Talk about an unexpected win - while everyone's cramming into Kyoto's famous bamboo forests, we stumbled upon these incredible bamboo walkways right in Beppu Park. The irony isn't lost on me: we found the most impressive bamboo scenery in Japan at a random city park, not at any of the Instagram-famous spots.

Bonus points for having a drive-thru Starbucks right across the street (we actually found a few of these in Japan).

It's funny how sometimes the best experiences aren't the ones you plan for or read about in guides. Here we were in Beppu, mainly for the hot springs and "hells," and we end up finding bamboo groves that put some of the more famous ones to shame. Just goes to show you should always keep your eyes open for those unplanned gems!