Bamboo forest - japan

In Japan's Sagano Bamboo Forest, on the outskirts of Kyoto, towering green stalks of the famously versatile plant sway in the wind, creaking eerily they collide and twist, leaves rustling. 
 The sun filters through the densely packed grove, projecting thin slashes of light onto the dozens of camera-clutching tourists shuffling down the wide trail that cuts through the middle of the forest as they awkwardly angle their shots, attempting to crop human forms out of their frames. Long gone are the days when you'd get this place to yourself.
 If  you've ever clicked on a rundown of "places to see before you die" or a compilation of the most beautiful forests in the world, chances are you've seen a photo of Sagano.

Located in the gorgeous Arashiyama district of western Kyoto, the Sagano Bamboo Forest's popularity has expanded in recent years, coinciding with the growing number of Buzzfeed-esque articles that include it on superlative-heavy travel lists.

Though it's the beauty of the bamboo that brings in the masses, those distinct rustling sounds have become an attraction in their own right.

A few years ago the Ministry of Environment included the Sagano Bamboo Forest on its list of "100 Soundscapes of Japan" -- a selection of everyday noises intended to encourage locals to stop and enjoy nature's music.