Japanese hiking towns off the beaten path.
Less-touristed hiking towns in Japan, for travelers seeking fewer crowds but all the beauty.
Kotohira-gū's 1,368-step staircase up holy Mount Zōzu and the lantern-lit canal walks of Kinosaki represent the kind of place-specific draw that rewards a slower pace, and Japan's 13 hiking-town picks lean into exactly that logic. From Tsumago's faithfully restored Edo-period post town in the Kiso Valley to the mountain-backed island village of Zamami in Kerama Islands National Park, each base here earns its place through what surrounds it, not just what stands in it.
Kinosaki
Lantern-lit canal lined with traditional multi-storey inns, willow-draped stone embankments, and an arched bridge reflected in still water makes this compact…
Tsumago
Restored to its Edo-period appearance as the forty-second post town on the Nakasendō highway between Tokyo and Kyoto, Tsumago is a modest hamlet in Nagano Pr…
Zamami
A tiny island village in Okinawa's Kerama Islands, Zamami sits on the water with mountain terrain rising behind it and an unusually dense café and restaurant…
Hadano
A Japanese city in Kanagawa's upland country where forested ridgelines give way to sweeping views over a broad valley basin and a glittering bay beyond, with…
Kotohira
Kotohira-gū, the Shinto shrine known informally as Konpira-san, draws visitors to this pocket-sized town in Kagawa Prefecture via a staircase of 1,368 steps…
Matsubara
A densely packed Osaka Prefecture city where lively shopping streets buzz with cyclists, colorful signage, and local eateries, making it a rewarding base for…
Kure
This city on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture with a strong naval and industrial heritage, Kure is home to the second-oldest naval dockyard in Jap…
Odawara
Odawara Castle, described in historical sources as "impregnable," anchors this coastal city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on the shores of Sagami Bay.
Ōnojō-shi
A mid-size Japanese city in Fukuoka Prefecture where a calm river with grassy banks winds through a low-rise urban landscape, with a backdrop of distant moun…
Ōdate
This northern Akita city with a walkable food-and-drink scene, upland country close by, and a sleek civic centre fronting open plazas, making it a practical…
Agematsu
This pocket-sized town in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, sits along the Kiso River, with the Kiso Komagatake peak of the Central Alps rising at its eastern edge.
Daitō-shi
This densely built Osaka Prefecture city where a forested hillside viewpoint opens onto sweeping panoramas across a vast urban plain, with upland trails and…
Isehara
A mid-sized Japanese city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Isehara sits close to upland country and offers a compact urban centre with local dining, making it a pract…