Ever since the world found out about the truly picturesque pond located in Gifu Prefecture's Nemichi Shrine, the breathtaking travel destination has seen its fair share of visitors coming from far and wide across the globe. Albeit small, the pond is widely known as "Monet's Pond," a nickname the spot was given ever since people noticed its almost surreal resemblance to Claude Monet's "Water Lilies." Because of its popularity, however, it has become hard to enjoy the tranquil scenery in peaceful solitude — unless, as Japanese Twitter user @EFS17_55 discovered, visitors make their way to the pond at 3 in the morning.

Though most people are unlikely to set out for Monet's Pond before dawn, @EFS17_55's mesmerizing photographs tell of a calm serenity that can't been felt during any other time of the day. This painting-like scenery is well worth waking up before sunrise for, and those planning a visit can also enjoy taking an early morning stroll through the premises of Nemichi Shrine.