The is a geographical area that is located in the
Rokkō Mountains,
Hyōgo,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. This valley is a part of
Setonaikai National Park
is a Japanese national park, comprising areas of Japan's Seto Inland Sea, and of ten bordering Prefectures of Japan, prefectures. Designated a national park in 1934, it has since been expanded several times. It contains about 3,000 islands, know ...
in Japan. The name of Hōrai Valley coming from a name of the mountain in a mystical land found in Chinese mythology.
Outline
Horai Valley is located along the upper reaches of the
Ōtada River in the
Rokkō Mountains. Although the valley is considered to be a
badland
Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in '' Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes ...
, the rugged terrain found here is rare in other badlands around the world. The valley is characterized by its white granite cliffs that stretch up to a hundred meters high, creating sawtooth-like ridges. This granite is brittle enough to be easily broken by the hands of climbers.
Because of its alien landscape, this location has often been used as a movie set for Japanese filmmakers. It is also a frequent destination for climbers and tourists alike.
Access
*
Shirube Iwa Bus stop or
Zatodani Bus stop of
Hankyu Bus.
Gallery
Image:Horaikyo badland01.jpg, A Far View of Horai Valley (1)
Image:HoraiValley2.JPG, A Far View of Horai Valley (2)
Image:HoraiValley3.JPG, A Scene of Deep Horai Valley (1)
Image:HoraiValley4.JPG, A Scene of Deep Horai Valley (2)
Image:HoraiValley6.JPG, A Scene of Deep Horai Valley (3)
Image:HoraiValley7.JPG, A Scene of Deep Horai Valley (4)
Image:HoraiValley8.JPG, A Scene of Deep Horai Valley (5)
Image:HoraiValley9.JPG, A Scene of Deep Horai Valley (6)
Image:Deep Horai Valley.jpg, A Scene of Deep Horai Valley (7)
See also
*
Kamakura Valley
References
Official Home Page of the Geographical Survey Institute in JapanRokkosan, Yama to Keikosha, 2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horai Valley
Tourist attractions in Hyōgo Prefecture
Landforms of Hyōgo Prefecture
Valleys of Japan