5 Magical Towns in Japan
By: Christy

5 Magical Towns in Japan[/size]

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[size= medium]1- Nyuto Onsen[/size]

Photo By greychr

The boom in Japan about Hitoh - Secret Spa, Nyuto Onsen is perfect example of Hitoh which is a hot spring resort in the rural setting, surrounded by deep forest and mountains. The resort consists of 6 lodges and 1 state-owned inn which are all scattered around along the main road.

[size= medium]Main features of Nyuto Onsen are simply to enjoy plenty of mountain and forest scenery, mixing with other people (bear in your mind they come here on same purpose to enjoy this Onsen, too!), taste traditional Japanese meals and appriciate their natural hot-springs constantly flow onto the surface.[/size]

[size= medium]In Summer, thousands of flowers blossom and open up around you. While leaves on trees change to shiny golden colours in Autumn which attracts many season admirers, on the other hand you may surprise the volume of snow falls in Winter.[/size]

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[size= medium]2- Cape Ashizuri[/size]

PhotoBy yokonumata

Located in the southernmost point of the island of Shikoku, Japan.

[size= medium]The cape is a part of the Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park (Ashizuri-Uwakai -kokuritsukōen), and the cliffs here featuring a sparkling white lighthouse are a popular sightseeing point. The small town of Ashizuri lies just north of the cape, at the intersection of two highways. The cape is only a few kilometers away and easily reached on foot along a seaside walking path.[/size]

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[size= medium]3- [/size][size= medium]Tono[/size][size= medium][/size]

PhotoBy Thedjo

[size= medium]A small town famous for its folk tales. Most independent travellers to Tono travel around by bicycle, and cycling around the local sights and the countryside is one of the key reasons to visit the town.[/size]

[size= medium]The symbol of Tono is the water spirit known as the[/size][size= medium]kappa[/size][size= medium]and there are plenty of souvenirs featuring them, ranging from candies and cookies to mugs, t-shirts, dolls and sake.[/size]

[size= medium]Don't miss the beautiful five-story pagoda, as well as a smaller pagoda and other temples. It isn't worth going out of your way to see, but if you're already in the area it's worth a visit.[/size]

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[size= medium]4-Iya Valley is a mountain valley deep in the heart of Shikoku[/size]

PhotoBy dai oni

One of Japan's Three Hidden Valleys, Iya was raised into the Japanese and Western consciousness by outspoken Japanese-culture conservationist Alex Kerr. His book Lost Japan presented an idyllic picture of a misty valley of thatch-roofed houses, stuck in a time warp to days gone by.

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[size= medium]These days, much of Iya has been devoured by what Kerr calls the Moloch, with the silence broken by the sound of jackhammers as multi-lane highways and ghastly concrete hotels sprang up to serve people flocking to see the view. Still, while all the rivers have been replaced by the usual concrete channels, and the trees replaced by uniform rows of artificial cedar, some of the less-visited eastern reaches are worth visiting.[/size]

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[size= medium]5- Tsuyama - a relaxed town famous for the thousands of cherry blossoms around its castle ruins in Kakuzan Park[/size]

[size= medium]Originally known as Soja (not to be confused with the present-day city of Soja), Tsuyama City was established as the capital of Mimasaka Province in 713. While it was not so influential in its early history, in 1603 after Tokugawa Ieyasu successfully defeated the local warlords and united the nation under his rule, the city began to develop under Tadamasa Mori whom Tokugawa Ieyasu gave control of the province. Upon becoming ruler, Mori constructed plans to build his own castle and thirteen years later, the construction of Tsuyama Castle in Tsuruyama (from which the name "Tsuyama" is believed to have originated) was completed. During its heyday, Tsuyama Castle was considered to be the most magnificent castle in all of Japan; even more beautiful than Himeji Castle, and the city flourished as a castle town.[/size]

[size= medium]As the nation came into contact with the West during the 18th century, Western learning became increasingly crucial, and scholars from Tsuyama played an important role in translating foreign writings and forming policies to deal with the West. Unfortunately, during the Meiji Period, as castles became less practical and upkeep increasingly burdensome, the government commissioned Tsuyama Castle to be demolished, along with many others throughout the nation. While the city is not as busy and bustling today as it once was, the citizens are proud of their history and much of the city's historical sites remain well-preserved, making Tsuyama a quiet yet charming town.[/size]

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