Takachiho is a town famous for its beautiful scenery throughout the season.

And being a town in tropical Miyazaki, it should be just that – tropical right? Well, in the summer yes! And you will find tropical fruits and flowers here, but in the winter it snows! And a lot a that!

While the snow rarely stays on the ground for a long time, it do build up sometimes. From December until March you can experience snowy days in Takachiho.

Popular known spots for viewing the snow around Takachiho is the Takachiho shrine and Takachiho gorge. While they are very pretty covered in snow, here we will introduce you to three places with three different kinds of snow landscape views in Takachiho.

Aoyamabochi park – easy access overlooking the town

Aoyamabochi park (青山墓地公園) is the place for those of you whom are looking for a town scenery. Or if you are traveling by foot and looking for an easily accessible scenery from higher grounds, this is the place!

The park is located in the south part of the town center and is accessible by two routes, a road if you travel by car or by stone steps taking you through a graveyard if you are traveling by foot.

On site you will find a big parking lot, toilets, a table and some benches. It might be a good idea to bring something to sit on and a hot drink or snack to enjoy while watching the scenery.

From here you can see most of the town on one side and landscape on the other. You can also see the Takachiho Railway Bridge, the highest railway bridge in Japan, where the Amaterasu railway runs regularly.

★Click here for directions to the Aoyamabochi park

Himuka myth road – view the terraced rice fields

The second spot is actually spread out on a single road! The Himuka myth road, prefectural road no. 7 stretches between Takachiho town and Ama-no-Iwato, and it is a road packed with viewing points overlooking landscape with focus on the famous terraced rice fields.

The scenery along this route includes several parts overlooking the terraced rice fields included in the famous “100 terraced rice fields of Japan”.

This part of the road continues for about 5 kilometers, and while the view is great all along road, there is something special about seeing the white snow enter the pockets of the terraced rice fields that are being highlighted by the snow-dusted mountains in the background.

For access we do recommend going by car, as it leaves you the freedom to make as many stops as you would like.

While accessible from both Takachiho and Ama-no-Iwato, the most comfortable direction to travel is from Ama-no-Iwato towards Takachiho. This since the majority of the parking pockets along the route is on your left-hand side.

We have added a great reference point in the link below, but we recommend that you travel down the road and enjoy the rare scenery while finding your favorite spot!

★Click here for directions to the Himuka myth road

Kunimigaoka – the all season favorite

When talking about scenery in Takachiho, the all time favorite – no matter the season, must be Kunimigaoka.

From here you can enjoy the snowy mountain views as well as snow covering the terraced rice field.

There is a walk way on top of Kunimigaoka from where you can enjoy the scenery undisturbed in all directions.

There you will find benches, swings and facilities such as toilets and vending machines. Here you can sit and take in the view.

Or access the outlook on top of the hill.

There is a path up to Nakahata Shrine Worship Shrine (中畑神社 遥拝宮) in the south path of the parking lot. Past the shrine you will find the Kunimigaoka South Observatory.

There is usually less people here and from the South Observatory you can enjoy the scenery, and if the snowy weather allows it, there are benches and picnic tables bellow for a outdoor snack break.

While visiting Kunimigaoka, beware that at this altitude the weather can change quickly so dress for the weather, make sure you have tires to match road conditions and be careful while traveling.

If you want to check out the scenery before coming, the Takachiho town offers a online live camera from where you can check the weather on the top in advance. When on site, it is also popular to access the camera and take a print screen from your phone while standing infront of the camera posing.

★Click here for directions to Kunimigaoka

★Click here for directions to Kunimigaoka South Observatory

Conclusion

Three different places with three different snow landscapes. What did you think?

From December until March, you can enjoy the beautiful winter scenery of Takachiho from various places and views.

We recommend that you choose where to go depending on your means of transportation and after checking the weather forecast. Remember to dress for the weather in case there is a lot of snow and to be careful on the road.