Mount Arashima

A hilltop castle above the old town of Ono, sometimes seen floating above a sea of morning cloud in autumn.

A 60-metre waterfall in Shirotori, Gujo, selected among Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls. A path approaches the powerful plunge pool and nearby cave, creating a cool summer nature stop and a dramatic late-autumn foliage scene.

A major Zen temple complex set among wooded hills outside Fukui. This remains an active religious site. Follow photography rules and check visitor routes and hours.

One of Japan’s three sacred mountains, approached from Gifu through the Oshirakawa area of Hakusan National Park. The Hirase trail, beech forests, Lake Hakusui and Shiramizu Falls form a remote mountain destination reached by a narrow seasonal road that closes through winter.