Five Select Tokai Region Tourist Destinations Rated Highly on Social Media

1. Hirizo Beach (Shizuoka)

Hirizo Beach, at the southernmost tip of Izu Peninsula, is a swimming beach surrounded by cliffs. It can only be accessed by boat, so it still retains untouched nature. The water is highly transparent and is said to be the most beautiful among the beaches in the area.
It is on the Japan Current so it has a large variety of migratory fish that come around the coral and sea anemone in the ocean. There is a mass of rare branch coral and is recommended for snorkeling. The beach can be accessed between the first Saturday of July and the last Sunday of September*. The boat leaves from the Nakagi area of Minamiizu.

*Scheduled to be Sunday, July 2 to Saturday, September 30 in 2017.
Boat ticket: 1,500 JPY/adult (junior high school and older), 500 JPY/child (age 4 to elementary school)

2. Monet\'s Pond (Gifu)

There is a spot referred to as Monet\'s Pond in Seki, Gifu. It was previously a nameless pond, but gained fame by word of mouth due to the beauty of the pond that reminds people of Monet\'s Water Lily paintings.
The best time to visit is from early summer to the fall, when the pond is more transparent. It is recommended to go in the morning on a sunny day, before the sun gets too strong. From the end of May to October, water lilies bloom on the clear ground water, giving it a mystic atmosphere. There are also colored carp that swim quietly in the pond.

3. Yumeno Tsuribashi (Shizuoka)

Yumeno Tsuribashi (Dream Suspension Bridge) in Shizuoka is a suspension bridge on Oma Dam Lake at the foot of the Southern Alps mountains (a mountain range that crosses over Yamanashi, Nagano and Shizuoka). It is a spot from which you can take in the nature of the tourist destination, Sumata Ravine.
The bridge, which sways every time you take a step, is quite thrilling. It is 8m high and 90m long. It is wide enough for one person and only ten people can be on it at a time. Below the bridge is the beautiful emerald green lake. It is said that wishes made in the middle of the bridge for love to be requited will come true. There is an observatory deck on the other side of the bridge with a panoramic view of the ravine.

4. Toyokawa Inari (Aichi)

Official name: Toyokawakaku Myogonji
Toyokawa Inari in Toyokawa is a shrine that is said to be the Tokai region\'s preeminent sacred ground. Its benefits range from thriving business and peace and prosperity in the household to improved fortune. It has been worshiped by many people including famous warriors such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, in the more than 570 years since its establishment.
One spot not to miss on the massive grounds is the mound to the spirit of foxes, where there is a large number of stone foxes. The sight of more than 1,000 statues, large and small, is stunning.

5. Kakita River Springs (Shizuoka)

Kakita River, which flows through Shimizu at the foot of Mt. Fuji, is one of Japan\'s top three clear streams. It is a short river that is only 1.2km long, but has outstanding transparency. These springs are the source of the river.
The area around the springs is maintained as a park so you can look down on the springs from an observation deck. It is said that the amount of water that wells up from them is, at 700,000 to 1,000,000 tons, the greatest in Asia. The water temperature is around 15 degrees all year round. The springs are surrounded by a rich ecosystem and are famous for the Mishimabaikamo (Ranunculus nipponicus var. japonicus) which have delicate flowers. There are also valuable creatures that can only survive in an outstanding natural environment.

If any of these spots piqued your interest, be sure to go and take a photograph that will become a memento of your travels. These places are not that well known, so you may elicit a great deal of interest by posting the photograph on social media.