Japanese big cities off the beaten path.
What are some less-touristed cities in Japan, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer
Options include Kurashiki, a city with a canal district of white-walled merchant storehouses; Kawagoe, a city of well-preserved Edo-period streetscapes; and Otsu, a prefectural capital on Lake Biwa below Enryaku-ji. This page includes more than 40 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima.
Otsu
Enryaku-ji, the ancient headquarters of the Tendai Buddhist sect on Mount Hiei, draws visitors to this lakeside prefectural capital in Shiga, Japan.
Tokushima
Tokushima, the capital of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island, sits at the water's edge and markets itself as a "water city," with mountains close by.
Wakayama
This Japanese castle complex with dark-tiled rooftops and autumn foliage commands elevated views over this coastal Kansai city, where a broad bay and arched…
Kurashiki
Kurashiki's historic canal district — lined with white-walled merchant storehouses dating to the Edo period — is one of the most photographed streetscapes in…
Kakogawa
Sizeable Hyōgo city on the water, where a grand wooden Buddhist hall with sweeping tiled roofs and stone lanterns anchors a temple precinct shaded by mature…
Hachiōji-shi
Autumn-foliage hillsides frame sweeping views over this large western Tokyo city, where forested upland trails give way to a dense urban centre with a lively…
Kawagoe
Known locally as "Little Edo" for its concentration of historic buildings that recall the old name for Tokyo, Kawagoe is a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Takamatsu
This densely built Japanese city spreading to the shore of an island-dotted inland sea, Takamatsu rewards visitors with a lively dining scene, nearby viewpoi…
Niigata
Japan's largest city on the Sea of Japan coast, Niigata sits directly on the water with views toward Sado Island and the mountains beyond.
Kurume
A sprawling Japanese city spread across a flat plain in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kurume offers a lively eating and drinking scene, a riverside setting, and easy a…
Toyama
Coastal city on the Sea of Japan in central Honshū, Toyama offers mountain views inland and a dense café and restaurant scene, with UNESCO World Heritage sit…
Ōita-shi
This city on the water in Kyushu with a notably dense café and restaurant scene, Ōita is the prefectural capital of Ōita Prefecture, with mountains close by…
Akashi
This Japanese castle tower rises above a canopy of green trees in this waterfront city on the Akashi Strait, with a lively dining scene and easy access to UN…
Takasaki
Takasaki, the largest city in Gunma Prefecture on Japan's main island of Honshu, is best known as the home of the Daruma doll — a round, weighted figure repr…
Morioka
This city in northern Japan's Tōhoku region with a dense café and restaurant scene, Morioka serves as the capital of Iwate Prefecture and sits at the water w…
Maebashi
The capital of Gunma Prefecture in Japan's northern Kantō region, Maebashi sits along the water with mountains visible from the city and carries a self-style…
Himeji
Himeji, a large city in Japan's Hyōgo Prefecture, is home to a World Heritage-listed castle — one of the country's most celebrated feudal fortresses — set ag…
Matsuyama
Matsuyama, the largest city on Shikoku island and capital of Ehime Prefecture, pairs a dense café and restaurant scene with a coastal setting and easy access…
Fukuyama
A substantial Japanese city in Hiroshima Prefecture, where a dense urban skyline backed by low hills meets the waterfront, offering city-scale dining and a w…
Toyohashi
This busy Japanese city in Aichi Prefecture where tram lines run down a wide commercial boulevard flanked by multi-storey shopfronts, with mountain silhouett…
Iwaki
Sitting on the Pacific coast of Fukushima Prefecture, Iwaki is a large city with a walkable centre offering a solid range of cafés and restaurants.
