Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto
The beautiful and very popular place that you should definitely include in your itinerary for Japan is Fushimi Inari. It is really an impressive and important place in Kyoto. The Fushimi Inari Shrine is a very important Shinto, which is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people. When you visit Fushimi Inari, follow the trail all the way up the mountain, where you can have a beautiful view over Kyoto. Take photos of the iconic orange torii gates which there are thousands of by the way.
Even though Fushimi Inari may feel like a tourist trap if you visit it on the middle of the day, it does not have to be that way. It is one of the most popular places in Kyoto, so everyone wants to include it in their itinerary, but you can really avoid the crowds. The early bird catches the worm! Fushimi Inari Shrine is open 24/7 and is completely free, so you can also decide to go really early and catch the sunrise.
Yoro Park in Gifu
So you have done Fushimi Inari Shrine and you want something else, something a little weird, an unforgettable ‘experience’, well consider Yoro Park in Gifu. Considered the primary attraction of the town of Yoro, this theme park is a place where visitors are warned to expect the unexpected.
Yoro Park is as if Dali and Picasso combined forces and built the landscape blueprint for a realistic natural reserve. Designed to contain the 100 waterfalls in the area, visitors are guided through the park by locals. It’s a bit weird, but if you are in the area it is a quirky way to enjoy Japan’s natural beauty and sometimes warped creative mind. To get there catch the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo station and hop off at Nagoya station, from there you can catch a local JR rapid train. Tickets will cost about 12,400 yen ($124 USD).
The Blue Pond near Hokkaido
The Blue Pond located outside of Furano on Hokkaido is a truly magical place. The water has a milky blue quality because of magnesium dissolved in the water. You can stroll along its shores following a path through the trees and feel like walking through a part of fairyland. This is not only because of the colour of the water, but also because of the cluster of dead trees sticking out of the pond like witnesses to a time before the pond existed.
Even in the high season in summer during the bloom of the lavender fields in Furano the Blue Pond is not too crowded. You can take beautiful pictures from every angle along the path. In winter the Blue Pond changes its face completely. It is the only spec of colour in a world of white and gray.
Gio-ji Temple and Moss Gardens in Kyoto
Located in the highly visited Arashiyama neighbourhood of Kyoto, Gio-ji Temple and Moss Gardens can be considered a hidden gem. But why do travellers so easily overlook it? From the famous Bamboo Groves, Gio-ji is about 3.2 kilometres away making it quite the journey by foot if you do not have a bicycle.
If you decide to make the journey through the lovely backstreets of Arashiyama, you are sure to be rewarded as these gardens are truly a breathtaking sight. Moss coloured in different emerald shades almost completely covers all ground surfaces under canopies of shady trees, while a small number of stone footpaths help to immerse you in the tranquil setting. Depending on the season, you may also get to see lovely little purple flowers scattered throughout the mossy carpet.
As the small temple and gardens are in more of an isolated location in Kyoto, the bonus is you may be lucky enough to have these peaceful gardens all to yourself during your visit.
Oga in Akita
Reaching into the sea of Japan is Oga peninsula, a very interesting little pocket of Akita prefecture. With its jagged coastline jutting out into the mysterious deep waters of the Japan seas, it’s the perfect backdrop for the annual Namahage festival.
The Namahage is a mythical type monster that looks a little like the devil and comes to steal children during the New Years holiday season. Going from door to door on December 31st the Namahage asks parents whether their children have been good or whether they need to be taken into the neighbouring Kanpu Mountain, hopefully scaring the kids into good behavior for the coming year. Given that it is one of the town’s most famous icons, there are Namahage and folk law museums in the area as well as traditional houses and other iconic local landmarks dedicated to the beast. The peninsula sits about 30 km northwest of Akita city. To check the place out for yourself ride the Akita Shinkansen from Tokyo station, jump off at Akita Station and grab a local train direct to Oga Station.