Notsuke Peninsula Nature Center

Incredible, off the beaten path untouched wilderness

If you really want an experience that takes you off the beaten path, visiting Hokkaido's Notsuke Peninsula Nature Center will give you just that. You're able to see wild animals in their natural habitat - everything from giant eagles to deer and red foxes - so keep an eye out for those! In the summer months, the area is said to be full of beautiful wildflowers, and we were told that none of them are artificially planted, so it's just Mother Nature doing her thing! In the winter months however (which is when I visited), you get a much different perspective. The lake right by the Nature Center building freezes over, and you're able to go and walk on the ice with a guide. The guide on our trip had props such as oranges, mugs, and more, and since the landscape is so flat and white you're able to create a range of optical-illusion styled photographs. If you're into hiking, nature, and the great outdoors this place is breathtaking and unforgettable.