This is a lake formed by the eruption of Mount Nantai 20,000 years ago, inside Nikko National Park. A priest named Shodo, discovered the area, and was originally used as a training ground based on faith and worship in Buddhism. The area is particularly popular in autumn due to the autumn leaves that appear here.
This is one of Japan's largest waterfalls in Nikko City. The 97 meter waterfall drop is quite spectacular, and visitors can view it relatively up close. The waterfall was discovered by a priest named Shodo and the name comes from buddhist scripture.
This is a hilly road (number 120) which has 48 turns - the same number of characters in the Iroha song. The first and second parts are separated by a hill, where there are two resting spots - Kurokami-daira and Akechi-daira where one can view Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji. The road is famous for appearing in the Japanese arcade game Initial D.
This is a 400 hectare high marshfield area within Nikko National Park. The name comes from the fact that two mountain Gods, Futaaranokami (from Mount Nantai) and Akaginokami (From Mount Akagi) battled a large snake and large centipede respectively. As there is nature abound, the area is also particularly suitable for hiking.
This is a shrine that was built in 1617 and is registered as a world heritage site. After the death of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Tokugawa family was enshrined here. The shrine is also famous for the Yomei-mon Gate, with vivid sculpturing and colors, as well as the "3 monkeys" and "sleeping cat" statues that were built to pray for peace by the Ieyasu. Minamoto Yoritomo and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were also enshrined in this temple.
This is the country's largest Edo era(1603-1868) theme park, opened in 1986. Inside there are recreated Edo-style villages and Edo era experiences such as Ninja actors and Geisha actress in the style of the time. Visitors can also rent a wide range of Edo era style clothing to truly give that experience of travelling back in time.
This is an onsen on the upper stream of Kinugawa River in Nikko. At that time, the baths were exclusively used for Daimyo(Japanese feudal lord) and Monks who went on pilgrimages to Nikko. The water is famously effective against burns, and in the nearby village, there are several souvenir shops, restaurants and other shops.
This is a huge underground area of around 20,000 meters squared which was formed by digging the area for 70 years between 1919 and 1986. During the war, it was used as an underground factory, and as a place for rice storage post war. Nowadays, it is often used as a setting for filming dramas, as well as a stage for concert performances.
These are old fashioned baths in Nasu Shiobara City. The name comes from the 11 bath houses that are along the river. The area originally was called the 11 baths of Shiobara, and boasts more than 1,000 years of history as an Onsen town. The area is unique in the sense that there are several unstaffed onsen, and is popular for viewing the snow and winter landscapes while enjoying a warm onsen bath.※Credit:旅と温泉の無料写真素材 おんふぉと http://on-photo.com/
This is an Onsen in Minakami town. It is situated at the upper part of Tone River, where it is surrounded by the Suwa Gorge and autumnal leaves. The area is popular for the horse drawn carts that run around this area. The area is also known for being a great spot for ski, rafting and other outdoor sports.
This is an underground station in Gunma, on the JR Joetsu line. The station is 81 meters below ground, and passengers have to climb a passage of around 338 meters or 462 steps, followed by a further 143 meter passage, and finally 24 further steps, leading it to becoming known as one of Japan's "most deep underground stations".
This is an old bath house in Nasu Shiobara City. The bath house has over 1000 years of history and was famous for being known as the "Healing water of Shimotsuke". It became known as a "Rope bath" due to the unique way of entering by holding onto a rope, but was also known as the "cane no longer needed" bath due to its reputation for being so healing on the joints that old people who needed a cane to walk no longer needed it after being healed by the bath.
This is an old Onsen bath in Ikaho Town. It boasts 1,300 years of history and appeared in Manyoshu, a book collection of traditional Japanese poetry. The Onsen was used as a place of healing for a wounded soldier named Takeda Katsuyori, and eventually he commanded the area to be turned into an Onsen town. The area was also loved by many literary greats such as Natsume Soseki, Hagiwara Sakutaro and Noguchi Ujo. It is also famous as a place for hot spring buns and dumplings.※Credit:旅と温泉の無料写真素材 おんふぉと http://on-photo.com/
Here, one can see the 8 large potholes within Shimagawa River. These potholes are formed where rocks and sand particles flow in circles in the same areas and gradually erode at the river bed. Over tens of thousands of years, it forms a natural wonder that can be viewed today.
This is a mountain in Gunma prefecture which has been worshipped throughout the ages. With a height of 1,449m, the mountain also has the nickname of "Haruna Fuji". The area is particularly well known for the contrasting blue of the Lake Shina with the reds and oranges of the autumn leaves.
This is a area in southern Aizu which is an Edo-era(1603-1868) village which is "half agricultural, half residential". There are numerous thatched roof traditional houses which give the feeling of having travelled back in time to the Edo era. There is also a specialist "Spring onion Soba" shop where one uses spring onions to eat soba instead of chopsticks.
This is a silk factory that opened in 1872, and is registered as a World Heritage Site. When the country opened its borders during the Edo era(1603-1858), it was used as one of the places of production of silk which was exported to countries, supporting the Japanese economy. The place was opened with the efforts of Okuma Shigenobu, Ito Hirobumi and Shibusawa Eiichi, with operations ceasing 116 years later in 1987. The reeling yarns and storage areas used when in operation are still present and available to view by visitors.
This is a famous valley in the upper part of the 6km Arakawa river, in Chichibu. The area is famous for its rock formations and visitors can enjoy canoeing, rafting and campings. The area is famous for its fresh water shaved ice and miso pickled pork. In autumn, one can enjoy the autumn leaves as well as apple picking.
This is a famous onsen located at the foot of Kusatsu Shirane Volcano. It was named as one of the top Onsens in the country during the Edo period(1603-1868). The onsen is special for its large amount of natural water and is often used for research on "Yumomi", which is a process of inserting a hexagonal plate to reduce the feeling of heat when initially entering a warm bath.
This is one of Japan's largest waterfalls in Ibaraki prefecture, boasting a height of 120m. A priest named Saigyo is said to have stated that "one cannot fully appreciate this waterfall unless you visit it in all four seasons", and it is for this reason that it is known as the "four time waterfall".