{"id":34472,"date":"2025-01-27T16:07:55","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T16:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=34472"},"modified":"2025-03-19T08:58:13","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T08:58:13","slug":"whats-not-hot-for-japan-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/27\/whats-not-hot-for-japan-in-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s (not) hot for Japan in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><h2><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Our favourite (not so) hot destinations for Japan in 2025<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Around 35 million people visited Japan in 2024 (they\u2019re still counting) and this year is set to be even bigger. It\u2019s the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, Osaka will be the first city to host the World Expo twice \u2013 and it\u2019s 40 years since Super Mario Bros was first released.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}\"> That means lots of visitors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">80% of travellers go to just 10% of the world\u2019s tourism destinations, and we want to change that &#8211; there&#8217;s so much more of Japan to see than its top spots, and including a lesser known destination in your trip often means glimpsing a slice of every day local life that you might not otherwise experience. It can help relieve a bit of the pressure on some of the most popular, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2024\/03\/18\/over-tourism-in-kyoto\/\">often crowded<\/a>, sites, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">So, we asked our specialists to recommend their favourite (not so) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\">hot destinations to visit in Japan this year<\/a> &#8211; from south to north Japan. Here&#8217;s what they came up with&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34517\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagasaki-night-view-from-Mt-Inasa-1.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Nagasaki \u2013 for an island frozen in time<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cNagasaki is key to understanding how Japan became the country it is today. If you don&#8217;t go there you&#8217;ll never really &#8220;get it&#8221;. You can literally stand on the piece of ground where all western technology and innovation came to the country. It&#8217;s profound.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As our co-founder Alastair sums up, <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/reporting.iat.travel\/cgi-bin\/rr\/nobook:392061,nosent:208754,nosrep:14209,nored:47BsfHQZHe99iLuTgm9GTLWJT8G4Re8-myzOTfbxRj702trBYGLOS930AYAqw94cmlgJVjuJbywsYSjAr1sCHA==\/https:\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/nagasaki\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Nagasaki<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is a pivotal part of Japan\u2019s identity. The city has an internationally influenced personality that extends far beyond the events of August 1945. Built around a natural harbour, it was the gateway to Japan for Western goods and technology in the 16th and 17th centuries.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Take a boat around neighbouring Hashima Island \u2013 commonly known as Gunkanjima \u2013 or Battleship Island. This mining village stands frozen in time \u2013 when industry stopped in 1974 and 2,000 islanders moved immediately back to the mainland. Pots still stand on stoves. Before, it was the most densely populated place on the planet\u2026<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34523\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Dogo-onsen-1.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Matsuyama \u2013 for <\/span><\/b><b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Spirited Away<\/span><\/i><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> hot springs and quiet castles<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/statistics.jnto.go.jp\/en\/graph\/#graph--inbound--prefecture--ranking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">visitor rate of just 0.4% in 2023<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, Ehime, on the island of Shikoku,\u00a0 is one of the least visited prefectures in Japan \u2013\u00a0 and yet there is much to be discovered in the city of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/matsuyama\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Matsuyama<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Matsuyama-jo is one of the twelve original Edo period castles still standing in Japan, built in 1603. After a steep ascent to see the castle (by cable car, or foot) you can take in the typically traditional (and recently refurbished) <em>onsen<\/em> bath complex, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/experience-japan\/i-on012-21\/dogo-onsen-\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Dogo Onsen<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. It\u2019s one of Japan\u2019s oldest and inspired the Studio Ghibli <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Spirited Away<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A short ferry ride from the mainland, Matsuyama isn&#8217;t too tricky to build into your trip (look at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/self-guided-japan-holidays\/i-soss\/secrets-of-shikoku-superior-\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Secrets of Shikoku<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> for inspiration).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34529\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Joge-1.