hidden gems Japan

Kasama Inari Shrine is located in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. It was formerly classified as a village shrine and is now listed as a Beppyo Shrine under the Association of Shinto Shrines. It is also known as Kurumoshita Inari or Monsaburo Inari. The shrine has long been revered as a deity of abundant harvests and prosperous business. Over 3 million visitors come annually from all over Japan, not just the Kanto region. Kasama Inari Shrine is one of the Three Great Inari Shrines of Japan. The enshrined deity is Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami, revered as the guardian of all industries and also worshipped ...

Just a 5-minute walk from JR Sendai Station, the **Sendai Morning Market** is a bustling shopping street packed with fresh local produce and regional flavors from Miyagi Prefecture. It’s not just a market—it’s a local experience. From fresh vegetables and fruits to seafood, meats, and handmade street food, you can enjoy both shopping and eating all in one lively place. Vendors call out energetically as locals and tourists flow through the narrow aisles, creating a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere that’s uniquely Sendai. When is the Sendai Morning Market Open? The market is open **daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM**, except ...

Visiting Wakinosawa Wild Monkey Park – A Quiet Shimokita Escape to See the Northernmost Japanese Macaques Wakinosawa Wild Monkey Park Today, I planned to take a ferry from the Shimokita Peninsula to the Tsugaru Peninsula. With some time to spare before departure, I stopped by to visit the Japanese macaques of Shimokita. Wakinosawa, located in the Shimokita Peninsula, is known for its population of wild animals like monkeys and serows. The Japanese macaques that live here are the northernmost wild monkeys in the world and have been designated a National Natural Monument of Japan. Around 50 monkeys live in the ...

Cooling Down by the River♡ A Stroll Through Tsuchiyu Onsen’s Refreshing Hot Spring Town & Tasty Local Treats Tsuchiyu Onsen On Day 38 of my Japan road trip, I found myself at Tsuchiyu Onsen, a quaint hot spring town nestled in the arms of Mt. Azuma. A clear mountain stream runs through the town, giving the whole area a cool, breezy vibe. Ryokan inns line the river, with souvenir shops, cafés, and local eateries scattered along the way. It's the perfect spot for a leisurely stroll. There’s even a hidden gem nearby—Okutsuchiyu Onsen, one of the lesser-known secret springs! You ...

Experience Tranquility and History at Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station in Nakanojo, Gunma Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station – A Quiet Moment in History I made a little stop at “Ryozen Takeyama Roadside Station” in Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture. There’s a charming soba restaurant called Keyaki with a traditional thatched roof, and I really wanted to try their handmade soba noodles… but alas, I was too early and they weren’t open yet 😭 They serve a super limited dish called Choei Soba, inspired by a famine relief book written by the 19th-century doctor and scholar Choei Takano. It’s made with soba and ...

Chatsubomigoke Park – A Velvet Carpet from Another World In his delightfully honest guidebook "The Candid Travel Guide to Japan’s 47 Prefectures", author Tamaki Miyata strongly (and somewhat mysteriously) recommends this place if you're ever in Gunma: Chatsubomigoke Park. Just pronouncing it was a challenge—I must have Googled the name three times because I kept forgetting it. “Chatsu... what now?” 😅 It’s quite close to Kusatsu Onsen, so if you’re staying in the hot spring town and want a break from the crowds, this could be a perfect side trip. BUT… be warned: after leaving the main road, the drive ...

Visit Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace – Where Industrial Romance Meets Mt. Fuji Views! Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace – A Taste of Japan’s Industrial Revolution Hooray for another UNESCO World Heritage site! I dropped by the Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, the only functioning reverberatory furnace still standing in Japan, and boy, it was like stepping into an iron-clad slice of Meiji-era industrial dreams! Located in Izu no Kuni, Shizuoka, Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace was used to melt iron and cast cannons. It’s a real-deal survivor from the 1800s and was recognized in 2015 as a part of the "Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution." And ...

When Nature and Art Become One ♡ A Visit to the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET Nestled in Honcho 6, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET, is not your average art museum. I recently had the chance to visit this absolutely unique—and dare I say, magical—museum. It’s called "MonET," and yes, it’s just as stylish and dreamy as the name sounds. What makes MonET so special is how art and nature blend seamlessly here. The building itself is designed to reflect the surrounding landscape, with changing seasonal views that become part of ...

One of Japan’s Top 3 Gorges Turned Into an Art Tunnel?! My Mind-Blowing Trip to Kiyotsu Gorge Travel Date: June 2022 (Cloudy skies, but the vibes? 100 out of 10!) My destination this time was Kiyotsu Gorge, located in Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture. It’s one of Japan’s “Three Great Gorges” along with Kurobe and Osugidani, and it’s known for its towering rock walls with stunning columnar joints that’ll leave you breathless. But wait—this isn’t just a beautiful nature spot. That’s where the real twist begins. Back in 2018, during the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, the entire tunnel running through Kiyotsu Gorge ...

The Last Classroom: A Hauntingly Beautiful Art Installation in an Abandoned Japanese Schoolhouse Trip Date: June 2022 (Sunny and warm—just like the art) "Is this a horror-themed exhibit?" I wondered— But what I found was not fear, but nostalgia and a gentle ache in my heart. Located in Tokamachi, Niigata, The Last Classroom is a full-scale art installation housed in an abandoned elementary school. “Is someone still here?” I whispered at the entrance. Dim hallways, old desks lined up, chalk-covered blackboards… It felt like time had stopped—and in a way, it had. The space was like a frozen memory from ...