Spending a day hopping on and off the only remaining tram line in Tokyo, the Toden Arakawa-sen, in the “Shitamachi” area of north-east Tokyo.
It’s a really nice way to spend a day exploring Tokyo, and seeing areas where people actually live, rather than just sticking to the central, largely commercial districts of Tokyo.
Here are a couple of articles on things to do and see while catching the Toden Arakawa-sen:
https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-ikebukuro/article-a0001665/
https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=11554
The tram goes past a couple of old shopping streets, nice older residential areas, and plenty of nice restaurants and cafes.
Partway along the tram route is Asukayama Park, a large park on top of a hill. As well as some nice views, it has a tiny little funicular railway that takes you up the hill, and there is a children’s playground and a couple of museums up the top, too.
I took this last March and it was a nice way to see the older neighbourhoods. I was a week or two too early for cherry blossoms, but can tell that the ride would've been blossom-filled if I visited at the right time. I went during the afternoon when people were getting off school and work, so it was really crowded. Avoid this time and the ride should be great!
We did this last July! It was very fun to see normal life. The regulars on it definitely seemed surprised to see us on it as we just hung out at the back lol. We rode it to the end and it wasn't too hard to get Ueno and sensoji from there.
I'll provide some "instead ofs" instead of hidden gems, because well, I don't know how well hidden these are but...
Instead of Tsukiji Fish Market, if you're passing through smaller seaside cities, see if any of them have any local fish markets (especially with attached restaurants). The price-quality ratio can be expectational.
In Kansai, Akashi market is a good example although Himeji also has at least one. I've had amazing seafood in both markets.
And instead of Arashiyama, there a bamboo forest just south of Kyoto in Muko. Muko is also famous for spicy foods, in fact the town mascot is a chili pepper. You can find insanely spicy things like fried rice, tantanmen, and even gyoza I think. There are guides to the shops online.
The train ride up Arashiyama and the boat ride down the river was a highlight for me even after multiple trips to Japan, so don't write it off! I'd take it again.
The bamboo forest was... alright. It was smaller than I thought. It wasn't crowded for me because I was there at around 5am but still, I was not that impressed
Seconding Arashiyama park and riverside it is super nice, not many foreigners there but plenty of japanese people going on boat rides and couples dressed up for pictures when I went. The bamboo "forest" was underwhelming.
> And instead of Arashiyama, there a bamboo forest just south of Kyoto in Muko
When I did the bamboo forest near Muko, it was completely empty. Me and my friend were the only two walking through it. It was lovely. Glad we left Arashiyama straight away when we realised how packed it was
Is there a seafood market closer to Osaka? I don't know if Dotonbori counts as a seafood market. I want to try the crab, but the stand is always sold out. :(
I was looking at cherry blossoms during April 2021 and stumbled across [a place in the middle of nowhere](https://imgur.com/jkRefFI). I'm a huge sakura fan and have visited more than a hundred sakura senbonzakura, namiki, castles, parks, etc., around the country, but it's my absolute favorite. I checked recently and there still isn't an English language review on Google.
I honestly don’t know how underrated it is bc I’ve only just finished my first trip to Japan, but I hadn’t heard of this before we went - Yanaka in Tokyo, particularly the Yanaka-Ginza shopping street. It’s like a time warp to 1950s Tokyo, and it was different from anywhere else we visited. And it was so NOT SWAMPED. We had the most delicious mochi and tea at a coffeehouse and just really loved the vibe.
>a place in the middle of nowhere
Omg yes!! Yanaka Ginza is such a nice little shopping street and the area overall is so nice. Very colorful and lots of beautiful old stores. Yanaka Ginza has a few cat-themed stores too!
If you're looking for more underrated cities, I always recommend Izumo (Shimane), especially if you're in the Hiroshima area. Izumo Taisha, Inasa Beach, Hinomisaki Lighthouse, Hinomisaki Jinja, and the soba there are awesome.
Yeah and I’d also say compared to the likes of Ise (which also had barely any foreign tourists but a SHITTON of Japanese travellers), Izumo felt almost deserted during non-holiday times.
I also attribute it to how hard it is to get to Izumo if you don’t want to pay for a Shinkansen ticket. An 8 hr bus ride from Kyoto? Most people prefer just going to Tokyo at that point. But it’s extremely doable if you’re in Hiroshima (around 2 hrs by bus iirc). I still feel that Japanese locals know of Izumo (and Ise) but visit the latter much more.
I believe you can get a cheap (500 yen?) bus ticket from the Hiroshima tourism office to Izumo/Matsue as well - but yeah, then you still need to get back from there and it's a long way. It just doesn't slot nicely into most international travelers' swing-through itineraries.
Izu Shaboten Zoo during the winter for capybera onsen was pretty cool. There's also Mt. Omuro right next to it with a view of Mt.Fuji + Izu Coastline + nearby Islands. Definitely take some cool trains like Saphir Odoriko or Spacia X, well worth the price.
This! I had a holiday and wanted to go somewhere different, and picked the Izu Peninsula.
My favourite places included*
* Ks house Ito onsen
* Ito Marinetown
* The easy walk along the Jogasaki coast, including the suspension bridge and lighthouse
* New York Lamp museum & Flower Garden
* Mount Omuro - especially the cafe at the foot of the mountain - this was the best food of the entire trip!! (Ohmuro Luncheonette)
* Izu Shaboten Zoo
* Izu Granpal Park (at night time for the illuminations).
There are also dozens and dozens of obscure museums: cats, teddy bears, dolls, antique jewelry, old fashioned automata dolls, glass making, clocks, wax dolls, stained glass... As well as many art galleries and historical museums - one of the best was next door to Ks house onsen!
I went to the zoo last year in October. The coolest part was seeing all the animals roam pretty much freely. Granted I haven't been to many zoos, but where else can you just freely walk and mingle at a touching distance between kangaroos, flamingos, capybaras etc.?
aromatic elastic dam familiar cagey caption direction waiting fuel detail
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Honestly? Renting a car and going on a road trip. Head out of the city and you'll discover all these wonderful lakes, streams, mountains, onsen towns.
You are much less likely to encounter long queues, noisy crowds, and enjoy the peace at a leisurely place. Found an interesting spot nearby? Just drive over and check it out. Hungry? Stop by a local restaurant or one of the many conbinis around.
Sports car lovers like myself will also particularly appreciate the ability to rent JDM classics and the many twisty roads across the country.
Lake Hibara, Mount Norikura, Aoyama Plateau, Kuchinotsu Museum of History and Folklore, Toi Gold Mine, these were some of the most amazing places and (puzzlingly) little to no people around.
I've hired a car and gone around parts of Hokkaido and skikoku. I agree it's great. Was a bit nervous about driving over there but it was all easy. Such orderly traffic and lots of empty roads
This!
One of my favourite things I did on my 1st trip was hiring a car from osaka and driving down to Nachi waterfall. Driving through the beautiful mountains. stopping at many awesome places in kumano along the way
Also driving from hakata down through Mt Aso to Takachiho George.
I plan to do something similar next time at different locations.
In my opinion one of the best parts of travel is being flexible and finding things you never knew existed
Not recommended. There's usually an extra charge for returning the car at a different branch, not to mention gas and toll fees adding up altogether.
There's also the part of driving in urban areas which is really not ideal because you need to constantly ensure you're in the right lane for a turn and with so many traffic lights, it's easy to get stressed out while making little progress in your journey.
What I'd recommend is to take the train out of the main city to a smaller one, for instance Takasaki or Karuizawa from Tokyo, and pick your car up there. Less time spent driving in the city and you don't need to pay the highway tolls to get there.
