Shirakami Mountains

An island in Kagoshima Prefecture, home to Yakusugi cedars over 7,000 years old. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Famous for giant cedars like Jomon Sugi. Excellent trekking trails. Approximately 300,000 visitors annually, an important place for experiencing Japan's primordial nature. Believed to inspire the setting of the film 'Princess Mononoke.'

A UNESCO World Natural Heritage archipelago roughly 1,000km south of Tokyo. Called the 'Galapagos of the East,' the islands are a treasure trove of endemic species. Accessible only by a 24-hour ferry, this remote paradise is popular for whale watching and diving.

The largest island in the Sea of Japan, off the coast of Niigata. Sado Kinzan gold mine was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, and unique traditions like tub boats and Noh theater persist. Also known for the reintroduction of the crested ibis (toki), it blends nature and history.

The central city of Harima, home to World Heritage Himeji Castle. Beyond the castle, it offers appealing tourism resources and food culture including Mount Shosha's Engyo-ji Temple and Himeji-style oden.

An island in Kagoshima Prefecture, home to Yakusugi cedars over 7,000 years old. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Famous for giant cedars like Jomon Sugi. Excellent trekking trails. Approximately 300,000 visitors annually, an important place for experiencing Japan's primordial nature. Believed to inspire the setting of the film 'Princess Mononoke.'

A UNESCO World Natural Heritage island home to ancient Yakusugi cedars thousands of years old. The Jomon Cedar trek and Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine are known as inspirations for the forests in Miyazaki's 'Princess Mononoke.' Its vertical vegetation zones from subtropical to subarctic earn it the nickname 'Alps of the Ocean.'

A mountain village in Gifu Prefecture whose gassho-zukuri (hands-in-prayer style) thatched-roof houses are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The steep thatched roofs harmonize with deep winter snow, and the winter illumination event creates a magical scene that draws visitors from around the world.