Tucked within the quiet town of Minamiaso in Kumamoto Prefecture lies a sacred pool of impossibly clear water: Shirakawa Suigen. This isn’t just a pretty pond. It’s the literal birthplace of the Shirakawa River, one of the major water sources for the entire region. What makes it truly special isn’t just the water’s purity—but the sense that you’ve stumbled upon something quietly magical.

Imagine stepping into a painting where the colors are almost too vivid to be real—a turquoise lake so bright it looks like a Photoshop accident, surrounded by snow-dusted mountains that pierce the sky. That’s Lake Louise. Tucked away in Banff National Park, Alberta, it’s one of Canada’s most iconic—and surreal—natural wonders.