Japanese hiking towns off the beaten path.
What are some less-touristed hiking towns in Japan, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer
Options include Kotohira, a town below the Kotohira-gū shrine and its 1,368 steps; Kinosaki, a hot-spring town along a lantern-lit canal of traditional inns; and Tsumago, a restored post town on the Nakasendō highway. This page includes 13 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka.
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…
Japanese hiking towns: quick answers
Which Japanese hiking towns can you visit on a day trip from Tokyo or Osaka?
Odawara, Hadano and Tsumago are among 3 hiking towns on our day trips from Tokyo. And Kotohira is among 1 hiking towns on our day trips from Osaka.