid driving to campus at all. Bus service onto campus from downtown and other areas of Ithaca runs frequently during the day. One hassle-free and relatively fast parking option for visiting campus during the day is to park at the Seneca and Tioga streets parking garage in downtown Ithaca and then ride the Route 10 bus to campus. Route 10 departs from a heated bus stop located inside the parking garage every 10 minutes (7:30AM-5PM on weekdays, less frequently later in the evening) and the ride to Cornell takes only a few minutes. Check TCATbus for schedules and more information.

If you have to park on campus during the day, you will need to buy a visitor parking permit from one of the parking booths around campus, and then you can park in a spot labeled for visitor parking, which are few and far between. The parking booth attendant can give you a map showing visitor parking spots, but during a school day expect not to find anything. There are several small metered lots, including one behind Willard Straight Hall and one in the lower level of the parking garage by the football stadium, that are convenient to central campus but are often full. Larger (and rarely full) metered lots are located across from the Dairy Bar and next to Bartels Hall, but both are at least a 15 minute brisk walk to most places on central campus. After 5PM, some of the various "tiered" parking lots are available for general parking, but be sure to read the signs, as many lots have restricted parking until 8PM or 10PM and others are restricted at all times. If you are arriving on campus by car during normal business hours, expect to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes looking for parking, and 10 to 15 minutes more walking from your parking spot to your destination, so plan to arrive on campus at least 30 minutes before you need to be somewhere. You can park for free or for cheaper off campus in Collegetown or in Cayuga Heights, but expect your walk to be 20-30 minutes to your destination if it is on central campus.

Ithaca College
The parking situation at Ithaca College is also poor, as over the past few years, there hasn't been enough parking for on-campus students, despite significant fee increases and discounted public transit passes (in some cases student permits can run upwards of $500!) The only sanctioned visitor parking is a frequently full, visitor lot near the football stadium, and half a dozen spots near the main administrative building (Peggy R. Williams) specifically for visitors to the office of admissions. Elsewhere parking is reserved based on a color coded permit system: Blue (faculty and staff), Red (upperclassmen and graduate students), and Green (freshmen). If you are visiting a specific person on campus (such as staying overnight with an on-campus student) you may be able to obtain a temporary permit from Public Safety. Availability is not guaranteed and if granted, you will be restricted to a specific lot, usually one intended for commuters. You will need your vehicle registration and insurance card to obtain the permit.

Parking lots are supposed to be patrolled 24 hours a day year round, but in practice, permit enforcement is almost non-existent on weekends and during the summer. Unless you're parked somewhere an ordinary student would not be allowed to park (e.g. spaces reserved for maintenance vehicles), the odds of receiving a ticket for not having a permit are very slim.

There are a few official exceptions for non-students during certain special events:
 * School of Music programs: J Lot West (nearest the Whalen parking bridge)
 * IC Theatre events: F Lot (directly behind Dillingham)
 * Football games: L Lot/L Lot extension (between Butterfield Stadium and the Terraces residence halls) or CC Lot (Circle Apartments)
 * Emerson Suites events: U Lot (Campus Center)

Many off campus students either walk or take the bus to school. TCAT service to the IC campus from downtown is plentiful, Routes 11 and 65 provide service every half hour or so during the day and every hour at night.

Other areas in and around Ithaca

 * Parking in Cayuga Heights is easy, but it is illegal to park overnight on streets in Cayuga Heights.
 * Some parts of the City of Ithaca have dense housing and parking at night can be tricky, especially between November 1 and April 1, when alternate side of the street parking is in effect (typical for most locales in Upstate New York). There is no parking (from 2AM to 6AM) on the even side (house numbers) of the street on even days of the month, and no parking on the odd side on odd days of the month.

By bus
Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit.

By bicycle
Most destinations are easily accessible by bicycle with ample bicycle parking stands to secure to. Be sure to ride with working gears as the topography can present challenges to inexperienced riders. Some roads have painted bike lanes alongside parked cars and some 'sharrows', the painted arrows, also can be seen on some streets. It is advisable to pick up a map from a local bicycle shop to get the best information on where to ride.

In the downtown Ithaca area, as well as on the Cornell campus, there are Lime electric assist bikes that can be located using the Lime app. It costs $1 to unlock the bicycle and $0.15 per minute and require a smartphone and a form of payment to get started. The app shows the available bicycles and the battery levels for each bike so you may have to walk some distance to access.

To download the app use these links to get started. Apple App Store link Google Play Store link

See

 * Waterfalls - many of the local waterfalls are located in state parks with hiking trails that were built (or rebuilt) by public works projects in the 1930s, often featuring stone staircases and bridges. The waterfalls are found along creeks that flow into Cayuga Lake. At parks with trails, you will typically find a "gorge trail" that follows the course of the creek, and a "rim trail" along the edge of the gorge, with overlooks to the falls underneath.
 * Waterfalls - many of the local waterfalls are located in state parks with hiking trails that were built (or rebuilt) by public works projects in the 1930s, often featuring stone staircases and bridges. The waterfalls are found along creeks that flow into Cayuga Lake. At parks with trails, you will typically find a "gorge trail" that follows the course of the creek, and a "rim trail" along the edge of the gorge, with overlooks to the falls underneath.
 * Waterfalls - many of the local waterfalls are located in state parks with hiking trails that were built (or rebuilt) by public works projects in the 1930s, often featuring stone staircases and bridges. The waterfalls are found along creeks that flow into Cayuga Lake. At parks with trails, you will typically find a "gorge trail" that follows the course of the creek, and a "rim trail" along the edge of the gorge, with overlooks to the falls underneath.
 * Waterfalls - many of the local waterfalls are located in state parks with hiking trails that were built (or rebuilt) by public works projects in the 1930s, often featuring stone staircases and bridges. The waterfalls are found along creeks that flow into Cayuga Lake. At parks with trails, you will typically find a "gorge trail" that follows the course of the creek, and a "rim trail" along the edge of the gorge, with overlooks to the falls underneath.

Cornell University
Cornell University is part of the Ivy League and is one of the most selective universities in America. It has world class Veterinary, Hotel, Agriculture, Architecture, and Engineering schools. It is far above Cayuga Lake, on a hill overlooking Ithaca, separated from the city, yet an integral part of it.

Performing arts

 * The Ithaca College has numerous free concerts and recitals almost every day of the week during the school year.
 * The Ithaca College has numerous free concerts and recitals almost every day of the week during the school year.
 * The Ithaca College has numerous free concerts and recitals almost every day of the week during the school year.
 * The Ithaca College has numerous free concerts and recitals almost every day of the week during the school year.

