Sep 16 (News On Japan) - As winter approaches, it gets colder throughout Japan. Snow falls infrequently in large cities, but there is plenty of it in the surrounding mountains (and in any northern region of the country).
Dress warmly — snow festivals, downhill skiing, and snowboarding await you (and then, of course, a wonderful soak in an onsen!).
Japan is a mountainous country. There are plenty of slopes for winter sports, as well as snow in winter. Ski and snowboard enthusiasts flock here every year.
Nagano, not far from Tokyo, is a great place to ski. The slopes are excellent, and it's easy to get there. Another popular tourist destination in this area is Hakuba.
The freshest snow and longest trails are on the mountainous northern island of Hokkaido. The iconic skiing spots there are Niseko and Rusutsu.
In the Kansai region, there is a great place to go skiing for a day: the Biwako Valley in the mountains around Lake Biwa.
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New Year? Time to go to the temple
December is coming to an end, and the Japanese are going on their well-deserved holidays. They return home to celebrate the New Year with their families and relatives. On the first day of the year, many people visit their nearest temple or shrine to pray for good luck and success in the coming year. This New Year's ritual is called “hatsumode.” Almost all entertainment venues are closed at this time.
Heian Jingu is a large shrine in the northeastern part of central Kyoto. Every New Year, it is filled with visitors. The official New Year's ceremony begins at six in the morning on January 1. A little further south is the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine with thousands of scarlet torii gates. In the main building of the shrine, you can pray for success in the new year.
The best place for hatsumode in Tokyo is definitely Meiji Jingu. A forest path leads to it. It is usually peaceful, but on the first day of the new year, it is filled with visitors. The main building is in the center of the grounds.
In Osaka, millions of people celebrate the New Year at Sumiyoshi-taisha. The shrine grounds feature beautiful nature and an elegant arched bridge.
Winter festivals
Cold weather brings people together. The frosty air does not interfere with the many festivals and other festive events. Illuminations and fun make the dark winter evenings bright and the atmosphere warm.
Probably the most popular winter event in Japan is the Sapporo Snow Festival. It attracts more than two million visitors. During the festival, hundreds of sculptures are made from snow and ice. The festival takes place in the first week of February simultaneously in three areas of the city. The sculptures can be seen in Odori Park, on Susukino Street, and at Tsudome Stadium.
The forests around the high-altitude resort of Zao Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture are famous throughout Japan. When covered with a thick layer of snow in winter, the trees here resemble people or fantastic creatures. For this reason, they have been nicknamed “snow monsters.” The sight is eerie but truly unique — we definitely recommend it.
A completely different but no less curious sight is the Hadaka “naked men festival” in Okayama Prefecture. Thousands of men, wearing only fundoshi loincloths, compete in ritual games and then run to the Saidaiji Kannon-in temple to pray for good luck.
You can't go anywhere without an onsen
In the bitter cold, it's worth immersing yourself in the healing waters of a hot spring! Japan is a country of volcanoes. There are many places here where clean, fresh hot water flows directly from the ground. Many cities and villages have been using this feature for centuries. The country is famous for its rich culture of public bathing and relaxation. Treat yourself to a day or two of rest from the hustle and bustle of the city. Many hot spring resorts have open-air baths. Hot water in the snow is truly magical.
Ginzan Onsen is located in a charming, secluded town in the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture. It used to be a silver mining town, but now it is one of the best onsen resorts in Japan. All the streets in the town are pedestrianized. The buildings from the Edo period will transport you to the distant past. Lie in a hot bath in a traditional ryokan hotel and admire the mesmerizing views.
A few hours northeast of Tokyo, in Gunma Prefecture, is Kusatsu Onsen. This popular resort with 13 public baths is considered one of the three best in the country. Here you will enjoy not only hot baths, but also a relaxed resort atmosphere and stunning scenery.
