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PicturesqueSceneryacfbegdHoshitogeTerracedRiceFields(T¯okamachiCity,NiigataPrefecture)aWhenfilledwithwater,theseterracedricefieldsresembletinylakesfloatinginthemountainmist.Terraceshelpfarmerscopewiththeterraininthisarea.ALandforNatureLovers:NaturalWondersandUnforgettableLandscapesAboundJapanmaybeasmallislandnation,butitisendowedwithsomeverydiverseandincrediblypicturesquescenery.About75percentofthecountry’slandmassismoun-tainous.Owingtothattopography,thereareplentyofdramaticmountains,steepcliffs,anddeepvalleysthatwillcompeteforspaceonatraveler’sitinerary.Also,anabundanceofrainfallhascreatedclearmountainstreams,wideflowingrivers,sceniclakes,andcascad-ingwaterfallsthroughoutthecountry.Japan’slandscaperesemblesthosedepictedinJapa-nesesuibokuga(water-inkpainting).Fortunately,thereareplentyofgorgeous,ac-cessibleplacesnotveryfarfromTokyo.For16instance,visitorscanventuretoT¯okamachiinNiigataPrefectureandbeamazedattheter-racedricefieldsthatJapanesefarmershavebuilttocopewiththemountainousterrain.InChibaPrefecture,MountNokogiri’ssaw-toothedridgedaresclimberstoenjoytheviewwhilestandingontheedgeofasheerdrop.Additionally,LakeCh¯uzenjiinTochigiPrefectureisawide,scenicfreshwaterlake(withacircumferenceof25kilometers)thatissituatedatthefootofasacredvolcano.Thespectacularbeautyoftheseareasandmanyotherscallsouttoloversofnature.Answeringthatcalliseasy,butdon’tbesur-prisedifreturningtothecityishard.anada(TerracedRiceFields)棚田T