The best destinations for snow hunters in Japan

Winter in Japan is also a wonderful opportunity to venture out beyond the urban sprawl and experience the country, its customs, and cuisine like a local. Below are the best destinations for who want to explore Japan in winter, especially, for the snow hunters.

Abashiri Drift Ice, Hokkaido

Head right up north to the Sea of Okhotsk along the coast of Hokkaido, and you would be forgiven for thinking that you are in fact in the middle of the Antarctic. Here massive plates of drift ice known as ryuhyo float atop the ocean surface.

Drift ice season may not be Japan’s most well-known winter vacation opportunity, but it is definitely one of the country’s more unique experiences. Emerging in around mid-January and gone by March, there is a little time to check it out if you do want to see it in action. Occasionally from land you can spot drift ice floating along the coast, but to really explore the area at its peak, it is recommended you hop aboard one of the Aurora Sightseeing Boats. The tour boats depart from Abashiri Port in Hokkaido’s northeastern corner a couple of times daily, and a tour costs around 3,000 yen (£20) per person.

Otaru, Hokkaido

When it comes to winter in Japan, the heaviest snow falls in Hokkaido, where you can enjoy the annual Sapporo Snow Festival. But, take a 45 minute train ride, and you will be whisked away to the port city of Otaru, a city pivotal to the development of Japan’s northernmost island. Brick warehouses and Victorian style street lamps line Otaru Canal, giving it a distinctly European feel. Visit at night and be charmed by Otaru’s Snow Light Path, an event held in February where the streets of Otaru are decorated with snowmen and candlelight.

Shirakawa-go, Gifu

Looking like an idyllic painting come to life, Shirakawa-go is a small traditional village in the heart of Gifu that is stunning year-round. Nonetheless, winter is when it is at its most beautiful. The area is best known for being the home of Japan’s unique ‘gasshou’ houses, a style of old-world traditional Japanese architecture.

Some of the houses here are over 250 years old. The name ‘gasshou’ translates to ‘praying hands’ in English. It was so named because their sharply steep roofs clasped together resemble the two hands of the Buddha in prayer.

See more: 10 best places to go skiing in Japan

Zao Snow Monsters

The best place to see snow monsters is at Zao Onsen, a well-known hot spring and ski resort in the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture. These "monsters" are formed by heavy snow deposited on trees and frozen into shape by chilling winds. The Snow Monsters form around the peak of the Zao Ski Resort and are usually most spectacular around mid-February.

Ouchi Juku, Fukushima

Walk in the footsteps of samurai in the village of Ouchi Juku, a former post town on Aizu-Nishi Kaido that which connected Aizu, Fukushima with Nikko, Tochigi during the Edo Period. Ouchi-juku feels like a living museum, as the town has been restored to its former glory. Traditional thatched buildings, a trademark of post towns, line the unpaved main street, where you will find plenty of quaint shops, restaurants, and Japanese inns.

Warm up with a local specialty - fish grilled at an iriori, or sunken hearth - then head to Ouchi-juku Town Pavilion to explore more of this historic village.

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Let's go to Japan in this November

Have you ever thought of traveling to Japan in November? It's truly a great time to enjoy gorgeous autumn leaves at many locations as well as enjoy an onsen bath in upcoming winter. Here are the best places you should visit in Japan this November.

Obara, Aichi

If you are lucky enough to be in Japan's Chubu region during this blooming period, Achi Prefecture is a destination you should not miss. Located just a few hours away from Tokyo, this prefecture is home to one of Japan's most fascinating autumn event - the Obara Shikizakura Festival. The flowers begin to blossom at the end of October and are at their peak from mid-November through early December. The peak period varies somewhat from year to year. The small five-petaled blossoms are thought to indicate a cross between the mamezakura and edohigan species of cherry trees.

Gunma, Kanto

Known as the best place to enjoy onsen in Japan, Kusatsu onsen resort is very famous as one of the three major onsens in Japan. The unique bathing method of Jikanyu (timed bathing) and Yumomi (water beating) are customs that have been appeared since the Edo period. Moreover, the atmosphere of the resort is attractive with the Yubakate (hot water fields, a wooden facility for thermal moderation of the water) located at the center. This onsen resort is truly a representative of Japan.

Otaru, Hokkaido

This winter wonderland in Hokkaido is a port town that lures visitors with its beautiful architecture and long, picturesque canal that’s famously lined with Victorian-style gas lamps and stone buildings that once housed herring merchants but today serves as the home of shops and eateries. The Otaru canal, which is also opened for short cruises, happens to be the main venue for the Otaru Snow Light Path Festival, an event where local places for floating candles inside the canal, distributing some 15,000 snow candles and lanterns to light up the narrow pathways. The entire town has an unusual look to it, somewhat more Russian than Japanese, more industrial than bucolic, but still incredibly delightful, especially in its winter glory.

See more: Hakone, a peaceful place in Japan

Kawaguchi, Yamanashi

Lake Kawaguchi, or Kawaguchiko is the most popular tourist destination among Fuji 5 lakes. In this place, there is a festival called Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves held annually near the lake and featuring beautiful gorgeous autumn leaves and special events. Do not miss the chance to capture the best view of Kawaguchiko, autumn leaves, and Mt Fuji in this November.

Kyoto, Kansai

Visit Toufukuji in Kyoto this mid-November is perfect. The Toufukuji temple is a Buddhist temple which is also considered as one of the Kyoto Gozan (or “five great Zen temples of Kyoto”). The current garden in the area was designed by Mirei Shigemori back in the 1930s and has since been flocked by tourists during the autumn season. It has become a tradition for people to look at the beautiful autumn colors of the maple tree leaves from the Tsuuten-kyou bridge.

Source Internet