Outdoors

 * ,, and  all offer nice walking/hiking trails. Some have parking fees on weekends and during high season. Cross country skiing is permitted on the golf course in winter.
 * (not to be confused with Robert Treman State Park) offers a large marina, and a large fenced off-leash dog park nearby.
 * There are two outdoor stores in the downtown Ithaca area. (206 E State St, +1 607 273-3891) on the Commons and  (722 South Meadow Street, +1 607 272-1935) on Route 13 South (about  south of Wegmans.)
 * Also check out which has rental equipment and an indoor climbing wall.

Buy
Ithaca is home to one of the world's most successful local currency experiments. The Ithaca Hour was Ithaca's local currency that was accepted by more than 600 local merchants and service providers, including the Autumn Leaves bookstore at Ithaca Commons that served as the unofficial home of the currency. Using Ithaca Hours contributed to Ithaca's economy and small businesses.

Shopping in Ithaca is in four major areas: Downtown/Commons, Meadow Street/Route 13, Collegetown, and Lansing/Mall area.

and malls, which are less elaborate.
 * Downtown/Commons - The most typical Ithaca items can be bought downtown in the commons area. Local crafts are of exceptional quality. Ubiquitous green "Ithaca is Gorges" t-shirts can be bought here as well.
 * Meadow Street/Route 13 - Also known as The Strip. The "big-box" stores have moved along Meadow St. Drugstores, cellphone stores, supermarkets, and major discount retailers are often present in multiple incarnations. There is not much exciting here for the out-of-towner although it is certainly practical. An exception is Northside Liquors (see the Drink section).
 * Collegetown, just across Cascadilla Gorge from the Cornell campus, is mostly home to restaurants and businesses catering to the college crowd, and there are several shops specializing in Cornell- and Ithaca-related merchandise.
 * Lansing/Mall - Finally, just north of Ithaca in Lansing is the (formerly known as the Pyramid Mall), has Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Target, offering a fairly broad and ubiquitous selection of shops. Nearby are the

Books
A number of independent book sellers continue to thrive in the city and its immediate vicinity. Downtown Ithaca bookstores on or very near the Commons include the following:

Within a 20-minute drive of Ithaca you can also find two barn-sized used-book sellers:

Also, one "big-box" bookstore can be found in Ithaca:

If you'll be in Ithaca in May or October, look into the dates of the huge Friends of the Library book sale, which lasts a week or two for each sale period and offers over 250,000 items for sale, with proceeds supporting the fancy, new (but cash-strapped) county library on the corner of Green and Cayuga Streets.

Eat
Ithaca has some of the best and most diverse dining options in all of upstate New York. The areas with the highest concentration of restaurants are in Downtown and Collegetown. Downtown and The Commons has the most variety, ranging from Pizza, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Indian to fine-dining establishments. If you are uncertain about what you want to eat, a stroll along downtown's "Restaurant Row" on North Aurora Street should provide almost anything one is looking for. Collegetown also has a wide selection of dining, but has fewer fine dining options. Also notable is the area to the west of Downtown known as the West End, or The Inlet. Elmira Road, south of the downtown and Pyramid Mall, north of Ithaca in the Town of Lansing, have a selection of fast food and chain restaurants.

Groceries
, the largest grocery store in Ithaca, has a very large selection of specialty and ethnic foods, and has a large food court-like "marketplace" where ready-made food ranging from pizza to sushi can be purchased and eaten in the pleasant on-premises eating areas. A tourist experience of its own, like the Wegmans around New York State.

The other main grocery store chain in Ithaca is. Tops is smaller and has less selection than Wegamans but is favored by some residents for just that reason. Tops has a better selection of foreign food than Wegmans. Most grocery stores in Ithaca are open 24 hours to serve the college market. There is an Aldi that sells deeply discounted store-brand foods with limited hours and no free grocery bags. There is a Walmart just off of Route 13 near the Tops store that offers a full produce section, a deli, frozen foods, meats, dry grocery, bakery and dairy section.

is a food co-op on the west end of town and is open to everyone. They offer a good selection of organic produce and bulk dry foods. Also check out their smaller location,, in Dewitt Mall (near Moosewood) just off the Commons. If you're vegetarian and/or looking for organic selection, this is a great place to shop. It also has its version of the "marketplace" in its deli section where prepared foods are offered to either eat-in (there is a dining area) or take out. It is the only grocery store to offer fresh baked vegan desserts (which are very good). Here you will pay for the higher quality since it can get a bit pricey.

If you are in town on a weekend during the warm months (Saturday and Sunday April-October, Thursday afternoons June-August), you should consider getting your groceries and some bites to eat at the Ithaca Farmer's Market. There is a large selection of not only fresh herbs and vegetables, but also free-range and pasture-fed meat. The breakfast burrito is a local favorite. Many local artisans (soapmakers, woodworkers, etc.) also have kiosks, and there are about a dozen different food vendors. Local vineyards also have kiosks.

There are three main Asian grocery stores in town. The most popular are, south of downtown on Elmira Rd., and , located in the "Small Mall" on Cinema Drive behind Triphammer Mall. Win Li is the largest and has a very big selection of fresh Asian vegetables and has seasonally fresh fish. They also have some Chinese housewares (pots, bowls, rice cookers, etc.) and a big selection of rice. Ithaca Tofu has a slightly more varied selection of fruit and vegetables (including fresh shiso/ohba), but has much more in the way of Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Korean sauces. In keeping with their name, they do have a large selection of all kinds of tofu, but they also have a lot of Japanese snacks, sushi-related items, and they get fresh shipments of pre-cooked Chinese deli staples (chicken feet, tripe, scallion rolls) from NYC every week.

Wineries
The Finger Lakes are a well-known wine growing region, and dozens of wineries with tasting rooms can be found along the shores of both Cayuga and Seneca Lakes within an easy drive of Ithaca. The region grows white varietals best and produces many good Rieslings and Chardonnays.

Elsewhere

 * just off Route 13 at Franklin St offers an excellent selection of wines and spirits with an exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly staff. (identified by giant "Discount Beverage Center" letters) in the shopping center at the intersection of Elmira Rd. and Rte. 13. Northside Liquors has a very large selection of wines and liquors, with a rare wines room and probably the largest selection anywhere of upstate New York wines. If you go on a wine tour but in retrospect failed to buy your favorite wines, just go to Northside Liquors to pick them up instead of driving all the way back to the winery. Smaller, but also with a nice selection of wines, is  in the Triphammer Mall off Rte. 13.