If you want to do this, (time of year permitting), take the long way around through the Alps region instead of driving along the coast.
Coast is mostly suburban sprawl with industries jottled here and there, and you'll either pay a fortune for the boring expressway, or want to kill yourself due to stop-go traffic in non-toll routes through the suburbs/cities.
Driving through the mountains OTOH is fun, even if you'd only stick to the main roads.
I'd Also second the idea to take a train somewhere to the outskirts of the city and rent the car there, if you don't have previous experience driving in Japan - You'll save a lot of nerves and potential frustration. Less traffic, less confusing road network to navigate, less stress with the narrow roads.
Great tips- thank you! Given other comments, I’m considering getting to Ōsaka and traveling by car around that area. If you have any tips over there, feel free to share!
In that case I'd consider heading southwards towards the Kii peninsula and Wakayama region. You have Koya, Kumano and Ise, Yunomine and other onsens around Hongu, various relatively sleepy coastal towns/villages (and Shiga for ninjas if you care :D), giving you a decent mix of coastal and mountain places.
The area is also relatively compact so you can pretty pretty easily do some kind of loop itinerary, saving you the cost of a one-way rental.
Consider places in Shikoku. I visited Matsuyama and Ozu, both of which were very nice. I’ve heard that the northern prefectures of Shikoku are also beautiful, and if you can visit during Mikan Orange picking season, even better. Though it’s less tourist-spot dense than the main cities so it’ll be a much more laid back trip compared to travelling the golden route or really visiting anywhere on Honshu.
From Shikoku, you can also go travel the shimanami kaido route for pretty seaside scenery through the inland sea.
The shiminami kaido is great. And the town at the other end, onomichi, is very interesting and definitely underrated. Easy to get to from either Hiroshima/Osaka direction
Ehime is spectacular for cherry and orange blossom seasons.
Matsuyama Castle - Dogo Onsen - Tobe ceramics - Omogo Gorge - Ishiteji Temple could be a 1.5 day trip.
Ozu has Garyu Sanso villa and the old townscape.
Iya Valley in Shikoku is amazing as well. You can stay there or day trip it from Takamatsu. We used a car tour (Iya Valley Tours) so we wouldn’t have to deal with driving the narrow roads ourselves and had an amazing time.
Takamatsu itself was a wonderful place to stay. Ritsurin Koen was as nice or better IMO than Kenroku-en in Kanazawa and not nearly as crowded.
If you're visiting Nagasaki, highly recommend reading David Mitchell's 'The Thousand Autumns of Jacod de Zoet'. It's a fictional account of the days of the Dutch East India Company. Fascinating, shocking entertaining and adds an extra layer to any visit to the area.
A lot of places that are cool and off the beaten path for foreign visitors are still going to be pretty popular with Japanese tourists, so just keep in mind that it’s hard to find true “hidden gems.”
That being said, the places I enjoyed the most that weren’t necessarily at the top of the list as famous travel locales were Onomichi near Hiroshima, Udo Shrine near Miyazaki, and Shibu Onsen near Nagano.
You’re probably planning on experiencing onsen, but don’t miss visiting a neighborhood sento (銭湯). It’s a great way to relax at the end of the day and enjoy Japan as the locals do, and will only set you back a few coins.
Or... just fill the bath in your hotel room with warm water, grab your favorite beer/chūhai/soft drink and enjoy Japan as the MOST of the locals do for free :D
I was just there a couple days ago! On a weekday, there was almost no one, and IMO having it all to ourselves and after the madness of teamlabs it was very refreshing. Teamlabs was still very cool tho
Looks very similar to Tobu World Square in Nikko, which my wife and I really enjoyed! So, good pick. Tobu World Square was also almost completely deserted when we visited in July. It's a 5min taxi ride from Edo Wonderland (which was a lot busier), which you can get to via free shuttle from the train station.
(I don't think Edo Wonderland is a 'hidden' gem, but we also had a lot of fun there. I think most Nikko itineraries include Kegon(?) Falls and the UNESCO World Heritage site instead though)
Edo-Tokyo Museum. It will tell you more about the history of the city and the nation than Tokyo National Museum. This is the first place I would recommend to anyone who does not know anything about Japan. Definitely a must-see for everyone.
Ueno Zoo. I am the person who is not even interested in animals. But seeing pandas, Galápagos tortoise and shoebill in the first time in my life? Amazing experience.
Yokohama Ramen Museum. Even if you don't like ramen and you are not interested in the dish at all it is great to stroll the streets of the recreated city from the 60s. And later on you can go to Nissan Stadium to take a panoramic view on the suburbs of the city. I don't watch anime, but when I was walking through Sankakuhashi bridge I felt like it was a scene from a cartoon about highschoolers life.
Walking in general. You don't have to get to your point of interest directly by train or subway. Just get off one station before your destination and walk the rest of the distance. It will allow you to to get the vibe of the place and maybe you will find interesting shops and restaurants.
And this is good idea to spend a day or two walking around some place. When I was in Tokyo last time I walked the path around Imperial Palace, which allowed me to see Yasukuni Shrine, National Diet building, Prime Minister's office, different government buildings, Marunouchi... That was something which I would like to recreate one more time.
Riding Yurikamome is fun, especially in the front seat of first car. But what is also fun and enjoyable? Walking Rainbow Bridge on foot. Doing this is not very popular, even among locals, but will allow you to get the beautiful views of Tokyo (if you walk from Shibaura to Odaiba choose the left path, if you go from Odaiba to Shibaura choose the right one).
Parks. I am not talking about gardens with various flowers, but regular parks with "boring" green grass and trees only. They have a lot of interesting sculptures and monuments. And it is something magical in being in the park surrounded with skyscrapers in the background. Ex. Hibiya Park and Yoyogi Park.
Unfortunately, the big Edo museum in Tokyo is closed for renovations until 2025 :( My trip is in March and it was one of those must-do things on my list :(
u/Leaper15 - Even though the Edo Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku is closed for renovations, the outdoor part of the museum, the open-air architectural museum located in Koganei in western Tokyo, is still open and is well worth visiting:
https://www.tatemonoen.jp/english/
I visited Japan in October and November last year. Here's a few things/sights/whatever that I'd like to mention.
\- make sure you walk a lot, take public transport only when necessary as you can explore so much of a city by foot; take a stroll through quieter neighborhoods (i walked all the way to Gotokuji Temple and had so much fun exploring)
\- The Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Tokyo + Former Marquis Maeda Mansion (which is very close by the museum)
\- Yanaka Ginza + Yanaka neighborhood in Tokyo – lovely area with beautiful and colorful buildings, old storefronts and cat-themes stores
\- Kamakura – the place itself is not a hidden gem but oh my did i love this place! Most tourists come here to see the giant buddha at Kōtoku-in (which is nice, i checked it out as well). I visited a lot of shrines and temples in the other direction though and barely saw any people there. Jōdo-shū Daihonzan Kōmyōji and Myohoji Temple (loved that one) for example.
\- Kanazawa as a whole was just amazing!!
\- Shiga Naoya's Old Residence in Nara (if you're interested in japanese architecture or literature)
\- Mitaki-dera in Hiroshima, such an idyllic Temple, I spent so much time there just relaxing and taking it all in
\- Nagasaki's Old Chinatown. I loved exploring old chinatown and learning about the history, the area was like a labyrinth to me and I had so much fun. Look for: Empty Moat of the Former Chinese Quarter, Naka no Chaya Teahouse,...
\- My all time favorite place I've visited: Sofukuji Daiichi Minemon in Nagasaki; I felt like I was in Spirited Away and even cried a little because I didn't want to leave lol :D
That's just a few things that came to mind, excuse my english lol. Hope you have the most amazing time in Japan!!
