蘇自強's Reviews Page 2/3

Shirakawa-go! Since this fairy-tale-like little village became famous, it has always been so crowded! So I started shifting my attention to nearby Suganuma.
Although it is a World Heritage Site, the villagers still live a simple life here, which is exactly what makes Suganuma so appealing. Come quietly and stroll around quietly, and be sure not to disturb the villagers’ lives. It is at its quietest and most appealing in winter, when everything is blanketed in white snow!

Autumn hasn't even arrived yet, but the fruits of fall can already be seen everywhere! With mountains, water, and air that's always fresh, this is truly a soothing place—and that's Onuma Park! While walking through the park, I unexpectedly came across peaches set out by a local farmer, each one as fresh and tender as a baby's bottom. Just one bite, and I guarantee you'll remember it for the rest of your life. This really is a great place for all ages and well worth visiting again and again!

As soon as I arrived in front of Niigata Station, I was completely captivated by the bright golden ginkgo trees! I even skipped the attractions I had originally planned to visit! If I were that grandma waiting for the bus, I’d hope the bus would never come. Then I could keep watching the ginkgo leaves flutter down until every last leaf had fallen...

Goryokaku is a place everyone is familiar with. When visiting Hakodate, it’s a spot that almost everyone goes to see. Its beauty shines in spring, summer, fall, and winter, with each season offering its own colors! Don’t say you’ve already been here, because every time you visit, you can see a different side of it.
My favorite is Goryokaku in spring, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Its elegance is difficult to find at other fortresses. Now that fall has arrived, I decided to see what side it would reveal.

Anyone who has been to Japan has probably visited Ueno Park. Come for the cherry blossoms in spring and the fall foliage in autumn—it’s very relaxing and carefree! It’s easy to get to, and there are all kinds of food nearby!
Sitting by the pond in autumn, with a cool breeze blowing gently and watching people come and go, I realized: “Life comes in all forms—just smile and take it in stride!”

Before my trip, I searched online for the place in Japan with the deepest snow. Then I chose the coldest month, February, and traveled alone to Hijiori Onsen.
Having grown up in a tropical or subtropical country, white snow has always seemed dreamy, beautiful, and picturesque to me!
Once I arrived, I didn't want to soak in the hot springs. I just kept walking through the snow. Even though I can't ski at all, I walked alongside the skiers, imagining: I'm on my way to ski! The crisp, cold air, the pure white landscape, and the soft yet firm snow made me, a visitor from a southern country, completely lose myself in the moment. Everything about this snowy region was unforgettable!

It was already early September, but the weather was still hot, and the temperature at the Tottori Sand Dunes had even reached dangerous levels! But this is what a desert should be like. It was my first time visiting Tottori Prefecture. Besides the scorching-hot desert, the “yokai” along Mizuki Shigeru Road ranged from cute and amusing to fierce and frightening. If it hadn’t been so hot, I really would have liked to stay until nightfall and see what kinds of tricks the yokai might pull.

In early summer, I finally visited Ouchi-juku, a place I had long dreamed of seeing, on my own. There weren't many people early in the morning, so I climbed the hillside to look out over the street. These well-preserved gassho-style buildings were truly breathtaking!
Back on the “main street,” I strolled around at a leisurely pace. An elderly woman selling wild vegetables shyly smiled as she introduced me to her fresh produce. She also calmly told me that she had encountered a black bear while gathering wild vegetables in the mountains early that morning! I asked if I could sell vegetables with her, and she laughed and said yes! I fell in love with Ouchi-juku and with this optimistic, cheerful, and healthy woman!

On a hot summer day, I boarded the Kurobe Gorge trolley train alone, thinking, “It’s just an adventure, right?”
As soon as the train departed, a cool breeze began to blow, and the farther up the mountain we went, the cooler it became! Along the way, the leaves were lush and green, and the river was deep blue, making the summer heat disappear. Someone pointed across the stream and said, “See that? That’s snow that has been there for a thousand years!” The “winter walkway” beside the tracks is used by railway maintenance workers during the snowy season. Their dedication to maintaining the railway even in the bitter cold is truly admirable! This was not only an adventure, but also a moving journey!

This was my third visit to Tateyama Kurobe. In early fall, the leaves on the mountains begin showing off their vibrant colors. Kurobe Dam is immensely impressive, and while displaying its awe-inspiring power, it also adorns itself with a rainbow—a sight that left me speechless.
Best of all, I finally spotted a rock ptarmigan! The moment this incredibly precious bird appeared gracefully before me with his mate, I almost cried! How can I possibly describe the beauty of Tateyama Kurobe...? All I can say is: I could visit a hundred times and never get tired of it!