High in the mountains of Higashiyoshino, Takami Village, locally better known as Takami no Sato, is almost unknown to tourists. It is located just down the road from Takami Pass, which separates Nara and Mie Prefectures. Sitting about 650 meters above sea level near Mount Takami, this place is often called a “garden in the sky.” It wasn’t always a tourist spot; years ago, it was forest land. But when the forestry industry declined, the owners slowly transformed the mountain by planting weeping cherry trees. Today, that effort has turned into one of the most beautiful spring landscapes in Kansai.

Takami no Sato

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Takami no Sato is not a typical cherry blossom spot. This hillside features over 1,000 weeping cherry trees instead of the common Somei Yoshino trees. Because of the higher altitude, the blossoms bloom later than in other spots of Nara, usually peaking around mid-April.

At the top, “Millennium Hill” offers a wide, open view where layers of pink stretch across the mountains. On sunny days, the colors feel almost unreal, light pink blossoms mixed with yellow forsythia and white spirea. From up there, you can even see parts of the distant Yoshino Mountains.

Cherry Blossom Season

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The park is only open during cherry blossom season, typically for a short window in April. A walking path winds uphill for about 600 meters, with plenty of steps along the way. If walking isn’t your thing, there’s a free shuttle and small carts inside the park that make getting around easier.

There are benches scattered here and there where you can sit and enjoy the view. Near the main area, you will find small food stalls and cafes, which serve a good selection of local snacks as well as udon and curry. Seasonal dishes such as sakura taiyaki and soft serve are popular, although they sometimes sell out quickly. As the village is far from the city, it seems peacefully isolated from the crowded Hanami spots.

Weekdays are calmer, while weekends can get busy, especially when the flowers are at their peak.

Mountainside Charm

Reaching Takami village takes a bit of effort, but that’s part of its charm. From the nearest station, a seasonal direct bus runs during the blossom period. 

The village sits deep in the mountains, surrounded by forests of Yoshino cedar. Nature walks along the crystal clear Takami River will refresh your mind and soul.

A growing community of artists and craftsmen has settled here, drawn by the laid-back lifestyle. Some local artists run small studios where you can try simple pottery or watch traditional items being made. Or find craft classes at the Yoshino Cedar Wood Workshop or Shop.

While Aomori Prefecture is famed for its rich powder snow, particularly atop the Hakkoda Mountains and the eight-meter-high Snow Corridors around Sukayu Onsen, the region is equally favored for its illustrious apple production, accounting for over fifty percent of Japan’s total harvest. One of the largest apple orchards in Aomori is found in the Hirosaki City Apple Park, located about 35-45 minutes by train from Aomori City.

Established in 2002, Hirosaki City Apple Park covers approximately 9.7 hectares and features around 2,300 apple trees in 80 varieties. The exquisite backdrop of Mount Iwaki and the Shirakami Mountains makes the park a favorite photo destination for both local and foreign tourists. 

Facilities at Hirosaki City Apple Park

Photo by: Alma Reyes

The park entrance opens onto a leisurely walkway leading to the Apple House. This comprises a small apple gallery, cafe restaurant and souvenir shop. At the apple exhibition, visitors can get an overview of numerous apple varieties, from Fuji, Sekai Ichi, Saika and Meigetsu, among others, displayed in a charming, giant red apple-shaped installation. Picture panels and a video explain the apple harvesting process. Apple-themed art objects and paintings enhance the overall fruit theme.

The café restaurant is an absolute haven for apple treats. Dishes include several kinds of apple pies, apple cutlet curry, apple ramen, apple pizza, apple desserts, and apple-flavored drinks. Next to the restaurant is the souvenir shop, filled with roughly 1,200 apple-themed products. The shop also sells juices and cider made from 100% Aomori apples, as well as fresh, seasonal apples.

To the left of the Apple House is the Hirosaki Cider Factory “Kimori.” The brewery, swarmed by apple trees, produces authentic cider using locally grown apples. Visitors can join a factory tour to learn about cider brewing and have a sip of the farm’s cider.

Further afield, one comes across the Former Osanai Residence, a reconstructed farmhouse built in 1863. It reveals the  Edo-period thatched roof and interior. The house introduces the pioneers of apple production and traditional farming tools used in rural agriculture. Wonderful sliding doors are adorned with ink-painted Neputa floats, Aomori’s signature trademark. During special events, storytellers from the town share classical Tsugaru folk tales as they guide visitors around.

