100 COLORS OF JAPAN
A colorful compilation of 100 images from a year of living in Japan
Japan loves the number “100.” Kyuya Fukada wrote a list of the “100 Famous Japanese Mountains” that now serves as a checklist for avid climbers. Hokusai, perhaps Japan’s most beloved artist, cemented his legacy with his book, “One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji.”
After a year of living in Japan, I drew on inspiration from these past cultural juggernauts and compiled 100 photographs that tell of my time in the land of the rising sun.
You might think living isolated in a completely new place with limitations on communication would make one’s world pale. However, the isolation and limitations on communication only motivated me to go out and capture Japan’s most vivid images.
Hi. I am Noah Takes The World. I traveled solo to every prefecture in Japan, and now I want to help you do the same. Solo traveling is freeing, and it does not have to be expensive.
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NAGANO
When I got offered the job to teach English in Japan, I created an extremely detailed request for my placement. I wanted to live in a central location surrounded by mountains and impeccable scenery.
Although my job significantly differed from what I initially envisioned, Nagano, where I was placed, was exactly what I envisioned. Three national parks were less than an hour away by public transportation. On top of that, I was in the middle of the country, so making weekend trips to other prefectures was easy.
I would have left Japan early and quit my job if it wasn’t for living in Nagano. I endured and adapted because the weekends and even the train rides to work were beyond picturesque. I truly can’t communicate how much color living in Nagano added to my life.
Lake Onuma in Shiga Kogen Highlands was a magical hike, torii gate and all. This area is famous for being the largest combined ski area in Japan and for hosting some of the Nagano 1998 Olympic events. A maze of roads are carved into the mountains leading to the highest point on Japan’s national highway system. In Joshin’etsukogen National Park, I climbed one of Japan’s 100 most famous mountains, Mt. Azumaya. At the top I made a new friend, the once endangered Japanese Serow. Now, the mountain goat is a symbol of Nagano. Garyu Park, one of Japan’s 100 best places to see cherry blossoms, was unforgettable at sunset. This park had special meaning for me because it was located in Suzaka. I worked at two schools, one in Nagano City and one in the Suzaka. In one of Nagano’s most charming cities, Obuse, I randomly biked to this large field of yellow flowers. Obuse is a hidden-gem, full of art and history. At the edge of the Northern Japanese Alps sits the world-famous Hakuba village. I loved skiing here, and in the summer, I loved hiking here. Hakuba is many people’s favorite place in Nagano. Snow Monkey Park is undoubtedly the most famous attraction in Nagano. Tourists love watching these wild monkeys bathe in hot springs. Light dwindles in one of Japan’s most spiritual places, Togakushi. This highland is home to a national park, a ski resort, and a 5-shrine pilgrimage hike. Easily one of my favorite places in the entire country. Mt. Asama, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, is one of the most rewarding hikes I have ever done. Sadly, I could not get too close to the action because of increased volcanic activity, but I loved it regardless. In the upscale resort town of Karuizawa, you must visit the Usui Pass for incredible views, especially during autumn.
SEASONS
It had been over four years since I had experienced the beauty of watching the seasons change in one location. Because of going to college in Hawaii and my nomadic lifestyle choices, the last time I stayed in a place for over a year where I could observe every season was back in high school.
It is hard for me to stay in one place, but seeing a complete yearly cycle of the seasons was so rewarding. Each season harbored a special activity. Winter, world-class skiing. Spring, cherry blossoms. Fall, colorful leaves. Summer, mountain climbs.
With each season change, anticipation and excitement followed. Beyond the literal beautiful colors that come with each season, my life was full of color because I was reminded to seize the moment before a new season was ushered in.