Nishinomiya
Koshien Stadium, home of the Hanshin Tigers and host of Japan's annual high school baseball championship, is the defining landmark of this large Hyōgo Prefec…
Okazaki
Birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who unified Japan, Okazaki is a city in Aichi Prefecture whose reconstructed castle stands as the centrepiece of th…
Meguro City
A canal lined with dense rows of flowering cherry trees draws crowds of strollers each spring through this residential Tokyo ward, which also offers a thrivi…
Higashiōsaka-shi
Known across Japan as "the rugby town," Higashiōsaka is a large city in Osaka Prefecture home to Hanazono Rugby Stadium, one of the country's most celebrated…
Kumamoto
Kumamoto Castle anchors this large city on Japan's Kyushu island, the prefectural capital known for a dense café and restaurant scene and scenic surroundings…
Utsunomiya
Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi Prefecture in Japan's northern Kantō region, is best known for gyoza — pan-fried dumplings — with well over two hundred re…
Musashino
This city in western Tokyo whose Kichijōji neighbourhood ranked among the most desirable places to live in central Japan in a 2019 survey, Musashino draws vi…
Amagasaki
Industrial city in Hyōgo Prefecture just west of Osaka, Amagasaki has a café and restaurant scene dense enough to reward a dedicated visit, and sits directly…
Kashiwa
Known locally as "Little Shibuya," Kashiwa is a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, with a notably dense café, restaurant, and shopping scene concentrated aroun…
Fujisawa
This sizeable Japanese city on the Shonan coast, Fujisawa pairs a lively central café and dining scene with easy access to the waterfront, upland countryside…
Akita
Modern, glass-fronted civic plaza anchors this mid-sized Japanese prefectural capital on the Sea of Japan coast, where upland scenery, a lively dining scene,…
Mito
Gravel path winds through a vast plum orchard in full bloom — white and pink blossoms canopying crowds of visitors under a clear blue sky — making this Ibara…
Higashihiroshima
Sake brewing defines Higashihiroshima's Saijo district, which ranks among Japan's most recognized sake-producing areas and is home to many breweries.
Ibaraki
Well-connected suburban city between Osaka and Kyoto, Ibaraki offers a lively dining scene, easy rail access to both historic capitals, and proximity to the…
Kōriyama
This commercial hub in Fukushima Prefecture with a dense café and restaurant scene in the centre, Kōriyama is the largest city in the prefecture by populatio…
Toyota
Toyota, a city in Aichi Prefecture formerly known as Koromo, is defined by its identity as a company town built around Toyota Motor Corporation, one of the w…
Hirakata
This city on the eastern edge of Osaka Prefecture, close to the border with Kyoto, Hirakata sits along the water with mountains nearby and the wider region r…
Suita
Suita, a city in Osaka Prefecture, is known as the site of Japan's 1970 World Exposition, whose grounds are now Expo Commemoration Park — home to Taro Okamot…
Sakura
Sakura, a city in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo, has a castle-town streetscape recognised as a Japanese Heritage site, and the wider region holds UNESCO Wor…
Toyonaka
A dense Osaka Prefecture suburb with a lively central café and restaurant scene, Toyonaka sits within easy reach of the wider Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe region's many…
Takatsuki
A mid-size Japanese city in Osaka Prefecture where tall residential towers rise above a busy rail station plaza, offering easy access to upland country and t…
Ichikawa
This densely populated Japanese city on the edge of Tokyo's metropolitan sprawl, Ichikawa sits along the waterfront with a lively central dining scene and ea…
Yao
Yao, a city in Osaka Prefecture, is the birthplace of Kawachi ondo, a style of Japanese folk singing that also features in the city's Bon dance traditions.
Hiratsuka
Mid-sized Japanese city on Kanagawa's Shonan coast, Hiratsuka pairs a lively café and restaurant scene with bold Brutalist civic architecture and easy access…
Hachinohe
A port city on the Pacific coast of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, Hachinohe sits on the Tohoku Shinkansen line and serves as a ferry departure point f…
Shizuoka
Coastal Japanese city where a white-walled castle sits above a moat, vivid green tea fields roll across the hillsides, and a snow-capped volcanic peak domina…
Japanese cities: quick answers
Which Japanese cities can you visit on a day trip from Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima?
Kakogawa, Akashi and Himeji are among 5 cities on our day trips from Kyoto. Wakayama, Takamatsu and Tokushima are among 5 cities on our day trips from Osaka. And Higashihiroshima, Matsuyama and Fukuyama are among 5 cities on our day trips from Hiroshima.
Which are the highest-rated?
19 are rated gold, including Kakogawa, Wakayama, Toyonaka and Hachiōji-shi.
Which can you reach by train?
30 of the 47 have a railway station within a 10-minute drive, including Toyonaka, Hachiōji-shi, Otsu and Amagasaki.