When it comes to visiting Japan, Tohoku isn’t exactly on most people’s radars. The northern region of the country is quite far away from the main cities, and there’s not much to do there… at least, there isn’t if you don’t know the right places to look! Zao Fox Village (蔵王キツネ村) has been causing quite a stir lately, and is totally worth the trip to Miyagi prefecture. It’s located at the top of a mountain and is apparently even prettier in the snow, so my friends and I decided to see it for ourselves.
After a scenic bus ride up the mountains, we arrived in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. For your own safety, be prepared with proper shoes if you visit during the winter months! The roads can get super slippery, making walking to the entrance a struggle in itself. Also be prepared to fork over around 1000 yen for the experience, although you can stay for as long as you like.
Once you enter the enclosure, there are literally foxes everywhere. You can hear them from a mile away too – if you were curious about what sound a fox makes, it’s similar to a whole lot of high-pitched screeching! Apparently clueless tourists will often extend their hands out to the foxes and get bitten, so I made sure to keep my distance. You can also hold a fox with supervision, if that’s up your alley! In any case, this was definitely an experience I’d never be able to have here in Australia.
It eventually got too cold and windy to bear, so we retreated inside where the fireplace was waiting. Honestly, this had to be one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. It really felt like I was stumbling across a bunch of foxes in the wild – even though some of them are kept in cages, most are free to do their own thing and wander as they please.
In other news, you may have noticed that I’ve given the blog a fresh coat of paint! I had nothing against the old layout, but really felt that a shakeup was necessary. Ever since I came home I’ve been feeling weirdly restless, so any kind of change is probably a step in the right direction. Anyway, let me know what you think!
