I spent a lengthy amount of time in Japan this past year, 2 months in September and I just got home from another two months March-May. I spent quite a bit of time in lesser-known areas and wanted to share some of my favorite spots if you are looking to experience Japan with fewer tourists.
**Some quick details about me:**
* -I (18F) stayed mainly in hostels, with a $60-70 budget a day. I think I stayed in four or five hotels the entire trip.
* -I speak an intermediate level of Japanese and can read the majority of menus, signs, etc.. without problem. This really came in handy when reading because when you get FAR in the countryside, there sometimes is no service AND no English translations/no English speakers.
* -I visited 27 prefectures over a collective 108 days in Japan with the two trips.
# Overall favorite prefectures:
* -Hokkaido: so much nature, incredible skiing, not touristy, SO much snow even into April. I bet this would be amazing to escape the July heat!
* -Aomori: there isn’t much to do in the city of Aomori, but taking a road trip an hour outside gets you to a lot of really amazing places (Takayama Inari Shrine, tsuru no maishashi bridge, Cape Tappi)
* -Fukuoka: I loved this place so much because I visited during full bloom of cherry blossoms. Truly a stunning sight.
* -Fukui: arguably my #1 favourite. I think I noticed one other foreigner during my entire time there, and the attractions there are so unmatched. This prefecture is dinosaur-themed, with huge statues of dinosaurs outside Fukui station, since it has the most dino bones than any other part of Japan.
# Favorite foods:
* -Soup curry, Hokkaido (it will change your life if you’ve never had it)
* -The Full Full Hakata (a bakery in Fukuoka, truly the best in the country imo)
* -Okonomiyaki (of course, I loved the ones in Osaka)
# Unique indoor attractions only in Japan that are totally worth it:
* -Art aquarium in Ginza, Tokyo
* -Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse, Aomori
* -Observation decks were my FAVORITE! Tokyo Skytree, JR T38 in Sapporo, and Fukuoka tower were my top 3.
# Places that you CANNOT MISS if you want to see real Japan (a bit of a long list):
* -Echizen Daibutsu, Fukui: it houses the largest inside statue of Buddha in Japan, and it took my breath away. The temple grounds are beautiful and you can get a bird’s eye view of Fukui from the pagoda.
* -Lake Toya, Hokkaido: renting a car for this IS WORTH IT! It is a two hour drive from Sapporo. Toya is a volcanic caldera lake and the sights were, literally, some of the best I’ve seen in Japan. There is tons to do around the lake, and my day trip consisted of hiking, waterfalls, ropeway, Hokkaido milk gelato.
* -Mount Aso, Kumamoto: I did this with public transportation from Kumamoto city, but renting a car would save both time and a headache. Aso is an active volcano and while the hike to get up close to the volcano is closed (due to activity), you can get pretty close enough to it. Close enough to breathe in the volcano fumes and uncontrollably cough, along with everyone else there, for the next thirty minutes. Several hiking trails around it are open though, and a few lakes, and it is very pretty. I was there from about 10am-3pm and did three hikes, pet some horses, and got ice cream.
* -Matsushima Bay, Miyagi: Known as one of the top 3 views in all of Japan, it is 260 small islands off the coast of Miyagi. I did the Oku-Matsushima trail, which is a 10km hike that takes you all around the area through bamboo forests, a cemetery, wetlands, unique rock formations, beaches, etc.. at the end it takes you up the mountain to get an incredible view of the bay. Such a cool hike and I literally did not see a single person during my time there.
* -Michinoku coastal trail, Aomori: there is tons of info online, but if you have specific questions feel free to ask. It was a gorgeous hike along the ocean.
* -Sakurajima, Kagoshima: an island right off Kagoshima with an active volcano.
* Toyama: typically an over-looked destination, it has a ton of fun things to do that make a perfect day trip. Glass museum, castle, temples and I was there during a festival.
**Lastly, just a few places I do NOT recommend:**
* -Okayama: just, no. Personally, I found the town to be quite depressing and the locals to not be very nice. Okay for a day trip but there is literally nothing to see in the city other than the castle and the garden. Plus, the castle wasn’t anything special.
