Japan is one of the most beautiful countries in East Asia with her many attractions and sights of nature such as park, lakes, majestic mountains and quiet countrysides. They provide both an urban charm and natural seductiveness, and nothing illustrates this best than the parks in Japan. Some can be found right in the middle of the modern cities of Japan, while others are located where most expect them to be - within nature itself and beside towns and villages.

Many first time visitors to Japan will make it a point to travel to at least one of the numerous national parks within the country. In the hectic times that we all face nowadays, many of us enjoy traveling to places far and wide all over the world that offer a temporary escape from our busy lives. There could be nothing better to satisfy that than making a point to visit the Japanese gardens and parks that infuse both Eastern and Western culture?

There are a total of 29 national parks in Japan which occupy more than five per cent of the total land area in the country. While locals are an ever present in terms of visitors, there is an increasing number of foreign tourists who are eager to have a taste of what the nature of Japan has to offer. Many have regarded the Shiretoko, Nikko and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Parks as the most popular ones in Japan.

Nikko National Park has the city of Nikko acting as its gates, inhabited by a small but warm population. However, visitors arrive non-stop to see for themselves the scenic beauty of the area. From the serene and tranquil Lake Chuzenji to the majestic Mount Nantai, the park reaches far and wide over a total of four prefectures. Even visitors on a budget Nikko National Park day tour would be able to enjoy other highlights that include the large Kegon waterfall as well as the Toshogu shrine that has become a recognizable landmark for the city itself.

Mount Fuji is undeniably the most recognizable symbol of Japan in many foreigners' eyes. However, the area in which it is found has an understated elegance of its own - the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It is even larger in size compared to the park in Nikko, especially when one considers that it borders Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes, amongst many others. The region even has tiny islets within it, which is why many feel that it is unofficially the largest park in Japan.

Perhaps one of the most understated parks in Japan is Shiretoko National Park. It is a true natural haven untouched in the most part by civilization or commercialization. In fact, there is no way one can get there on wheels. There is also diverse wildlife that cannot be found elsewhere in Japan, while the flora and fauna existing within Shiretoko had prompted UNESCO to mark the area as a World Heritage Site, a great achievement for a humble site in a modern country.

Whether it be an adventure to the wilderness in Shiretoko, an experience with national symbols in Fuji-Hakone-Izu or visiting Nikko National Park on a tour package, Japan’s national parks have so much to offer for the eager and willing traveler. One will never cease to be amazed by a country that has an advanced and modern metropolis in its city centre of Tokyo, while surrounded by such extensive and beautiful nature.

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