Sleep
Ithaca is not a large city, but between Cornell and Ithaca College, about 25,000 students attend school here, with thousands more people visiting daily for conferences, sporting events, and other university functions. On normal days, Hotel and motel rooms can be surprisingly hard to find and shockingly expensive when compared to the surrounding area. Finding lodging during major school events, like freshman move-in, parents' weekend, and graduation, is difficult bordering on impossible at the last minute. If you find yourself in Ithaca during those times, you may have to go as far as Cortland ( away) or Elmira ( away). In a real pinch, it is not inconceivable to stay as far away as Syracuse, NY. It is only about 60 minutes away, depending on weather conditions. Elmira and Watkins Glen are decent options, and lodging will likely be quite a bit cheaper there.

As a general rule, lodging that is downtown or close to campus will start at $150/night, while the downscale motel chains that are out of town start upwards of $100/night. Rooms for less than $75/night can be had at some of the locally owned (and decidedly not 5-star) establishments that are outside of town. Rates during major school events can more than triple.

title: Ithaca (New York)


text:
Itoigawa

Itoigawa (糸魚川) is a city at the far southwestern corner of Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

Understand
Itoigawa (or more specifically Oyashirazu, in the west of the city) is situated at the northern terminus of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, a fault line geologically separating North-Eastern and South-Western Japan.

Itoigawa is home to the Itoigawa Geopark.

Tourist Information Site
The local tourist association maintains an English guide site, Discover ITOIGAWA.

By plane
The nearest airport is Toyama, which is a little over an hour away by car. By public transport, take the bus to Toyama Station and change there to the train (see below).

By train
The main way into Itoigawa is the Hakutaka service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Times and prices are as follows:

 * Tokyo: 2 hr 10 min, ¥10,800
 * Takasaki: 1 hr 20 min, ¥8110
 * Karuizawa: 1 hr 5 min, ¥6580
 * Nagano: 40 min, ¥4470
 * Toyama: 26 min, ¥3480
 * Kanazawa: 50 min, ¥5180

Trains connect at Kanazawa to Limited Express trains (Thunderbird towards Osaka, Shirasagi towards Maibara and Nagoya):

 * Komatsu: 1 hr 15 min, ¥6030
 * Fukui: 1 hr 45 min, ¥7330
 * Tsuruga: 2 hr 20 min, ¥8730
 * Maibara (Shirasagi): 2 hr 50 min, ¥9550
 * Gifu (Shirasagi): 3 hr 40 min, ¥10,200
 * Nagoya (Shirasagi): 4 hr, ¥10,740
 * Kyoto (Thunderbird): 3 hr 40 min, ¥10,200
 * Osaka (Thunderbird): 4 hr, ¥10,740

From Nagoya, a better route is to take the Shinano Limited Express to Nagano and change there; this takes about 4 hours and costs ¥10,100.

When the Shinkansen opened in 2015, the Hokuriku Main Line through Itoigawa was transferred to the new non-JR Echigo Tokimeki Railway and became its Nihonkai-Hisui Line. While it offers a few direct trains to Toyama and Kanazawa, most services require a change at Tomari. Taking this line, Toyama is 2 hours and ¥1520 away, and Kanazawa is 3 hr 20 min and ¥2830 away.

From Niigata, the best way to Itoigawa is to take one of the five Shirayuki Limited Express trains a day to Jōetsu-Myōkō, where you can change to the Shinkansen; this takes about 2 hr 30 min and ¥6700. Japan Rail Pass users will have to pay ¥450 to travel on the non-JR section between Naoetsu and Jōetsu-Myōkō. Those who do not have a rail pass may wish to change at Naoetsu to the Nihonkai-Hisui Line; this takes 2 hr 40 min and ¥5090.

The JR Ōito Line offers 7 trains a day to Minami-Otari, taking about an hour and costing ¥670. While this may be a useful shortcut to places further down the line such as Hakuba, taking the line all the way from Matsumoto (over 3 hours and ¥1940) takes much longer than taking the Shinano Limited Express to Nagano and changing there to the Shinkansen (1 hr 40 min and ¥6150).

JR services through Itoigawa are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, the Hokuriku Arch Pass (foreign visitors only), and the Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass.

By bus
Kubiki Bus operates two buses in the morning to Niigata, returning in the afternoon, taking 2 hr 45 min and costing ¥2850.

Other than that, Itoigawa is not well served by buses. If coming from Tokyo, take a bus to Naoetsu and change there to the train; from Osaka, Kyoto, or Nagoya, take a bus to Toyama.

Go next

 * Joetsu
 * Myoko
 * Kashiwazaki
 * Asahi
 * Nyuzen
 * Kurobe
 * Otari
 * Hakuba
 * Omachi

title: Itoigawa


text:
Itu

Itu is a city in Sorocabana, São Paulo, Brazil. The short name of the city hides its historical relevance, founded in the Colonial period and considered to be the birthplace of Brazilian Republic. A state-recognized resort town, Itu's main attractions are its valuable historical heritage, both in the city center and rural area of the municipality, and its recurring theme of "oversized things", ranging from urban decorations, handcrafts and even food.

Understand
Itu was founded in 1610 by the bandeirante Domingos Fernandes. The settlement grew slowly until 1777, when Itu became a major trading outpost for sugarcane and slaves. In 1842, Itu gained city rights and it was the richest city of the São Paulo state.

In 1873, Itu hosted the first Republican Convention in Brazil, which would ultimately lead to the country becoming a Republic in 1889. After established, the Republican government helped bringing Italian immigrants to work in Itu's coffee farms, with coffee quickly becoming the basis of the city economy. After the Great Depression of 1929, Itu stagnated economically as most of the state of São Paulo. Industrialization started in 1950, and got a large boost in 1970 when the Castelo Branco motorway reached the city.

Nowadays Itu is a prosperous medium-sized city, highly attractive for industry, and is expecting to gain a large FoxConn factory by the end of 2013. Beginning from 1967, a local comedian called Francisco Flaviano de Almeida, nickname Simplício, gained national prominence by making jokes about the exaggerated size of all sorts of things in Itu. What started as a joke was seen as an opportunity for tourism, with oversized objects becoming a symbol and local souvenir of Itu.

By car
Itu is 1 hour from São Paulo, and 20 minutes from the International Airport of Viracopos, in Campinas.

Get around
The public transport of passengers in the city is reasonable and you can get anywhere in the city, there are many bus lines and varied schedules, travelers can consult the bus schedule website.

Do
The city has many kinds of farms with different attractions, like:
 * Feeding animals
 * Fishing
 * Horseback riding
 * Old-fashioned agriculture demonstrations

Buy

 * Antiques stores

Eat

 * Farm goodies

title: Itu


text:
Itzehoe

Itzehoe is a city in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

Understand
Despite what you may think, Itzehoe is not pronounced with a German "ö" sound at the end, but rather with a long "o", so the correct pronunciation sounds almost like "It's a hoe".

