As all we know, Japan is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, fulled with the fantastic, the modern, and the ancient. Below are three examples of the beautiful and awe-inspiring places Japan has to offer.
Shirakawa is a mountain village located at the highest peak of Mt.Haku in the Ryohaku mountain range, in Ishikawa Prefecture. Shirakawa is surrounded by forest, and boasts some of the heaviest snowfall in the world.
This mountain village is home to many 'cute' houses, built in a distinct local style. These houses have been nick-named 'gassho', which means to press one’s hands together in prayer; the roofs of the houses look like hands put together in prayer.
If you would like to visit Shirakawago, each season will bring you different views. Spring (March-May) is famed for the beautify cherry blossom & rice paddies, Summer (June-August) brings lush green trees, Autumn (September - November) sees festivals and vivid colours of the changing leaves, while Winter (December - February) features beautiful snowscapes.
We hope that you will enjoy experiencing the culture and traditions that live on in Shirakawa-go today.
You can take a day trip to Hakone from Tokyo, where you can find great views of Mt.Fuji. Hakone is a mountainous area famous for its Onsens, natural beauty, hostorical sites, and views of Mount Fuji.
'Onsen' is Japanese for 'hot spring', and there are over 3,000 hot springs in Japan. Hakone has been one of Japan’s most popular hot spring resorts for centuries and no Japanese could imagine staying in Hakone without going to an Onsen.There are two kind of Onsen; indoor and outdoor. In winter, watching the stars while relaxing in a hot spring is likely to be one of the most unforgettable feelings in your life.
Lake Ashinoko is an extremely popular area of Hakone, offering views of Mount Fuji and the famed red torii gate of Hakone Shrine.
Owakudani is a popular tourist attraction too. Owakudani is a crater that was created 3,000 years ago by massive volcanic eruption. As such, the hot springs at Owakudani are far too hot to bathe in. Onsen tamago ('onsen egg') is the Japanese tradition of cooking eggs in hot springs.The high sulphur content of the hot springs at Owakudani produce a very special onsen tamago, where the shells turn black.
Japanese people say that Onsen tamago is so healthy that a single egg adds 7 years to your life.
Wakayama prefecture is the spectacular, spiritual heart of Japan, often called 'the home of the Gods'. If you love finding peace and tranquility in nature, we wold highly recommend Wakayama Prefecture, which is cleft in two by the Kinokawa river and located on the Kii peninsula on the southern coast of the Kansai Region.
From Kansai, you can easily access Mount Koya, which has been described as making one feel like they are entering another Kingdom of Heaven.
Mount Koya is one of Japan’s three sacred mountains; this has a magic to it that any visitor to Wakayama cannot miss. That mountain was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage in 2004, and recently it's popularity among foreign tourists has been increasing.
If you like warmer weather, late spring and summer are the best seasons to visit.
In late autumn it begins to get quite chilly, and winters are cold and often snowy.