Japan is a great place to travel and explore. Most people like it because it’s exotic. I think it’s just a country with rich history. So there are many underrated places in Japan!
Instead of These Places
Instead of the usual Shibuya crossing, Harajuku and Mt Fuji (awesome btw), here are other things to do instead.
Also, here’s how to travel Japan on a budget.
Travel to these places instead
- Day trips to Mt. Fuji are nice, but Mt. Aso in Kyushu (active volcano with huge, green caldera you can take a ropeway up to see), Mt. Hakodate in Southern Hokkaido (the view from the summit is the most stunning in the world at night), and Mt. Haku in Gifu, which is quiet yet beautiful.
- Aizuwakamatsu: Samurai culture. History & unique cuisine
- Nikko: very beautiful mountain town with great architecture
- Takayama has some interesting traditional architecture and there’s a walk around the traditional sites and up the hill on one side of the town. The train from Nagoya to Takayama is also really scenic as it goes through the mountains.
- Shirakawa-go is a quaint little village in the mountains with the traditional Gassho style of houses. You can reach the village by bus from Takayama – another scenic ride through the mountains. It was busy with tourists during the day, but consider spending a night there as most the tourists are on a day trip and you can experience staying in the traditional Minshuku including the dinner, breakfast and the nearby hot springs.
- Kanazawa is the largest city in Japan that didn’t suffer any aerial bombing during the war, so it still has a lot of the traditional architecture and history still present including a lot of temples and shrines. Also, being on the ‘other side’ of Honshu means that it’s less frequented by tourists and has a bit of a different feel/vibe than the other major cities like Kyoto, Tokyo, etc. The seafood there is amazing, especially the fish market which is cheaper than the one in Tokyo.
- Kanazawa is also close to Mt Haku, one of the three holy mountains in Japan along with Mt Fuji. The hike up was really nice and could be done in a day trip.
- Beppu: Hells of Beppu, an onsen that is too warm for people to soak in safely, hence the name. There are eight hells (“jigoku”) scattered around the Kannawa and Shibaseki districts of Beppu City, most of which are within walking distance of each other. Of all, you must check out the last onsen, Chinoike Jigoku. It stands out on its own because of the rich crimson water due to iron and magnesium in the water.
Download this map and save it offline for your travel in Japan!
Trevellers is my way to change the world. Through my stories, tips and lessons learnt, I truly hope to inspire you to get out of your comfort zone, see the world and see who you truly are. Travel is more than just taking a selfie. Travel is an adventure, where you can truly become who you are, give you the time to reflect and grow to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.
Underrated Places in China