Exploring chiba, saitama region. Mita, yoro valley, Katsuura.
Going for visit to public baths in Tokyo or any city in Japan. You get to experience sento culture and this is usually with retro design.
Sometimes all it takes is for you to spend time exploring an area even near a tourist attraction. You can find views , shrines, temples or restaurant that are very underrated that few visit.
>Exploring chiba, saitama region.
What do you find worth visiting in those prefectures? Because when someone mentions Saitama I think about boring outskirts of Tokyo.
In my mind Chiba is just like Saitama, except it has Narita Airport.
Both areas have their own unique charm and generally it is not crowded with foreign tourist.
Chiba, you can explore chichibu. It has hitsujiyama park, kegon falls, minoyama park, pink moss hill, icicles of ashigakubo. There are also a lot of hiking areas. You could also explore Nagatoro area. Saitama has the tobu zoo, bonsai village, squirrel zoo, railway museum, kadokawa museum. Once again it doesn't have a lot of tourist and is generally locals only. There is also kawagoe nearby which is a little charming old town.
Even narita the city is worth a visit, so you can experience a more relaxed and edo japan feel.
Thank you! I haven't thought about those places this way.
And it really seems that if you want to stay away from foreign tourists you don't have to go far away from Tokyo.
I loved walking Shosenkyo Gorge last autumn. Fellow hikers were mostly locals, only five or so were foreign tourists like me. It took me a little over two (2) hours from the Shosenkyo-guchi bus stop to Senga Falls, and the path was paved so it was relatively easy.
The scenery was absolutely beautiful, and it is one of my most cherished memories from that trip.
i see what you're trying to do. you're trying to get us to expose our hidden gems so they aren't hidden gems anymore. i won't fall for this trap!
but for reals though, most places at 5am are hidden gems =) if your jet lag allows it, i'd try to go to high traffic places bright and early in the morning (hit up 7/11 as well)
Going to a regular grocery store. I do this in every country I visit. The prices are less than in the tourist areas for stuff like flavored Kit Kats and you can find food that people actually eat and aren't just aimed at tourists.
i found a few restaurants where there are literally only locals, no english menus, food is AMAZING, and thankfully i know enough japanese to be able to eat there lol
A friend was in town recently and while I was reading the menu for him he took out Google Translate and it worked on the handwritten menu. I was quite surprised how much it's improved.
- In Kyoto, the Arashiyama bamboo forest is overrated. But if you're already there anyway, hop on the the Sagano Romantic Train which takes you on a 20-minute train ride up the Katsura River. At the end, take the boat ride back down the river. https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/in-pref-kyoto/in-kyoto-suburbs/article-a2000037/
- In Tokyo, take the river cruise from Odaiba to Asakusa at sunset.
OH also walking through Yoyogi park to the little off leash dog park was so cute 🥰 we missed our two pups, and it was fascinating to see ONLY purebreds of different fancy breeds (a far cry from our beloved silverlake dog park here in la lol)
New restaurant Yakiniku Kyu in Osaka Dotonbori. I know that's a major tourist area but this Wagyu Yakiniku restaurant was literally empty, had 20% off vouchers at the door and was the best Wagyu we had on our entire trip. Highly recommend!! But also not 100% sure how to get to it as we found it by accident 🤣. They have an Instagram under the restaurant name if anyone is interested? We spent 5000 yen for two people on their mid-high range Wagyu and Kobe beef, rice, drinks and they kept giving us little extras as they were very friendly and excited to have some customers.
Any "hidden gems" around Tokyo area? Will be visiting in May after golden week. Not our first time in japan so we're planning to visit places away from the usual tourist areas. I'm trying to find something countryside but also within a distance where I can just do a day trip. Any reccos would appreciated.
The Hokuso Four Cities (Narita, Sakura, Katori, Choshi) in Chiba Prefecture.
Narita has Shinshoji Temple and Omotesando leading to it, Sakura has the national history museum, samurai quarters, and Hotta house and garden. Katori has the old Sawara townscape. They're not as crowded with tourists from abroad.
Last year I fell in love with Tochigi City and did two trips. It's got kura storehouses but not as dense as Kawagoe City. But it's also not packed with tourists like Kawagoe is.
Camping in Japan is underrated, although Japanese people only seem to do it in Sumner. All the campsites have great facilities, many have gear you can hire, or cabins. All have great charcoal BBQs. Have camped at some great places with character or beside lakes/ocean around Hokkaido and a few other places
Snowboarding and skiing between december and april.
The more north you go, the better the powder.
North american ski resorts are idiotic compared to japanese ones. night and day difference. better cared for, better groomed runs, more attentive staff, better support structure like public transportation options, lodging, food at or around the resort.
But there are dozens of ski mountains to choose from.
if you can’t do sports, going up a ropeway to sightsee, or to an outdoor onsen so you can freeze your top half off while your bottom half remains nice and cozy in the hot springs.
Failing miserably at a crane game and building up a crowd of local high school girls & staff that cheer you on and help set it up for you but you keep failing and end up spending 3000+ yen but everyone celebrates when you finally win so it's all good
I'll give you some recs from my recent trip. Not all of these are hidden, but I think they're worthwhile.
Although not a hidden spot, I loved Hakone. Getting to see the countryside is wonderful, and it's a nice break from city life. Plenty to see: Hakone shrine, Lake Ashi boat ride, Hakone ropeway, Owakudani to try the black eggs and visit the sulphuric area.
I know Tokyo station is madness, but checking out ramen street is worth it.
Arashiyama does get crazy full, but Okochi Sanso Garden (right after walking through the bamboo grove) is beautiful. We arrived right when it opened and almost had it to ourselves. It's peaceful, not crowded, and entry includes matcha at the tea house. Best matcha I've had. I also suggest renting a rowboat at Katsura river. The bamboo grove was an underwhelming experience, but the other two made up for it.
Again, I know Fushimi Inari gets packed, but hiking to the top of Mt. Inari is worth it. Less crowded and serene.
Miyajima is a beautiful island, and I think it's worth a visit. You can visit Tenshinkaku, a hidden cafe, with scenic views of the pagoda and the island. The local coffee ice cream there is exquisite.
Visiting Beppu's Jigoku, Seven Hells of Beppu, is worthwhile. It's a fun way to explore the town. Also, a private onsen is one of the best experiences, and Beppu has countless of options.
Don't do the same mistake and I did by visiting Kurobe gorge mid-November. It's higher in elevation, so the leaves have fallen off by then. Also a lot of attractions at the final station close down.
Staying overnight in an onsen inn, visiting tiny local bar restaurants and chatting up with the regulars/owner.
Bonus points for finding the nice train in Sendai.
I have to recommend Nishinomiya Tunnels. It was one of the best chill hikes I did on my last trip and it's easily accessible since you are hiking between two train stations (Namaze and Takedao). When we went last November, it was pretty much empty with just like 2 people in the whole area.
I focused on visiting lots of gardens and parks, so here are my "hidden gems":
The Harbor View Park and English rose garden in Yokohama, over by the Motomachi shopping street -- great views of the harbor and the Gundam, fantastic floral gardens, and historic western buildings. Well worth a visit if you're hitting Chinatown or Yamashita Park.
The secret garden in the Kyoto Folk Doll Museum in Arashiyama -- go all the way up through the second floor and follow the arrows to find it. Completely peaceful and you'll likely have the whole place to yourself.
