travel

Kizuro Village is a hidden natural beauty and feng shui power spot

17 Comments
By Cara Clegg

On the border between Wakayama and Mie prefectures, nature has created a fantastical terrain. The secluded Kizuro Village is encircled by a river and pebble beaches, turning it into a half-island paradise that’s also abundant in good qi.

Location

This hidden gem of natural beauty can be found in the area of Kiwacho, Kumano City, Mie Prefecture. It’s surprising that a community exists in such a place, and life seems like it can be pretty tough there. Around half of the homes in Kizuro Village are now empty, and it’s rapidly becoming a depopulated village where most of the inhabitants are elderly. Exactly 46 years ago there were houses and fields right in the center of the peak, and in the past there was even an elementary school. However, the decline in the population hasn’t made the place any less stunning.

Feng Shui

Kizuro Village is situated on a raised area of land that’s almost completely surrounded by the river that curves around it, so that it sticks out like a peninsula. The arrangement of land and buildings is unique and has been the subject of studies, and it’s also known as a powerful feng shui spot. Mountains and rivers are very important in feng shui, and when an area faces a body of water while being protected by mountains from behind it has naturally good qi.

In feng shui, mountains are referred to as dragons, and a mountain range like the one around this area allows good energy to flow smoothly. Kizuro Village is located where the mountain range naturally falls back down to ground level, creating a ‘dragon hole’ which gives it great power in feng shui terms.

Viewing

The river divides the prefectures of Mie and Wakayama, and the best views can be gotten from walking up into the mountains and looking down from the Wakayama side. The hiking route contains steep inclines and intersections with ridges, so it’s not recommended for beginners. However, you can also travel along the river by jet boat for sightseeing for a more relaxed but just as beautiful experience.

Source: Naver Matome

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17 Comments
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Classic natural development with erosion and deposition leading to the formation of an oxbow lake,...also known as resacas in Texas and billabongs in Australia.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

They were showcasing this town the other day on some Japanese show. Looks pretty cool, though the town itself is unfortunately slowly dying.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If it is a Feng Shui power spot are there any obvious benefits? do the people live longer here? Make more money? are they happier? Seems to me if the town is dying off that there is no obvious positive effect.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Sad to see so much of the J-inaka being depopulated, so many great places!

Sadly a great many are becoming ghost towns

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The worst thing you can do if you want to preserve the beautiful nature of any area....is to tell a load of Japanese people about it on TV.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

We should live in harmony and balance with nature. Nature is a teacher, showing us how to live with it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The worst thing you can do if you want to preserve the beautiful nature of any area....is to tell a load of Japanese people about it on TV.

Yeah, because they are noisy, polute the environment and never do anithing which directly or indirectlysupports the local community, right?

Seriously though, places like the Kizuro village can be brought back to life by introducing business models like sustainable tourism, popularizing local produce, etc. Such developments require effort and time but create jobs and are likely to attract some (even if not many) younger people to the area. Yet, it all depends on the local authorities and the willingness (or lack of it) of the villagers to do something for the future of their village.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Had a heck of time finding this on Google Earth, but once found I enjoyed geography. Very beautiful region.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Lovely, but could we cut out the feng shi woo-woo? Repeat after me: "Geomancy is a scam, new agey geomancy doubly so."

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Interestingly Feng Shui(original Indian now Chinese) and similar methods have proven themselves across the globe and millenia.

Sun, wind, water exposure, etc

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Lovely, but could we cut out the feng shi woo-woo? Repeat after me: "Geomancy is a scam, new agey geomancy doubly so."

Well put Nessie, 100 thumbs up

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Interestingly Feng Shui(original Indian now Chinese) and similar methods have proven themselves across the globe and millenia.

Sun, wind, water exposure, etc

The Indian version, Vastu, has been around for quite some time and while I believe both versions to be claptrap, I would never deign to disparage someone else's system of faith beliefs.

That's what they are, after all.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

JaneMNOV. 10, 2014 - 12:35PM JST Yeah, because they are noisy, polute the environment and never do anithing which directly or indirectlysupports the local community, right?

That pretty much sums up a number of areas of natural beauty in Japan, with Fuji-san on the top of the list. I wonder if the UN designated it a World Heritage Site in order to prod the Japanese government to better manage it? In spite of loving and understanding nature better than the rest of us mere mortal, the Japanese do a lousy job of habitat and natural environment protection.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

the Japanese do a lousy job of habitat and natural environment protection.

Ever been to Oze?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Ever been to Oze?

Or similar, breathtaking trails near Nikko. Japan is full of sublime wilderness and Satoyama areas.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I totally agree with onaganamo. Therd ard special places on this earth that get so much media attention and unneeded tourism that the uniqueness is destroyed. If you found shangra-la would it be a good idea to reveal it to the rest of the world now that we live in a world of instantaneous news coverage? I think not. There are places that should remain a secret or close to one.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Feng Sui?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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