By car
Autobahn A23 as well as Bundesstraße B 5, B 77 and B 206 connect the town with the surrounding places.

Get around
Itzehoe is a rather small city with a spacious pedestrianized core. You should be able to get to all points of interest without a car.

Buy
The inner city is a prime shopping destination for locals and tourists alike.

Go next
Itzehoe is a good point of origin if you want to explore the German North Sea coast. Furthermore the Kiel Canal, the busiest in the world, is just a couple of kilometers to the northwest (A23 crosses it) and also easily reachable by bike. If you haven't been to Sylt already, take a train and take it all in. Büsum, some 30 km to the northwest is the point of departure for ferries to Heligoland, and rather well known locally for its Krabben (scientifically: Crangon crangon). If you feel a big city is what you want to experience next, Hamburg is a little less than 50 km in the other direction.

Wacken
The hamlet of Wacken, famous for its heavy metal festival is not far from Itzehoe. Itzehoe is the closest train station to the festival from where an official shuttle service gets metalheads to the festival.

title: Itzehoe


text:
Itzer

Itzer is a city in Middle Atlas.

Get in
Take a grand taxi from Azrou (30 dirham), Zeida (8 dirham), Midelt (15 dirham), Boumia (10 dirham).

Get around
The town is small enough to walk from one end to the other in about 20 min. There is beautiful hiking in the area, very accessible from the town.

See
Visit the traditional weavers in the town's artisan association, Atlas Fil et Couleur. Ask for the Association or for "Moumi", the president of the Association.

Do
Spend a day or two or three trekking in the mountains, forests and valleys surrounding Itzer.

Climb the plateau that overlooks the town, the nearby volcano, and the beginning of the High Atlas mountain range.

Visit a public bath ("hamman") (7 dirham)

Come on a Saturday morning for the regional souq, with everything from livestock to carpets and every kind of very fresh produce from the region.

Buy
Traditional, naturally-dyed Berber carpets, handbags and other artisan crafts. (www.afcmaroc.org)

Traditional Couscous made from medicinal herbs grown in the area (20 dirham/kg)

Eat
Traditional fried potato cakes ("makoda") in a sandwich with fresh soft bread and spicy sauce.

Snack "Moumi" next to the souq on Fridays and Saturdays for homemade sausage sandwiches and makoda (2.5 dirham).

Drink
There are several small and very nice cafes that serve freshly-brewed Moroccan tea, banana/apple smoothies and fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Sleep
Contact Moumi to set up a traditional Berber homestay with one of the artisans from the Association. Email afc.maroc@gmail.com or call Moumi at +212 666 76 55 68

Connect
Moumi, the president of the Association Atlas Fil et Couleur is your go-to man for just about anything you might need or want in the area. Email: afc.maroc@gmail.com, Mobile: +212 666 76 55 68 (French, English or Arabic)

title: Itzer


text:
Iuka

Iuka is a city of 3,100 people (2020) in Tishomingo County, Mississippi.

Understand
Named after a Chickasaw Chief, the pure mineral springs of this small city once won an award at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

title: Iuka


text:
Ivalo

Ivalo (Northern Sámi: Avvil, Skolt Sami: Âˊvvel, Inari Sami: Avveel)) is a town in Finnish Lapland. It is the administrative centre for the municipality of Inari, with half the population and e.g. the health care centre. The municipality, at, 5 % of the country, is the largest in Finland – but has a population less than 7,000.

By plane

Rovaniemi airport is an other option, usually with more affordable flights.

By bus
Ivalo is on national road 4 (E75) from Norway via Utsjoki to Sodankylä and to the railhead at Rovaniemi (3 hours away), and is thus served by any buses plying this route, including connections from/via Karigasniemi and Näätämö. Gluttons for punishment can even take a direct bus from Helsinki, which takes around 15 hours. At summer a daily direct connection from Nordkapp is available. There's a bus connection from Murmansk, Russia as well.

By car
The above mentioned road 4 from Helsinki can of course also be driven by car. From the west coast, drive E8 to Kemi, where the two share tarmac.

By train
An overnight train to Rovaniemi and a coach for the last three hours is a less painful but not particularly cheap alternative; the train is a viable option also if you want to bring your own car.

See
Although quite large, Ivalo is not that well-known by tourists. The village was destroyed during the Lapland War 1944–1945. Most tourist businesses offer services for outdoor activities and visiting the nearby areas.

The northern limit for spruce is near the town. Here are still some big spruces, while few non-planted ones grow much to the north.

Do

There is a Metsähallitus Customer Service in Ivalo:

The Ivalo River (Ivalojoki) through the town was the site of a gold rush upstream in the 1870s, and some gold panners still try their luck. The former "Crown Station" Ivalojoen Kultala has been restored and is open for visitors (no fee). There is also an open wilderness hut and a rental hut at the site. Kultala is at Ivalojoki in Hammastunturi Wilderness Area, about 14 km from the nearest road (which is in bad condition). The recommended route (via the road to Kuttura) passes the gold panning area at the river Sotajoki, which is quite a sight, with unorganized caravan camping and machine dug holes in the stony river banks. There are historic gold villages also here, with huts and some other facilities for visitors. Farther from the road the route passes through nice landscapes (it might be worthwhile to deviate from the route for some hilltop views). The Ivalojoki canyon and the rope bridge over it at Kultala are sights in themselves.

Ivalojoki is a very nice canoeing route from Kuttura to Ivalo.

There are snowmobile routes passing by the village.

Eat
Hotels are your best bet, although there may be some restaurants.

Sleep
There are several accommodation businesses in and around Ivalo. Those in the neighbourhood often offer cottages and also activities.

In or near the centre
(walking distance)

Go next

 * Saariselkä, 30 km south from Ivalo. Winter sports resort, gateway to Urho Kekkonen National Park.
 * Inari, 40 km north from Ivalo, centre for Sámi culture, by the large lake Inari with a mosaic of islands.

title: Ivalo


text:
Ivangorod

Ivangorod is a small town in Leningrad Oblast, sitting right at the Estonian border at the Narva River, opposite the Estonian city of Narva. Ivangorod was for most of its history more or less in municipal union with Narva, as the junior partner. It is part of the Silver Ring of cultural and historical centers of Northwestern Russia.

Understand
It has been much more difficult to move back and forth across the Narva river following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the ensuing poor relations between Russian and Estonia, which has divided the populace (and somewhat stranded those on the Russian side from the city's actual centre). The river became the border only in 1945, and at the time both sides were part of the Soviet Union.

