My Driving-Vacation to Japan Part 5

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Japanese Alps

Japan is located on the Ring of Fire. It is a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that encircle the basin of the Pacific. The land sits on two tectonic plates, the North American plate and the Eurasian plate. The boundary between the two plates is in the middle of Honshu Island, the largest island. So, it is no wonder that the Japanese Alps are located here and it is only about three to four hour drive from Tokyo.

The mid-west part of Honshu Island is not only the home of Japanese Alps but also the home of two feudal era Japanese villages in Kiso valley. Tsumago and Magome are practically next to each other separated by a beautiful twisty mountain road. These time capsules were as timeless and traditional as I could have imagined. Walking around these villages, my mind wondered to images from movies depicting the Japanese feudal time.


Another highlight of this region is Kamikochi, the Japan Alps National Park. We had to take the natural gas powered bus to get in and out of the park. Once we arrived, we were greeted by not only the most pristine air my lungs had ever experienced, but also the mesmerizing Ansel-Adam-like views of the mountain tops that rise upward from the 1500 meter plateau.


My fingers wrapped around the perforated sport steering wheel. Occasionally, some of my neurons fired in certain rhythmic order because of the stimuli that came through my eyes, ears, and spine. The syncopation repeated again and again. No more jumbled thoughts…it was just a blissful time…@driving-vacation


More pictures...

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