The winter-only ice village is seriously cool—just pure limited-time romance. Every building is made of ice, and seeing it in person feels even more magical than I expected.
Lake Shikaribetsu | Review by 劉慧如
Other Reviews by 劉慧如
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Onuma Wild Bird Observatory (Onuma Bird House)
Located on the shores of Onuma in Wakkanai, the northernmost city in Japan, the Onuma Wild Bird Observatory is a prime spot for birdwatching. In autumn, swans stop here en route to their wintering grounds, and in spring, they rest before heading back to Siberia. The sight of thousands of swans covering the surface of the lake is truly breathtaking-with peak days seeing up to around 7,000 birds.
Doing snow activities at Onuma in winter feels so Hokkaido. The vibes are 10/10.
There aren’t a ton of activities, but each one is pretty fun—great for a first-timer. -
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Magome Inn
“Nakasendo” is one of the five highways that were constructed during the Edo period to connect Kyoto and Edo. Magome Inn is the 43rd post town on the Nakasendo. It is an inn town along a slope paved with stone pavement, and you can feel the atmosphere of the Edo period. Both sides of the road are lined with stores selling freshly baked gohei-mochi (rice cakes), oyaki (wheat cakes), etc., where you can enjoy eating and strolling.
The old stone-paved street is still really well preserved. Both sides are lined with shops, local products, and teahouses, giving the whole place a nostalgic vibe.
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Kinomiya Shrine
This shrine has long been worshipped in Atami as the God of fortune and luck resides. The shrine grounds are home to Okusu, a sacred camphor tree, which is designated as a Natural monument. This is also popular as one of the best places with spiritual energy in Japan.
After walking through a small bamboo path, you'll find a giant camphor tree that's over 2,000 years old. They say walking around it once adds a year to your life—I was greedy and did several laps!
