My favorite location in Shenmue is the Hazuki Dojo in Yamanose itself. Due to the residence once being a former temple, the entire place has such a strong spiritual presence about it. There’s the koi pond, the Sakura tree, the deer chaser, all the interesting items located in the dojo, the Buddhist shrine, etc. On top of all that, there’s just something so intimate and comforting about this place.
My second favorite location would be Bailu Village because of its tranquil vibe. I love hearing the sounds of nature while training and just having someone warmly welcome me home everyday was wonderful. In other words, this place was warm, tranquil, serene, and dripping with atmosphere. It’s such a shame that my stay there was so short because there was so much more I wanted to learn.
My third favorite place would be Man Mo Temple. There was just something so charming about this place. However I think it comes down to two of my favorite moments in Shenmue II. The first catching leaves in order to regain your calm and the second with Xiuying so elegantly practicing under the moonlight.