Conveniently located at the heart of japan's largest island of honshu
The city of Nagoya is not only a lively and fascinating place in its own right, but makes
an ideal base from where you can explore some of the most spectacular destinations in central Japan.
With easy access from Chubu Central Airport in just 30 minutes by train
it's also the ideal place to start or finish your trip.
So join us as we explore three of the best side trips from Nagoya.
Rising majestically over the Northern Japanese Alps, Mount Ontake is Japan’s
second tallest volcano and considered one of its most sacred mountains.
Located at the foot of the mountain and the last rest stop on one of its two pilgrim trails
the village of Otaki is a place steeped in the tradition of shugendo or mountain worship
where practitioners have come for centuries to richly purify themselves
before making the final challenging climb to the summit.
For visitors interested in learning more about this area's fascinating traditions
the perfect place to stay is the Kurumisawa Ryokan. A family-run guesthouse with a connection
to shugendo spanning generations.
Here guests can enjoy beautifully prepared shojin riori
vegetarian Buddhist cuisine and even take part in waterfall meditation
Located in Gifu prefecture on the western edge of the japanese alps
Takayama is an attractive city with a rural atmosphere, famous since ancient times for
its carpentry and well-known today for its many beautifully preserved historic wooden buildings
Many of these can be seen on an easy stroll through the city's old town.
Starting with Takayama Jinya, a former government office stating from the feudal age
Continuing along Sannomachi Dori where
shops,
museums,
and sake breweries can be found
and ending with the Hachiman Shrine,
home to one of Japan’s most spectacular festivals.
Located an hour's drive east of Takayama
The Goshikigahara forest is a vast and beautiful area of wilderness.
A landscape of primeval forest, open wetland lakes rivers and waterfalls
A paradise for nature lovers and hikers alike,
The forest supports an impressive array of animal and
plant life, but due to its protected status can only be entered with a local l guide.
About an hour’s drive to the south of Takayama in Gero City,
the town of Hida Osaka is surrounded by deep forests,
known for containing more waterfalls than anywhere else in Japan.
more than 200 of which are over five meters in height.
Formed around 54 000 years ago
by lava flows from nearby Mount Ontake,
the area's unique geography and diversity of plant life
make it an ideal destination for hikers.
visitors can choose from 12 different walking courses
from short scenic strolls to challenging full-day hikes
A sleepy seaport town on the coast of rural Mie Prefecture,
Kumano City is known for beautiful mountain scenery, rugged coastal landscapes and its position
on the ancient pilgrim trail connecting the Kumano Shrines with the Ise Shrines.
At the northeastern edge of town,
a set of old stone steps lead into the forest
marking the start of one section of the ancient pilgrim trails.
Known as the Matsumoto pass, the trail is about a kilometer long
and includes some beautiful views of Shichiri Mihama Beach.
In the mountains to the west of the city,
the Maruyama Senmaida is one of the largest and most
spectacular rice terraces in all of Japan.
with well over a thousand tiny rice paddies of all
shapes and sizes cut into a steep hillside
each one perfectly angled to get every last bit of sunlight.
Due to its difficult terrain every aspect of planting and harvesting is still done by hand .
Located to the south of the city
across from a long stretch of beautiful pebble beach
is Hananoiwaya,
one of japan's oldest and most unique shrines.
Said to be the burial place of the goddess Izanami
who created the world, the site is centered on a towering 45 meter rock,
shaped by the ocean wind and revered since prehistoric times.
A short walk north of the city center stands the Onigajo, or Ogre's Castle.
One of several impressive rock formations dotting the coastline
originally formed from volcanic ash,
ocean waves gradually eroded its soft rock face
into a towering and otherworldly structure,
extending for over a kilometer around a small cape.
Departing from the nearby Matsuzaki Port
the Tategasaki Sightseeing Boat Tour offers some
breathtaking views of the Mie coast to the north of central Kumano City,
including a series of spectacular cliff faces
two of the most famous spots to look out for
are the Blue Cave and Tategasaki,
a huge rock structure of almost perfectly vertical columns.
This was a guide to just three of the many destinations that can be easily reached from Nagoya.
We hope this proves useful for planning your next trip to central Japan.
For more information about Nagoya or to watch another video,
click the links on the screen now or head over to japan-guide.com
your comprehensive up-to-date travel guide first hand from japan.
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