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

All going swimmingly
15 Nov 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
15 Nov 2024Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand

More Desktop Wallpapers:

The worlds most exclusive beach?
24 Dec 2025Christmas Eve
2 Jan 2025Ardez village, Graubunden, Switzerland
18 Aug 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
A show of prehistoric hands
13 Jul 2026International Rock Day
Isn’t this view mesmerizing?
14 Dec 2025Royal Pavilion, Brighton, England
28 Aug 2025Great white egret, Hungary
25 Jul 2024Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
This bird is peak beak
Look up, incoming…
10 Feb 2025Art installation of umbrellas, Borough Market, London, England
Close to the wind
Sanctuary among the trees
24 Oct 2023Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary
7 May 2024A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
23 Feb 2026Great white egret, Upper Bavaria, Germany
In fine feather
A hiker’s dream
2 Nov 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
29 Aug 2024Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain
13 May 2025Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile
Perfect day for a ride
25 Dec 2024Merry Christmas!
So nice, they made it twice
14 Oct 2024Coco Beach, Goa, India
22 Sep 2024Autumn equinox
7 Oct 2024World Architecture Day
A record-breaking reign