Built with the money collected from donations by travelers, the Naeba Independence Boardwalk near the Naeba Ski Resort is growing ever longer. For a donation of JPY 1000, travelers can buy a wooden plate, write a message on it and have it added to the boardwalk. What is an Independence boardwalk? It is simply a boardwalk that is open for all to use. Located in Niigata Prefecture, the wooden road weaves its way through the forest for about 1.7 km and is nice for a leisurely walk.