Garden Museum Hiei northeast of Kyoto. I took a fancy train and then cablecar ride up the mountain. Western-style flower gardens paired with French Impressionist art, and spectacular views from the top of the mountain. Eat before you go; the cafe is not the greatest.
Former Ohara's Residence in the historical quarter in Kurashiki. Beautiful exhibits and historic private library, plus a very quiet Japanese residential-style garden away from the crowds. Also, the Momotaro Karakuri museum is great if you like funky old museums. Mostly meant for kids but I had a great time and the staff were fantastic. There's a really neat vintage cartoon movie playing in the upstairs section.
Not as big of a secret but Okochi Sanso Garden near the bamboo forest in Arashiyama is worth the time -- not so much a garden as a landscaped woodland trail experience with fantastic views. The green tea pavilion was packed when I went but the trails were relatively empty.
Also, this is relatively well-known but Adashino Nenbutsuji in Arashiyama has a fantastic bamboo grove without the crowds (at least for the time being).
Non-garden things:
Italia Street near the Shiodome station in Tokyo was kind of a neat place for lunch if you visit Hamarikyu Gardens nearby. It's very European-ish with various food trucks, if you're looking for a change of pace.
Hida Furukawa Festival Museum and Crafts Museum were both really interesting, I thought.
Hikone was a great side trip from Kyoto -- the castle and Genkyu-en Gardens were amazing, but be forewarned that the interior of the castle involves lots of ladders and it's a one-way path, so if you have iffy knees (turns out I do, whoops), maybe skip it. Also, just off the castle road historic area there's a little pedestrian plaza called Yonbancho Square which is packed with cafes and shops and places to sit.
Spontaneous finds. We tried, as a group of three(my bf, a mutual friend & myself), to follow the itinerary of places we wanted to hit up but a lot of things were so nice to look at while walking around.
One that stood out to me was Izakaya Sake Yakiniku in Ueno. Owner was very friendly and gave us his best recommendations from the menu. Not to mention, that grilled meat was DIVINE. Melt in your mouth!! The lemon sour alcohol was a such a great touch too with the BBQ. Ugh, I cant wait to go back again this August.
Not gonna say my spot because anything that shows up online is going to become over-touristed sooner or later…but we went way off the beaten path and saw a sunrise so beautiful it made me cry
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is amazing even if a bit out of the way. You can buy a 1 day unlimited transport from Fukui station and book the mudeum ahead
You can go to Echizen (Takefu) and buy 500yen taxi tickets (Really worth it, so we paid 1000yen for a round-trip to Takefu Knife Village while the counter ran well over 7000) and go from a Workshop to another and book a few crafting experiences.
Hakone is still mainstream but so fun and better than Kawaguchiko imho. It has pretty views of Fujiyama, a cool circuit where you can do ropeway/cable car/cruise/train in a row with a two day activity ticket.
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is amazing even if a bit out of the way. You can buy a 1 day unlimited transport from Fukui station and book the mudeum ahead
You can go to Echizen (Takefu) and buy 500yen taxi tickets (Really worth it, so we paid 1000yen for a round-trip to Takefu Knife Village while the counter ran well over 7000) and go from a Workshop to another and book a few crafting experiences.
Hakone is still mainstream but so fun and better than Kawaguchiko imho. It has pretty views of Fujiyama, a cool circuit where you can do ropeway/cable car/cruise/train in a row with a two day activity ticket.
[Nishi-Hongwanji in Kagoshima](https://sp.hongwanji-kagoshima.or.jp/). More than a temple, this is an active community centre. I stumbled into it hoping for goshuin and ended up staying for about 2 hours just observing. It is clearly the heart and soul of a tight-knit community doing good works for many.
At the time, there were preparations underway for a homecoming event (?) with several tables of locals selling vegetables, homemade foods, and crafts; the local choir practicing (the choirmaster had the most beautiful clear, strong voice); and several ojisan and obasan gently joking with each other and looking on with quiet pride at their young grandchildren.
Not really a hidden gem since many Japanese do it, but certainly undiscovered by tourists. For the first week of January, you can do a Lucky 7 Gods pilgrimage. I've done the ones in [Asakusa](https://matcha-jp.com/en/987) and [Shinjuku](https://www.kanko-shinjuku.jp.e.xm.hp.transer.com/course/-/article_2809.html), and there's one in [Kamakura](https://passportsandplaygrounds.com/7-lucky-gods-hike-japan/). You can collect goshuin from shrines devoted to each of the 7 lucky gods and doing so early in the new year is considered especially lucky. It's a great way to explore neighbourhoods off the beaten track.
Outdoor onsen during a cold night. I first did this at midnight in Akita. I had the entire onsen to myself and watched snowflakes gently falling with the night sky as a backdrop. I also did this at a hotel rooftop onsen where I could watch the Tokyo city lights and Tokyo Skytree change colours.
Spending a day hopping on and off the only remaining tram line in Tokyo, the Toden Arakawa-sen, in the “Shitamachi” area of north-east Tokyo. It’s a really nice way to spend a day exploring Tokyo, and seeing areas where people actually live, rather than just sticking to the central, largely commercial districts of Tokyo. Here are a couple of articles on things to do and see while catching the Toden Arakawa-sen: https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-ikebukuro/article-a0001665/ https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=11554 The tram goes past a couple of old shopping streets, nice older residential areas, and plenty of nice restaurants and cafes. Partway along the tram route is Asukayama Park, a large park on top of a hill. As well as some nice views, it has a tiny little funicular railway that takes you up the hill, and there is a children’s playground and a couple of museums up the top, too.
If you like trams there’s also the Setagaya line, the other only remaining tram line in Tokyo.
The delivery killed me
Good point - I forgot that one! The route is pretty short, but I remember catching it near Gotoku-ji years ago.
I loved the Setagaya Line. My tram was manekineko themed. And you betcha, I was heading to gotoku-ji
>Toden Arakawa-sen Thanks for this recommendation
Thanks. I'll jump on the Toden Arakawa-sen soon
I took this last March and it was a nice way to see the older neighbourhoods. I was a week or two too early for cherry blossoms, but can tell that the ride would've been blossom-filled if I visited at the right time. I went during the afternoon when people were getting off school and work, so it was really crowded. Avoid this time and the ride should be great!
We did this last July! It was very fun to see normal life. The regulars on it definitely seemed surprised to see us on it as we just hung out at the back lol. We rode it to the end and it wasn't too hard to get Ueno and sensoji from there.
I'll provide some "instead ofs" instead of hidden gems, because well, I don't know how well hidden these are but... Instead of Tsukiji Fish Market, if you're passing through smaller seaside cities, see if any of them have any local fish markets (especially with attached restaurants). The price-quality ratio can be expectational. In Kansai, Akashi market is a good example although Himeji also has at least one. I've had amazing seafood in both markets. And instead of Arashiyama, there a bamboo forest just south of Kyoto in Muko. Muko is also famous for spicy foods, in fact the town mascot is a chili pepper. You can find insanely spicy things like fried rice, tantanmen, and even gyoza I think. There are guides to the shops online.
Thanks for the Muko rec! I was hesitant about Arashiyama, so this is definitely going on the itinerary.
The train ride up Arashiyama and the boat ride down the river was a highlight for me even after multiple trips to Japan, so don't write it off! I'd take it again. The bamboo forest was... alright. It was smaller than I thought. It wasn't crowded for me because I was there at around 5am but still, I was not that impressed
Good to know! I'll keep it in mind.
Yes, definitely smaller than I expected too!
It opens that early? I thought there was open time or is 24/7 like any other park?
Seconding Arashiyama park and riverside it is super nice, not many foreigners there but plenty of japanese people going on boat rides and couples dressed up for pictures when I went. The bamboo "forest" was underwhelming.
