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Condé Nast Traveler
3 days ago
- Business
- Condé Nast Traveler
Beyond the Megacities, Uncovering Japan's Quieter Corners
At Satoyama Jujo—a modern ryokan housed in a lovingly refurbished 150-year-old farmhouse in Niigata—the first ritual is the bath. As I lower myself into the open-air onsen, bounded by whispering trees, the setting sun paints the mountains in amber hues. Though just over an hour from Tokyo, this place feels a world away. Later, as evening deepens, I make my way to the nearby river where a flutter of fireflies performs a luminescent ballet. After nearly two decades of calling Tokyo home, Japan continues to reveal itself to me in layers. The capital's labyrinthine sprawl—more a patchwork of village-like neighborhoods than monolithic metropolis—remains endlessly fascinating, with izakayas tucked into narrow alleys and century-old shops wedged between gleaming towers. But it was during the pandemic's forced stillness, when the borders shut for three years, that I began venturing deeper into Japan's peripheral spaces. Previously, my work as a journalist had briefly dispatched me to Japan's distant prefectures—the island of Honshu's sake breweries in Yamagata and fishing villages in Miyagi—but I'd find myself rushing back to the capital before I could properly experience these places. These days, I've embraced being a tourist in my adopted country; lingering in ceramics villages where the potters eschew electricity, and discovering remote temples carved into mountainside cliffs. While Kyoto's famous temples groan under the weight of selfie sticks, these quieter corners offer something that feels genuine—and right now, in particular, feels like a perfect moment to explore them further. Over the past few years, I've noticed a seismic shift in Japan's tourism landscape. Last year, the country welcomed a record 36.8 million international visitors. This momentum has continued into 2025, with over 10.5 million arrivals in the first quarter alone. During this period, foreign tourists spent ¥2.3 trillion (or $15 billion), up 28.4% from the same period last year. The country is evolving to keep up with the demand. New rail extensions have eased access to places like Fukui, on the Sea of Japan coast, while future expansions will unlock more areas in Hokkaido and Tohoku. I've watched with interest as new hotels and design-forward ryokan blend traditional aesthetics with creature comforts in regions where finding a decent cup of coffee once felt like a quest. Alongside these developments, small businesses have emerged to connect travelers with cultural experiences—craftspeople opening up their workshops, farmers offering culinary classes, and local guides creating bespoke itineraries. For communities facing population decline, tourism brings not just economic lifelines but something perhaps more valuable—renewed pride in cultural traditions that might otherwise fade into history. Recently, I've sought out hidden gems like Yamanaka Onsen—a hot spring town renowned for woodworking and lacquerware—that had previously seemed just beyond reach. Thanks to the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train expansion last year, I found myself here in just two and a half hours from Tokyo. By day I spent an afternoon at a lacquerware atelier where a master craftsman guided a visiting artist through techniques refined over centuries. That evening, I slipped into Bar Engawa, where Yusuke Shimoki serves sake in locally crafted vessels behind a counter in a traditional house with doors featuring intricate wooden inlays. Throughout the town, a new generation of ryokan and shop owners is working to revitalize the area, creating events that showcase regional artisans alongside local cuisine—and launching a contemporary arts festival inside historic buildings.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Japan's cruise tourism charges full steam ahead, shaking off pandemic blues
When the Diamond Princess was quarantined off Yokohama in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Japan's cruise industry ground to a halt, its future clouded by fear and uncertainty. Advertisement Today, that industry is roaring back. Demand for maritime journeys with swimming pools among a host of luxury amenities and entertainment has surged due to pent-up wanderlust and a wave of new investments. Japanese ports are seeing record domestic passenger numbers, signalling not just a revival in leisure travel, but a broader boost to local economies that rely on tourism. Japan , an archipelago of over 14,000 islands and one of the largest economies in the world, has a relatively small cruise industry and modest vessels compared to the US, home of giants like Carnival Cruise Line. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, however, the Japanese cruise market grew significantly in 2024, increasing by 14.2 per cent year on year to 224,100 passengers. Advertisement The number of international visitors entering Japan by cruise ship quadrupled to 1.4 million, nearly 60 per cent of the record set in 2017.
