Best places to go on winter holidays

Best places to go on winter holidays

There are many people who tend to think that the definition of a holiday is to sprawl across a sandy beach with a cool pina colada in your hand, looking at the numerous golden sundowns and occasionally stepping into mesmerizing azure waters. That’s why it’s a popular opinion that the last season of the year is something you need to escape from, in search of places with the winter sun. Don’t get me wrong, Morocco, Brazil, Africa, Thailand, and the likes are great places to visit, but if you want to experience a real winter holiday, that is an entirely different story.

Winter is like a messenger of a fairytale land. And we’re not talking about actual fairies, enchanted forests, and colourful cookie houses, but about the core of the fairytale feeling. And that core lies in tranquillity, the mesmerizing but subtle beauty of a landscape that seems like it speaks to you in its whispering, almost chanting voice.

Most of us are urban individuals who live in a turmoil of increasingly fast rhythm of life. We have the need to conquer and overcome all obstacles, but the real vacation for both - our body and mind - can be accomplished only if we would allow ourselves to dive into the soothing sea of tranquillity. And the best place to do that is the Far East. The wonderful scene of a showdown with O-Ren Ishii from Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic ‛Kill Bill’ perfectly illustrates my point. After the Western ‛Bride’ (Uma Thurman) slides back the doorway in pursuit of the O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) she reveals the snow-covered gardens on the roof of the House of Blue Leaves. The visual effect of this transition makes such an intense change in atmosphere that all we want is for the arch-enemies to put down their swords and just breath in the magic around them. We’ve put together a list of winter destinations that will allow you to make that transition outside the movie theatre.

1. Let Your Spirit Flow

If you’re familiar with the classics of Japanese cinema, you know they are the masters of dreamy landscapes, used to depict the connection with the spirits of our ancestors. If you want to experience this connection in a real live dreamscape, then the Blue Pond in Biei, Hokkaido is the perfect winter place for you. Although the Blue Pond is an artificial lake that is the result of a dam raised in 1988 in order to prevent mudflow from the Biegawa River, no azure see can compare to its striking blue colour. The best thing is that it’s not even the colour, but an effect of diffraction that changes during the day and night. And Biei is a peaceful small town that is surrounded by breathtaking nature. This destination has become world-wide famous after Apple OS X Mountain Lion photo, and Apple certainly knows their aesthetics. What makes this place particularly spiritual is the presence of dry slim trees, protruding from the pond. It is like glimpsing the shadows of true beauty , behind the veil.

2. The Gold Protection

If Blue Pond’s ghostly spirituality is a bit too much for you and you prefer a more traditional one, perhaps the Kinkaku-Ji, Kyoto is the best winter destination for you. I’m aware that most people are tired from the sightseeing of ‛important religious and historic sites’, but Rokuon-Ji (Deer Garden Temple) , also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, is a mesmerizing Zen Buddhist sanctuary that will make you believe again. It was first established in 1397 and it featured an important statement's villa. Then came the centuries of turbulent history of incidents, dramatized in Yukio Mishima’s masterpiece. Now it's a three-story structure that was built in 1955, and just one look at its golden leaves that were positioned to protect the dead from bad energy will make your soul vibrate.

3. The Revelation Ride

Maybe you’re not searching for spirituality in religion , but you’re hoping to find your personal revelation in winter magic. Under one of the heaviest snowfalls in Japan, Aizu’s slopes and forests are covered in a thick and glistening layer of snow, creating what seems like the birthplace of winter magic. This mountainous area is full of enchanting panoramic views, but the best thing is two rivers passing by - Tadami and Ina. If you thought that the magical revelation of winter can be glimpsed in Robert Zemeckis’ ‛The Polar Express’, then the railway bridge of a famous Tadami Line will carry you all the way. It will feel like a scenic ride through the secluded areas of your inner being.

4. The Rush of Wilderness

Yes, we’re gonna talk about skiing. And yes, we know you’ve probably done that many times, and we’ve promised you something magical and different. You’ve already been to Italy, France , Canada, etc. and skiing is...well, just skiing. That is probably all correct, but if you try ski Japan offers you’re in for a very different kind of experience. To find your inner peacefulness, you need to connect with nature. And the essence of nature is not tame, but wild. Rushing down the snow-covered mountains will make you experience that wilderness. That is not the opposite of tranquillity we’re searching for - she is waiting ready at the point of synchronicity with Nature’s flow. And the best place to find it is dreamy, dry-powdered snow of this magical country.

There are many amazing ski resorts along the Japanese Alps, but the one in Hakuba Valley provides you with a wide variety of accommodation (Japanese or Western? Ryokan or Hotel?) and activities (Wide open gentle slopes or black runs?). But what really makes the experience complete is the fact that beneath this mighty ring of mountains is a great supply of thermal waters. So jump right out of your ski clothes and into one of the Onsen hot springs that will provide you with a complete restoration of both - your physical and psychological powers.

5. Being Human

In this modern world, we have almost forgotten what being human really means. I’m not talking about physical appearance and manners, but about the simple things that don’t require pretending. If you are in Hakuba, it is very easy to access the Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park, whose inhabitants will provide you with the essence of humanity. Besides their love for hot spring long baths, these Japanese macaques also have very unusual habits of developing an accent and rolling snowballs. They’re warming themselves inside natural pools in groups and they don’t show any signs of fear from people. Quite the opposite - they seem to enjoy hanging around very much. If you’ve already been in Onsens around humans, now you have the chance to see that subtle differences in humanity when there is no mask attached.

6. Invitation to Dance

This is the last thing from our list, but it’s not an invitation to the exploration of nightlife. Although it is the most social so far since the location in question is the Sapporo Snow Festival, the dance in question is not a physical one, but rather metaphorical. A dance through life, so to speak. If you’ve read Haruki Murakami’s novel ‛Dance Dance Dance’ which brought him world fame, you’d know what am I talking about. Despite the fact that Sapporo is the fourth largest city in Japan and that this festival is known as a major event that attracts more and more visitors, Sapporo still possesses some of that dream-like and ‛drifting’ quality it possesses in the novel. It is like being surrounded by people but also with yourself, having a fun time, but also a clear head. In other words, this is a place where you can achieve perfect harmony. And those magnificent ice and snow sculptures made by various artists will fill your soul with a soothing thought that the true beauty is shape-shifting and deep inside.

If you want to experience a true winter holiday with all the magic that comes with it, the Far East is the way to go. You can release your spirit to golden heights, take a ride of self-revelation, experience the rush of wilderness or simply find again those deep human traits and start dancing through life.