Traveling NICO STOP in Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture <Nagato Photo Journey Extra Edition>.

The protagonist of the extra edition is the bus stop of "NICO STOP".

A month has passed since the closing of the " Traveling Photography Exhibition: Photographer Shiori Iwakura's Naga and Photographic Journey," which was held from April to November 2021.

Main visual of the traveling photo exhibition FINAL (Photo by Shiori Iwakura)

Many people visited the exhibition during the exhibition period, and we were able to widely present "NAGATO" photographed by photographer Shiori Iwakura's world view.

NAGATO PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY

This project was created in collaboration with " NICO STOP," a photo lifestyle web magazine operated by Nikon Imaging Japan Inc. and " YUKUTE PHOTO, " a photo project of Nagato City. For more information, please see " Photographer Shiori Iwakura's Nagato Photo Journey.

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

The protagonist of the exhibition is the "NICO STOP" bus stop, which also appeared at the site of the traveling photo exhibition FINAL.

At "Renessa Nagato", the FINAL venue of the traveling photo exhibition

NICO STOP bus stop that had traveled all the way from Kanto to Nagato. In fact, after the FINAL, they toured around Nagato City.

We will report on this event as "Traveling NICO STOP in Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture" in Nagato Photo Journey Extra Edition.

The trip starts at "Nagato Yumoto Onsen".

First thing in the morning, we visited Nagato Yumoto Onsen, which was renovated in the spring of 2020 as a "hot spring resort where visitors can enjoy strolling around.

Where the bus stop stands is the Otosoregawa Terrace, where you can relax while listening to the murmuring of the river, and anyone is free to use it.

A number of cafes and bars renovated from vacant houses are currently opening, including the renewal of the 600-year-old Onyu hot spring, which has a history of 600 years.

In late November, when I traveled, the autumn leaves were about to be at their best on the "Autumn Leaves Staircase" in the hot spring resort area.

As the event was being held during the " Autumn Leaves Lying Bar, " chairs were set up for visitors to view the autumn leaves while lounging on them. The event has ended.

After enjoying strolling around, you can use the footbaths. There are two footbaths in the hot spring resort area.

Nagato Yumoto Onsen is a new hot spring resort with a sense of history and future. When you visit, we hope you will enjoy a moment of healing.

Osoto Tengoku Nagato Yumoto Onsen

For more information, please visit the " Nagato Yumoto Onsen Official Tourism Site.

Autumn leaf viewing at Sainenji Temple

It takes about 10 minutes from Nagato Yumoto Onsen via the "San'in Expressway Nagato-Tawarayama Road. We visited " Sainenji Temple, " which is famous for its autumn foliage.

The vermilion color of the bus stop blends in with the magnificent autumn leaves.

This location was also the location where the photo project " #Nagato ni Monogatari wo " was shot, and we shot in the same location and the same composition.

#ながとに物語を

From "The Disk, the Loafer, and the Padlock" (Episode 24)

Daneiji Temple is, of course, one of the city's most famous foliage viewing spots, but if you visit Nagato in the fall, you should also visit Sainenji Temple together with the temple.

Tawarayama Onsen, where the out-spa culture remains

The next stop was Tawarayama Onsen Town. In contrast to the newer Nagato Yumoto Onsen, Nagato also has a nostalgic hot spring resort area.

Tawarayama Onsen has a strong reducing power (antioxidant effect) with a high concentration of hydrogen, and has long been used as a therapeutic hot spring.

Its ability is such that it was chosen as the Yokozuna of the West in the National Heisei Hot Springs Ranking.

Behind the hot spring resort

Since most ryokans do not have indoor baths, guests use the " Machinoyu " and " Hakusaru no Yu " outside baths.

Clanging geta (wooden clogs) and walking through the hot spring resort in yukata (light cotton kimono) is very tasteful and allows visitors to spend a relaxing time in a nostalgic hot spring resort of the past.

The area where Tawarayama Onsen is located is also a hidden cherry blossom viewing spot, so a visit during the spring season is also recommended.

#ながとに物語を

(From Episode 16 "Hanakairoe and the Upside Down Map" ⠀)

To Motonosumi Shrine, a shrine with a superb view

Motonosumi Shrine, one of the most popular tourist spots in Nagato City, is a spectacular shrine that attracted attention when it was selected as one of "Japan's 31 most beautiful places" by CNN, an American news broadcaster. It is a shrine with a spectacular view that attracted attention when it was selected as one of the "31 most beautiful places in Japan" by CNN, a U.S. news broadcaster.

The contrast between the red of the torii gate, the blue of the Sea of Japan, and the green of the grass and trees is wonderful, and many people visit the shrine every year.

During the filming, several people asked me, "Is there going to be a bus stop?" Several people asked me, "Is there going to be a bus stop?" Motonosumi Shrine is located in a place that cannot be reached by public transportation.

When visiting, please come by private car, rental car, cab, or bus tour.

There are 123 torii gates in total. The official route to visit the shrine is from the ocean side.

Another feature of Motonosumi Shrine is the <saiyobako (money-offering box) installed at the top of the 6-meter-high torii gate, which is said to be "the hardest money-offering box in Japan".

If you do not wish to enter with a monetary donation challenge, don't worry, there is a small donation box located at the lower right of the torii gate.