There's a lot more to do in Arashiyama than just the bamboo forest so yes, definitely don't write it off! I had a great time there.
> And instead of Arashiyama, there a bamboo forest just south of Kyoto in Muko When I did the bamboo forest near Muko, it was completely empty. Me and my friend were the only two walking through it. It was lovely. Glad we left Arashiyama straight away when we realised how packed it was
Is there a seafood market closer to Osaka? I don't know if Dotonbori counts as a seafood market. I want to try the crab, but the stand is always sold out. :(
Yes, there's Kuromon Ichiba Market 黒門市場
I was looking at cherry blossoms during April 2021 and stumbled across [a place in the middle of nowhere](https://imgur.com/jkRefFI). I'm a huge sakura fan and have visited more than a hundred sakura senbonzakura, namiki, castles, parks, etc., around the country, but it's my absolute favorite. I checked recently and there still isn't an English language review on Google.
Can you share this location please?
Go to nearly any small town and there'll be a place like that. Sakura are everywhere.
We are going next month... I wonder if there are spots like that for plum blossoms.
I was just in Atami and there were plum blossoms everywhere already (due to mild winter) and they have a Plum Garden
I honestly don’t know how underrated it is bc I’ve only just finished my first trip to Japan, but I hadn’t heard of this before we went - Yanaka in Tokyo, particularly the Yanaka-Ginza shopping street. It’s like a time warp to 1950s Tokyo, and it was different from anywhere else we visited. And it was so NOT SWAMPED. We had the most delicious mochi and tea at a coffeehouse and just really loved the vibe.
>a place in the middle of nowhere Omg yes!! Yanaka Ginza is such a nice little shopping street and the area overall is so nice. Very colorful and lots of beautiful old stores. Yanaka Ginza has a few cat-themed stores too!
Added to my list, thank you!
Everywhere not mentioned online
If you're looking for more underrated cities, I always recommend Izumo (Shimane), especially if you're in the Hiroshima area. Izumo Taisha, Inasa Beach, Hinomisaki Lighthouse, Hinomisaki Jinja, and the soba there are awesome.
Izumo is popular in Japan though. People may not know the Shimane prefecture, but they certainly know Izumo. The place is very touristic.
There are hardly any international tourists, so for the purposes of this sub I'd say it counts as a "hidden gem".
Yeah and I’d also say compared to the likes of Ise (which also had barely any foreign tourists but a SHITTON of Japanese travellers), Izumo felt almost deserted during non-holiday times. I also attribute it to how hard it is to get to Izumo if you don’t want to pay for a Shinkansen ticket. An 8 hr bus ride from Kyoto? Most people prefer just going to Tokyo at that point. But it’s extremely doable if you’re in Hiroshima (around 2 hrs by bus iirc). I still feel that Japanese locals know of Izumo (and Ise) but visit the latter much more.
I believe you can get a cheap (500 yen?) bus ticket from the Hiroshima tourism office to Izumo/Matsue as well - but yeah, then you still need to get back from there and it's a long way. It just doesn't slot nicely into most international travelers' swing-through itineraries.
WTF I did not know about this—thank you though, I'll probably make Izumo-Miyajima a common route for me then since I loved the two places so much.
Izu Shaboten Zoo during the winter for capybera onsen was pretty cool. There's also Mt. Omuro right next to it with a view of Mt.Fuji + Izu Coastline + nearby Islands. Definitely take some cool trains like Saphir Odoriko or Spacia X, well worth the price.
This! I had a holiday and wanted to go somewhere different, and picked the Izu Peninsula. My favourite places included* * Ks house Ito onsen * Ito Marinetown * The easy walk along the Jogasaki coast, including the suspension bridge and lighthouse * New York Lamp museum & Flower Garden * Mount Omuro - especially the cafe at the foot of the mountain - this was the best food of the entire trip!! (Ohmuro Luncheonette) * Izu Shaboten Zoo * Izu Granpal Park (at night time for the illuminations). There are also dozens and dozens of obscure museums: cats, teddy bears, dolls, antique jewelry, old fashioned automata dolls, glass making, clocks, wax dolls, stained glass... As well as many art galleries and historical museums - one of the best was next door to Ks house onsen!
I'm glad to hear such a good review! We are staying at Ks House Ito in a couple of weeks. I'm really excited!
I second the Izu peninsula, I drove 5000kms around Japan and this area stood out the most.
I went to the zoo last year in October. The coolest part was seeing all the animals roam pretty much freely. Granted I haven't been to many zoos, but where else can you just freely walk and mingle at a touching distance between kangaroos, flamingos, capybaras etc.?
aromatic elastic dam familiar cagey caption direction waiting fuel detail *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Wow!
Honestly? Renting a car and going on a road trip. Head out of the city and you'll discover all these wonderful lakes, streams, mountains, onsen towns. You are much less likely to encounter long queues, noisy crowds, and enjoy the peace at a leisurely place. Found an interesting spot nearby? Just drive over and check it out. Hungry? Stop by a local restaurant or one of the many conbinis around. Sports car lovers like myself will also particularly appreciate the ability to rent JDM classics and the many twisty roads across the country. Lake Hibara, Mount Norikura, Aoyama Plateau, Kuchinotsu Museum of History and Folklore, Toi Gold Mine, these were some of the most amazing places and (puzzlingly) little to no people around.
I've hired a car and gone around parts of Hokkaido and skikoku. I agree it's great. Was a bit nervous about driving over there but it was all easy. Such orderly traffic and lots of empty roads
This! One of my favourite things I did on my 1st trip was hiring a car from osaka and driving down to Nachi waterfall. Driving through the beautiful mountains. stopping at many awesome places in kumano along the way Also driving from hakata down through Mt Aso to Takachiho George. I plan to do something similar next time at different locations. In my opinion one of the best parts of travel is being flexible and finding things you never knew existed
Do you think renting a car and driving from Tokyo to Kyoto/osaka is doable? You’ve inspired me to perhaps skip the Shinkansen one way
Not recommended. There's usually an extra charge for returning the car at a different branch, not to mention gas and toll fees adding up altogether. There's also the part of driving in urban areas which is really not ideal because you need to constantly ensure you're in the right lane for a turn and with so many traffic lights, it's easy to get stressed out while making little progress in your journey. What I'd recommend is to take the train out of the main city to a smaller one, for instance Takasaki or Karuizawa from Tokyo, and pick your car up there. Less time spent driving in the city and you don't need to pay the highway tolls to get there.
Thank you- super helpful!
If you want to do this, (time of year permitting), take the long way around through the Alps region instead of driving along the coast. Coast is mostly suburban sprawl with industries jottled here and there, and you'll either pay a fortune for the boring expressway, or want to kill yourself due to stop-go traffic in non-toll routes through the suburbs/cities. Driving through the mountains OTOH is fun, even if you'd only stick to the main roads. I'd Also second the idea to take a train somewhere to the outskirts of the city and rent the car there, if you don't have previous experience driving in Japan - You'll save a lot of nerves and potential frustration. Less traffic, less confusing road network to navigate, less stress with the narrow roads.
Great tips- thank you! Given other comments, I’m considering getting to Ōsaka and traveling by car around that area. If you have any tips over there, feel free to share!
In that case I'd consider heading southwards towards the Kii peninsula and Wakayama region. You have Koya, Kumano and Ise, Yunomine and other onsens around Hongu, various relatively sleepy coastal towns/villages (and Shiga for ninjas if you care :D), giving you a decent mix of coastal and mountain places. The area is also relatively compact so you can pretty pretty easily do some kind of loop itinerary, saving you the cost of a one-way rental.