By train
The overnight train between Tallinn and Saint Petersburg calls here. There is one to two additional services from Saint Petersburg per day.

By car
Ivangorod is right at the Tallinn-St. Petersburg highway. Check out Driving in Russia for what documentation you need to bring a foreign car to Russia.

By bus
Buses between Tallinn and St. Petersburg stop here.

By foot
The border crossing from Narva is also open to pedestrians, and one of the places you can cross into Russia with a cheaper e-visa.

title: Ivangorod


text:
Ivano-Frankivsk

Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukrainian: Івано-Франківськ, also transliterated Ivano-Frankovsk from Russian: Ивано-Франковск) (formerly in Polish: Stanisławów, German: Stanislau) is a city in the Ukrainian part of East Galicia.

Understand
It was built in the mid-17th century as a private fortress of the Potocki family. With the partition of Poland in 1772, Ivano-Frankivsk was passed to the Habsburg Empire, after which it became the property of the State authorities of the Austrian Empire. It was during that time that the fortress was transformed into one of the most prominent cities at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. After World War I, for a short stint it served as temporary capital of the West Ukrainian People's Republic, after the fall of which Stanisławów became part of the Second Polish Republic. At the dawn of World War II, the city was annexed by the Soviet Union, only to be occupied by Nazi Germany two years later. With the liberation of Ukraine in 1944, a Soviet regime was established in the city for the next 45 years. A city visitor may find elements of various cultures intertwined within Ivano-Frankivsk, the Polish Rathaus, the Austrian city's business center, the Soviet panel multi-storied residential apartment buildings at the city's urban-rural fringe, and others.

The city is in the Carpathian region northeast of the mountain range, sitting approximately 120 m above mean sea level.

Climate
The climate is moderate continental with warm summers (in Jul the record high 37.1°C), and fairly cold winters (in dec the record low−35.7°C). There are 60 snowy days per year.

Get around
The city centre is manageable by foot but there is an extensive network of public transport including buses, trolleybuses, and taxis.

All street names reflecting the city's Soviet or Russian past have been returned to their former names, or given new names of national historic importance, or other non-controversial names. For example, Gagarin Street (connecting the city with its suburbs) became Vovchynets Street, Suvorov Street is now Harbar Street, and Soviet Street is Nezalezhnist (Independence) Street. Around 100 other streets were renamed. The seven main city squares Viche Maidan, Market Square, Sheptytsky Square Pryvokzalna Square, Mickiewicz Square (Mickiewicz Park), Liberation Square, European Square.

By public transport
Ivano-Frankivsk has a convenient public transport system:

Single ride tickets in marshrutkas, buses and trolleybuses cost 10 грн.
 * 17 marshrutka routes
 * 20 bus routes
 * 8 trolleybus routes

Schedules are available on rozklad.in.ua (in Ukrainian).

You can also check information about public transport on DozoR (in Ukrainian), EasyWay and Google Maps.

By taxi
Taxi is the easiest way of getting around the city. Some popular taxi companies include:

By scooter
Kick scooter is a funny way to shorten your time while getting around the city.

By car
Those wishing to venture outside of the city by car may want to use a more robust vehicle such as a 4 by 4 as roads in the local area are extremely degraded and incomparable to western roads.

Buy

 * Bazaar – a huge area close to the Main Square that covers the old market and the new market with couple of supermarket stores locally known as the universal stores where you can buy everything.

Eat
Food in Ivano-Frankivsk, like the rest of the Ukraine is fairly good and will sit well in the stomach of most western travelers.

If visiting a supermarket, price on items will vary greatly. Western labeled products will be labeled with prices comparable to western prices. Similar goods with non-western labels will sell much cheaper.

Two glasses of beer and a bag of potato chips will cost about 200 грн at local bars.

Drink
As with other Ukrainian cities of its size a beer should cost under 40 грн and a large bag of crisps (potato chips) in a normal bar/pub should cost a maximum of 40 грн. If you are paying more than that you know you are being ripped off.
 * Kilimanjaro
 * eL Dorado
 * Kilimanjaro
 * eL Dorado
 * eL Dorado

Go next

 * Chernivtsi - One of the most multinational cities of Ukraine.
 * Lviv - the capital of the Western Ukraine Region, with lot of sights for days
 * Ternopil - An East Galician city with lot of religious buillding and good base for exploring the area
 * Uzhhorod - center of Zakarpatska Oblast. Famous for a millenium-old Uzhhorod Castle inside a big regional history museum.

title: Ivano-Frankivsk


text:
Ivanovo

Ivanovo (Russian: Иваново) is a big city in Central Russia, on the Golden Ring circuit. It is the capital of Ivanovo Oblast and a former world capital of the textile industry. It was a hotbed of revolutionary and terrorist activity in the late 19th–early 20th centuries. For the hundreds of thousands of women who worked in the textile industry, Ivanovo is jokingly called "The City of Brides." Since the Russian economy opened up to competition from Asia, however, the textile industry has gone into decline along with the city.

If you visit Ivanovo, you will immediately see that this is a different sort of destination from most of the historic and pretty "Golden Ring" destinations. Ivanovo is a true Russian industrial city, with its Soviet heritage of pollution, dismal and blocky apartment buildings, and gloomy, dirty streets. Most likely, you will just want to pass through this city, but of course it might be interesting to overnight here and get a feel for such an archetypical gritty Russian city—to get a taste of what life is like for millions upon millions of Russians.

Get in
A bus from the main bus station (either to Ivanovo directly or to Kineshma via Ivanovo) in Moscow runs several times a day and the cost is around ₽450. They are usually very busy and the buses are usually old.

A daily overnight train arrives early in the morning from Moscow's Yaroslavskaya Station.

Get around
Buses and Minibuses (маршрутка, marshrutka) cost ₽15 (as of October 2014). As usual, you need to buy a ticket every time you change the bus. Tickets are bought from the ticket inspector.

See

There is not much in particular to see in Ivanovo, and frankly, you could get a good idea of the city by just passing through on the bus to Kostroma. But the main street in the city center with restaurants and cafes is Lenina avenue.

Eat

 * Aragvi, Prospekt Lenina, д. 19, строение 1. Georgian cuisine. +7 493 257-63-62.
 * Aragvi, Prospekt Lenina, д. 19, строение 1. Georgian cuisine. +7 493 257-63-62.
 * Aragvi, Prospekt Lenina, д. 19, строение 1. Georgian cuisine. +7 493 257-63-62.
 * Aragvi, Prospekt Lenina, д. 19, строение 1. Georgian cuisine. +7 493 257-63-62.

