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Undertourism? That's right. It's not a typo.
Imagine yourself walking down a street of old samurai residences all on your own. Enter a local carpenter’s shop where the 74-year-old artisan is fast at work and happy to have his first visitor of the day. Explore the hilly uncrowded backstreets of Nagasaki on your way to dinner on the waterfront, no reservations needed tonight.
While some parts of Japan are seeing record numbers of tourists, this is only because most visitors go to the same places and visit the same sites. Globally, 80% of travellers go to just 10% of the world’s tourist destinations. And Japan follows a similar pattern.
We’ve explored the country from top to bottom and picked five of our favourite regions where you can experience the very best of Japan but without the crowds. For over a year, we worked with local communities that are eager to welcome travellers, especially those who aren’t merely looking to follow what the AI travel planner is suggesting.
In a country with endless choices, it felt an impossible task to get to just 5 areas but when all was said and done, here’s where we chose:
- Toyama – Only two hours from Tokyo but a world away. Think snow capped mountains, a town brimming with carpenters, walks through rice paddies, and some of the very best sushi in Japan.
- Nagasaki – Known for a single event but with centuries of history that shaped all of Japan. Nagasaki is unlike anywhere else in the country. Be warned, two nights is not enough.
- Yamaguchi – This is what slow travel is all about. Forget the crowded temples of Kyoto, you can enjoy first rate gardens, shrines, cafes, pottery shops, and izakayas all to yourself.
- Nagoya – It may be one of the largest cities in Japan, but doesn’t get anywhere near the numbers of those other big cities. Stay as long as you like because the day trip options would last for weeks.
- Aomori – This region in the far north sees fewer than 2% of all visitors to Japan. Beyond the natural beauty of its mountains and coastline are tiny bars and welcoming locals.
Japan is so much more than the handful of cities that most visitors congregate. For those willing to venture beyond the Golden Route, a world of under-visited towns and countryside awaits.
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