In Togakushi, you must visit the Kagami Ike Pond for insane fall foliage. Ike means pond in Japanese. If you are lucky, on a clear day, you will see the jagged Togakushi mountains behind the pond. This mountain range is so distinct and unlike any other mountains in Japan. I visited so many gardens in Japan. The Sankeien Garden outside of Yokohama was one of my favorite garden visits. The cherry blossoms, or Sakura, were in full bloom. On the border of Nagano and Niigata Prefectures sits Myoko, a volcanic mountain with an extremely unique shape. I tried to capture a heavenly summer view on top of Myoko. A couple adorned in traditional Japanese attire strolls through Ueda Castle Park during peak fall colors. I took fall very seriously in Japan. I religiously tracked where the peak folliage was occuring. Tourists walk with care on a snowy trail in Snow Monkey Park. I have mixed feelings towards winter. However, winter in Nagano made me actually appreciate the cold. In downtown Yokohama, I biked to a large garden of roses. Yokohama is Japan’s second largest city after Tokyo, but I actually prefer it over Japan’s capital. Shirakawago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with preserved farmhouses that symbolize a simpler time in Japan. I came to the village with high expectations. The crowds and rainy weather made this a less magical experience than social media leads Shirakawago to be. I already loved Yokohama’s uber-modern Minato Mirai district. It was even more special during Sakura season. On a hot summer day, I took a ferry to Zamami Island in Okinawa. The snorkeling on Zamani was life-changing. Visit Lake Kawaguchi in the fall if you want to capture red leaves melting into the iconic Mt. Fuji. I was so blessed to photograph this iconic view. On the cusp of spring and summer, I rented a bike and sped through the Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki. It lived up to the social media hype.
MODERN
I think Japan’s major appeal to Westerners is its modern marvels. Sushi that slides down on conveyors. Streets that flow with people dressed in impeccable fashion. Japan’s innovative flare makes everyday tasks seem less average.
I was constantly mesmerized by Tokyo’s skies. When I stopped and realized these creations were conjured from human minds, metallic structures, and complex train lines reflected warmth and hope. I felt prompted to keep creating and perfecting the ideas that flow in my mind.
Osaka’s Dotonbori district at night is electric. Not necessarily my favorite place to solo travel, but an unforgettable experience nonetheless. Kobe Port was one of the first ports in Japan to trade with the West. Kobe is considered one of the most desirable places to live in Japan. On a lively Sunday night, many people cross the street in one of Tokyo’s most famous entertainment districts, Shibuya. I hiked from Kobe’s downtown to the top of Mt. Maya for an incredible night view. Observing night lights from observation decks is a popular tourist pastime. In the heart of Shinjuku, you can visit a free observation deck at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The building is impressive itself, but the view at sunset is the highlight. I came here many times after long days of walking around Tokyo. If you visit Nagasaki today, you will find little evidence of the atomic bomb. Nestled in a quiet neighboorhood, you will find the Sanno Shrine one-legged Torii Gate. Half of the torii gate was destroyed in the horrific bombing. It is miraculous that part of the gate still stands today. Japan’s eager capitalist spirit is illustrated with onsens, or hot springs baths. Japan is full of volcanoes and geothermal heated springs. Entreprenuers had the idea to pump the hot spring water into luxurious bathing facilities. Now, relaxing in Japan is synonymous with visiting an onsen. Japan is full of skyscrapers and subway lines, but you will find many preserved castle ruins like this one in Tsuwano, a town with world-famous festivals. Osaka is home to countless observation decks. However, my experience at Cosmo tower was unlike no other because I did not have to “fight” fellow photographers for space. It was such a calm atmosphere. Experiencing the view on top of Sapporo TV Tower is on many travelers to-do list when they visit Hokkaido. The view was nice, but I prefered strolling through the lively Odori Park below. Nagasaki is home to one of Japan’s three best night views. Japan loves ranking things in threes! Take a bus from the station to reach the Mt. Inasayama Observatory in less than 30 minutes. In the rural Hokkaido town of Shari, I took a local train at golden hour. I loved traveling on Japan’s impeccable rail system. Experiencing the view on top of Osaka Castle was a great way to start my day. There are many castles you can tour in Japan. Getting a shot from the top of the castle tower is always the most important part of a castle tour. Moerenuma Park in Sapporo is one of the most interesting modern parks I have ever visited. The park is home to man-made mountains and glass sculptures. Everyone remembers their first time visiting Shibuya Crossing. It is known as the busiest street crossing in the world. You must visit this intersection if you come to Tokyo. Vending machines are at literally every corner in Japan. Even in rural areas, you will find a drink machine ready to take your lose change.
