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At Kushida Shrine in downtown Hakata, Fukuoka, you’ll immediately be captivated by the strong traditional atmosphere of Hakata’s old downtown! Affectionately called “Okushida-san” by locals, it is Hakata’s oldest and most revered guardian shrine, as well as the central starting point of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival, which electrifies all of Japan every summer. The most eye-catching sight is definitely the enormous decorative yamakasa float permanently displayed on the shrine grounds! Standing a full two or three stories tall, this colorful float is densely covered on both sides with intricately crafted, lifelike historical warriors and figures from mythology. The colors are vibrant and the details are incredible. Standing underneath and looking up, its bold visual impact will have you snapping photos nonstop!

Miyajima Omotesando Shopping Street—the aroma of sizzling grilled oysters and the huge crowds completely overwhelm you! This covered arcade, stretching more than 300 meters, is the main hub for sampling great food and buying souvenirs on Miyajima. The roof protects you from both the sun and rain, while dozens of long-established local businesses and specialty shops line both sides. The air is filled with the aroma of charcoal-grilled seafood and the sweet scent of freshly baked momiji manju. As you stroll along and watch the shopkeepers enthusiastically call out to customers, you just can't stop eating!

Even from far away, you can see a bare, dark red peak suddenly rising out of the vast green forest, with thick white steam constantly billowing from all around its slopes. This is the incredibly impressive Mt. Showa-Shinzan! The story behind this mountain is unbelievable. This area was originally just a flat wheat field, but during the Showa era, a series of powerful earthquakes and volcanic crustal activity caused magma underground to forcefully push up the surface. In just two years, it grew into an active volcanic lava dome nearly 400 meters tall. Looking up from the trail at the foot of the mountain, the rough reddish-brown rock face is completely barren. Up close, you can see white steam continuously hissing out from cracks in the rocks and even smell a faint hint of sulfur. Seeing the powerful vitality of the earth pulsing from within with your own eyes feels just like witnessing a miracle of nature!

Seeing that huge red torii gate standing in the sea from afar really gives you goosebumps! This is the World Heritage Site Itsukushima Shrine, and the wildest part is that the entire shrine was built right on a beach where the tide comes and goes. It's incredibly unique!
At high tide, the seawater slowly rises, making the vermilion wooden corridors and shrine buildings look as if they're floating on the water. The red pillars are reflected in the blue sea, and every photo looks like a fairyland. At low tide, it's a completely different experience. Once the water recedes, the entire beach is exposed, and everyone can walk across the sand right underneath the huge torii gate. Looking up at those enormous camphorwood pillars, they're truly massive and spectacular up close. You can clearly see the barnacles and wood grain at the bottom—they're incredibly impressive!
Walking along the long wooden corridors with the cool sea breeze blowing toward you, you can even see the seawater flowing beneath your feet. You can often spot wild deer that aren't afraid of people leisurely wandering along the shore. They're incredibly adorable.

Looking up at that imposing dark brown castle keep instantly makes you feel as if you've traveled back to Japan's war-torn Sengoku and Edo periods! This ancient castle, one of Japan's Five National Treasure Castles, is also one of only 12 surviving original castle keeps in the country. It has completely preserved its appearance from when it was built more than 400 years ago. The exterior walls of the keep are covered with dark black wooden siding, and the boldly spreading eaves look both elegant and commanding, like a huge black bird about to take flight. That's why it earned the impressive nickname "Plover Castle"! Climbing the steep, sturdy old wooden stairs inside and walking across the thick wooden floors that make a deep sound underfoot, you eventually reach the observation level at the very top. The view is unbelievably open, offering an unobstructed 360-degree panorama of Matsue's cityscape as well as a distant view of sparkling Lake Shinji. The breeze blowing against your face feels incredibly refreshing!