JCC E-Magazine December 2022

Japan has a list of the best three for many different things, be it gardens, bridges, waterfalls, castles, festivals or hot springs. One of the most famous lists is the three best scenic spots in Japan, which was actually formed during the Edo period by a Confucian scholar, Shunsai Hayashi. He travelled across Japan on foot, penning his experiences down in a book called “Thoughts on Life in Japan”. This included his three chosen spots in Japan that he believed provided the most breath-taking views. These locations have a wonderful balance of blue seas and greenery, and are often depicted in Japanese literature and poetry.

The first location is Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture. Many people should be familiar with the iconic “floating” shrine gate of Itsukushima Shrine, which stands tall in the waters of Seto Inland Sea even during high tide. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, the shrine was first constructed in 593, and later remodelled into its current structure by Taira no Kiyomori, the military leader of the late Heian period. Besides the main shrine, there are also other shrines around it, music rooms, and even a Noh stage. The shrine is known for its unique shinden-zukuri style, which is an architectural style that was popular during the Heian period.

The second location is Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture, which features a 3.6km sandbar covered by thousands of pine trees. Often described as a bridge to heaven, the sandbar that separates Miyazu Bay from Aso Sea is said to look like a flying dragon. The scene has captivated people for years, having appeared in the works of poets Koshikibu no Naishi and Izumi Shikibu. It was also painted by Sesshu, and his ink wash landscape art of Amanohashidate is designated as a national treasure.

The third location is Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, which is a cluster of 260 islands covered with pine trees. Apparently, the stunning view is said to have left the famous poet Basho Matsuo at a loss for words. There are four well-known spots to enjoy the panorama of Matsushima, namely being Otakamori, Tomiyama, Tamonzan, and Ogitani.

Besides these three locations, there is also a list of the three major night views. The most famous one is probably Hakodate in Hokkaido, as seen from the top of Mount Hakodate. At the top, one can see the city brightly lit-up against the surrounding sea and mountains. The view was even given a 3/3 stars review in the Michelin Green Guide, putting it on par with the views of Naples and Hong Kong.

The second one is the view of Kobe from the top of Mount Maya in Hyogo Prefecture. In fact, one can see the glittering lights from Osaka Bay till the Kii Peninsula. The third one is the nightscape of Nagasaki city from the top of Mount Inasa, which is 333 metres high. During the 2012 Nightscape Summit in Nagasaki, the city was listed as one of the world’s top three spectacular night views, alongside Hong Kong and Monaco. It is uncertain how these three views came to be chosen, but no matter which one, all of them are known to be ten million dollar night views.

Both lists were created quite some time back, and Japan’s landscape has undergone changes since then. Thus, new lists were made again later on based on votes. More time has passed since then, and perhaps new outstanding views in Japan have appeared once more. Do you have your own list of breath-taking views?

Kegon Falls © Web Japan

Itsukushima Shrine © Ito Chiharu

Amanohashidate © photoAC

Matsushima © photoAC

Hakodate © photoAC

Kobe © photoAC

Resources

“The three most scenic spots in Japan”. 2022. Nihonsankei. Accessed 24 November. https://nihonsankei.jp/eng/.

“A Sigh Worth A Million Dollars! Japan’s Top Three Night Views In December!”. 2019. JNTO. https://www.japan.travel/en/sg/story/sight-worth-million-dollars-japans-top-three-night-views-december/.

“Japan’s Famous Threes: Scenic Views, Gardens, Festivals, and More!”. 2021. nippon.com. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01174/0.

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