Soni Highlands

Feel the change of the change of the seasons as you walk in the gleaming grassy plains.

These majestic highlands which cover over 40 hectares of at nestled at the foot of Mt.Kuroso, one of Japan’s 300 famous mountains and also part of Muro-Akame-Aoyama Quasi-National Park.The highlands see an average of 500~600 thousand visitors a year, recently there has also been an increase of visitors from overseas. It has also gained recognition in national media as one of hundred great walking routes in Japan. 
In Summer a lush green carpet of grass stretches as far as the eye can see and in Autumn the long stalks take on a silverly gleam, turning gold in the evening sun. There is a pond which is linked to the “O-kame legend” where a rare swamp creature is said to live. Historically the highland pampas grasses where cultivated to use as thatch for the traditional country houses and the villagers maintain the grasses to this day. At the beginning of Spring the fields are burned to encourage new growth creating a rare and striking scenery of scorched earth.