A vast picnic area and recreational field, with a barbecue option, are also open to all visitors.

Events and Activities

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The park conducts several festivities from spring to autumn each year. The Hirosaki Apple Blossom Festival runs every May. The event features stage performances by townsfolk, and rows of food stalls serving Aomori cuisine and delicacies. Booths also sell a variety of handicrafts and regional products. This year, the festival runs from May 3 to 5. During this season, guests can enjoy picking apples and savoring the gentle fragrance of the fruit blossoms.

Between May and July, the estate offers a Fruit Thinning Experience activity that teaches visitors how to select fruits from the orchard. Apple harvesting begins in August and is celebrated during the Hirosaki Apple Harvest Festival in early to mid-November. Check the website for updates.

Mii-dera Temple on the slopes of Mount Nagara in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. From here, the serene view of the Biwa Lake is visible. The temple grounds are wide and peaceful. Its official name is Nagara-san Onjo-ji, but most people know it as Mii-dera. Nature and culture coexist in this 1200-year-old temple.

Mii-dera Temple History

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Mii-dera was founded in the Asuka Period and later grew in importance during the Heian Period. The monk Chisho Daishi Enchin restored it and helped turn it into an important temple of the Tendai Jimon sect. 

The temple’s long life has not been easy. It was damaged many times, including during the Genpei War and the Nanboku-cho period, when fires destroyed large parts of it. People rebuilt it each time because they believed in its value. 

The name “Mii-dera,” meaning “temple of the sacred well,” comes from a spring inside the grounds. It is said that the first bath of the three emperors, Emperor Tenji, Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito used this water. Even today, visitors can still hear the quiet sound of the spring flowing.

Temple Grounds

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Walking through Mii-dera Temple, visitors first pass the Niomon Gate. The structure is old and serves as the entrance to a sacred space. Inside, the Golden Hall draws attention. Built in the Momoyama period, it is the main hall and one of the most important buildings on the grounds. Its size and design show the style of that time and inside are many Buddhist statues of great detail.

Another highlight is the bell tower, known for the “Mii Evening Bell,” one of the Eight Views of Omi. The bell is large and has a deep, clear sound.

The temple grounds also include a three-story pagoda and many halls filled with cultural treasures. There are more than 100 national treasures and important cultural properties here. Small details, like the statues, wooden structures, and quiet gardens, visit feel rich and personal.

For a short rest, many visitors stop to enjoy local sweets like dango at a small shop within the grounds, sitting under the shade of trees.

Best Time to Visit

Photo by: PIXTA/ 鴨川さんぽ

Spring is the most popular season at Mii-dera Temple. Around early April, about 1,300 Somei Yoshino, mountain cherry, and weeping cherry trees bloom, dyeing the vast temple grounds pink. Visitors enjoy special night viewings as the cherry blossoms illuminate the temple after dark.

Tochigi Prefecture features a mix of historic towns, mountain landscapes and UNESCO-listed sites such as Nikko. Often visited as a day trip from Tokyo, the region is easy to reach yet still feels removed from the capital’s pace. The local food culture draws on its climate, agriculture and long-standing traditions, shaping a range of delicious regional specialties. Here are some famous foods you’ll find in Tochigi.

1. Tochigi Strawberries 

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Tochigi Prefecture has led Japan’s strawberry production since 1968 and is known as the country’s “Strawberry Kingdom.” Long winter daylight hours and sharp temperature differences help develop concentrated sweetness in the strawberries. Tochiotome is the most well-known variety, valued for its balance of sugar and acidity, but the region produces several distinct varieties. The premium Skyberry has a lighter sweetness, while the heart-shaped Tochi-Aika offers a higher sugar content. Visitors often head to areas like Mooka for all-you-can-eat strawberry picking or enjoy the fruit in seasonal gelato and pancakes at local roadside stations.

2. Mimi Udon 

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Mimi Udon is a unique regional specialty from Sano City and Utsunomiya in Tochigi. These noodles are shaped like ears rather than long strands, which connects to local customs. In Sano, people hold the noodle to their ear and make wishes for good fortune in the coming year, while in Utsunomiya, shrine parishioners historically ate it during New Year celebrations. Most restaurants serve the ear-shaped noodles in a soy-based broth with mountain vegetables such as daikon, burdock root and taro. The thick, folded dough absorbs the dashi, creating a more substantial texture than standard udon.