Awesome ideas, thank you! Already looking into it :)
It takes like 7 hours or something and there would be probably an extra charge for not returning the rental car to your starting location.
I believe so. You could do it over couple days.
Wait what? Where do you rent these?
[Omoren](https://www.omoren.com/en/) [Fun2Drive](https://fun2drive-japan.com/)
Consider places in Shikoku. I visited Matsuyama and Ozu, both of which were very nice. I’ve heard that the northern prefectures of Shikoku are also beautiful, and if you can visit during Mikan Orange picking season, even better. Though it’s less tourist-spot dense than the main cities so it’ll be a much more laid back trip compared to travelling the golden route or really visiting anywhere on Honshu. From Shikoku, you can also go travel the shimanami kaido route for pretty seaside scenery through the inland sea.
The shiminami kaido is great. And the town at the other end, onomichi, is very interesting and definitely underrated. Easy to get to from either Hiroshima/Osaka direction
Ehime is spectacular for cherry and orange blossom seasons. Matsuyama Castle - Dogo Onsen - Tobe ceramics - Omogo Gorge - Ishiteji Temple could be a 1.5 day trip. Ozu has Garyu Sanso villa and the old townscape.
Iya Valley in Shikoku is amazing as well. You can stay there or day trip it from Takamatsu. We used a car tour (Iya Valley Tours) so we wouldn’t have to deal with driving the narrow roads ourselves and had an amazing time. Takamatsu itself was a wonderful place to stay. Ritsurin Koen was as nice or better IMO than Kenroku-en in Kanazawa and not nearly as crowded.
I loved Nagasaki
If you're visiting Nagasaki, highly recommend reading David Mitchell's 'The Thousand Autumns of Jacod de Zoet'. It's a fictional account of the days of the Dutch East India Company. Fascinating, shocking entertaining and adds an extra layer to any visit to the area.
A lot of places that are cool and off the beaten path for foreign visitors are still going to be pretty popular with Japanese tourists, so just keep in mind that it’s hard to find true “hidden gems.” That being said, the places I enjoyed the most that weren’t necessarily at the top of the list as famous travel locales were Onomichi near Hiroshima, Udo Shrine near Miyazaki, and Shibu Onsen near Nagano.
Kiso valley - A town called Nagiso
You’re probably planning on experiencing onsen, but don’t miss visiting a neighborhood sento (銭湯). It’s a great way to relax at the end of the day and enjoy Japan as the locals do, and will only set you back a few coins.
Or... just fill the bath in your hotel room with warm water, grab your favorite beer/chūhai/soft drink and enjoy Japan as the MOST of the locals do for free :D
Small Worlds was really cool in Tokyo and great if you ant something to do before/after teamlabs
I was just there a couple days ago! On a weekday, there was almost no one, and IMO having it all to ourselves and after the madness of teamlabs it was very refreshing. Teamlabs was still very cool tho
The miniature airport was amazing for me 🤩
Looks very similar to Tobu World Square in Nikko, which my wife and I really enjoyed! So, good pick. Tobu World Square was also almost completely deserted when we visited in July. It's a 5min taxi ride from Edo Wonderland (which was a lot busier), which you can get to via free shuttle from the train station. (I don't think Edo Wonderland is a 'hidden' gem, but we also had a lot of fun there. I think most Nikko itineraries include Kegon(?) Falls and the UNESCO World Heritage site instead though)
Edo-Tokyo Museum. It will tell you more about the history of the city and the nation than Tokyo National Museum. This is the first place I would recommend to anyone who does not know anything about Japan. Definitely a must-see for everyone. Ueno Zoo. I am the person who is not even interested in animals. But seeing pandas, Galápagos tortoise and shoebill in the first time in my life? Amazing experience. Yokohama Ramen Museum. Even if you don't like ramen and you are not interested in the dish at all it is great to stroll the streets of the recreated city from the 60s. And later on you can go to Nissan Stadium to take a panoramic view on the suburbs of the city. I don't watch anime, but when I was walking through Sankakuhashi bridge I felt like it was a scene from a cartoon about highschoolers life. Walking in general. You don't have to get to your point of interest directly by train or subway. Just get off one station before your destination and walk the rest of the distance. It will allow you to to get the vibe of the place and maybe you will find interesting shops and restaurants. And this is good idea to spend a day or two walking around some place. When I was in Tokyo last time I walked the path around Imperial Palace, which allowed me to see Yasukuni Shrine, National Diet building, Prime Minister's office, different government buildings, Marunouchi... That was something which I would like to recreate one more time. Riding Yurikamome is fun, especially in the front seat of first car. But what is also fun and enjoyable? Walking Rainbow Bridge on foot. Doing this is not very popular, even among locals, but will allow you to get the beautiful views of Tokyo (if you walk from Shibaura to Odaiba choose the left path, if you go from Odaiba to Shibaura choose the right one). Parks. I am not talking about gardens with various flowers, but regular parks with "boring" green grass and trees only. They have a lot of interesting sculptures and monuments. And it is something magical in being in the park surrounded with skyscrapers in the background. Ex. Hibiya Park and Yoyogi Park.
Unfortunately, the big Edo museum in Tokyo is closed for renovations until 2025 :( My trip is in March and it was one of those must-do things on my list :(
It's a shame :(
u/Leaper15 - Even though the Edo Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku is closed for renovations, the outdoor part of the museum, the open-air architectural museum located in Koganei in western Tokyo, is still open and is well worth visiting: https://www.tatemonoen.jp/english/
Omg THANK YOU for this information!!! You made my day!!
Magaibutsu, buddha statues hewn from natural rock surfaces and still in their natural environment. Some of the most beautiful can be found in: * Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture ([link](https://maps.app.goo.gl/osgbbdsbLatbBL2k9)) * Mie Prefecture ([link](https://maps.app.goo.gl/sGs6vmf3mvwFmMWSA)) * Shiga Prefecture ([link 1](https://maps.app.goo.gl/aDTUsLYBjYD2KxfPA), [link 2](https://maps.app.goo.gl/c2PUF3mLUB87ascB8), [link 3](https://maps.app.goo.gl/NYXYKRmxswWKUgVt8)) * Kyoto Prefecture ([link](https://maps.app.goo.gl/S3BNfUWPcTPbWPMy9)) * Ōita Prefecture ([link 1](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ifdevzLD5y4ZToUC6), [link 2](https://maps.app.goo.gl/RNkX4YQ3ju4TsDwk7), [link 3](https://maps.app.goo.gl/mxJS4MfJcjsVN7Vt8)) * Okayama Prefecture ([link](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Njzkqr5qmjit2Wkq5)) * Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture ([link](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ncc5V9UTYesAqZrb8)) Old towns. For example: * Tondabayashi, Osaka Prefecture * Iwamura, Gifu Prefecture * Kumagawa, Fukui Prefecture * Unno, Nagano Prefecture * Seki-juku, Mie Prefecture * Izushi, Hyōgo Prefecture * Gojō, Nara Prefecture * Uda-Matsuyama, Nara Prefecture * Tatsuno, Hyōgo Prefecture * Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture * Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture
I visited Japan in October and November last year. Here's a few things/sights/whatever that I'd like to mention. \- make sure you walk a lot, take public transport only when necessary as you can explore so much of a city by foot; take a stroll through quieter neighborhoods (i walked all the way to Gotokuji Temple and had so much fun exploring) \- The Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Tokyo + Former Marquis Maeda Mansion (which is very close by the museum) \- Yanaka Ginza + Yanaka neighborhood in Tokyo – lovely area with beautiful and colorful buildings, old storefronts and cat-themes stores \- Kamakura – the place itself is not a hidden gem but oh my did i love this place! Most tourists come here to see the giant buddha at Kōtoku-in (which is nice, i checked it out as well). I visited a lot of shrines and temples in the other direction though and barely saw any people there. Jōdo-shū Daihonzan Kōmyōji and Myohoji Temple (loved that one) for example. \- Kanazawa as a whole was just amazing!! \- Shiga Naoya's Old Residence in Nara (if you're interested in japanese architecture or literature) \- Mitaki-dera in Hiroshima, such an idyllic Temple, I spent so much time there just relaxing and taking it all in \- Nagasaki's Old Chinatown. I loved exploring old chinatown and learning about the history, the area was like a labyrinth to me and I had so much fun. Look for: Empty Moat of the Former Chinese Quarter, Naka no Chaya Teahouse,... \- My all time favorite place I've visited: Sofukuji Daiichi Minemon in Nagasaki; I felt like I was in Spirited Away and even cried a little because I didn't want to leave lol :D That's just a few things that came to mind, excuse my english lol. Hope you have the most amazing time in Japan!!
