The flipside to Japan’s major cities being so crowded is that large patches of the country are hardly developed at all. The need to be close to an urban center for work or school means that if you’re willing to spend a couple hours getting out of town, you can find scenes of pristine natural beauty.

Recently, a group of Japanese Internet commentators engaged in an impromptu debate about which of Japan’s rural villages is the most beautiful. They haven’t come to a consensus yet, and after looking at photos from the numerous contenders, we can see why they’re having trouble deciding on just one.

The discussion was kicked off by some bucolic snapshots, which the poster referred to as being from “the most beautiful village in Japan.”

From the distinctive look of the mountains, commentators determined the photos were taken in Hakuba, high in the Japan Alps of Nagano Prefecture. Hakuba is a huge draw for skiers during the winter, but with less than 10,000 permanent residents, far fewer people have had the chance to see the town after the snow thaws. “I’d love to spend a summer there,” pined one impressed individual.

The tranquil images even stirred a bit of nostalgia in a man who grew up in the village. “I haven’t been back in three years,” he said wistfully. “I wonder how my mom’s doing.”

Before long, other visitors to Tetsugaku News, the site hosting the pictures, chimed in with their choices for Japan’s most picturesque town. Staying in Nagano, one man nominated the section of Kamimura Village known as Shimoguri no Sato. Like many of Japan’s mountainous areas, each fall sees the foliage turn dazzling shades of yellow, orange, and red.

Kamimura doesn’t have a monopoly on fall colors, though, as shown by this view of the Nakatsugawa River Gorge in Gifu Prefecture.

Still, Nagano frequently came up in the discussion, such as with this vote for Kinasa, where the white mist of the fog provides a compelling contrast with the vibrant leaves.

Nagano got a fifth nod for Ogawamura, which with an estimated population of less than 3,500 is even more sparsely-populated than off-season Hakuba.

Going from the mountains to the sea, Kushimoto’s position on the Pacific coast in Wakayama Prefecture makes it the southernmost settlement on Japan’s main island of Honshu. Kushimoto has more than just its geographic claim to fame, as it’s also a site of geological and historical interest. Its unique spire-shaped rock formations are a local tourist attraction, and the town is also where the USS Lady Washington, the first American ship to reach Japan, tried to make landfall during the country’s enforced period of isolationism.

Moving farther south still we come to Aogashima. Thanks to the volcanic landmass’ official status as the southernmost member of the Izu Island chain, Aogashima is technically part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, despite being hundreds of kilometers away from Mt. Fuji. As you’d expect from its remote location, only some 200 people call Aogashima home.

Saitama Prefecture, Tokyo’s neighbor to the north, is the frequent butt of jokes because of its unhip image compared to the cosmopolitan capital. All that snickering belies some beautiful mountainscapes, though, such as this one found in Okuchichibu.

The area becomes even more beautiful on winter nights, when the sub-freezing temperatures create dramatic icicles.

Like Kushimoto, the coastline of Hotokegaura, in Honshu’s northernmost prefecture of Aomori, have been letting sailors know exactly where they are for generations.

Finally, any discourse on Japan’s most visually striking village has to include Shirakawa-go. Located in Gifu Prefecture, the town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its traditional architecture. The most distinctive feature of the buildings, some of which are open for travelers to spend the night in, is their steeply-sloped roofs that keep snow from piling up during the region’s harsh winters.

Honestly, spending an hour drooling over these photos has made us less capable of choosing which one outshines the rest. On the plus side, though, we do have our next half-dozen vacation destinations picked out.

Source: Livedoor