3. Nikko Yuba

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Nikko Yuba is another local dish, made from the skin that forms on heated soy milk and reflects the area’s Buddhist temple culture. Unlike the thin, single layers found in Kyoto, Nikko’s version is folded twice, making it thicker. Its mild flavor absorbs surrounding ingredients, making it highly versatile. Yuba appears in a range of dishes, including soba, ramen, gyoza and simmered preparations, as well as simple servings like sashimi with soy sauce. It is widely served across Nikko, especially near its World Heritage sites.

4. Bandai Mochi

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Bandai Mochi is a traditional dish from the Kuriyama area of Nikko City. Unlike standard sticky mochi, locals make this version from non-glutinous rice, which gives it a firmer texture that holds its shape well on the grill. Cooks shape the rice into thick, flat cakes before toasting them over an open flame and coating them in a sweet miso glaze. The sauce typically includes toasted wild sesame or perilla seeds, which add a nutty flavor. While historically a practical meal for high-altitude communities, Bandai Mochi is now enjoyed at local festivals and celebrations across Tochigi.

5. Utsunomiya Gyoza 

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Utsunomiya is widely recognized as Japan’s gyoza capital, making these dumplings a must-try when visiting Tochigi Prefecture. Originally introduced from China, the local style uses thin, wonton-like wrappers that crisp up when pan-fried. The city has over 200 gyoza shops, many clustered around Utsunomiya station. Restaurants serve gyoza in a range of styles, including pan-fried, boiled and deep-fried, often at affordable prices. While traditional fillings of pork, cabbage and garlic chives remain popular, many shops offer variations such as truffle gyoza, gyoza-stuffed chicken wings and even tonkatsu filled with gyoza ingredients. The city celebrates this food culture each November at the Utsunomiya Gyoza Festival held at Utsunomiya Castle Park.

What did you think of these famous foods you’ll find in Tochigi? Take a look at our Famous Foods in Japan series for local specialties from across the country.

Nagahama Castle stands along the shores of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Its history is significant in Japan’s key events. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan’s most important leaders, once resided in the castle, which is now a history museum. While the surroundings may seem open and peaceful, the stories within are anything but quiet.

Nagahama Castle History

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Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the feudal lord of Oda Nobunaga. But he rose from a lowly samurai to become a powerful leader of Japan through his own merits. The feudal lord built Nagahama Castle between 1574 and 1576. He chose a strategic location on the shores of Lake Biwa for its protection and for its importance as a waterway. He named the city Nagahama, meaning ‘long beach’, in the hope that it would prosper for many years.

The castle served as a base during several important conflicts, including the rise of Hideyoshi following the Honnoji Incident and his victory at the Battle of Shizugatake. However, the castle had a short life. By 1615, it was abandoned under the Tokugawa shogunate and the “one castle per province” law.

The current tower was rebuilt in 1983 in the Azuchi-Momoyama period architectural style. Although it is not the original, it gives visitors an idea of ​​what once stood here.

Special Attractions

Inside the castle is the Nagahama Castle History Museum. The second and third floors hold exhibitions that change from time to time. They focus on local life, culture and the figures connected to the region. The section on Hideyoshi is especially detailed, offering a closer look at his personality and rise to power.

The top floor is used as an observation deck, offering sweeping views of Lake Biwa and the Kohoku region. There is also narration and sound that adds to the experience, making history feel closer.

Seasons and Festivals

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Nagahama Castle looks stunning at any time of year, but spring stands out as the best season to visit. During this time, Toyo Park, which surrounds the castle, bursts into bloom with about 550 cherry trees. This place has earned recognition as one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossom viewing spots. From the keep of Nagahama Castle, you can admire a view of a sea of ​​cherry blossoms. As evening falls, the lanterns glow, creating a calm atmosphere.

Winter offers a different view. Snow covers the grounds and softens the castle’s shape, giving it a quiet, almost dreamlike feeling.

Every April near Nagahama Castle, the Nagahama Hikiyama Festival takes place. During this festival, children perform Kabuki on large floats equipped with stages. The festival has ties to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and reflects local pride and a long tradition.