Exploring Japan offers endless surprises, especially when you venture off the beaten path.
Which is why we asked five experts to share their favorite hidden gems across the storied country – places rich in culture, natural beauty and unique experiences that you might not find on the usual tourist trail.
From the quiet slopes of Moiwa in Hokkaidō to the historic streets of Tokyo’s Kagurazaka neighborhood, discover Japan through the special places beloved of those who know the country best.
Mimana Kiel is a model, actress and writer based in Tokyo.
Why visit Moiwa?
After working two winter seasons at the renowned ski resort Niseko, I fell in love with Mt Moiwa, a less well-known spot just a few mountains away. A smaller and quieter mountain, Moiwa is popular with Japanese locals and backcountry lovers. Sunrise is a magical time here, when you step into the serene snowy expanse to be greeted with powdered peaks glowing in the distance. I often started start my mornings with fresh, crisp mountain water, available at a public water station down the road. In the evenings, my colleagues and I would clock off and walk over to Izakaya Kobito, where we indulged in hearty bowls of ramen, gyoza and Hokkaido beef sukiyaki.
Must-do activity
Visit Niseko Kanrosui, a natural spring producing mineral-rich water. Derived from the words kanro (immortality) and sui (water), the name Kanrosui took hold after Emperor Showa likened the spring water to pure nectar during his visit to Niseko. Kanrosui’s water comes from snow and rain that falls on Mt Yotei. Over decades, this water seeps through the mountains’s porous lava and volcanic ash before filtering into the underground springs.
Moiwa tip
Given that Moiwa is a 30-minute drive from Niseko’s city center and public transportation options are limited, I suggest renting a car either at Sapporo airport or Kutchan station.
Yuko Tamura is a Niigata native who loves writing about culture, travel and women’s life in Japan.
Why Tokamachi?
I spent my childhood vacations fishing and skiing in Niigata. Just a 2-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo, this region showcases quintessential Japanese landscapes: ice-capped mountains, lush rice fields and lakes that reflect the sky like a mirror.
Must-do activities
This year, the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field (also known as the Art Triennale) is taking place from July 13 to November 10. This triennial festival exhibits artworks by such renowned artists as Yayoi Kusama in natural settings. Outside of the festival, the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art is a cultural gem that’s well worth a visit for its over 300-piece collection. Instagrammers flock to Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel, a passage drilled into the mountain that’s now an art installation, as well the beechwood forest called Bijinbayashi, which has enchanting scenery.
Tokamachi tips
I recommend staying at traditional hotels with hot-spring baths and exploring neighboring cities like Tsunan, which has a sunflower field maze in July and August and spectacular fireworks. When visiting Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, be sure to purchase your ticket in advance, avoiding Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when the site is closed.
Every time I go to Niigata, I indulge in local specialties like top-notch uonuma koshihikari rice, hegisoba noodles and Echigo beer. Don’t forget to try the local sake and buy some high-quality kitchenware from Tsubame-Sanjo, one of Japan’s largest craft centers, as a souvenir.
A.J Pearle is a writer and actress based in Tokyo.
Why visit Kagurazaka?
I did a brief stint as a miko-san (shrine maiden) at a shrine in Kagurazaka – so I have a personal attachment to this neighborhood. But it’s also somewhere I take my friends and family visiting from abroad. Though it’s not always at the top of Tokyo must-visit lists, the area is packed with history and worthwhile sights – but not tourists. Once a lively geisha district, it’s now a chic neighborhood with considerable French influence across its bakeries and wine and cheese shops. It’s ideal for an afternoon of shopping, dining and strolling.
Must-do activities
Since the district’s name translates to “hill of godly entertainment,” religious festivities are part of Kagurazaka’s essence. On the main street sit Zenkokuji Temple and Akagi Jinja, a shrine whose outer building was designed by one of Japan’s most famous architects, Kengo Kuma. In the summer, festival stands and lanterns line the street, the entire neighborhood teeming with excitement for the Awa Odori dance festival.
There are plenty of gourmet offerings as well, including Michelin-star kaiseki (haute cuisine) restaurants, French patisseries, roasted tea shops and a lovely waterfront Italian restaurant called Canal Cafe.
Kagurazaka tip
Visit on the weekends (arrive at Iidabashi station), when traffic is closed off. The main street is full of enticing eateries and boutique shops – but one of the best parts of Kagurazaka is the way you can easily get lost in one of the many cobblestoned back streets.
Winnie Tan is a freelance writer living in Tokyo whose specialties are travel, lifestyle and Japanese culture.
Why Jōgashima?
Located south of tourist hotspots like Kamakura and Enoshima, Jōgashima tends to fall under the radar of Tokyo day trippers. On days when I need a reprieve from the city, I hop on the train at Shinagawa station to head to this small, quiet island off the Misaki coast and spend the afternoon walking across its craggy rocks.
Must-do activities
Walk along the jagged coastline for breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean – and watch the waves as they crash against the island’s rocks. Wander for a bit and you’ll come across natural rock formations, resting cormorants and (on a clear day) a majestic view of Mt Fuji. The island is usually quiet, but gets livelier in mid-January to February, when the park on the island’s eastern end is blanketed in daffodils.
Jōgashima tips
Opt for the Misaki Maguro Day Trip ticket, which gets you get a round-trip from Shinagawa station to Jōgashima, plus a meal and activity or souvenir ticket at a participating shop. Seafood is as fresh as it gets here: I love trying a maguro-don (tuna rice bowl) at a new restaurant each time I visit.
John Walton is an aviation journalist who loves getting off the well-trodden path in Japan.
Why Takasaki?
Off the tourist trail, but only an hour by Shinkansen (bullet train) to the northwest of Tokyo in central Honshū, this friendly city has a wealth of culture and history, and is the perfect base for experiencing many fascinating and quintessentially Japanese experiences.
Must-do activities
While in Takasaki, visit the Daruma temple (and its famous fortune dolls) and the enormous Kannon statue. Day trips abound, including to the ski slopes of Echigo-Yuzawa and the famous onsen town of Kusatsu. Every weekend, two of Japan’s lovingly preserved steam trains trundle through, tugging authentic vintage carriages. Join small groups of Japanese grandmas (and sometimes grandpas) enjoying one of two routes, as they reminisce about their lives and share snacks. Called SL (Steam Locomotive) Gunma Yokokawa and SL Gunma Minakami, the two routes are named for the tiny towns at the end of the local lines; each runs about an hour into the mountains. If the steam trains aren’t running, the regular Joetsu Line local train takes about an hour.
Takasaki tips
Once you get back to Takasaki, you might be surprised to find that it’s Japan’s “City of Pasta,” with a fascinating range of over a dozen pasta restaurants, both traditional Italian and fusion Japanese. (Many of them prepare their pasta using local Gunma-prefecture plain wheat.) Stay in a hotel with a rotenburo open-air onsen bath, or one with a steam-train-themed bedroom plus views of the trains.
