Easy walk
Momiyama Shrine’s Millennial Tree
Not far from Nagayu hot springs is a wonderful hidden shrine, as in a Ghibli movie. Guided tour.
Gentle
Okawachiyama: Pottery Village
The little village of Okawachiyama, in the remote mountains of Saga prefecture, was one of the cradles of Japanese ceramics. Founded by a samurai clan, its manufacturing secrets were well guarded!
Some hiking
The Incredible Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine
At the foot of Mount Aso stands a small shrine with a mystical atmosphere, lost in the middle of a cypress forest. Take the path with stone torii gates and discover this timeless place.
Off the map
Ikeshima: A Semi-Abandoned Island
Ikeshima is the fallback island for explorers disappointed not to have visited Gunkanjima. But despite the shadow of its neighbour, this is a great island!
Some hiking
The Mysterious Forest Circles of Miyazaki
I didn’t happen across these strange circles of trees while soaring over the Japanese landscape but, like many curious folk, I found them on social networks. As these always show the same photos, I decided to check them out with my very own aerial sensors.
Haunting
Kumamoto: Greenery and Limpid Water
Ethereal
Laputa Road
Did you enjoy the Studio Ghibli animation Castle in the Sky? Then you’ll fall under the spell of this part of Kyushu: the Laputa Road.
Vibrant
Mifuneyama Rakuen: An Avalanche of Azaleas
Near the small town of Takeo there rises Mifuneyama, a proud mountain apparently covered with heads of broccoli. But a magical gardener has passed by and poured the juice of soft fruits over them, to announce the arrival of spring. Welcome to Mifuneyama Rakuen, a park that literally transports you to paradise.
Haunting
Gunkanjima: Photos & Stories
Abandoned in 1974, the Battleship Island (Gunkanjima) turned into the Ghost Island and soon became one of the most famous spot for urban exploration.