On this day, I visited in the afternoon due to a photo shoot, but as you can see in the photo, when the sun goes down, the mountain becomes a shadow. If you want to take pictures, it is recommended to visit in the morning.

Motonosumi Shrine Light-up (12/15~12/19)

Motonosumi Shrine Light-up: Souryu Ikkai - Winter - (advance reservations required) " is being held from December 15 (Wed.) to 19 (Sun.).

• Event Report: Five days to enjoy Motonosumi Shrine at night have begun!

Tour of spots where Shiori Iwakura was photographed

Photographer Shiori Iwakura visited a total of 16 spots in two days on her Nagato Photo Tour. In this extra edition, we visited five of them.

rocky outcrop

On the Nagato photo trip, the " Senjojiki" was visited early in the morning of the second day.

Unfortunately, the sunrise was not visible, but Ms. Shiori Iwakura found the "moon" floating high in the sky and photographed it with her subject.

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

Located at the summit of a 333-meter-high mountain, Senjidashiki offers a spectacular panoramic view of the sky and the sea.

Within the site is the " Senjidashiki Kogen Campsite," which has seen an increase in the number of visitors in recent years due to the popularity of the outdoors. Because of its high elevation, you can see a star-filled sky at night.

Tadano Beach Observation Deck

Inquiries about Tadanohama Observatory have been increasing due to the influence of the photo shoot by Ms. Shiori Iwakura.

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

The bus stop was also set up and photographed in the same location.

This location is also the spot where the photo project "#Nagato ni Monogatari wo" was shot, and please take note of the Sea of Japan, which changes its expression depending on the season and weather.

From Episode 3 "Heart-to-heart Blue

Ojibana Lighthouse

Ojibana Lighthouse, which can be crossed at low tide.

This lighthouse was found by Ms. Shiori Iwakura, who wanted to photograph lighthouses, and more and more people are visiting this place as one of the best spots for photography.

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

The bus stop was photographed in the evening as the sun was setting.

Both the lighthouse and the bus stop were photographed in silhouette, but the atmosphere is different during the daytime.

Republic of Qinghai

Shiori Iwakura's most memorable spot throughout her "Nagato Photo Journey" is the Republic of Qinghai Island.

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

Unfortunately, it was not possible to take pictures indoors, but the timing was right when the ginkgo trees were turning beautiful colors, so I took pictures with the ginkgo.

Formerly an elementary school, it is a spot where one can experience the seasons with cherry blossoms in spring and ginkgo in fall.

Hashidate of waves

The " Hashidate of Waves, " the last stop on the trip, is 1,300 meters long, and is made of gravel and sand deposited in a straight line by the action of the tidal currents of the Sea of Japan.

The straight line at the end of Lake Qinghai is "Nami no Hashidate.

Shiori Iwakura took pictures at the west end of "Nami no Hashidate".

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

This location is beautiful when the sun is setting, but visiting during the day is also recommended. The blue of the sea and the sky fills the entire field of view.

(From the photo project "NAGATO ni Monogatari wo")

# of stories to Nagato.

From "Through the Jewel of Tears" (Episode 21)

On social networking sites, we began to see photos of Shiori Iwakura taken in the same location as hers.

When you visit Nagato, please try to take photos of the same place and the same composition as in the following photos.

Photo by Shiori Iwakura

The spots photographed by Ms. Shiori Iwakura are introduced on Google Maps at the bottom of the NICO STOP article " The Beautiful Coastline of Nagato City, Yamaguchi, Japan, Where Photographer Shiori Iwakura Fell in Love - A Film Journey in Pursuit of 'Nagato Blue' and Light ".

If it leads to "Nagato Photo Journey" by everyone

How was the "Nagato Photo Trip <Extra Edition>" by NICO STOP bus stop?

The NICO STOP bus stop is picturesque no matter where it is photographed.

It worked so well with the Nagato location that we actually wanted to have it installed.

Although we visited as many locations as possible on our day trip, there are still many more sights and photo spots in Nagato.

In the "#Nagato ni Monogatari" photo project to introduce the location, we are now posting photos from a different perspective than sightseeing photos, mainly on Instagram as <12 photo stories per story>. Please take a look at it as well.

#ながとに物語を

Official page] #Nagato ni Monogatari wo #1 Story of 12 Photos
[Official SNS account] Instagram(@yukuteyuku) / Twitter(@yukute_yuku)

In February 2021, photographer Shiori Iwakura toured Nagato City in a collaboration project between the photo lifestyle web magazine "NICO STOP" and the photo project "YUKUTE PHOTO.

Thank you very much for your continued support of "Nagato Photo Journey" over a long period of time, including the publication of the article in March, the traveling photo exhibition from April to November, and the extra edition of this issue.

We hope that this project will lead to a "Nagato Photo Tour" by everyone.

List of published articles

• NICO STOP article / Photographer Shiori Iwakura fell in love with the beautiful coastline of "Nagato City, Yamaguchi" - A film journey in pursuit of "Nagato Blue" and light
• Nanavi Article / Photographer Shiori Iwakura's NAGA and Photography Trip <Part 1>.
• Nanavi Article / Photographer Shiori Iwakura's NAGA and Photography Trip <Part 2>.

Related Links

• Photo project "YUKUTE PHOTO
• Photo project "NAGATO ni Monogatari" (Let's tell a story in NAGATO)