TRAVEL
Living in Japan made me a traveler. Of course, I was a traveler before coming to Japan. However, I knew my time in Japan was short, so nearly every weekend, I contemplated taking my next trip.
It seemed like something was always happening, and I could not allow myself to miss it. I had to leave my apartment if the cherry blossoms were at peak bloom. If the weather forecast was sunny, I was climbing a mountain.
I took so many trips that I had no time to really study Japanese. On the flip side, I learned a lot of conversational Japanese through constant traveling. I do regret not learning more Japanese, but it would have been worse to miss the explosions of colors I encountered while traveling solo.
As I left Okinawa, I snagged a great aerial shot of the island and its blue water. In Okinawa’s capital city, Naha, I managed to find a small sliver of a beach admist the urban jungle. Naminoue Beach is nice, but the best beaches in Okinawa require a ferry ride. Kanazawa resembles Kyoto in many ways but sees less tourists. However, it is still busy. I had to wake up at 5 a.m. for this empty street shot. Outside of Kanazawa’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, I found a very intriguing art installation. After a 3-hour train ride around Wakayama’s coastline, I arrived at Japan’s tallest waterfall. Every photographer dreams of capturing the Seiganto-ji Pagoda alongside Nachi Falls. On Shodoshima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea, you must cross Angel Road at low tide. Do this with a lover and it is said that your love will grow. The Tottori Sand Dunes are special to me because Tottori was almost where I was placed to work in Japan. I posted this image on Google maps and it has over 80,000 views. In Kobe, I captured this image of seagulls. Kobe is one of my favorite cities in Japan because it is modern and nestled between the mountains and the sea. In Nara, I took photos of rocks engraved with Kanji characters outside of a temple. I do not know what these characters mean, but I still find them very interesting. Rice is king in Japan. After biking over 50 miles on the iconic Shimanami Kaido route, I found beauty in this random rice field in Imabari. In Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, you will find many tourists on the streets. Above in the trees, cranes seem undeterred by the crowds. In Sendai, I went to the AER Observation Terrace and watched the shinkansen roar below. I randomly came across the Imabari castle. It made for the perfect picture at dusk. In Moerenuma Park, a couple poses for a photograph under the Tetra Mound. There were few times when I saw a rainbow in Japan. I had been hiking for over 23 miles on this day. So, it was very special when this rainbow appeared over Lake Akan. I loved traveling by train in Japan, but I think traveling by ferry was actually my favorite. This ferry trip from Hiroshima to Matsuyama was amazing at sunset. One of Kyushu’s most idyllic tourist spots is the Takachiho Gorge. It has a lot of significance in Japanese lore and its considered a “power spot” of the Gods. If you visit Momochi Seaside Park, you will be in the shadow of the impressive Fukuoka Tower.
MOUNTAINS
Frankly, I did not know much about Japan before my move. I knew the basics: it was safe, and there was a lot of sushi. Beyond that, I was extremely limited in my knowledge about the country.
I am the type of person who hates inaction. I knew I wanted to experience living abroad, and Japan happened to be the place I chose to reach that goal. So, I seemingly entered the country without high expectations. I really just wanted to challenge myself and test out living abroad.
The moment I stepped off the plane, I was greeted by lush mountains beckoning me like a siren to enter their grounds. In America, mountains are known as the sites of extreme sports and the homes of adrenaline junkies. In Japan, some mountains are home to winter sports, but they are also known as the home of the Gods.
I had always loved hiking, but never before did I experience such an urgency to conquer mountain peaks. The deep desire to see a new perspective from mountain peaks motivated me to keep working in the country.