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Joge \u2013 for a slice of local life\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You\u2019d be forgiven for having never heard of Joge. It\u2019s one of those places that\u2019s a little trickier to get to yourself, but is absolutely worth the journey, which is why we make it part of our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japan-small-group-tours\/i-hj\/hidden-japan\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Hidden Japan Small Group Tour<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Just over a 3-hour hop from Hiroshima<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, taking a walk down Joge\u2019s main street really does feel like you\u2019ve stepped back in time. With wooden-fronted, Mejii and Taisho era buildings and few cars on the roads, it has a quaint, quiet energy and barely receives foreign visitors. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Many customers describe Joge as a highlight of their trip.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34535\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Nagoya-1.jpg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nagoya &#8211; for world-class art and chicken wings<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/reporting.iat.travel\/cgi-bin\/rr\/nobook:392072,nosent:208754,nosrep:14209,nored:47BsfHQZHe99iLuTgm9GTLWJT8G4Re8-myzOTfbxRj702trBYGLOS930AYAqw94cQGG_vRibefp08koGszZyng==\/https:\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/nagoya\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Nagoya<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> has an unfair reputation for being a dull industrial town. But we love it \u2013 it\u2019s our Japan office home for a number of reasons!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s an art-lover\u2019s haven, with scores of galleries holding paintings, glass work, ceramics and even furniture, featuring artists from Gustav Klimt to Taikan Yokoyama. The Aichi Triennale (13<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Sept- 30<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nov) arts festival draws well-deserved attention to Nagoya\u2019s impressive art scene.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And if art isn\u2019t your thing, July brings the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/experience-japan\/i-ts002-12\/nagoya-sumo-\/\"><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">sumo<\/span><\/i> <i><span data-contrast=\"none\">basho<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> tournament in the grounds of Nagoya Castle. To fuel your cultural explorations, we recommend trying our Nagoya office favourite <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">izakaya<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> bar &#8211; Yamachan &#8211; famed fo<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">r its chicken wings and Nagoya specialities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34538\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1-720x480.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1-390x260.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1-780x520.jpeg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1-510x340.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/SAdo-1.jpeg 819w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sado Island \u2013 for tub boats and coastal landscapes<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When people think of Japan, many think of temples, Tokyo and geisha. But tub boats? Perhaps not. Away from the cultural and modern centres of Kyoto and Tokyo, the north holds cooler climes, a rugged feel and its own quirky style of cultural adventure.\u202f<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Today, Sado is a sleepy backwater \u2013 but it was once the world\u2019s most productive gold mine and a place of exile for monk prisoners. Taking a tub boat ride, powered by enthusiastic female rowers with a great sense of fun, and excellent, traditional hats, is a unique experience &#8211; and a chance to reflect on how time can change a place. You can visit as part of <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/reporting.iat.travel\/cgi-bin\/rr\/nobook:392074,nosent:208754,nosrep:14209,nored:47BsfHQZHe99iLuTgm9GTLWJT8G4Re8-myzOTfbxRj51oPqgMZpOeuY4RTLQ98Oujly6Fs9Xw5ncAjpyUTGzqvAJ6WZnqnPi2lnkY29hZ28=\/https:\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japan-small-group-tours\/i-ans\/a-northern-soul\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">A Northern Soul Small Group Tour<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><b>Get beneath the surface<\/b>\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n<p><em>If you&#8217;d like to visit the places in Japan that offer a true slice of everyday local life, we&#8217;d love to help make that happen. Whether you opt for a Small Group Tour <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japan-small-group-tours\/japan-tour-departures\/?Year=2025&amp;Status=Available\">(now with discounts for shoulder and low season)<\/a><\/em><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><em> or build your own cultural adventure from scratch, our Japan specialists are ready to build your dream trip.<\/em> <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F34472\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Our favourite (not so) hot destinations for Japan in 2025 Around 35 million people visited Japan in 2024 (they\u2019re still counting) and this year is set to be even bigger. It\u2019s the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, Osaka will be the first city to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":177,"featured_media":34529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2367,2362],"tags":[1910,1911,2045,2600,5111],"class_list":["post-34472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-culture-and-history","category-places-and-where-to-stay-in-japan","tag-nagasaki","tag-nagoya","tag-sado-island","tag-matsuyama","tag-joge"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/177"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34472"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34979,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34472\/revisions\/34979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}