Sleep

 * Nice Hostel Ivanovo, Prospekt Lenina 20. Very utilitarian and community-minded. $15. +7 920 356-83-37
 * Best Western Russian Manchester Hotel, 44 Bubnova Street. Kind of like a full-service hotel with restaurant and indoor pool, gym, spa, bar, breakfast, etc if you don't mind paying for it. $62. +7 493 293-19-70
 * Best Western Russian Manchester Hotel, 44 Bubnova Street. Kind of like a full-service hotel with restaurant and indoor pool, gym, spa, bar, breakfast, etc if you don't mind paying for it. $62. +7 493 293-19-70

Go next

 * A full seven buses depart daily from the main bus station (and stop next to the rail station) for Kostroma (2.5 hours, ~250 RUR). Another four buses travel to Vladimir.
 * Regional buses also can take you to nearby Palekh, which has much more charm than Ivanovo, and is a centre of Russian icon and miniature painting.
 * A taxi to Moscow will cost you about ₽4000-5000 depending where you wish to go.

title: Ivanovo


text:
Ivanovo Oblast

Ivanovo Oblast (Russian: Ива́новская о́бласть, Ivanovskaya oblast) is a region in Central Russia, which borders Yaroslavl Oblast to the west, Kostroma Oblast to the north, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast to the east, and Vladimir Oblast to the south.

Cities

 * (Иваново) – the capital of the region is also a former world capital of the textile industry; for the hundreds of thousands of women who worked in the textile industry, Ivanovo has been called "The City of Brides".
 * (Кинешма) – the second largest city in the region has a prominent cathedral and several estate-museums, including that of the great 19th century composer Alexander Borodin.
 * (Па́лех) – a town famous for its 19th century school of icon and mural painting and for its contemporary lacquer-painted miniatures.
 * (Плёс) – an exceptionally pretty town of the Golden Ring and also the smallest, home to the Isaac Levitan House Museum
 * (Шу́я) – visit nearby Nikolo-Shartomsky Abbey, one of Russia's largest monastic communities and home to the world's largest freestanding bell tower.
 * (Старая Вичуга) – a small town with a neglected but nonetheless grandiose palace of Count Tatishchev.

Talk
Everyone speaks Russian; few speak much else.

title: Ivanovo Oblast


text:
Ivrea

Ivrea is a town of 25,000 in the province of Turin in Piedmont, Italy. In the middle of the 20th century, many factories and residential buildings designed by leading Italian urban planners and architects were constructed in Ivrea. Particularly notable is the Olivetti plant, headquarters and surrounding buildings which are a world heritage site.

Get in
Nearest airport is Turin, approx 45 minutes by car. Trains and buses run regularly from Turin, and other surrounding towns.

By car

 * From Turin: A5 Turin-Aosta motorway, Ivrea exit
 * From Milan: A4 Milan-Turin motorway, A4-A5 Santhià-Ivrea junction, A5 towards Aosta, Ivrea exit
 * From Aosta: A5 Aosta-Turin motorway, Ivrea exit
 * From Genoa: A26 Genova-Gravellona motorway, A26 towards Alessandria-Santhià, A4-A5 Santhià-Ivrea junction, A5 towards Aosta, Ivrea exit

Get around
By foot

See
Ivrea is situated at the foot of the Alps, and this area is scattered with small lakes which are used for swimming in the summer. The main pedestrian centre contains some wonderful shops and bars for people-watching.

The medieval castle and the cathedral, both on top of the hill in the centre of the town, are very beautiful and worthwhile.

Do
Join in the Orange Festival at carnival time (February). An amazing experience where teams of locals compete over several days for possession of the various town squares by throwing oranges from horse-drawn carts. Spectators should wear something orange to show their solidarity with the festival or they risk coming under orange-attack!

Buy
Take a walk in Via Palestro and Via Arduino, the main shopping streets, linked together.

Eat
Torta 900 - a very sweet chocolate cake whose recipe has been a closely guarded secret for over a century. The authentic Torta 900 can only be bought from the Balla cake shop.

Go next
Aosta, Biella, Santhià, Chivasso, Montalto Dora

title: Ivrea


text:
Iwaizumi

Iwaizumi (岩泉) is in Iwate prefecture and is the largest town on Honshu — by land area, that is. It's well known for its clear spring water and caves across town.

Understand
Iwaizumi Town covers a total area of 990 km², making it the largest town in mainland Japan. The Kitakami mountains extend to the west, while the Sanriku coast borders the town's eastern side. The town is blessed with an array of fascinating features, including a group of limestone caves, white birches' forests, and the Hayasaka Plateau.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

By train
If you are on the Sanriku Coast, Sanriku Railway does have a station in the east edge of Iwaizumi Town. Omoto Station is 40 min away from Miyako (¥750 single). The town council operates shuttle bus service from Omoto into town via Ryusendo Cave (¥600 single) usually connect train arrival times.

By bus
JR Tohoku Bus Co. operates a direct bus service (4 times daily) from Morioka Station to Ryusendo Cave via Iwaizumi Town Center. The journey takes 2 hr 10 min. Japan Rail Pass is accepted on this bus service.

Morioka Station - Ryusendo (via Iwaizumi), daily, ¥2590
 * From Morioka Station 09:40, 12:40, 14:40, 17:40
 * From Ryusendo 05:55, 08:55, 13:30, 16:00

The bus leaves from Morioka Eastside Bus Terminal, Bus Stop No.1. No toilet on the bus, but there's a break at the Mitakai SA along the way. All buses go via Iwaizumi Sanbonmatsu. (8 min before Ryusendo arrival).

By car
Another option is to hire a rental car at Morioka station. Driving in this region is less stressful than in cities like Tokyo. National Road 455 is the shortest route from Morioka, passing through picturesque Gando-ko and Sotoyama lakes. Since the new tunnel through Hayasaka Plateau was completed, the journey time has been cut -- Morioka to Iwaizumi takes around 90 minutes. In the winter, driving times are often longer and conditions are often less safe.

Get around
There are limited commuter bus links mainly serving for locals connecting between settlements, the town hall and medical center. There are a couple of useful services for visitors. One is the line mentioned above, linking between Omoto Station and Iwaizumi Town center, and the other one is to Ryusendo and Sugawatari Caves. Ryusendo can be within walking distance (although 30 mins from town center). All buses start/end at Iwaizumi Station, passing through Sanbonmatsu (8 min away) along the way.

