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There are countless shrines in Japan. Of the popular shrine routes, my two favorites are the Oku no Hosomichi and the Kumano Kodo, which are also two must-visit trails for anyone hiking in Japan. Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine, which I’m reviewing this time, is a shrine located along the Kumano Kodo. Everyone knows that most shrines in Japan are in remote places, such as in lakes, by the sea, or in secluded forests, and Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine is located in just such a remote forest. As you walk in, you can really feel that otherworldly atmosphere, especially in fall and winter. Japan is also in the higher latitudes of Northeast Asia, so it often snows, and the shrine’s winter snowscapes seen on TV look even more dreamlike as they come into view. On cloudy or rainy days, this hidden place in the forest feels even more eerie under the forest canopy. Since Japan is at a high latitude, the trees in the forest look especially tall. At the shrine’s torii gates in the forest, you can also hear the birds calling all at once and in quick succession. On sunny days, 2; when the sunlight falls on the shrine in the forest, it especially feels as if a miracle is taking place. As I walked along the weathered approach with its hundreds of steps, perhaps because it is located in this secluded forest, my mind became peaceful and I felt a sense of emotional release. Step by step, the shrine drew closer before my eyes. After stopping here for a while and lingering around the shrine for a long time, the sunlit shrine was nearing sunset. At that moment, I was reminded that it was time to quicken my pace and leave this tranquil place, returning to the city filled with modern light pollution.

Tottori Sand Dunes View Hill is only a small sand dune, but it offers views of the distant Sea of Japan. Under the sunlight, the yellow dune looks like a hill covered in the color of rapeseed flowers, clean and flawless. I’m constantly thinking about whether to once again set foot on this pristine, golden-colored dune. Taiwanese singer A-Lin’s work “Sui Xin Suo Yu” was also filmed here. The Tottori Sand Dunes truly live up to the title of the song, because from the top of the dune, you really can encounter the distant scenery your heart desires.

If you want to see a northern landscape of ice and snow but don’t want to travel all the way to Russia, Abashiri in Hokkaido is the place to go. The Sea of Okhotsk, near the Arctic, offers polar ocean scenery much like neighboring Russia. Icebreakers are an essential means of transportation, but while Russian icebreakers are usually important military vessels in the Arctic Circle, in Abashiri you can see icebreakers used for sightseeing. It’s not easy to see such a unique form of transportation amid a landscape of ice and snow. If you’re interested in ships and want to take a boat ride in the north, consider visiting Abashiri, Hokkaido.

In my impression, Kurashiki is full of quaint, traditional Japanese architecture, somewhat similar to Kyoto. At first glance, these buildings marked by the passage of time in old Japan may not seem like much, but they actually preserve the culture and history of Japan's Edo period, much like the historical remains from the Ming Zheng period in Tainan Prefectural City and Anping in Taiwan. These historic buildings are not only worth using as examples to learn from, but can also serve as pieces of the puzzle that enrich the local culture and customs.