Hida Takayama Old Townscape | Review by 5765 nyu

This time I visited the famous World Heritage Site, Itsukushima Shrine, in Hiroshima, Japan. As we know, shrines in Japan each have their own unique characteristics, so what is one of the distinctive features of Itsukushima Shrine?? It is one of the few shrine torii gates in Japan located in a lake. Among the countless other shrines in Japan, its location in the lake makes it seem even more unconventional. First, let’s talk about how the scenery changes through the four seasons and from morning to night. First comes the morning, when the sun slowly rises during the daytime. As the sun rises in the east and shines on this shrine torii gate in the lake, its morning reflection is mirrored in the water, adorning the lake and making it glow as it welcomes the beginning of a new day. At noon, with the sun directly overhead, the shrine looks as if a miracle has appeared. By evening, as the sun is about to set in the west, it urges everything on the surrounding land to return to its own home and welcome the arrival of the quiet night. Night is the darkest time of the entire day, yet the shrine appears so solemn then. Second is the scenery on a cloudy day. The darkness makes the shrine seem shrouded in melancholy. When heavy rain suddenly begins to fall, the lively scene of people lingering nearby instantly falls silent. Third, let’s talk about the changing seasons. In spring, it awakens everything on the land. In summer, it seems especially isolated and independent in the lake. In fall, it instantly silences all the lively things on the land. In winter, beneath the covering of swirling snowflakes, the colorful shrine torii gate in the lake suddenly seems frozen solid....

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.