Work was often overwhelming. To ease my anxious feelings, I would look out of my schools’ windows and quickly admire the mountains in my view. I would tell myself I had to conquer all those peaks before I left the country. Suddenly, work became less suffocating.
In the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, many people take a cable car to a shrine on Mount Mitake. Make sure to continue your trek further into the mountains to reach Mt. Odake, so you can admire Mt. Fuji. In the summer and fall, Kamikochi is the premiere spot to visit in the Chubu Sangaku National Park, more commonly known as the Northern Japan Alps. In the winter, it is more calm and perfect for snowshoeing. Mt. Rausu, located in a remote section of Hokkaido, is one of Japan’s 100 most famous mountains. It is also known as having the largest concentration of brown bears in Japan. I will never forget the sunrise on Mt. Meakan. This active volcano was worth waking up for at 2 a.m. The best park of hiking Meakan is that there are so many different peaks to explore. Across from Mt. Meakan is the peak know as Akan-Fuji, since it resembles Mt. Fuji. After I hiked Akan-Fuji, I had to hike all the way down to Lake Onneto, so I could get views of both iconic peaks– Meakan and Akan-Fuji. Then, I had to go all the way back up and back down to Lake Akan, a 26 mile trip. While walking in Hakuba village, I snagged a shot of the snow-covered Northern Alps. 5 months later, I would hike that entire ridge line. The Togakushi Mountains reflect on Kagami Ike, which literally means mirror lake. Hiking the Togakushi mountains was some of the most difficult hiking I did in Japan. Deep in the Togakushi Mountains, I gained over 4,000 feet of elevation to reach cloudy Mt. Takamatsu. The route takes approximately 8.5–9.5 hours, and is considered one of the longest trails among the 100 famous mountains in Japan. However, it only took me 5 hours. Hikers from around the world hope to experience “goraiko,” the heavenly sunrise from on top of Mt. Fuji. Although I had to wait hours in the cold to experience the pink hues, it was maybe my favorite sunrise ever. When I hiked to Mount Tsubakuro, it was cloudy the entire trek. To my surprise, there was a brief opening in the clouds at the top. It was so unexpected that I almost started to cry. While visiting Kagoshima, I made sure to take a ferry to Sakurajima, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes. I could not get very close to it, but it was a highlight of my Kyushu trip. I hiked up to Mt. Bizan to get panoramic views of Tokushima City. To my surprise, I met a lovely Japanese couple who invited me to spend the day with them. Instead of hiking to Bizan, you can also take a cable car. So many mountains in Japan have cable cars and chair lifts, so even non-hikers can enjoy majestic views. Daisetsuzan National Park in the center of Hokkaido is Japan’s largest National park. It is also the first place in Japan to see fall colors. This was the view from the first hike I did in Japan, Mt. Washuzan. The view is one of the best in the entire Setonaikai National Park.
HARMONY
Nothing amazed me more than the mountains in Japan. However, I was always amazed by watching daily life occur with such order and ease. Japan is a collectivist society, meaning people often mask themselves for the greater good.
Although this mindset can have negative implications, it did make life vastly different from America. Trains were silent at rush hour. Streets were dotted in strides with no trash in sight. People managed to queue in long lines without any help from authorities.
