After moving to kinda rural area, friends who come to Japan often ask for off the beaten track experience (first time I don't understand what that means). Frankly I don't know where to lead them. One day I showed how to whack the weeds from the garden and they pissed. Anyone have experience or suggestions for good places?
by jakekong007
18 comments
“Off the beaten track” is a figure of speech that means a lot of people don’t go do that.
It should still be something exciting and fun, (wracking weeds in the garden is not fun for most people, that’s why they were pissed), …but it should also be something that tourists don’t do.
Good examples would be local Matsuri, or places locals might hike to for swimming or picnics, or restaurants with strange food that only locals eat at, or house parties that tourists aren’t invited to.
Basically…imagine a tourist guide book to your area…what fun things would not be in it? Those are off the beaten track experiences.
How about kayaking in the ocean off the coast of Hokkaido and exploring the caves that aren’t accessible by land. That’s off the beaten track and hardly anyone does it.
Hiking. Small onsens you have to drive to.
Take them to HelloWork so they can claim they have been somewhere no tourist has been to.
They could go visit churches instead of temples – I’ve never heard of anyone doing that. After which they could go try to find some japanese-style korean food, and have the experience of not getting their banchan refilled (not to mention the seasoning or lack thereof)
‘Off the beaten track’ is a tourism term you will hear in certain countries such as New Zealand (where I am originally from). In laments terms, it means being taken to hidden hotspots or gem locations that are not readily advertised in your everyday tourist travel brochures, or other such medium, but are only know about by locals (or those in the know who have randomly come across them) – most of the time for obviously reasons, being in rural areas as they are non accessible by public transport, and often take a good amount of hiking to get to. For example in New Zealand, it may refer to hidden hot springs, vantage points where spectacular photos can be taken, local residents in rural areas which offer cultural experiences, or even hidden swimming/fishing spots. The ‘beaten track’ basically refers to any areas/sites that are found along the public transport routes (or are in short walking distance of the stations) that are frequented by tourists (especially international ones), or sites which are well known and frequented by tourists (easily accessible or not).
I love that you gave your friends the “authentic Japanese experience” of weed whacking!! Definitely off the beaten track ahah
You’re in a rural area. There should be lots of things “off the beaten track” around your town or region.
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Shikoku is beautiful and full of hidden gems. These I have listed are not even close to all of them.
Ehime has Mount Ishizuchi the tallest mountain in Western Japan, Matsuyama castle and the old copper mines in Besshi.
Kochi prefecture, Kochi castle, the hirome market, the sunday market. Kagawa has Ritsurin garden.
Tokushima has the naruto whirlpools, and the Iya valley with the scarecrow village and the vine bridges.
As for festivals, Ehime has the Niihama Taiko festival and Saijo festival in October, there is also the Awa odori in Tokushima, and the Yosakoi in Kochi. Just depends when you go but… Off the beaten track definitely describes Shikoku
Go to haunted places? Normally you won’t be in trouble as long as you keep your voice down and follow the basic manners such as to take trash with you and to not be loud (and be respectful in the same time).
I like to bring people who’re visiting on a round the island tour. It’s such a small place. I generally start on one coast and just drive them around along the beaches. They really seem to enjoy it.
it is kind of hard to recommend places if you don’t share your general location and yeah whacking some weeks around your house is not a lot of fun lol
Look up places for making washi paper. I did that once and it was immensely fun. It was also not something a normal tourist would do, but also required a translator.
A lot of people don’t think about it, but there’s several white water rafting opportunities in Japan too, if they want an active thing to do.
pick a train station at least an hour away from where you live, travel there then just walk around, checking stores, parks and shrines etc. basically like モヤモヤさまぁ〜ず
A Japanese friend of mine once brought me to a nagashi somen place set up in the mountains/hills at her rural hometown. To me that felt pretty “off the beaten track” which was neat since I’m almost exclusively in the city.
Stuff like that maybe? A town matsuri? A local firework show? A mountain/woods hike?
Seriously, I have this place I always wanted to go… Wild horses in Hakodate, Hokkaido.
You can google easily to find where it is.
You’re welcome,buddy.