Unfortunately, in recent times it has been far too rare for us to discover new territory here in Japan. That's why I was all the more pleased when we finally had the plan to get out and explore some for us still unknown places. Our immediate surroundings are now quite familiar to us and I have to admit, unfortunately, not always as exciting and interesting as when I was looking at everything here from a completely different, then still new and innocent perspective. But the time of wide eyes is somehow over, even here in the Land of the Rising Sun you eventually will feel the effect of getting used to everything. At least to a large extent, because fortunately everyday life is not quite as monotonous as it can be back home.
And if we travel further out and have enough time, we occasionally make it to places where the wind has not yet carried me. Even if Japan doesn't look huge on the world map, the country is anything but small and there is still a lot for me to see and marvel at. However, I don't get there that quickly and without a lot of effort, it's difficult for us to organize longer trips.
But anyway, occasionally it does work out that we get a little further out on a day trip, even if we have to drive a little longer. But most of the time it proves to be worth the extra effort and we are rewarded for our little hassle with new experiences and great pictures. Japan not only impresses with its huge, bustling cities, but also has so much to offer in the countryside and in nature that keeps inspiring me.
The season doesn't matter at all, as all times of the year have their charm and something very special to offer. Even though I probably like spring best, it's especially worth getting out into the mountains and forests in the fall time. The atmosphere that greets you at this time of year is extremely charming, and not just because of the wonderful colors that nature welcomes you with. The late season always conveys a very special, tranquil and yet so fleeting atmosphere that has captivated me so often over the years.
A little while ago, I went on an autumnal trip to the Sekikawa region, where we followed the Araka River and allowed ourselves to be guided by the magic of the season. Please come with me and see how magical this part of Japan can be...
As I said, we were traveling by car, which is necessary if you want to get a little off the beaten track. Especially in the regions where there aren't too many tourists, you usually manage to get quite close to the heart of the land.
In the interior of the country, Japan consists largely of mountainous terrain, which is criss-crossed by countless rivers. In the course of time, roads have been built along many of the rivers, so that these regions can now be explored quite easily. Of course, there are also bridges that cross these rivers from time to time, and if you take the time to stop, you can enjoy some great views from there.
Just like here at this point, where the river takes a small bend and you get a great glimpse of the surrounding landscape. And it's panoramas like these that I came here for and which I wanted to enjoy.
In other places it looked very similar, but that didn't bother me one bit. I just can't get enough of sights like these and in such places my heart rejoices and my soul begins to fly. This calm, almost sublime atmosphere always manages to stop me in my tracks and to capture me.
And it's not just the view from the bridges that appeals to me, but also the bridges themselves. Perhaps it's the omnipresent vermillion red, which is familiar from the many shrines and temples across Japan, and which surely helps to create this very special, almost noble atmosphere.
And that also works here in the middle of the mountains, and you don't need an old temple or shrine for that, even a metal bridge manages to evoke exactly the same feeling in me. And I'm only too happy to give in to that.
Speaking of shrines, we also passed this small shrine called Yama-jinja. Well, to be honest, we had to take a small detour, which was once again the result of checking out Google Maps beforehand. As so often before I had used this application to help me plan our trip. I got a few tips of what would be worsewhile checking out on the left and right of our route and as usual I didn't regret allowing a little extra time and driving a little further.
And that's how it was at this spot too, at the “mountain shrine”, as the name is translated. Small and charming, it is probably exactly what I had expected and wanted to see here. If I want to see something big and impressive I can go elsewhere, here in the heart of the country I prefer something smaller, more pure and authentic.
After that, we passed this waterfall, which was pouring its water into the river. You can actually spot it directly next to the road, but you would have to stop and get out of the car. And you have to be very careful not to get hit by the traffic speeding by behind you, but that was no reason for me not to pull over and have a look at the whole thing as if I had all time of the world. As for me, it was definitely worth it.
There were other places where you could get a little closer to the river, which didn't require too long a walk. However, this spot too seems to be reserved for the locals, and it is very rare for someone like me to discover this site and make the effort to walk here.
I was glad that I had done a bit of research beforehand and, with a bit of luck, had found a spot where I could park the car and from where I could follow the small, inconspicuous path that had brought me to this exact point.
I found another small shrine, where I once again was the only one. But the view I was able to enjoy from here only reinforced my decision to come to this location. This is the autumn atmosphere I was looking for, and it was here in places like this in the middle of the mountains of Japan that you could feel it best.
Even though the sky was still gloriously blue above, it quickly became shady down here between the mountains. The autumn sun was already quite low and was setting earlier and earlier, which you can feel most clearly when in the mountains. Nevertheless, this place also exuded that sublime atmosphere that I encountered so often that day and to which I am only too happy to succumb.
Down in the valley at some places you won't see the sun anyomore and feel the long shadow of the afternoon, but if you go a little higher up, it gets really bright and warm again. We had treated ourselves to a short climb, which ended up being longer and steeper than expected. However it was definitely worth it. A bit of sweating is simply part of the experience and when you reach the top, you immediately know why you made the effort.
Every now and then, you simply have to see the world from above so that you can adjust your own perspective a little better. Whether it's lookout towers or mountain peaks, everything appears much less dramatic when viewed from above and your own problems seem much less pressing than before.
Even from up here, I'm not too keen to go back down again. Standing at this very place everyday life is far away and it seems as if the world is at your feet. No noise and no hustle and bustle, and although vast expanses open up before your eyes, you are still very close to the pulse of the country and can feel it very clearly.
And with a view like this, the snacks you bring with you taste even better. As usual, we brought small rice balls with different fillings, such as kombu and salmon, wrapped in a piece of seaweed. The perfect treat to recharge your batteries and prepare you for the rest of the journey.
We then slowly made our way back and started to head out of the mountains. As we had driven a little further than usual that day, we still had quite a way to go before we would be home again. The sun was already setting and would soon be saying goodbye to us. There was no need to hurry and we were quite happy to be out here in nature and to have discovered and explored something new for us on this day.
It didn't matter that we would be driving most of the way back in the dark, as the pictures from this great day were still fresh as dew and right before our eyes.
We would have loved to come back here the very next day, but in the end it would have been too much effort and we didn't have that much time then either. But now that we know what it looks like here, it's definitely worth coming back again.
Let's see where the next trip will take us. I still have a few ideas, and I still have to convince my little team, which I really want to have with me on such trips. Shared fun is all the better, and that's one reason why I'm showing you these pictures here.
I hope I've managed to convey a little of the charm of Japan's heartland and perhaps arouse a little curiosity about all that the Land of the Rising Sun has to offer beyond the well-known tourist trails. Quite a lot for sure, and I will continue to share some of it with you on this blog. So be sure to check back here soon to avoid missing out on anything.....
[//]:# (!worldmappin 38.07412 lat 139.66439 long A trip to the heart of the land 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan d3scr)