* -Kyoto in the spring. I absolutely loved it in the fall, but the amount of tourists in the spring literally destroyed the experience for me (there was an astonishing amount of disrespectful foreigners). Please consider visiting less popular destinations that still have the same charm as Kyoto during March/April.
* -Tokyo DisneySea: It is significantly smaller than Disneyland but in my opinion not as fun. Sure, it’s the only DisneySea in the world, but there really wasn’t anything crazy special about it. If you’re a die-hard Disney fan, then 100% sure, but I am a “go once for the experience” type girl.
I hope this inspires any Japan travelers to get to know the lesser-known destinations 🙂 the golden route is beautiful but I would take these destinations over Osaka and Kyoto any day! (obviously you can’t miss Tokyo).
by NormalRun1446
33 comments
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and places to visit! I want to explore Hokkaido as much as possible and I’ll definitely add lake Toya in my list 🙂
Thank you! I’m doing a 2 week trip soon. Are there any areas you recommend going for a relaxing time? E.g. not action packed city
I hate how good soup curry is. It’s one of those things that are niche enough you can’t really find it outside the country or even Hokkaido for that matter.
Okayama – I had a better experience in a short trip there – the city center looked depressing but the locals were quite okay — friendlier than those encountered in Tokyo or Nagoya when asking for directions.
I wondered if you ventured out of the city though. Kibitsu shrine was kind of architecturally interesting with the history.
Hinase in Okayama was nice for their kaki-oko (oyster okonomiyaki). Locals there were friendly enough too.
Did you see 備中松山城 Matsuyama castle in Takahashi, Okayama? I found the mountain castle in Takahashi very scenic especially when the clouds roll in. The locals there crowned a part ginger cat , Sanjuro as the lord of the castle.
Kurashiki was nice too — canal town in Okayama. I’m returning to Okayama again but to actually explore other places out of the city.
Fukui is truly underrated. Great dino museum and Eiheiji Temple is a must see.
Toyama is on our wish list for october, so good to know 🙂
Wow I love Disney sea and okayama I have been going to Japan lots over the last 7 years for vacation I am up to 14 times and lots of them over 90days each I always visit Disney sea and okayama😧 it must depend on the person. If you have a jr pass and exsporing Kansai area I recommend doing a day trip to Okayama the city of momotoro peach boy! Near the castle take the bridge over and ride in a peach boat it’s very enjoyable it’s about 50min away from shin Osaka on the shinkansen!
what kind of transportation did you use? did you rent a car?
A different view from someone who has been in Japan for 17 years:
Hokkaido, NOT TOURISTY?
Isn’t half the population Australian skiiers? 😛
Tokyo Disney Sea is more adult-themed than Land for those who are interested. They sell beer at Disney Sea, not Land for example. The rides are also a bit more for adults (been to land a few times, and nothing really “scary” like at Universal Studios etc.)
Cherry blossoms you can see everywhere, Fukuoka is great for the FOOD. Best food in Japan.
Aomori is great for craft breweries and sake.
To add: if you have a car, Shikoku is great for castles, museums, food, temples, and general sightseeing to also keep away from overcrowding.
Seconding Lake Toya! And don’t forget Mount Usu right next to it! The views are fantastic.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and observations. That’s a great run-down!
Agree about Kyoto and the challenges of overtourosm. Plus, although you were there in September (which is fall in a lot of places in the world), fall in Kyoto is November-December and once again it gets pretty packed.
Glad you got outside the standard destinations and had a well-rounded and insightful Japan travel experience.
I enjoyed your writeup with a few exceptions. One was the gaijin determination to experience Japan with no foreigners…as if the sight of a non-Japanese would spoil the entire trip. Why is that? Many of the writeups from tourists (as opposed to permanent residents like myself) are such that the mere sight of another foreigner possibly ruins the experience. It’s a small world, my friend. We are everywhere.
When I “lived” in Japan for a year, I actually did escape the heat of Honshu by going up to Hakodate and Sapporo for almost a month back in [August 2022.](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/17yfls8/one_year_in_japan_sapporo_my_beloved_august_22/) Honestly, I feel like Hokkaido is the one prefecture you can visit regardless of season, it’s always fantastic. Agree on soup curry, too. I miss it so much.
Agreed on Okayama to be honest. I’ve stayed there twice now, first time it was alright because I was with friends but the second time, I stayed there because I needed a place to stay at in between Nagoya and me doing the Shimanami Kaido and god it sucked. As you said, the city itself truly only has the garden and the castle – the latter only being interesting from the outside. And people rave about Kurashiki, which I think is nice to visit from Okayama but in the end it’s not that big and you can at best spend like half a day there.
I only just finished my own report of travelling around Japan in Spring of 2023 and yeah, Kyoto… it was an absolutely amazing place to visit before borders opened up but by April 2023, it was already teeming with people. Now, as a tourist myself, I am also the problem but I’ve decided right then and there to not venture into Kyoto in Spring – or just in general – again. The city is too overrun and it lacks the space that cities like Tokyo provide. There are some areas in the west and north that didn’t have many tourists in Fall but with so many videos about “off the beaten path” recommendations, I doubt even those are relaxing anymore.
**Edit**: since this thread has suddenly turned into a “Lol look at all these foreigners hating tourists when they’re tourists themselves”, here’s my take on this – quite frankly – idiotic statement.
If you have the means to visit Japan multiple times or for a prolonged time, you will naturally check off the typical Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima itineraries at some point. I highly doubt the majority of people who write about “off the beaten path” places do it to one-up each other or feel special. They do it because they wanted to experience a different side to Japan and then talk about it, because it’s human nature to yap about your experiences. Do people really think that everyone who dislikes places that are overrun with tourists and then plan out a trip around, let’s say, Shikoku, thinks: “I want to do a Shikoku lap because then I can show these other tourists how cool I am for not going to Dotonbori for the 10th time, hell yeah”? No, they fucking do it because they have seen Dotonbori 10 times and now want to see something else.
I’ll forever love Tokyo, no matter how touristy it is. It’s somewhat of a second home to me, but I’m simply not going to go to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku or Ikebukuro because those places are just too full of people and I’d rather have a more relaxing time in the city on future travels by staying further on the east side, away from crowded areas. A place can be both amazing and also crowded as fuck and not a great time on another trip. I am not thinking I am special because of that. Similarly, I don’t think people need to gang up on an 18 year old who managed to spend 3 months in Japan on their own, questioning how they could afford it and berate them for their takes. I assure you that 99% of people in this thread – me included – had worse takes than OP at the age of 18.
Of course there will always be some people who _do_ want to feel better than every other tourist, but we’ve gotten to a point where any time someone says they “Don’t like touristy areas” or they “Haven’t seen any tourist at all” in place X, _someone_ is coming in with the low-hanging fruit comment of “Another tourist who doesn’t like tourists, wow, you’re so special!”. Maybe such comments come from their own place of insecurity? Alas, I digress.
To OP: don’t give a shit about these people questioning how you were able to afford this trip.
Personally I think Okayama is a great destination for a one or two day stay. I have to disagree! The locals were all so nice to me. The owner of my hotel was so nice she gifted me a ticket to the local event which usually cost money for free. Also she invited me to tea and told me about the history of the hotel which was so interesting as her ancestors lived since a few hundred years in Okayama. (Samurai Family)
Thank you!!! Amazing details! I’m currently finishing my second trip and next time I come back I hope it’s for a month to the sort of more distant and scenic locations you mention! Fukui is now high on my list as someone who loves dinosaurs lol 😂
Hey OP. Are u working online? Or the 108 days was a vacation haha
I actually loved DisneySea. It is a great park with a unique vibe.
I am however a big amusement park enthusiast and have visited many all across the world.
I wouldn’t characterize Toyama as overlooked, it’s just most known and travelled for the surrounding Alps.
Awesome write up! I’m going to Japan for 180 days starting in November (with a 1 month gap in South Korea between the two 90 day trips) and I’m so excited!!
Hard disagree on Tokyo Disney sea. Just the vibe is completely different from all other Disney parks.
I think the preface should be, it’s best that you should be at least somewhat interested in Disney to consider going.
But the nautical and explorative themes of this park, along with the very detailed buildings and architecture, is really none like other Disney parks, or theme parks in general.
