I posted a few days ago about some prefectures and activities I recommend other than the Golden Route for some less busy destinations. I have a ton more so I thought I’d share with you more suggestions since I spent 108 days in Japan. The majority of these are for nature-lovers!

For clarification this time, since a ton of people were offended I chose the words “non-touristy,” or “almost no foreigners,” even though I, myself, am a foreigner, here is some background: I went into this trip wanting to stay away from the big cities. I absolutely hate crowds, I (18F) am half Japanese, and the main intention of this trip was to improve my Japanese to reach fluency (I am currently advanced N3 for those who know the JLPT rank) as well as learn about my culture and possibly reconnect with distant relatives who still live there. I found less busy areas are where all my “dream trip” boxes were checked. Onto the list:

Hokkaido, all these are pretty well-known, and highly recommend:

Mount Moiwa: I hiked this in late March. There was a ton of snow, I was wearing running shoes, adopted a stick as a walking pole, and slipped like 100 times. I felt underprepared with all these locals walking down with their spiked shoes and hiking poles. However, it was an incredible view at the top! Roundtrip it was 4.5ish miles.

Noboribetsu and Jigokudani: If you’ve seen pictures of Jigokudani, be prepared to have your mind blown when you see it in person. It is incredible. Sadly, the surrounding hiking trails were closed in April (I assume because of snow) so plan accordingly. 

Mount Usu: There is a ropeway to the top and a little hiking trail that takes you around the perimeter at the top as well. It was a great view and a good addition to my 1 day Hokkaido road trip.

Tohoku area:

Takayama Inari Shrine, Aomori: Very briefly mentioned in my last post, this is a stunning shrine tucked away in the forest of Aomori. It is about 1.5 hour drive from the city, and I believe it is not really possible to get there by public transport. It wasn’t too big, so definitely pair it with other attractions nearby if you do decide to go. It was very pretty during cherry blossom season, and it was me and only a handful of others at 10am.

Tsuru no Miahashi bridge, Aomori: How cool can a bridge be? I asked that question too, and wow am I glad I went. I paired this with Takayama Inari Shrine+Cape Tappi and it made for a solid road trip day (although a lot of driving). I highly suggest visiting this in the spring, where the weather is nice and sunny but Mount Iwaki in the background still has snow. It makes for a stunning sight! They recently renovated the bridge and is now completely open again. 

Yamadera, Yamagata: This is definitely a well-known destination if you’ve researched Yamagata, and for good reason. Yamagata is a stunning prefecture with SO MUCH green (I lived in the desert, so it pleases my heart to see waterfalls and trees). For Yamadera, it is about 1000 steps to the top of the mountain, and along the way there are many temples. You’ll get to see cherry blossoms at the top in the spring as well. The town itself has many charming restaurants and dessert places, and the local people are so nice. 

Sendai Dai Kannon: One of the most well-known attractions in Sendai, you cannot miss this! It is one of those things that I didn’t realize the size of until I was standing next to it. It is MASSIVE. You can go inside for 500 yen, go up the elevator, and descend 12 floors filled with mini statues. Definitely a good activity!

Kyushu:

Ikinomatsubarakaigan Forest Park, Fukuoka: this is a lovely forest park that isn’t crazy special, but it has a beautiful shrine facing the ocean. For my fellow solo traveler, this is a great place to people watch, journal, have a picnic etc.. to get away from the busy city centre of Fukuoka. 

Heiwadai Park, Miyazaki: this has the 1940 Peace Tower located in the centre and is a lovely park. The tower is VERY tall and my very first thought is that it looks like it came out of a Lara Croft movie (I can’t be the only one who thought that, right?)

Udo-Jingu shrine, Miyazaki: definitely a top 10 destination for me! Buses run VERY infrequently so make sure you check the timetables. There was so much to explore, and I highly recommend going up the hiking trails to reach more secluded ocean-side shrines. The shops sell delicious mango flavoured desserts as well!

Nanzoin, Fukuoka: if you are going to Fukuoka, I’m sure this is on your list, but JUST IN CASE. You have to go there! The giant reclining Buddha is 1)so big and 2) just such a cool sight. 

Kansai:

Kuruma-Dera, Kyoto: I have very fond memories of this one. A super beautiful hike that takes you through tons of temples, shrines, beautiful lookout points. It was perfect during a spring day. 

Minoh falls, Osaka: if you want some nature and hiking just 30 min from Osaka station, I recommend Minoh falls! Its a short hiking trail that leads to a massive waterfall. 

Chubu:

Tojinbo, Fukui: rugged seaside cliffs formed by volcanic activity. To this day it was one of my favourite places. Walk or take a bus to Oshima bridge, and explore O island. This is a super secluded island in the fall, and when I was there, I didn’t see a single other person. It has shrines, temples, and beautiful views. 

Kanazawa: no specific spot, but the entire city has so much to do and I highly recommend the classics: the castle, Kenrokuen, etc..

Mount Oyama, Toyama: a challenging (for me, anyway) hike in the Tateyama mountains. It was an insane view at the top as I ate my onigiri. 

That is all I can think of for now. I had a thrill of a time visiting 27 of the 47 prefectures!