Tonomine Highlands

Tonomine Highlands is a sweeping grassland plateau at around 800 metres elevation in Kamikawa, deep in the mountains of central Hyogo. Some 90 hectares of susuki (Japanese pampas grass) blanket the rolling hills, and the landscape changes dramatically with the seasons — fresh green in early summer, then a shimmering silver sea of feathery plumes that turns a glowing gold in late autumn. A well-maintained loop trail of about 3.1 km circles the basin in roughly 90 minutes on gentle, mostly flat paths, making it an easy and rewarding walk for all ages; side routes climb 0.8 km to the Tonomine summit or continue about 7 km to the neighbouring Mineyama Highlands for longer hikes. The otherworldly grasslands have made Tonomine a sought-after film and drama location, most famously for the movie *Norwegian Wood* and Studio Ghibli's *The Tale of the Princess Kaguya*, as well as numerous NHK historical dramas. The peak season is late September to early November, when the susuki is at its best and the annual Susuki Festival brings food stalls and stage performances; this is also the busiest time, with the parking lot filling early on autumn weekends. There are few facilities up here, so bring water and warm layers — the highland is noticeably cooler and windier than the valleys below.