Irohazaka Road in autumn, Nikko, Tochigi, Japan Nov. 15, 2025

If you think the alphabet is straightforward, Japan"s Irohazaka Road in Nikko will twist that belief right out of you. Named after the old Japanese syllabary "Iroha," this mountain pass once had 48 hairpin bends—each curve matched to a character of the alphabet. Today, it"s a pair of separate one-way roads—one goes up, the other comes down and both make drivers feel as if they"re spelling out a story with every turn.

© oneinchpunch/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

You otter check this out
Nov. 15, 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
Nov. 15, 2024Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar. 13, 2025Holi celebration in Jaipur, India
Aug. 16, 2024Canadian National Exhibition 2024
Nov. 7, 2025Polar Bear Week
Birthplace of the Renaissance
Giants of the Southern Ocean
Sep. 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon, Portugal
Poetry in suspense
You otter check this out
Jan. 10, 2026The Matterhorn reflected in Lake Stellisee at sunrise, Zermatt, Switzerland
Feb. 20, 2026Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Apr. 16, 2025Anniversary of Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah, United States
Sep. 9, 2025A female Eurasian red squirrel, Switzerland
Sanctuary among the trees
Immersing in nature
Mar. 12, 2025Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France
Jul. 15, 2024Marine Day, Japan
May 12, 2024Mothers Day
Fresh finds in Fraser Valley
Piecing together a better tomorrow
Feb. 24, 2024Almond trees in full bloom, California
An experiment in sustainability
The sprout with amazing potential
Nov. 4, 2023American bison
The other continent down under
Dec. 17, 2024Traditional red fishermens cabins, Reine, Norway
Aug. 26, 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Central Pacific Ocean
Apr. 20, 2025Happy Easter!
Dec. 12, 2024Poinsettia Day
Jan. 6, 2024Vermilion Lakes, Banff
Dec. 20, 2024Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland