Shokanbetsu-tenuriyagishiri National Park, in Ishikari, the western part of central Hokkaido, was designated a park in 1990. Ruran Shore is located inside the park.
  
Ruran means 'path that god walks on' in the language of the native Ainu people of Hokkaido. Solid rocks appear to be cut from the shore and the cliffs are so mysterious you cannot help thanking the ancestors who named the shore. Many of the rocks along here have strange rugged shapes and are lined with cracks.

Some of the many beauty spots on Ruran Shore include Yoshitsune's Tears Rock and Amoi Cave, as well as caves along the cliffs. Nature has produced some glorious views.

This shore is also well-known for its beautiful evening sunsets. You will be moved and tremble at the beauty of the sight. Strange rocks become red as they are lit up by the evening sun setting on the far horizon. This is indeed the twilight time of the Ainu god.

Kashuni Waterfall is located at the mouth of the Charasenai River where it plunges into the Okhotsk Sea near the town of Shari in Hokkaido.

'Kashuni' means 'place where there is a cabin for hunting' in the language of the native Ainu people of Hokkaido.

The waterfall drops directly into the sea, so it cannot be seen from the land. The best way to see it is to take a pleasure cruise past. The waterfall is fed by abundant water from the Shiretoko mountains, and falls into the sea through a cave.

The view is very dramatic. Behind the waterfall is a backdrop formed by the Shiretoko mountains, wild rocky cliffs, and a white stream running through the green trees, together producing a spectacular view.

Nadagiri Pass is located near the town of Mogami, in Hanazawa district, Yamagata prefecture. It featured in a haiku poem from Matsuo Bashō's book 'The Narrow Road to Oku' ('Oku no Hosomichi'). Bashō illustrates the pass as a black spot because he was anxious about the bandits that haunted it and the roughness of the path.

Even nowadays, the pass is still rough. Along the way, a statue of Jizo, the guardian deity of children, has been placed and there is a festival held here on July 24th each year. There is also a tree called the 'children blessing pine' beside the stone statue. Its strange shape has led people to imagine that a forest god is inhabiting it.

People back then, including Bashō, must have had a hard time getting over the pass.