Where to Go in Japan

When planning a trip to Japan, the biggest challenge that tourists struggle with is where to go. While Japan is a relatively small island country, there’s an incredible amount to see and experience. You can eat your way through the county at markets and ramen shops or visit numerous peaceful shrines and castles.

Most blog guides and travelers stick to the popular Golden Route; Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, but once you’ve been to those major cities, they start to feel the same. Tokyo is a huge city that is packed with people, buildings, shops, and restaurants with a detailed train system that can get you almost to any part of the city fairly quickly. Osaka feels a lot like Tokyo but with a more lively energy and a bit less clean in my opinion. Kyoto is a popular smaller city with famous shrines, temples and geisha districts.

While all three places are fun and tourist friendly, the real magic of Japan is in the places most people skip.

When you stick to the popular cities, you miss out on:

• Rice paddies stretching into the horizon
• Peaceful tea farms
• Traditional homes tucked into quiet villages
• One-of-a-kind local shops
• Regional dishes you won’t find anywhere else
• Mystical forests and serene nature
• Ancient shrines hidden in caves or forests

Fun fact: 73% of Japan is covered in forests and nature

If you’re a nature lover like myself, all you have to do is venture a little beyond the cities to be surrounded by the most incredible scenery and small towns to explore. For example, Yakushima, Aso, and Kofu. 

Yakushima – a lush island full of ancient trees and moss with deer and monkeys roaming around the western part of the island. This region was the inspiration for Hayo Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke. You can drive around the entire island in a day to find local shops, shrines in caves, and insane bodies of crystal clear water. 

Kofu – a small city that hardly anyone visits but just 90 mins by bus or train from Tokyo. This city is famous for Mt. Fuji views and wineries.

Aso – located in the eastern part of Kumamoto prefecture and features Mount Aso, high quality soba noodles and the very charming Kurokawa onsen town. 

As an alternative to Kyoto, you can find traditional charming vibes in Takayama, Kanazawa, or Ozu.

• Ozu – a charming castle town in Ehime Prefecture that is unforgettable. Be transported back in time to the Edo period, and stay in restored merchant homes in Ozu’s castle town. It’s like living in a historical drama or anime.
• Takayama – with beautifully preserved old streets and with traditional charm. A cultural hub full of crafts museums, shrines, and temples that give the name of “Little Kyoto.” While Takakayam is off the usual path, keep in mind it’s beginning to become overpopulated by tourists, so off season and weekday visits are always best. 
• Kanazawa – is north of Takayama, is a city with well preserved Edo-period charm art, gardens, and an authentic feel.

First Time Itinerary

If you’re visiting Japan for the first time, you might want to stick to areas that are in close proximity to the golden route and easier to travel by shinkansen (bullet train) or local trains.

My recommended first-time Japan itinerary is to start with Tokyo, then Hakone, Nagoya, Kyoto, and (if you can) Ozu. Almost everyone flies into Tokyo first, and honestly, it’s a great starting point if it’s your first trip. Tokyo feels like a Japanese version of New York City with endless shopping, food, and fast-paced energy.

My advice? Don’t spend too long in Tokyo. The most unforgettable experiences of Japan are in the cities and towns you’ve never heard of. A perfect 2-week first-timer’s trip could look like:

• 3–4 days in Tokyo
• 10 days exploring other regions and hidden gems

Hakone is a beautiful mountain town that’s an easy 1–2 hour train ride from Tokyo.
On our first trip to Japan, we chose Hakone to escape the buzz of the city and stay at a peaceful ryokan (traditional inn) with natural hot springs. It was one of the highlights of our trip.

Nagoya often gets skipped, but it’s honestly one of my favorite cities in Japan. It’s the perfect balance of urban energy and countryside calm. There is certainly not a dull moment with plenty to see and do such as the Tokugawa Garden and Nagoya Castle. A Nagoya local once told me, “This is the real Japan,” and I couldn’t agree more.

Kyoto is beautiful and packed with historic sites, but it can feel overwhelming and crowded within the city.
If you can, stay outside of Kyoto city and take day trips into the city center, it’s a much more relaxed way to experience it.

Ozu absolutely stole my heart. It’s a castle town with traditional charm that has very few people around. You get to explore the magic of the town at your own pace and have moments to pause for taking it all in. 

Honestly? I enjoyed Ozu more than Kyoto. If you can fit it in, go! If not, make it your first stop on your second trip back, because trust me — once you visit Japan, your heart will keep calling you back. The culture, food, along with the beautiful merge between ancient and modern living pull you into this peaceful bliss that you yearn for again after you’ve returned home. 

One amazing resource that I recommend for planning a trip to Japan is the book, Lonely Planet Japan. It’s my Japan bible and has the perfect amount of detail about many cities around the country, beyond the popular cities.

Now that you’ve gotten some inspiration for where to go, check out my guide for Where to Stay!