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Travel + Leisure
7 days ago
- General
- Travel + Leisure
I've Lived in Japan for 20 Years—Here Are 10 Hidden Gems You Won't Find in Guidebooks
Numbers of international tourists to Japan continue to smash records year after year, with sites on the so-called Golden Route of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima becoming increasingly congested. Luckily, Japan has so much more to see off that very well-trodden path. I've lived in Japan for two decades—here are 10 of the country's hidden gems to consider for your next trip to the "Land of the Rising Sun." A wild horse spotted on Nishinoshima, one of the Oki chose this little cluster of islands off the coast of Shimane Prefecture as a Geopark for its dramatic scenery; think steep seaside bluffs topped by verdant fields with free-roaming horses, craggy ocean grottos where bioluminescent plankton shimmer like azure sparks, and sacred cedars that have seen the passage of a thousand years. Only a few thousand people live in the scattered fishing villages, but you'll find they're happy to welcome you to the local izakaya pub to share some freshly harvested rock oysters and turban shells with a bottle of junmai from hometown Oki Sake Brewery. Sunset over Kurashiki. This town in southern Japan was a key rice distribution center in the Edo Period (1603-1867) thanks to a network of transport canals. In the Bikan Historical District, the storehouses, arching stone bridges, and willow-lined canals of that time have been so lovingly preserved, you'll feel like you've stepped into a Kurosawa movie. A scenic boat ride with a happi-clad punter is a must, as is the Ohara Museum of Art. Sicilian osteria Rentechi or Kumo, a Japanese restaurant immersed in folk art, are great lunch options. Most visitors come on a day trip from nearby Okayama, but I recommend staying the night at Kurashiki Ryokan to see the historical district at its twilight best. Yumoto Onsen in Nagato City. A rural hot spring town is a quintessential Japanese locale, and Nagata Yumoto is one of my favorites, thanks to a passionate and collaborative community that keeps investing in their home. Its 600-year-old Onto hot spring got a new design-forward bathhouse in 2020, and the Otozure River burbling through the heart of town is lined with well-maintained paths and piers, making it a perfect place to stroll. Stop in at OTO for a coffee in the region's rustic Hagi pottery or Kawarasoba Yanagiya for kawara soba , a traditional Yamaguchi dish of tea-infused noodles and beef fried on a ceramic roofing tile. Overnight, try riverside Otani Sanso, a ryokan whose youthful fifth-generation owner leads the local revitalization efforts. Japanese ceramic tea bowl from Mashiko, Tochigi prefecture. Paul Atkinson/Adobe Stock Mashiko has been a pottery center since the 19th century, and today, it's home to some 250 kilns producing hand-thrown ceramics and about 50 galleries. That makes for some serious shopping opportunities. Traditional Mashiko ware is a mingei style that gets a weighty thickness from the local iron-rich clay and is typically finished with white engobe glazing and simple brush-painted designs. However, in the mid-1900s, influential potter Shoji Hamada attracted a new generation of Japanese and foreign students to his Mashiko workshop, where he encouraged them to pursue diverse means of individual expression, expanding the range of Mashiko styles. If you visit during the twice-yearly Mashiko Pottery Fair, you can see it all on display and score some steep bargains as shops spill out onto the streets to clear inventory. The cave stalactites of Valley of Gangala in Okinawa. This region is on the southern coast of Okinawa's main island, about a half-hour drive from Naha. Compared to the prefecture's famous beach locales, it's less touristy because its attractions spring from a more traditional spiritualism than sun worshiping. On one end is the Valley of Gangala, a series of ancient limestone caves with Paleolithic archeological sites and massive banyan trees said to host sacred spirits. On the other end is the UNSECO-recognized island Sefu-Utaki, where priestesses of the indigenous religion were once inducted. Both are powerful spots of natural beauty and deep cultural significance, but for a less solemn outing, the little islet of Ojima sits neatly between the two. It's the reputed birthplace of Okinawan-style tempura and full of beachfront mom-and-pop shops like Oshiro Tempura Shop serving their seaweed fritters hot from the fryer. View of Wakamatsu in the Goto Islands of Japan. This island chain off the coast of Kyushu has exquisite white-sand beaches with none of the Okinawan crowds, plus picturesque fishing villages and hikes with panoramic sea views. It's also where many of Japan's "Hidden Christians" fled during the two-century ban on their religion. Visiting the chapels on the island, you'll learn how Japanese converts concealed themselves in remote enclaves to escape execution and practiced their faith in secret, repurposing Buddhist iconography and natural imagery to hide their devotion in plain sight. Visiting today provides fascinating insights into a lesser-known facet of Japanese history and the nature of faith. Plus, the local variety of udon is delicious. A museum in Tono, Japan. rollingmaster/Adobe Stock Even in Japan, if people know about Tono, a valley settlement tucked into Iwate's Kitakami Mountains, it's usually just as the location of a quirky folklore museum. However, the big temperature swings in its microclimate make it an ideal place to grow hops, and it claims a sixth of all domestic production. This hops heaven has an active craft beer scene, thanks to microbreweries