Iwaizumi Sanbonmatsu - Omoto, daily, ¥600
 * From Sanbonmatsu 05:58, 06:40, 07:25(*1), 08:05 (Sa Su 08:05), 11:06, 12:58, 14:33, 16:30(*1), 17:33, 19:23
 * From Omoto Station 06:37(*1), 07:21, 08:42, 09:53, 12:47, 14:10, 15:46(*1), 17:03, 18:52, 20:50
 * No mark= Operated by Iwaizumi Un-yu Bus
 * (*1)= Operated by Iwate Kenpoku Bus
 * Times in bold = via Ryusendo Cave (add 8 min from Sanbonmatsu)

Iwaizumi Sanbonmatsu - Ryusendo Cave, M-F ¥150
 * From Sanbonmatsu 08:07(*4), 11:06, 11:30(*3), 11:53(*2), 12:58, 14:33, 14:47(*4), 14:53(*2),16:00(*3), 16:53(*2), 17:33, 17:37(*4), 19:53(*2)
 * From Ryusendo Cave 05:55(*2), 07:41(*4), 07:52(*3), 08:55(*2), 09:08, 09:36(*4), 10:19, 13:13, 13:30(*2), 14:36, 16:00(*2), 17:01(*4)

Saturday - Sunday, Public holiday
 * From Sanbonmatsu 08:05, 11:06, 11:35(*3), 11:53(*2), 12:58, 14:33, 14:53(*2), 16:53(*2), 17:33, 19:53(*2)
 * From Ryusendo Cave 05:55(*2), 08:55(*2), 09:08, 10:19, 13:13, 13:30(*2), 14:36, 16:00(*2)
 * No mark= Operated by Iwaizumi Un-yu Bus
 * (*2)= Operated by JR Tohoku Bus
 * (*3)= Operated by Tanohata Kotsu Bus
 * (*4)= Operated by Ogawa Taxi

Iwaizumi Sanbonmatsu - Ankado (for Sugawatari Cave), M-F only, ¥720 Monday - Friday
 * From Sanbonmatsu 08:07, 14:47, 17:37
 * From Ankado 07:10, 09:05, 16:30

Go next

 * Tanohata
 * Fudai
 * Noda
 * Kuda
 * Kuzumaki
 * Miyako
 * Kawai
 * Morioka
 * Yamada

title: Iwaizumi


text:
Iwaki

Iwaki (いわき市) is a city in Fukushima. It is a regional city surrounded by mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It is nicknamed "Sunshine Iwaki" due to its high number of hours of bright sunshine compared to other areas of Japan, and it is said to be one of the most temperate cities in the country.

Understand
Iwaki has a population of 345,000. It’s Japan’s 10th largest and 72nd most populous city.

Iwaki was formed in 1966 by incorporating many smaller towns, including Taira (the central area with the main train station), Uchigō, Yumoto, Izumi, Onahama (the port town), Ueda and many other smaller areas. They were amalgamated a few decades ago in order to boost its status due to a receding population. The name Iwaki had been used for a long time to refer to the general area however it had many different Kanji depictions, so to remove any confusion the name Iwaki is officially written in the hiragana syllabary (いわき).

Formerly, coal mining formed the core of its economy, but in the face of advancing technology, turned to tourism, the Spa Resort Hawaiians being one of its biggest attractions.

The main foundation of economy is industry and agriculture. The industrial production of Iwaki City is no.1 in Tōhoku region. Iwaki is rich in sightseeing resources and 7.64 million tourists visit a year. Within Fukushima prefecture, the industrial and sightseeing center is Iwaki, while the political center is Fukushima city.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated Google Translate.

By train
Iwaki is on the JR Joban Line from Tokyo, between Mito and Sendai.

By road
Iwaki is at the junction of the Joban (Tokyo-Sendai) and Ban'etsu (Iwaki-Niigata) Expressways. Highway buses travel to Sendai and Tokyo for around ¥3000-4000.

Buy
Iwaki Tengu - a guardian angel who protects people from misfortune

Iwaki Tono-washi - traditional Japanese paper

Tono, which is close to the mountain region, has been well known as a place for producing Japanese paper to this day. This Japanese paper is made from mulberry and paperbush, is very sturdy.

Go next

 * Hirono
 * Naraha
 * Tomioka
 * Kawauchi
 * Ono
 * Tamura
 * Furudono
 * Samegawa
 * Kitaibaraki

title: Iwaki


text:
Iwakuni

Iwakuni (岩国市 Iwakuni-shi) is a castle town shaped by two eras of military presence — the samurai who walked the mighty Kintai-kyo bridge, and the U.S. Marine Corps base in the city today.

Understand

As with much of the Chugoku region, the history of Iwakuni begins with the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. The Iwakuni han chose the wrong side, and were banished to the wilds of western Japan as punishment. One family, the Kikkawa, built a castle to mark their new seat of power, but it was torn down by imperial edict only seven years later. Nevertheless, the feudal lords of Iwakuni continued to enjoy power and prosperity for nearly three centuries, surrounded by loyal samurai retainers.

The Japanese Navy built a military air station in Iwakuni in 1940, which also marked its official incorporation as a city. After World War II, the air station was occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force; American forces began using it during the Korean War, and it became an official U.S. military base in 1952.

While the military base works to maintain good relations with the community, it's still a source of some tension — mostly noise complaints and a few ugly incidents with Marines stationed at the base. But its presence as a bulwark against North Korea means that nobody is exactly keen to see it go, either.

Tourist information sites

 * The city government has a multilingual guide site.

 * The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

By bus
Buses run to Iwakuni from the Hiroshima Bus Center. Most overnight routes from Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka that are bound for Hagi will include a stop at Iwakuni.

Get around
The tourist attractions are all within walking distance of each other, near Kintai-kyo and the Nishiki River. Buses run from JR Iwakuni Station (¥240, 15 minutes) and Shin-Iwakuni (¥280, 15 minutes). A cheery cartoon map near the station makes it look like an easy walk, but the route is considerably longer (about 1 hour) and less direct than drawn. If you'd like to walk, though, head west on Route 2 from JR Iwakuni Station toward the Nishiki River.

Do
The ancient Japanese art of cormorant fishing (ukai) is a popular summer pastime; every night in June, July, and August, teams of fishermen in traditional dress use trained cormorant birds to catch fish. (The birds get to eat the small fry, but a ring around their necks keeps them from swallowing big ones.) With torches lighting the way, it's a memorable spectacle, and Iwakuni is one of the best places in Japan to see it due to the relatively smaller crowds. If you're not content watching from the banks of the river, you can join a boat for ¥3500 adults, ¥2600 children. Boarding is 6:30PM next to Kintai-kyo, and fishing is from 20:00-21:00.

Buy
The most distinctive Iwakuni souvenir is the ishi ningyō (石人形), a doll made from stones under the bridge. The stones, in turn, are made of smaller pebbles glued together by excretions from a species of cricket. (Honestly.) If you'd prefer not to creep out your children, you might omit the fact that the dolls are meant to represent the souls of workers who died in the construction of the bridge.

