Sakura no Sato Park

Sakura no Sato Park lies along the Miyagawa River in Odai Town, Mie Prefecture, where the river winds through the mountains of the Kii Range. The park is known as a base for outdoor activities such as black bass fishing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. In spring, however, cherry blossoms blooming along the riverbanks reflect on the clear water, creating a dreamlike scene. The most popular time for photographers is at dawn, when the rising sun softly illuminates both the blossoms and the river’s surface.

Iseji, Kumano Kodo

The Kumano Kodo is a pilgrimage route to Kumano, which has flourished since the Middle Ages as the largest sacred site in Japan. Among them, the "Iseji" is a 170-km pilgrimage route connecting Ise Shrine and Kumano Sanzan (three shrines of Kumano), which was crowded with ordinary people in the Edo period (1603-1868). In recent years, walking courses along the path, which still retains the beautiful stone pavement and scenic coastline, have become popular.