Kanagawa prefecture

Hotoku Ninomiya Jinja, Odawara

360° VR panorama of Hōtoku Ninomiya Jinja in Odawara, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. The shrine is dedicated to Ninomiya Sontoku, a famous Japanese agricultural leader, philosopher, moralist and economist. He grew up in a poor farming family, and both his parents had died by the time he was 16. In between working the land to feed his brothers, he studied hard and managed to increase the productivity of the land.

He was then recruited to the local government, which was having financial difficulties. He reformed their finances, and was then invited to do the same for several other districts suffering similar problems.

A statue of Ninomiya Sontoku is present at the shrine, and statues are also placed in many Japanese schools. The statue depicts him carrying firewood on his back while reading a book, showing that he was always studying.

Ōwakudani valley, Hakone

360° VR panorama of the road past Ōwakudani valley (大涌谷) in Hakone, Japan. Steam and sulphur rise out of the ground in this area, the name “Ōwakudani” literally means “Great Boiling Valley”.

In the distance is Kamiyama (神山), the highest peak in Hakone. The area is popular with tourists for its mountains and hot springs.

Mountain path, Hakone

360° VR panorama of a path down the mountain towards Ōwakudani valley (大涌谷) in Hakone, Japan. The dead trees at the sides of the path were probably killed off by fumes from the sulphur vents in the valley. The name “Ōwakudani” literally means “Great Boiling Valley”.

In the distance is Kamiyama (神山), the highest peak in Hakone. Covered with clouds in the far distance is Mount Fuji. Hakone is popular with tourists for its mountains and hot springs.

Forest path across the mountain, Hakone

360° VR panorama of a path through the forest on a mountain in Hakone, Japan. The path leads south to Kamiyama, the highest peak of Hakone, with branches off to Ōwakudani valley and Mt. Komagatake. Hakone is a popular area with tourists, having easy train access from Tokyo and featuring mountains, a large lake, and hot springs.