Daisetsuzan: Japan’s Earliest Autumn Colour in September
Japan’s autumn colour begins in mid-September on Hokkaido’s Daisetsuzan range — the earliest koyo in the country. Gateways, timing and what to pack.
Category Nature
Mountains, lakes, forests, and natural landscapes in Japan.
Diamond Fuji from Tokyo 2026: 10 Days a Year, 1 Hour from Shinjuku
Tokyo · Mt. Takao · Diamond Fuji Diamond Fuji from Tokyo 2026: 10 Days a Year, 1 Hour from Shinjuku You don’t need to drive to Yamanaka to see Diamond Fuji. Mt. Takao gets it for about 10 days around…
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park 2026: When the Macaques Bathe
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Nagano: wild macaques bathing in a hot spring. What it costs, when they actually soak, the icy 1.6km trail, and how to get there.
Cape Toi: Miyazaki’s Wild Horses by the Sea
Cape Toi at the southern tip of Miyazaki — wild Misaki horses roaming the clifftop grassland (a National Natural Monument), a climbable lighthouse, and how to visit responsibly.
Aoshima & Aoshima Shrine: Miyazaki’s Island in the Sea Terraces
Aoshima is a subtropical shrine-island off Miyazaki, ringed by the Devil's Washboard rock terraces — a free, myth-soaked spot for couples on the Nichinan coast.
Takachiho Gorge: The Boat to Manai Falls (Miyazaki)
Takachiho Gorge in Miyazaki: rent a rowboat to the foot of 17-metre Manai Falls, through seven kilometres of columnar-basalt cliffs. Boat fees, online booking, access and seasons.
Things to Do in Kamikochi 2026: A Local’s Valley Guide
Kamikochi is a car-free alpine valley in Nagano, open Apr 17-Nov 15, 2026. A local guide to things to do, getting there, where to stay, and when to go.
Lake Shusenko’s Submerged Forest: Akita’s Cobalt-Blue Spring Spectacle (2026)
Each spring, snowmelt floods Akita's Lake Shusenko until the shoreline trees stand in cobalt-blue water — a submerged forest at its best in early-to-mid May, and possibly on borrowed time.
Murō-ji Temple 2026: Nara’s ‘Women’s Kōya’ and Its 1,200-Year Pagoda
Murō-ji, Nara's mountain 'Women's Kōya,' has a National Treasure five-story pagoda, spring rhododendron and a June hydrangea pilgrimage. Hours, fees, access and what to see.
Ashiu Forest 2026: Kyoto’s Primeval Woods You Can Only Hike with a Guide
One of western Japan's last primeval forests, at the source of the 146 km Yura River — and you can only enter on a guided tour with a Kyoto University-certified group. The route I walked, the cost, when to go, and the leeches to pack for.