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It’s a clear win for California based off any reasonable criteria.
Japan has precious few truly wild areas and what it does have is pretty standard. This is as absurd as saying the UK is by far more naturally beautiful than New Zealand because Scotland is kind of pretty.
Japan is good for lush forests and hills and that’s about it.
This isn't Honshu vs California, it's the entirety of Japan. Stretches from Hokkaido to the Ogasawara Islands, running from the Japanese alps to tropical beaches. The scenery in between is absolutely stunning. I've been three times.
California is as well but it's just one part of the USA, and while there are some amazingly diverse. Obviously USA as a whole would crush Japan more than tenfold in a comparison.
Perhaps a blowout is exaggerated, and beautiful natural scenery is highly subjective but most people are overlook Japan and not seeing it past sushi and anime.
Because the bulk of California is warmer than Japan. More palm growth. Hot, hot temperatures. Similar evergreen forest of a subtropical or tropical zone
California is more arid than tropical. When I think of tropical I think of wet/humid places like Florida, Hawaii, Southeast Asia, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by svelten
This isn't Honshu vs California, it's the entirety of Japan. Stretches from Hokkaido to the Ogasawara Islands, running from the Japanese alps to tropical beaches. The scenery in between is absolutely stunning. I've been three times.
California is as well but it's just one part of the USA, and while there are some amazingly diverse. Obviously USA as a whole would crush Japan more than tenfold in a comparison.
Perhaps a blowout is exaggerated, and beautiful natural scenery is highly subjective but most people are overlook Japan and not seeing it past sushi and anime.
Many people think of Japan as the entire country is like Tokyo, an endless concrete/neon jungle. The prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, and Niigata are exceptional in their beauty but there is plenty to be found all over, even in Western Tokyo Prefecture and all around the metro.
California has it's areas of beauty as well especially in places like Yosemite, Sequoia, Mount Whitney, Redwoods, Big Sur, etc. Overall I prefer the scenery in the northern and central part of the state than Southern, although there are exceptions to mention like the East County of San Diego (Cuyamaca and Mount Laguna areas) to Coachella Valley (Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Mount San Jacinto).
...Yeah, and none of "mainland Japan" is tropical. It's only Japan's smaller southern islands that are. Mainland Japan is much less warm, climatically or ecologically, than California, which is hot and warm mediterranean and subtropical desert.
Subtropical though, similar to the Southeastern US like VA, the Carolinas, Tennessee, GA, and even Northern Florida in some parts.
That's also one think imo that adds to Japan's beauty is the different seasons, with the cherry blossoms, lush greenery in summer, autumn foliage, and then a winter wonder. Granted California has many areas too that experience the different seasons, but I wasn't really a fan of the coastal SoCal areas that are mostly brown and dry most of the year except for winters. I also like the forestry with the cedar, cypress, maple, and various others, although you can see those types of forestry in some areas like Sequoia or Yosemite.
That's also one think imo that adds to Japan's beauty is the different seasons, with the cherry blossoms, lush greenery in summer, autumn foliage, and then a winter wonder. Granted California has many areas too that experience the different seasons, but I wasn't really a fan of the coastal SoCal areas that are mostly brown and dry most of the year except for winters. I also like the forestry with the cedar, cypress, maple, and various others, although you can see those types of forestry in some areas like Sequoia or Yosemite.
Japan is very beautiful to look at, but my experience (as a Californian myself) was that in most places the greenery came with intense summer heat and humidity, and mosquitos. Like anything else, it's a tradeoff. I don't mind the coastal California summer aridity because it is at least not usually hot and humid at the same time, and there are hardly any bugs. But since we're only talking about scenery, that factor is not relevant.
The "true four-season" part of Japan that you refer to is also not the whole country, but does apply to the more populated regions. The southern islands don't get much of a winter. I found summer in Hokkaido far more pleasant than in the south (it felt like the Pacific Northwest), but the winter is excruciatingly long and snowy, too much for me.
Without a doubt California has more varied scenery than Japan, but if the changes of "the four seasons" are what you like, you're probably going to prefer Japan.
Inspired by the California vs. Italy thread, how about between California or Japan? This one is tough as they are completely different with their climates. California might have an edge with more variety/diversity in their landscapes, but the natural beauty of Japan is just stunningly beautiful.
Difficult to say, without eventually ending up subjective.
My biggest take-away is this:
Japan lacks an arid region, let alone a desert.
California lacks a rainy subtropical area.
The contrast between regions is greater in California for its smaller size, which can form quite impressive differences within a smaller landmass. However, Japan has a greater variety in coastlines and islands in comparison, thus allowing greater variation within the same "type" of geography.
Difficult to say, without eventually ending up subjective.
My biggest take-away is this:
Japan lacks an arid region, let alone a desert.
California lacks a rainy subtropical area.
The contrast between regions is greater in California for its smaller size, which can form quite impressive differences within a smaller landmass. However, Japan has a greater variety in coastlines and islands in comparison, thus allowing greater variation within the same "type" of geography.
I cannot speak about flora or fauna, though.
Both are beautiful in their own ways.
It all depends on which you prefer. I prefer more rainy areas as it gives them a more lush green color. Some areas of Japan, especially the mountainous areas remind me of the Pacific NW, which is my favorite region of the US in the scenery department.
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