Eat
Iwakuni's main claim to culinary fame is a special kind of sushi, which is made with a square mold — not rolled in seaweed — and has some special flavorings such as chrysanthemum.

Iwakuni has become renowned for having an insane variety of ice cream. Within this small courtyard there are no fewer than 3 different ice-cream stores specializing in unusual flavors of soft-serve. One has 25 to choose from, another 50, and the smallest yet most famous of the lot has a whopping 100 flavors of ice cream including such classics as blueberry, chocolate, and garlic. You've probably seen this place on TV before, and if you haven't, well, you have now because the 100 flavor store plays the segment from their last encounter on loop on a monitor out the front. Loudly. The area is rather pretty and tends to attract a lot of stray cats (and if you're lucky, kittens) so feel free to let your inner child out for a bit and sit down licking ice cream whilst petting a happy feline. Joy. It's about 50 meters northwest of the bridge.

There are a few food tents near the bridge and Kikko Park, serving hot dogs, chicken, and other summer favorites.

Drink
There isn't much in the way of nightlife in Iwakuni; many foreign residents head to Hiroshima to drink on weekends. There are bars in and around the military base, but the spectre of drunk Marines (real or imagined) tends to keep most Japanese at a distance.

As weather permits, there is a rooftop beer garden at the Iwakuni Business Hotel & Spa.

Sleep
Iwakuni can be easily visited as a day-trip from Hiroshima, where there is more plentiful accommodation. However, there are a few options in town.

Go next

 * Hiroshima is a short distance away, as is Miyajima.
 * Yanai, a city to the east with the culturally important and Edo-Era Shirokabe no Matchi.
 * Suo-Oshima
 * Hirao
 * Shunan
 * Hofu
 * Yamaguchi
 * Mine
 * Higashihiroshima

title: Iwakuni


text:
Iwami

Iwami (岩美町, Iwami-chō) is a coastal town of 11,000 people (2016) in Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Iwami lies entirely within the San'in Kaigan Geopark.

Understand

The majority of the town's working population works on squid fishing boats or farm, the most common crop being rice.

Iwami faces the Sea of Japan to the north. The surrounding landscape is dominated by low-lying hills and slopes; much of the built town and residential areas are located in flatter land between the heights.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site. with integrated Google Translate.

Get in
Iwami is around 30 minutes by train from the prefectural capital of Tottori City, and is the third stop by train heading east on the Tottori-Hamasaka line. Hyōgo Prefecture and Iwami's sister town of Shin'onsen are relatively nearby as well.

Do
Iwami has a locally renowned onsen (hot spring), the Iwai onsen.

Eat
Iwami has several restaurants which provide seafood-based meals and okonomiyaki, as well as a Family Mart and a Sunmart (supermarket).

Go next

 * Tottori
 * Yasu
 * Wakasa
 * Chizu
 * Yurihama
 * Kurayoshi
 * Misasa
 * Shinonsen
 * Toyooka

title: Iwami


text:
Iwamizawa

Iwamizawa (岩見沢) is a city in Hokkaido's Central Circuit. Capital city of Sorachi Subprefecture.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

Get in
Iwamizawa is located on the Hakodate main train line between Asahikawa and Sapporo. It also forms one end of the Muroran train line heading down to the coast at Tomakomai. Both regular and express trains connect Sapporo and Iwamizawa. You can just buy a regular train ticket and if you end up boarding an express, the conductor will sell you an express surcharge ticket separately.

Go next

 * Mikasa
 * Bibai
 * Shinshinotsu
 * Ebetsu
 * Sapporo
 * Yubari
 * Kumiyama
 * Nanporo
 * Naganuma

岩見沢市

title: Iwamizawa


text:
Iwata

Iwata (磐田) is a city in Shizuoka. Home to J1 soccer team Jubilo Iwata.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

By train

 * JR Tokai line
 * The nearest Shinkansen stops are at Kakegawa, if you're coming in from the direction of Tokyo, or Hamamatsu if you're coming from the Nagoya area. From either, you can catch a regular JR train the rest of the way to Iwata Station.

Go next

 * Fukuroi
 * Mori
 * Kakegawa
 * Kikugawa
 * Hamamatsu
 * Arai
 * Kosai
 * Omaezaki
 * Makinohara

title: Iwata


text:
Iwate

Iwate Prefecture (岩手県 Iwate-ken) is in the northeastern Tohoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu.

Understand
Visit Iwate is the prefecture's official multilingual guide site.

Cities

 * — The prefectural capital.
 * — Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen.
 * — once rivaled Kyoto, but now known for two temples and a poet who visited 400 years ago.
 * — the town has Ryusendo, one of Japan's three famous caves.
 * — has rich nature.
 * — a small city famous for its folk tales.
 * — is proud of Kitayamasaki Cape, seaweed and farm products.
 * — has rich nature.
 * — a small city famous for its folk tales.
 * — is proud of Kitayamasaki Cape, seaweed and farm products.
 * — a small city famous for its folk tales.
 * — is proud of Kitayamasaki Cape, seaweed and farm products.
 * — a small city famous for its folk tales.
 * — is proud of Kitayamasaki Cape, seaweed and farm products.

Other destinations

 * — located in Iwaizumi, considered one of the three major limestone caves in Japan. It also boasts one of the largest underground lakes in Japan, with crystal-clear water.
 * — one of the best ski grounds in Tohoku, with runs for all levels.

By plane
Hanamaki Airport

By train

 * The Tohoku Shinkansen barrels through Ichinoseki and Morioka on its way from Sendai north to Aomori.
 * IGR Iwate Ginga Tetsudo It's north train of Iwate
 * JR Yamada Line
 * JR Hanawa Line
 * JR Tazawako Line
 * Sanriku Railway (Kita-Lias Line) runs between Miyako (Iwate) and Kuji.

See

 * Visit Geibikei Gorge and enjoy a ride on one of the boats and listen to the singing of your guide. Feed koi carp in warmer weather, enjoy the changing leaves in the fall and the snow in the winter. (Ichinoseki)
 * Explore the remains of the former northern capital (Hiraizumi)
 * Make your way through Ryusendo Cave, one of Japan's Top Three caves. (Iwaizumi)
 * Search for kappa in one of the most famous kappa towns (Tono)
 * Walk through art inspired by the books of Kenji Miyazawa in the Miyazawa Kenji Dowa-Mura (Hanamaki)

Go next

 * Aomori Prefecture
 * Akita Prefecture
 * Miyagi Prefecture

title: Iwate