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On Marine Day, we took a little road trip down the expressway to an area called Sanjo. This part of Japan is known for iron crafts, and in particular, the knives and scissors produced here are renowned as being exceptional quality. However, since we visited on a public holiday, our trip was predominantly centered around nature and food! Here's a little rundown of the places we visited. Honai ParkThis place was a gem of a find! It's a really beautiful park that includes a massive indoor greenhouse, making you feel like you've somehow entered the tropics in rural Niigata. There were pineapple, coffee, and hibiscus plants just to name a few, and perhaps best of all admission is free. Behind the greenhouse, there was a pretty rose garden with a number of different variants and a small traditional Japanese garden. A giant greenhouse awaits at Honai Park in Sanjo, Niigata. It'd be a treat in the cooler months! Roadside station Teien-no-Sato HonaiAnywhere else in the world, you'd rarely (if ever) see a roadside rest area being a destination in and of itself. That's not the case in Japan though, and the Teien-no-Sato Honai rest area brings nature inside! It honestly feels like a rest area combined with a hardware/outdoors store - there are plants galore to purchase, interesting stone garden accessories (including Anpanman, Baikinman and all the crew), an area full of local produce and more. Fun for a browse! As expected, there's plenty of parking on site, and exceptionally clean restrooms - thanks, Japan! Nature abounds inside this unique michi-no-eki (roadside rest area) in Sanjo, Niigata Biens Popolo BakeryThis sweet little bakery looks like a slice of Europe from the outside, and there are plenty of delicious treats to enjoy indoors! My husband and I picked up a strawberry tart and chocolate tart, and our daughter picked out the most adorable parfait - and they were plated in such an aesthetically pleasing manner. There's a reasonable amount of seating indoors (about 25 seats) so if you want to enjoy your sweet treats on the spot you should be able to snag a table without any worries. I mean really - how adorable is this! Almost too good to eat!YagigahanaWe always enjoy finding unique outdoorsy things to do or see, and Yagigahana fits the bill if you're in this part of Japan. The photogenic cliff face is surrounded by trees and mountains and sits right by a river. We actually saw a few people setting up tents to camp by the riverbank, which would be a lovely summertime activity. If you do want to camp in the area, there are details about costs, amenities and access information at the following link. The unique natural beauty of the Yagigahana cliff face We really enjoyed our day trip to see some more of what our prefecture has to offer - exploring our own backyard is one of our favorite things to do! Are you spending any time exploring your own backyard in Japan this summer?