{"id":26921,"date":"2022-10-11T15:00:47","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T15:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=26921"},"modified":"2023-05-12T12:52:21","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T12:52:21","slug":"lesser-known-places-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/lesser-known-places-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"6 lesser-known places in Japan to visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tokyo, Kyoto and Mt Fuji are all famous places in Japan that every visitor wants to tick off their bucket list. But there are many lesser-known places in Japan<\/strong> that are just as exciting, beautiful and fulfilling.<\/p>\n

We’ve selected some of our top destinations that you may like to consider on your next trip.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Kumano Kod\u014d \u718a\u91ce\u53e4\u9053<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Kumano Kod\u014d is a network of pilgrimage trails weaving all throughout the southern Kansai region. It centres around three main shrines: Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha. You\u2019ll likely have seen images of Nachi Taisha on the internet already, but even so, these sacred trails and the towns around them aren\u2019t on as many visitors\u2019 radars.<\/p>\n

It takes days to hike the entire Kumano Kod\u014d, so it\u2019s more common to spend a long weekend experiencing a select portion of the trail. There is train access to the Kumano area, but hiring a car would be far more convenient.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/h3>\n

Kisoji \u6728\u66fd\u8def<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Kiso Valley is a picturesque and historical valley that was once part of the ancient inland trade route that ran between Edo and Ky\u014dto called the Nakasend\u014d<\/em> \u4e2d\u5c71\u9053. There were many post towns along this 500 kilometre route, which served as places where travellers could rest and refuel before moving on to their next destination.<\/p>\n

A small number of these former post towns have been preserved to look how they did back when the Nakasend\u014d was still in use. These include Narai \u5948\u826f\u4e95, Magome \u99ac\u7c60 and Tsumago \u59bb\u7c60, all of which have been exquisitely preserved.<\/p>\n

A popular way to experience these towns is to walk between them over 2-3 days and stay at accommodation providers along the way. The trek follows the former trade route, taking you through the mountains of Nagano prefecture, making it a beautiful and memorable way to experience rural Japan.<\/p>\n

For more information on the Kiso Valley, visit their official tourism website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Matsuyama \u677e\u5c71<\/b><\/h2>\n

This is the largest city on the island of Shikoku \u56db\u56fd and is home to one of Japan\u2019s oldest onsen<\/em><\/a> resorts, D\u014dgo Onsen \u9053\u5f8c\u6e29\u6cc9. The main onsen building is said to have been an inspiration for Studio Ghibli film \u201cSpirited Away\u201d.<\/p>\n

Matsuyama Castle is one of Japan\u2019s 12 original castles, meaning it\u2019s survived relatively intact from 1868 to this day. From this city, you can visit the nearby town of Uchiko \u5185\u5b50, which features well-preserved old buildings in its historical district – much like Ky\u014dto\u2019s Gion district, just without the crowds!<\/p>\n

Matsuyama is located in Ehime \u611b\u5a9b prefecture and another popular destination in this area is Imabari \u4eca\u6cbb<\/b>. This city has one of Japan\u2019s cutest mascots, Bary-san \u30d0\u30ea\u30a3\u3055\u3093, depicted as a giant, round chicken holding a ship.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

But for travel purposes, this is the city to visit if you want to cycle the Shimanami Kaid\u014d \u3057\u307e\u306a\u307f\u6d77\u9053<\/b>. This is a 70 kilometre-long route made up of bridges that span across 6 islands, connecting Imabari with Onomichi \u5c3e\u9053 in Hiroshima prefecture. It is a stunning ride and best experienced over two days.<\/p>\n

For more information on this route, read this first-timer\u2019s guide to cycling the Shimanami Kaid\u014d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Yanagawa \u67f3\u5ddd<\/b><\/h2>\n

This quaint little town is like the Venice of Japan and is located near Fukuoka \u798f\u5ca1 on Ky\u016bsh\u016b \u4e5d\u5dde, Japan\u2019s southwesternmost island. It has 470 kilometres of canals, which you can experience by boat, operated by oarsmen, or simply by walking around. You can visit the former home of the dominant clan, which ruled during Japan\u2019s feudal era. And you can sample freshwater eel, which is the local specialty.<\/p>\n

Another pleasant canal town is Kurashiki \u5009\u6577<\/b> in Okayama prefecture \u5ca1\u5c71 on the main island. This town\u2019s canal area dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1867). It used to be a rice distribution centre and many of the former rice storehouses are now museums and boutique shops and cafes.<\/p>\n

Yakushima \u5c4b\u4e45\u5cf6<\/b><\/h2>\n

This subtropical island, located in south Ky\u016bsh\u016b, is the perfect place to visit if you love being in the mountains surrounded by ancient cedar trees, away from civilisation.<\/p>\n

Being in the location it\u2019s in, with mountains that reach almost 2000 metres high, Yakushima sees a lot of rainfall. However, winter on Yakushima tends to be warmer than the main island, although there is usually snowfall in the mountains over winter and many accommodation providers and stores close.<\/p>\n

We recommend doing your research if you choose to visit Yakushima on the Go To Travel campaign, or consider visiting with a guide. Some options include Yakushima Experience<\/a> or Yakushima Geographic Tour<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more information on this island, read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Kakunodate \u89d2\u9928<\/b><\/h2>\n

This quaint and well-preserved town is a former castle town. Its samurai district is largely unchanged from when the town was founded in the 17th century. So it\u2019s a fantastic place to visit for those interested in samurai-era architecture. Some of the homes are open to the public and contain items passed down by the samurai families.<\/p>\n

Visit here<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

Near Kakunodate is Ny\u016bt\u014d Onsen \u4e73\u982d\u6e29\u6cc9, a collection of hot springs and traditional Japanese inns located in the mountains. The water here is milky, rather than clear, and some of the facilities are very traditional.<\/p>\n

Another local attraction is Lake Tazawa<\/a>, or Tazawako \u7530\u6ca2\u6e56, a scenic lake that is the deepest in Japan. There are many buses that run around the lake, as well as sightseeing boats.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to visit Kakunodate and Lake Tazawa by train if you stay in Akita \u79cb\u7530, which is less than an hour away from Kakunodate. From Tazawako Station, you can catch a bus to Ny\u016bt\u014d Onsen.<\/p>\n

Share your lesser-known places in Japan<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Those are just some of our recommended lesser-known places in Japan that you might not have heard about before. If you\u2019re looking for more ideas on places to go, make sure to check out our blog<\/a>, as well as a special article<\/a> we produced with a couple of well-known influencers based here in Japan.<\/p>\n

There are so many wonderful places to visit in Japan, but we can\u2019t list them all here. Got a favourite, lesser-known place in Japan that you\u2019d like to share? Tell us in the comments!<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tokyo, Kyoto and Mt Fuji are all famous places in Japan that every visitor wants to tick off their bucket list. But there are many lesser-known places in Japan that are just as exciting, beautiful and fulfilling. We’ve selected some of our top destinations that you may like to consider on your next trip. Kumano […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":25833,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[403],"tags":[690,685],"class_list":["post-26921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-only-in-japan","tag-living-abroad","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26921"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26921\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}