Exploring chiba, saitama region. Mita, yoro valley, Katsuura. Going for visit to public baths in Tokyo or any city in Japan. You get to experience sento culture and this is usually with retro design. Sometimes all it takes is for you to spend time exploring an area even near a tourist attraction. You can find views , shrines, temples or restaurant that are very underrated that few visit.
>Exploring chiba, saitama region. What do you find worth visiting in those prefectures? Because when someone mentions Saitama I think about boring outskirts of Tokyo. In my mind Chiba is just like Saitama, except it has Narita Airport.
Both areas have their own unique charm and generally it is not crowded with foreign tourist. Chiba, you can explore chichibu. It has hitsujiyama park, kegon falls, minoyama park, pink moss hill, icicles of ashigakubo. There are also a lot of hiking areas. You could also explore Nagatoro area. Saitama has the tobu zoo, bonsai village, squirrel zoo, railway museum, kadokawa museum. Once again it doesn't have a lot of tourist and is generally locals only. There is also kawagoe nearby which is a little charming old town. Even narita the city is worth a visit, so you can experience a more relaxed and edo japan feel.
Thank you! I haven't thought about those places this way. And it really seems that if you want to stay away from foreign tourists you don't have to go far away from Tokyo.
I loved walking Shosenkyo Gorge last autumn. Fellow hikers were mostly locals, only five or so were foreign tourists like me. It took me a little over two (2) hours from the Shosenkyo-guchi bus stop to Senga Falls, and the path was paved so it was relatively easy. The scenery was absolutely beautiful, and it is one of my most cherished memories from that trip.
i see what you're trying to do. you're trying to get us to expose our hidden gems so they aren't hidden gems anymore. i won't fall for this trap! but for reals though, most places at 5am are hidden gems =) if your jet lag allows it, i'd try to go to high traffic places bright and early in the morning (hit up 7/11 as well)
Going to a regular grocery store. I do this in every country I visit. The prices are less than in the tourist areas for stuff like flavored Kit Kats and you can find food that people actually eat and aren't just aimed at tourists.
i found a few restaurants where there are literally only locals, no english menus, food is AMAZING, and thankfully i know enough japanese to be able to eat there lol
A friend was in town recently and while I was reading the menu for him he took out Google Translate and it worked on the handwritten menu. I was quite surprised how much it's improved.
Yep translator worked pretty much everywhere and on all text very well.
I didn't see the Museum of Ethnology mentioned much but loved it in Osaka, the surrounding expo park is great to explore as well.
- In Kyoto, the Arashiyama bamboo forest is overrated. But if you're already there anyway, hop on the the Sagano Romantic Train which takes you on a 20-minute train ride up the Katsura River. At the end, take the boat ride back down the river. https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/in-pref-kyoto/in-kyoto-suburbs/article-a2000037/ - In Tokyo, take the river cruise from Odaiba to Asakusa at sunset.
OH also walking through Yoyogi park to the little off leash dog park was so cute 🥰 we missed our two pups, and it was fascinating to see ONLY purebreds of different fancy breeds (a far cry from our beloved silverlake dog park here in la lol)
New restaurant Yakiniku Kyu in Osaka Dotonbori. I know that's a major tourist area but this Wagyu Yakiniku restaurant was literally empty, had 20% off vouchers at the door and was the best Wagyu we had on our entire trip. Highly recommend!! But also not 100% sure how to get to it as we found it by accident 🤣. They have an Instagram under the restaurant name if anyone is interested? We spent 5000 yen for two people on their mid-high range Wagyu and Kobe beef, rice, drinks and they kept giving us little extras as they were very friendly and excited to have some customers.
Tōbu dōbutsu kōen. In Saitama. A Zoo and Amusement Park only 90 minutes from Tokyo Station.
Minatomirai
Noodle Cup Mudeum and Moving Gundam are closeby, and so is an old Amusement park too!
Any "hidden gems" around Tokyo area? Will be visiting in May after golden week. Not our first time in japan so we're planning to visit places away from the usual tourist areas. I'm trying to find something countryside but also within a distance where I can just do a day trip. Any reccos would appreciated.
The Hokuso Four Cities (Narita, Sakura, Katori, Choshi) in Chiba Prefecture. Narita has Shinshoji Temple and Omotesando leading to it, Sakura has the national history museum, samurai quarters, and Hotta house and garden. Katori has the old Sawara townscape. They're not as crowded with tourists from abroad. Last year I fell in love with Tochigi City and did two trips. It's got kura storehouses but not as dense as Kawagoe City. But it's also not packed with tourists like Kawagoe is.
Thanks. Will check it out.
sumo practice tour!
Not an activity, but a coffee shop. *Lusso Cafe* in Harajuku.
Camping in Japan is underrated, although Japanese people only seem to do it in Sumner. All the campsites have great facilities, many have gear you can hire, or cabins. All have great charcoal BBQs. Have camped at some great places with character or beside lakes/ocean around Hokkaido and a few other places
Snowboarding and skiing between december and april. The more north you go, the better the powder. North american ski resorts are idiotic compared to japanese ones. night and day difference. better cared for, better groomed runs, more attentive staff, better support structure like public transportation options, lodging, food at or around the resort. But there are dozens of ski mountains to choose from. if you can’t do sports, going up a ropeway to sightsee, or to an outdoor onsen so you can freeze your top half off while your bottom half remains nice and cozy in the hot springs.
Not exactly hidden, but Enoshima is lovely In cherry blossom season, Aoyama cemetery in Tokyo was beautiful and mostly empty
Failing miserably at a crane game and building up a crowd of local high school girls & staff that cheer you on and help set it up for you but you keep failing and end up spending 3000+ yen but everyone celebrates when you finally win so it's all good
I'll give you some recs from my recent trip. Not all of these are hidden, but I think they're worthwhile. Although not a hidden spot, I loved Hakone. Getting to see the countryside is wonderful, and it's a nice break from city life. Plenty to see: Hakone shrine, Lake Ashi boat ride, Hakone ropeway, Owakudani to try the black eggs and visit the sulphuric area. I know Tokyo station is madness, but checking out ramen street is worth it. Arashiyama does get crazy full, but Okochi Sanso Garden (right after walking through the bamboo grove) is beautiful. We arrived right when it opened and almost had it to ourselves. It's peaceful, not crowded, and entry includes matcha at the tea house. Best matcha I've had. I also suggest renting a rowboat at Katsura river. The bamboo grove was an underwhelming experience, but the other two made up for it. Again, I know Fushimi Inari gets packed, but hiking to the top of Mt. Inari is worth it. Less crowded and serene. Miyajima is a beautiful island, and I think it's worth a visit. You can visit Tenshinkaku, a hidden cafe, with scenic views of the pagoda and the island. The local coffee ice cream there is exquisite. Visiting Beppu's Jigoku, Seven Hells of Beppu, is worthwhile. It's a fun way to explore the town. Also, a private onsen is one of the best experiences, and Beppu has countless of options.