Tono Brewing and Zumona, and the rolling fields make for excellent biking, with sudsy rewards waiting at the lively Tono Brewing taproom or jazz bar Brew Note Tono. Or you can bike to Michi no Eki Tono Kaze no Oka, a market for local products, and enjoy a bottle from their outdoor viewing deck, which overlooks the valley and a steam locomotive track. Viewpoint of Ago Bay in Ise Shima National Park. The island-dotted Ise-Shima National Park is not only picturesque; its sheltered inlets were the cradle of pearl cultivation. Its remote villages are still engaged in that practice, and you'll see the floating farms scattered around the bay, with their dangling ropes of oysters keeping the waters crystal clear. Amanemu is the most famous luxury accommodation in the area, but if you can snag a reservation, I recommend Cova Kakuda, a waterfront resort of just four villas built in a renovated pearl processing station. Its all-inclusive model is focused on sustainability, with food grown at an onsite farm and fresh-caught seafood sourced through deep ties with local fishing families. Blooming cherry trees a riverside promenade in a beautiful spring in Akita Prefecture. It might be cheating to list a whole prefecture, but the best destination to visit in under-appreciated Akita really depends on the season. In spring, you'll want to see the weeping cherry trees blossom over preserved samurai homes in Kakunodate. In summer, you've got the towering lantern procession of the Kanto Festival in Akita City. In fall, the blue hot springs and bright red maples of Nyuto Onsenkyo make for a picturesque scene. And then, thanks to its abundant snowfall, the prefecture hosts an absolute riot of unique winter festivals, including a fire-throwing festival in Kakunodate, a festival of snow huts in Yokote, and the wild Namahage Sedo Festival in Oga, during which people dress up as horrific demons to scare children into good behavior in the coming year. Five Storied Pagoda at Dewa Sanzan Shrine in Tsuruoka. This town on the Sea of Japan is home to the Kamo Aquarium, a facility that specializes in jellyfish. That might not sound that exciting, but in low lighting, the massive illuminated tanks of pulsating jellies feel like a mesmerizing alien art exhibit. Watching the slow, unthinking undulations of technicolor bells trailing multi-meter-long tentacles like slo-mo ribbon dancers is strangely soothing. Of course, Yamagata is a long way to go just to peep some jellyfish, so combine a visit with the misty temples of nearby Dewa Sanzan, three mountains sacred to the ascetics of the esoteric Shugendo religion.
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hongkongers visiting Japan in April rise by more than 40%
The number of Hong Kong tourists travelling to Japan last month has increased by more than 40 per cent compared with last year, reversing the downward trend after two months. But tour operators on Monday were hesitant to link the increase to more Hongkongers wanting to visit the country ahead of a rumoured mega-earthquake in July, with one operator being 'cautiously optimistic' about tour demand in the coming summer peak season. The country welcomed 263,600 Hong Kong residents in April, a 42.9 per cent jump from the 184,460 visitors last year, according to data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) released on Friday. Hong Kong residents visiting Japan in February and March dropped by 5 and 9.9 per cent year-on-year, respectively, which the organisation attributed to major holidays such as Lunar New Year and Easter falling on different months this year. From January to April, the cumulative total of Hong Kong visitors reached 911,200, a 12.8 per cent increase from the same period last year. The JNTO attributed the rise in visitor numbers to the new route from Hong Kong to Komatsu in Ishikawa prefecture and the resumption of flights to Ishigaki in Okinawa prefecture.
Condé Nast Traveler
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Condé Nast Traveler
The Best Things to Do in Japan All Year-Round
We've teamed up with legendary travel company Abercrombie & Kent to offer Curated Escapes, a collection of specialized trips custom-designed for our readers. Take off on a nine-day, small-group trip to Japan showcasing the skyscrapers and Shinto shrines of Tokyo, the Samurai districts of the coastal city of Kanazawa, and the Zen temples and textile traditions of Kyoto. Book now. Locals and regular visitors know that Japan—a remarkably varied country—doesn't reveal itself all at once. The nation is like an unfolding narrative: full of layers, contradictions, and hidden wonders. You've likely heard of the cherry blossoms, all the best things to do in Tokyo, and the bullet train, but the real magic is often found in the everyday. It's in the affordable convenience store snacks, the soothing hum of a rural onsen, or the pure joy of losing yourself in an arcade under neon lights. Whether it's your first trip or your fifth, these are the best things to do in Japan to experience the country's full spectrum, from the iconic to the subtle. Between the crane games brimming with adorable plushes and the rows upon rows lined with the latest and greatest gaming technology, there's no chance you'll grow bored inside a Japanese arcade. Getty Images 1. Visit an arcade (and get lost in neon nostalgia) Step into a world of neon lights, familiar eight-bit soundtracks, and the gentle buzz of competition. Battle your friends in Mario Kart, then hunt down the perfect purikura (photo booth)—Japan's arcades offer a riot of fun and an unforgettable sensory overload. Bonus points if you find yourself stuck in a UFO catcher (crane machine game) for longer than you care to admit.
