Japanese market towns off the beaten path.
What are some less-touristed market towns in Japan, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer
Options include Yonezawa, a historic castle town once seat of the Uesugi clan; Kisarazu, a port city on the Tokyo Bay waterfront; and Izumisano, a city on Osaka Bay with a busy commercial waterfront. This page includes 15 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Kyoto, Hiroshima or Fukuoka.
Iida
A city in southern Nagano Prefecture designated by the Japanese government as an environmental model city for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, Iida serves a…
Kisarazu
This port city on the southwestern coast of Chiba Prefecture, Kisarazu has functioned as a harbour town since ancient times and retains a designated priority…
Yonezawa
Yonezawa beef, carp, and locally grown apples have made this castle city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, a destination for food-focused visitors.
Hōfu-shi
Mid-size Japanese city on the Seto Inland Sea, where dense grey-tile rooftops spread toward a low commercial centre backed by green wooded hills, with coasta…
Miyakonojō
A sprawling Japanese city spread across a broad plain backed by distant mountains, Miyakonojō offers an authentic regional urban experience in southern Miyaz…
Izumisano
A Japanese city on Osaka Bay where a large Ferris wheel and high-rise towers define a busy commercial waterfront, with upland country nearby and UNESCO World…
Towada
Towada, in Aomori Prefecture, is the gateway city for Lake Towada and the Oirase Stream, two of the scenic highlights of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park.
Tsushima
This working island town in the Tsushima Strait, where fishing vessels and cargo ships crowd a compact harbour backed by steep, forested hills, offering visi…
Kishiwada
Kishiwada, a city in Osaka Prefecture, is best known for its Danjiri Matsuri, a festival rooted in the city's history as a castle town.
Dazaifu
Dazaifu Tenman-gū shrine draws millions of visitors each year to this town in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwest Japan, which flourished as the seat of ancient Ky…
Kamagaya
Densely populated city in Chiba Prefecture, Kamagaya is home to a weathered bronze Buddha seated on a stone plinth amid a traditional cemetery, offering visi…
Hiji
A compact Japanese town in Ōita Prefecture where low-rise civic buildings meet a coastal setting, with surrounding hills offering a gentle backdrop to everyd…
Tagajo-shi
A compact Japanese city in Miyagi Prefecture, Tagajo sits close to the coast and takes its name from an ancient provincial capital, offering a dense local fo…
Gojo
A compact Japanese town in southern Nara Prefecture, Gojo sits close to upland country and serves as a regional centre, with a low-rise civic streetscape and…
Neyagawa
This densely populated Osaka Prefecture city where busy commercial strips, local restaurants, and everyday Japanese urban life unfold against a backdrop of u…
Japanese market towns: quick answers
Which Japanese market towns can you visit on a day trip from Kyoto or Hiroshima?
Kishiwada, Gojo and Izumisano are among 3 market towns on our day trips from Kyoto. And Hōfu-shi is among 1 market towns on our day trips from Hiroshima.
Which are the highest-rated?
3 are rated gold, including Yonezawa, Iida and Tagajo-shi.
Which can you reach by train?
7 of the 15 have a railway station within a 10-minute drive, including Yonezawa, Tagajo-shi, Hōfu-shi and Kamagaya.