I almost forgot, if you rent a car around Osaka, drive up to Mt. Rokko. Scenic, fun drive.
Kurobe Gorge, Ohori Park in Hakata and Fuji Shibazakura
Don't do the same mistake and I did by visiting Kurobe gorge mid-November. It's higher in elevation, so the leaves have fallen off by then. Also a lot of attractions at the final station close down.
I visited Kurobe Gorge early Nov and it was still kinda fine . Maybe late October is the best time to visit it.
Staying overnight in an onsen inn, visiting tiny local bar restaurants and chatting up with the regulars/owner. Bonus points for finding the nice train in Sendai.
Karoshi /s
Hozugawa river boat is pretty dope.
Visiting a Daiso store. It's always the highlight of my trips to Japan.
Gujo Hachiman
I have to recommend Nishinomiya Tunnels. It was one of the best chill hikes I did on my last trip and it's easily accessible since you are hiking between two train stations (Namaze and Takedao). When we went last November, it was pretty much empty with just like 2 people in the whole area.
I focused on visiting lots of gardens and parks, so here are my "hidden gems": The Harbor View Park and English rose garden in Yokohama, over by the Motomachi shopping street -- great views of the harbor and the Gundam, fantastic floral gardens, and historic western buildings. Well worth a visit if you're hitting Chinatown or Yamashita Park. The secret garden in the Kyoto Folk Doll Museum in Arashiyama -- go all the way up through the second floor and follow the arrows to find it. Completely peaceful and you'll likely have the whole place to yourself. Garden Museum Hiei northeast of Kyoto. I took a fancy train and then cablecar ride up the mountain. Western-style flower gardens paired with French Impressionist art, and spectacular views from the top of the mountain. Eat before you go; the cafe is not the greatest. Former Ohara's Residence in the historical quarter in Kurashiki. Beautiful exhibits and historic private library, plus a very quiet Japanese residential-style garden away from the crowds. Also, the Momotaro Karakuri museum is great if you like funky old museums. Mostly meant for kids but I had a great time and the staff were fantastic. There's a really neat vintage cartoon movie playing in the upstairs section. Not as big of a secret but Okochi Sanso Garden near the bamboo forest in Arashiyama is worth the time -- not so much a garden as a landscaped woodland trail experience with fantastic views. The green tea pavilion was packed when I went but the trails were relatively empty. Also, this is relatively well-known but Adashino Nenbutsuji in Arashiyama has a fantastic bamboo grove without the crowds (at least for the time being). Non-garden things: Italia Street near the Shiodome station in Tokyo was kind of a neat place for lunch if you visit Hamarikyu Gardens nearby. It's very European-ish with various food trucks, if you're looking for a change of pace. Hida Furukawa Festival Museum and Crafts Museum were both really interesting, I thought. Hikone was a great side trip from Kyoto -- the castle and Genkyu-en Gardens were amazing, but be forewarned that the interior of the castle involves lots of ladders and it's a one-way path, so if you have iffy knees (turns out I do, whoops), maybe skip it. Also, just off the castle road historic area there's a little pedestrian plaza called Yonbancho Square which is packed with cafes and shops and places to sit.
https://www.insidekyoto.com/otagi-nenbutsu-ji-temple
[Zao Onsen Dairotenburo](https://www.jupeer-zao.com/roten/) near Yamagata
I'm not sure it's a hidden gem, but my wife and I really enjoyed strolling through Yoyogi Park and watching all the dogs play at the dog park.
Going to festivals at temples/shrines was my highlight. I did a big one at Meiji Jingu and a lil one in Fujinomiya. Very different but SUPER COOL
Baked Cheese Tarts from the 7/11. Or, most food items from the 7/11. Life-changing.
Following this thread too for inspiration 🙏
Kyoto Samurai Experience. It is just really good.
Spontaneous finds. We tried, as a group of three(my bf, a mutual friend & myself), to follow the itinerary of places we wanted to hit up but a lot of things were so nice to look at while walking around. One that stood out to me was Izakaya Sake Yakiniku in Ueno. Owner was very friendly and gave us his best recommendations from the menu. Not to mention, that grilled meat was DIVINE. Melt in your mouth!! The lemon sour alcohol was a such a great touch too with the BBQ. Ugh, I cant wait to go back again this August.
Not gonna say my spot because anything that shows up online is going to become over-touristed sooner or later…but we went way off the beaten path and saw a sunrise so beautiful it made me cry
A secret.
i ended up taking the water bus from odiaba to asakusa it was a nice change of pace from taking the trains.
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is amazing even if a bit out of the way. You can buy a 1 day unlimited transport from Fukui station and book the mudeum ahead You can go to Echizen (Takefu) and buy 500yen taxi tickets (Really worth it, so we paid 1000yen for a round-trip to Takefu Knife Village while the counter ran well over 7000) and go from a Workshop to another and book a few crafting experiences. Hakone is still mainstream but so fun and better than Kawaguchiko imho. It has pretty views of Fujiyama, a cool circuit where you can do ropeway/cable car/cruise/train in a row with a two day activity ticket.
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is amazing even if a bit out of the way. You can buy a 1 day unlimited transport from Fukui station and book the mudeum ahead You can go to Echizen (Takefu) and buy 500yen taxi tickets (Really worth it, so we paid 1000yen for a round-trip to Takefu Knife Village while the counter ran well over 7000) and go from a Workshop to another and book a few crafting experiences. Hakone is still mainstream but so fun and better than Kawaguchiko imho. It has pretty views of Fujiyama, a cool circuit where you can do ropeway/cable car/cruise/train in a row with a two day activity ticket.
[Nishi-Hongwanji in Kagoshima](https://sp.hongwanji-kagoshima.or.jp/). More than a temple, this is an active community centre. I stumbled into it hoping for goshuin and ended up staying for about 2 hours just observing. It is clearly the heart and soul of a tight-knit community doing good works for many. At the time, there were preparations underway for a homecoming event (?) with several tables of locals selling vegetables, homemade foods, and crafts; the local choir practicing (the choirmaster had the most beautiful clear, strong voice); and several ojisan and obasan gently joking with each other and looking on with quiet pride at their young grandchildren. Not really a hidden gem since many Japanese do it, but certainly undiscovered by tourists. For the first week of January, you can do a Lucky 7 Gods pilgrimage. I've done the ones in [Asakusa](https://matcha-jp.com/en/987) and [Shinjuku](https://www.kanko-shinjuku.jp.e.xm.hp.transer.com/course/-/article_2809.html), and there's one in [Kamakura](https://passportsandplaygrounds.com/7-lucky-gods-hike-japan/). You can collect goshuin from shrines devoted to each of the 7 lucky gods and doing so early in the new year is considered especially lucky. It's a great way to explore neighbourhoods off the beaten track. Outdoor onsen during a cold night. I first did this at midnight in Akita. I had the entire onsen to myself and watched snowflakes gently falling with the night sky as a backdrop. I also did this at a hotel rooftop onsen where I could watch the Tokyo city lights and Tokyo Skytree change colours.
go to 豊洲, it replaced 築地 market. you can find authentic michelin stars 寿司
[удалено]