From the Yuhigaoka Sunset Viewing Observatory, you can see the “Fujinoenchi” north of route 105. You can see Ponmoshiri Island up close as well as overlook Rishiri Fuji. A highlight is in July when the area turns yellow with many daylily flowers.
A rocky area continuing into the ocean, in the native Ainu language, rusha means path leading down to the seashore. Due to the extremely treacherous terrain and in order to protect the natural environment, the Shiretoko Forest Road leading to the bay is closed to general automobile traffic. There are sightseeing boats which travel to the bay; taking around two hours round-trip, riders can enjoy the sight of the precipitous cliffs in the area from the sea. Wild animals gather here to catch salmon going upstream, particularly brown bears, and the bay has become a renowned spot for safe bear watching from a boat.
The Shimajiri Mangrove Forests are mangrove forests that have grown along a roughly one kilometer long inlet in the northern part of Miyako-jima (Miyako Island). This is the largest group of mangrove forests in the Miyako Islands; visitors can view a variety of different mangrove species while strolling along wooden walkways. Many wild bird species live in the mangrove forests, making this a popular place for bird-watching. At low tide, large numbers of crabs can be seen.
Gesashi Bay’s Mangrove Forest is the largest area in Okinawa Main Island to be able to view mangroves. You can experience canoeing as well as viewing three types of mangroves: black mangroves, Kandelia obovata and Rhizophora mucronata. In 1972, it is designated as a national Natural Monument.
Goeda Pine of Kume is counted as the top two famous pine trees in Okinawa boasted by Kume Island. The tree divided into five branches stretches in all directions and completely covers an area of 250 square meters. It is about 250 years old. It is also habitat for the Kumejima firefly, and the dance of fireflies lit up in white can be enjoyed in early May.
In this stretch of land, you’ll find the Hime River, which runs from Itoigawa City to the Japan Sea. You’ll find colonies of Aohanagoke and water crowfoot plants, as well as dogtooth violet and anemone flaccida plants after the snow melts.
This is an area where alpine plants grow in Mt. Norikura, A variety of alpine plants such as dryas pentapetala, kamchatka lily and narcissus anemone grow here and the area boasts pretty flowers in bloom from the end of June to the middle of August every year. There is a boardwalk where the flowers bloom and visitors are able to enjoy walking around with ease. Entering Mt. Norikura by car is regulated throughout the year, so it is recommended to use the shuttle bus or a taxi.
This plum grove, boasting the largest acreage in Japan, began in the Edo period when the regional Kishu-Tanabe clan encouraged plum cultivation. Every year during the bloom season, the hills are covered in beautiful soft white flowers and a sweet scent fills the air. Extolled as “offering a view of a million plum trees, and producing an aroma that fills the air for miles,” this view of plum blossoms carpeting rolling hills attracts many visitors every year. Rice cake making, plum seed blowing contests and yosakoi dance festivities and many other events are held annually around the peak blooming season.
Boasting the plum grove located at the highest elevation (300 meters) in the Kinki region, this expansive plum grove is one of the main groves of Tanabe City, the home of plums. During peak blossoming season, one is surrounded by soft white blossoms and enveloped in a sweet scent. The plum grove paths lead to an observatory and Kishu Tenmangu Shrine. The view of the plum groves from the observatory is extolled as a spectacle of 300,000 plum trees.
This 1,000-year-old cedar tree is a natural treasure of Sakegawa Village, and is also known as the Totoro Tree because of its similarity to the Studio Ghibli Movie “My Neighbor Totoro”. This massive tree is roughly 6.3 meters around the trunk, 17 meters around the branches and 20 meters tall and has been a sacred tree since ancient times, with the mountain god worshiped at the base of the tree. The shape of the two branches from the top of the tree have led to it also being known as “the married couple cedar” and the “marriage cedar”.
These eight giant and small kettles can be seen at the Shima River that flows through Nakanojo Town, Agazuma County, Gunma Prefecture. Where whirlpools have formed, stones and sand eroding the bedrock of the riverbed have produced the giant’s kettles over tens of thousands of years. The largest is eight meters across and 3.2 meters deep and has been designated a prefectural natural monument.
A woodland path located at the Mt. Jonen trailhead in Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture. Visitors can enjoy trekking and spectacular views of the Hida Mountains (Northern Alps). The view of the ravine during the fall foliage period is particularly popular. A motorhome campground as well as the Chogatake Onsen hot spring district are also located nearby, and the area is a frequent destination not only for tourists but also mountain climbers.
A primeval beech forest located halfway up Mt. Mikunidake in Kutsuki-Katsuragawa Prefectural Natural Park, a park which consists of an area extending from the eastern tip of the Tanba Mountains to the western slopes of the Hira Mountains. Due to the local climate and other factors, the forest has remained virtually untouched by human hands, and even in western Japan, an area where many 250 to 350-year-old beech and Japanese horse chestnut trees grow, this is a precious example of preserved primeval beech forest.
