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Kumamoto Castle is hosting a temporary sea of clouds installation

This surreal installation, which shows Kumamoto Castle floating on a sea of clouds, runs until November 4

Kaila Imada
Written by
Kaila Imada
Associate Editor, Time Out Tokyo
Kumamoto Castle
Photo: Kan1234/Dreamstime
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One of the most stunning sights you can witness in Japan is the unique cloud formation known as unkai or ‘sea of clouds’. This natural phenomenon usually appears in Japan's mountainous regions from early morning in spring and autumn.

As it may be hard to time your travel to catch this rare occurrence, some places in Japan are recreating this stunning sight at more convenient locations. Along with the sea of clouds installation at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, you’ll now be able to see this mystical scene at Kumamoto Castle in Kyushu.

The unkai installation at Kumamoto Castle is now running for a limited time until Monday November 4. The ‘clouds’ are actually white mist, created using water taken from the castle's old well.

This installation is the largest artificial sea of clouds display in Japan. It’s on show throughout the day between 9.10am and 8.30pm. With an entry ticket into the castle, you'll also be able to observe the clouds’ formation from a special observation path. Additionally, the sea of clouds is lit up with beautiful blue lights after sundown, giving the castle an otherworldly look.

For more information on Kumamoto Castle, visit the website.

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