周黛西's page

Shirakawa-go (Historic Village)

It felt like stepping into a hidden paradise. Wandering through the village was like traveling through time.

The distant mountain peaks were covered in snow, and the gassho-style houses were beautifully scattered around. The scenery was absolutely stunning and so relaxing. ☺️

Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route

We were lucky to avoid the heavy snow and strong winds right at the start of the 2025 opening. At the same time, that stormy weather helped create the tallest snow wall in years—16 m.

If your schedule isn’t too tight, it’s worth staying overnight in the mountains. Seeing the peaks blanketed in snow, stretching one after another, is absolutely breathtaking.

Oboke and Koboke

The Oboke sightseeing boat has Chinese-language narration.
The rock formations on both sides are wild and look like nature’s handiwork. Every now and then, you hear a little train whooshing by, echoing through the valley.
For the Koboke viewpoint, you drive up the mountain. After a few hairpin turns it’s a little nerve-racking.
But the view from the lookout is wide open, and standing up there just feels so refreshing.
We also ran into a few older guys with huge cameras posted up, waiting to capture the split second a train comes out of the tunnel.

Kankakei (Ropeway)

Kankakei in the fall is absolutely gorgeous. Riding the ropeway and taking in all those autumn colors, you can’t help but admire nature’s incredible craftsmanship. It honestly felt like I was walking through an art museum created by nature.

Katsurahama

Kochi in winter is beautiful. I visited Katsurahama on a warm day, and unlike the blue-green, calm vibe of the Seto Inland Sea, this place is all about the deep, rich blue and the powerful, sweeping Pacific Ocean.

Dōgo Onsen Honkan

The shopping street in front of the main building was packed with people. The “mikan juice from a tap” is definitely a fun local experience.
I naively thought the mikan juice that comes out when you turn the faucet was free 😆
The Starbucks here is connected to the station and has a retro vibe, and even the Lawson sign is designed to be low-key.
I also heard they recreated the Bocchan Clock for Taipei Songshan. I’ve never seen it in Taipei Songshan, but I’ve seen the one in Matsuyama, Ehime twice 😆

Roadside Station Shodoshima Olive Park

Olive Park has a great view of the Seto Inland Sea, and the shop is packed with souvenirs you’ll totally be tempted to buy.

And yes, even if it’s a bit touristy, you’ve gotta borrow a broom and try the “flying” shot in front of the windmill. After jumping over and over… it honestly starts to feel like you could just flop into the clouds.

On a nice day, it’s perfect to enjoy some olive ice cream and just zone out while looking at the sea.