Mount Omuro, with its distinctive silhouette resembling an inverted bowl, can be reached by a lift that offers a refreshing aerial stroll to the summit. Visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of Mount Fuji, the Izu Seven Islands, and the Sagami Bay while walking around the approximately 1km crater rim. On clear days, the spot for taking photos with Mount Fuji in the background is especially popular! Inside the crater, there is the Omuroyama Sengen Shrine, dedicated to the gods of safe childbirth and matchmaking, as well as facilities for archery. Every year on the second Sunday of February, the traditional “Yamayaki” event is held, where the entire mountain is set ablaze, attracting many tourists.
“Obuchi Sasaba” is a tea plantation located at the southern foot of Mount Fuji in the Obuchi district of Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture. This place is secluded, surrounded by forests and free from nearby houses, utility poles, and other man-made structures. It maintains its traditional landscape, and photographs of the scenery are used in various places such as the Shizuoka Prefectural Governor’s Office, Fuji Shizuoka Airport, and JR Central’s promotions for Shizuoka Prefecture, making it a scenic spot that represents the iconic Mount Fuji and tea fields of Japan. As depicted in one of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by the famous ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai, titled “Suruga Katakura Tea Gardens and Fuji,” the southern foot of Mount Fuji has been a region famous for tea cultivation since the Edo period. Although Hokusai did not reach Sasaba, the scenery here remains virtually unchanged from that time.
At Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha in Fujinomiya City, many traditional festivals have been passed down through the ages. The “Fujisan Omiya no Shinji-cho” from 1577 lists 65 different festivals, and the main ones are still observed today. The Otaue Matsuri (Rice Planting Festival) is a celebration expressing gratitude for the spring water gushing from Mount Fuji and praying for a bountiful harvest of grains. The festival features the ancient and graceful Otaue Shinji ritual and the planting dance performed by young female rice planters.
The Amagi mountain range in Izu City is one of Japan’s most precipitous areas, with annual rainfall between 3,000 and 4,000 millimeters. This abundant rainfall feeds the springs that nurture Izu’s water wasabi. The beautiful landscape of the tatami-ishi style wasabi fields in this region, its rich ecosystem, and the skillful cultivation techniques have been recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System under the title “Traditional Cultivation of Shizuoka Water Wasabi.” This area boasts the largest cultivation area for water wasabi in Japan, with a history of over 250 years in wasabi farming. Please adhere to the rules when visiting the wasabi fields.
Inokashira, the Village of Spring Water, is blessed with an abundance of springs brought forth by the sacred Mount Fuji and 1,000 hectares of forests, serving as the source of distinctive industries such as trout farming, which boasts top-class quality nationwide. Leveraging these rich natural resources and abundant food ingredients, the area has actively welcomed foreign visitors to Japan and residents using vacant houses. As part of its regional branding, the slogan “Healing with the Five Senses in Inokashira” has been adopted, focusing on promoting the rural lifestyle with Mount Fuji as a backdrop, the springs, and the hospitality of local cuisine.
Embraced by a thousand cherry blossom trees, this is Okayama’s premier cherry blossom viewing spot. A symbol of Tsuyama City, selected as one of “Japan’s Top 100 Castles” and “Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots.” The castle was built in 1616 by Tadamasa Mori, the younger brother of Ranmaru Mori, who was killed in the Honnoji Incident. Although all the buildings were demolished under the Meiji government’s castle abolition order, the Bitchu Yagura turret was restored in 2005 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the castle’s construction. The turret, along with the impressive stone walls that stand about 45 meters high, has become a new popular spot. The castle is also known as one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in the prefecture, with about 1,000 cherry trees in full bloom creating a spectacular view. The illuminated cherry blossoms viewed from atop the stone walls are also a magnificent sight.
The townscape of the Josai district is woven together with temple and shrine architecture, traditional townhouses, and modern buildings. The building, constructed in 1917 (Taisho 6), is a two-story wooden structure featuring a dome at the front, with intricate decorations on the roof and windows. Each room has a fireplace made of different types of marble, and the building is registered as a cultural property by the national government. The café on the first floor is a lovely space, with walls made of traditional plaster and a high ceiling. Here, you can enjoy “Yōan Coffee,” named after Udagawa Yōan, a Western scholar from Tsuyama who is credited with coining the kanji characters for “coffee.” The townscape of the Josai district, which is a blend of temple and shrine architecture, traditional townhouses, and modern buildings, was selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 2020.
A daimyo (feudal lord) garden where you can enjoy the natural beauty of each season. This strolling garden was created by the second feudal lord of Tsuyama Domain, Mori Nagatsugu, who invited a landscape gardener from Kyoto. It was designed to resemble the Sentō Imperial Palace located within the Kyoto Imperial Garden. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of each season, including cherry blossoms in spring, water lilies in summer, autumn foliage, and snowy landscapes in winter. The garden is now open to the public for free and is visited by many people. In September 2002, it was designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty by the national government under the name “Former Tsuyama Domain Villa Garden (Shurakuen).”
Starting with the skunk cabbage colony by Lake Abashiri from the end of April to May, the Shibazakura Park in Higashi Mokoto blooms from May to June. The sunflower and cosmos fields by Oshoku Lakeside Park are at their best from August to September. In addition, you can enjoy flowers of all seasons at places like the Hana-Tento on Mt. Tento, the Phlox Park, and the Koshimizu Wild Flower Park! The hidden gem, the coral grass colony in Ubaranai, turns completely red at the end of September!
Located within Abashiri Quasi-National Park, Notoro Cape offers stunning views with its cliffs jutting out into the Okhotsk Sea and a picturesque lighthouse. This scenic spot has been featured in many commercials. From here, you can see the wind turbines in the Tokoro area and fishing boats in the Okhotsk Sea! At night, with only the lighthouse’s light, it’s known as a viewing spot where you can enjoy a sky full of stars, including the Milky Way. Many wild animals, such as White-tailed Eagles, Yezo deer, and Red foxes, inhabit the area.