I will be going to Fukui prefecture again this summer, since it is your favourite prefecture, could you give me some more recommendations for my trip? I have already been to Echizen Daibutsu, which I agree was absolutely amazing, and I have also been to Eiheiji already. Anything else? Same goes for Toyama, Kanazawa and Nagano, but I haven’t been there yet. Anything will help me really
This entire thread is cringe tbh everyone trying to one up eachother with how off the beaten track they have gone in Japan 😭😂
Foreigners writing about preferring to not see other foreigners, or too many other foreigners ruining their enjoyment of a place is just…. Chefs kiss. You are more special and different than the other million tourists, don’t worry!
I think people took your wording way too seriously, don’t take it to heart. people can be really wacky when it comes to Japan. you didn’t even say seeing toursits ruins my fun or anything like some comments insinuated, which really tells you how weird it gets lol
there is nothing wrong with wanting a less touristy side of Japan, and there’s nothing wrong with sharing what you found to be “off the beaten path” with other travelers.
Ive been to Japan numerous times as a tourist and short time resident, and I do think less touristy is better for multiple reasons. less busy is the top reason, being frank, where there are many tourists it is because it’s a busy area (Tokyo proper). nothing wrong with Tokyo or touristy, but once you’ve seen it once it can be hectic and not everyone is into dense crowds.
You are the first person I read that shares my opinion of DisneySea.
I don’t understand the hype around it other than as you said “it’s the only DisneySea in the world”
Most characters and attractions are from obscure Disney IPs which ruined the fun for me, it didn’t feel like Disney, it felt as a generic theme park
I’m from Fukui and so happy to hear you liked it!!
Thanks for the recs! I did not spend any time in Okayama itself but to note, it’s a good jumping point to Kurashiki. It’s one of the prettiest town I’ve ever seen and the locals so kind. They were so hospitable borderline creepy lol – I went to bed earlier than my host and other guests at a small hostel (daytime tea house), and found a leg warmer under my feet in the morning (it was December) 🤣
Fukuoka is one of my favorite small “big” cities. It’s got everything you’d ever need but still feels so intimate. Highly recommended even though there aren’t many “must sees” sight wise.
It’s amazing you’re 18 and solo traveling. Don’t pay attention to people questioning this and that. I traveled the world quite a bit on a shoestring with 0 cents contributions from my parents (I now help them financially). It can be done and has been done by hundreds of thousands of people (if I had to guess). Idk why it is even a question.
I’ve saved this post. Thanks mate.
I’m very surprised you did not like DisneySea, when I went a few years ago I actually preferred it to Disney land, with the volcano, the tower of terror, journey to the centre of the earth, Indiana jones, I’d say those are some of my favourite rides, I can barely remember Disneyland in comparison, and this year they’re opening the whole new fantasy springs area.
Obviously I don’t mean to say you’re wrong because it’s a personal preference, just thought for anyone who might be booking I would say if you’re going anytime after 6th June to go to disneysea for the same amount of time as Disney land
Could not disagree more about DisneySea. Best Disney park in the world, and my favorite theme park of any of the 150+ I’ve been to worldwide.
Please tell me more about Fukui!!! Dinosaurs are a major special interest and I will drag my family there if it’s really as wonderfully dinosaur themed!
I’m not understanding why this girl is getting so much hate for not wanting to be around a bunch of tourists…she’s not fetishizing Japan in any way for not wanting to be in a tourist trap. No matter what country you travel to, an area with a bunch of tourists is going to have a different vibe than an area with a bunch of locals, and people are gonna have preferences on which vibe they like and THATS OKAY. Not once did she put down the tourists or say their presence would spoil her trip, she just commented on how there were many disrespectful tourists, which is a problem in any country.
Also she’s not a gaijin, she’s literally half. She is connecting with her culture and if she wants to be in areas where she is able to do that then more power to her (also please do not come in here discussing whether Japanese people consider mixed kids to be gaijin or not. There are many cultural nuances to this, and I would know because I am also half. I don’t need anyone who has not lived this experience to attempt to school me on this matter).
All in all OP thank you for taking the time to make this post, it sounds like you had a wonderful time! I am glad you were able to travel so much, I know you will look back on this trip with fond memories 💞
Tokyo DisneySea has a better night show and is more different than Disneyland Anaheim, so that’s the one I’d recommend to Americans.
Kyoto comment is on point, though. I’ve been traveling to Japan longer than OP has been alive and tourism is full-tilt crazy, like 7 times more than when I first traveled in an April.