During a morning stroll in Kyoto, I found a shop full of mochi. This was days before New Year’s. On New Year’s, many Japanese break and eat mochi to bring good fortune into the new year. This is the Okusha shrine, the final and most important of the Togakushi Five-Shrine Pilgrimage. Come here and pray for good luck by giving a coin offering. Kyoto is the heart of Japan. Its countless shrines, temples, and gardens ooze peace and harmony. When visiting Kyoto, make sure to hit Ginkakuji, the silver temple. If you are on Japan TikTok, you know about Nara and its friendly deer that are eager to be fed by tourists. These deer roam freely, without many repercussions. In Kobe, I was in awe of this organized line in the middle of the city. I did not know why everyone was queued in such an orderly fashion. While visiting Kumamoto in Shikoku, I realized I was visiting during an important summer festival. Festivals are a great way to appreciate Japanese culture. Near Hiroshima, you can take a ferry to Itsukushima Jinja, one of the most iconic symbols of Japan. During New Year’s, it is customary to visit your local shrine and make an offering. People would wait hours in line during this busy time. In Iya Valley, you can cross a vine bridge just like samurai did in the Edo Period. These bridges could be cut down quickly, making it useful during times of war. Young Japanese students tour the famous Atomic Bomb Dome, which stands as a symbol of Hiroshima’s strength. At a local museum in Tokushima, performers dance one of Japan’s most famous traditional dances, the Awa Odori. After their performance, they invited audience members to dance as well. I joined and was awarded second place. At a train station in Okayama, people line up single-file. Train stations can be packed with people, but they are not too overwhelming because everyone remains orderly. Locals and tourists alike stroll around Kurashiki’s historical quarters. A man fishes infront of the Seto Ohashi Bridge, one of the world’s largest combined road and rail bridges.
SOLO
An added benefit of Japan’s orderly society was being able to solo travel without much anxiety. Social interactions followed a certain script. Walking at midnight in an unknown area was completely safe. Plus, with hundreds of internet cafes spread across the country, I did not have to worry about booking hotels. After a day of travel, I could just walk into an internet cafe and sleep in a little cubicle.
Moreover, since I was a foreigner, it was hard to get embarrassed by most things. If people were talking about me, I really couldn’t understand it. Also, when people saw me, they automatically became more forgiving and accommodating.
I loved getting special treatment, but that special treatment came at a cost. Since Japanese people are reserved even among themselves, I had a lot of silent victories. Sometimes, I craved connection when the sunset set or when the streets were dead.
Solo traveling remains my absolute passion. I love feeling free while running through unfamiliar streets. However, even though my year in Japan was full of vivid color, I learned that beautiful skies and neon lights are not necessarily the most important things in life.
Everyone wants to visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I got here around 5 a.m. to beat the crowds. Although it is challenging, it is also fun to try to capture long exposures. Imagine me standing still while staring at my tripod in the middle of the street, praying no one knocks it down. I managed to rent a private onsen in Gifu at Hirayu Onsen. It was the perfect winter activity. I wanted to hike to Naena Waterfall, so I took a train into the mountains. I was unaware of how hard it was snowing until I arrived at the trailhead. Although I am not smiling, I loved biking to Rinko Park in Yokohama. I loved finding space while visiting the Jōjakkōji Temple in Kyoto. Try visiting lesser-known temples in Kyoto for a better experience. If I could only save one photo from my time in Japan, it would be this one. I camped the night prior in the Northern Alps and decided to keep heading south the next morning because I loved the hike so much. On Sakurajima, I watched the sunset and briefly saw dolphins spring from the water. The only time I saw those creatures in Japan. Okayama castle was the first castle I laid my eyes on in Japan. It remains one of my favorite castles in the country. I have already highlighted Mt. Washuzan and how it was my first hike in Japan. Still to this day, it is one of my favorite hikes ever. In Tsuwano, I felt like I was floating, and I was glad to capture an image to illustrate that feeling. Shinjuku Station’s Southern Terrace was my little oasis in the metropolis. I will never be able to replicate the feeling I had during my first Tokyo trip. Everything was exciting. Every encounter was a core memory. During the one and only night I spent camping in the Northern Alps, I experienced a sunset unlike no other.
Let me know your favorite photo!
Comment the category and number in the slideshow. (Ex. Harmony 6).
Thank you so much for reading it!
Such an amazing solo trip! Stunning photos and vivid details! Makes me want to visit.
Nice to meet you! Thank you so much!!
Hello Noah.. My name is Cindy. I Am Bree Shoafs Aunt. I Have always dreamed of seeing Japan. Your pictures…
Esther, you are always such a big support of mine! You inspire me to create better art. Thank you!! I…
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