As I emerged from the long tunnel of evergreen trees, I found myself on Mars

Shukunegi, located at the southernmost tip of Sado Island, has been designated as a National Important Traditional Building Group Preservation District. Before I even got a chance to see the traditional townscape, the guy at the information center “French people, for one, are all amazed and say it’s like Mars! ‘Once you pass through the tunnel, it’s Mars’—and that’s not just me saying it; it’s actually part of the official promotion,” so I went to check it out, half-believing him. It’s a play on the opening line of Yasunari Kawabata’s *Snow Country*, but when I crouched down and walked through the tunnel, I was surprised—it really was Mars. I’ve never been there, but it felt just like Mars or the moon. This sight is definitely worth seeing.

Shukunegi’s Uplifted Wave-Cut Platform