I definitely love to visit the wonderful japan once again especially Hokuriku Prefecture, lovely small town in Fukui get to explore the historical dinosaurs museum, the amazing Gifu castle in Gifu Prefecture, amazing snow mountain views in Hakuba to ski ⛷, lovely and peaceful monkeys taking onsen in (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen) , the magical town in Shirakawa-go, Matsumoto Castle with the mountains view is so peaceful, the Miyagawa Morning Markets in the Takayama town having a hot pudding during winter as well of the tasty Hida beef sushi 😍
The reason why I think most people would want to go to Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo is just there are some many things to do there within a small area. All the major sights in Kyoto are within one or two hours travel time, or less, and are reachable by public transport. When I was researching my next trip focusing on the less visited prefectures, I was daunted by the travel time between more places of interest. Places like Shikoku also have less robust public transport options. I definitely will avoid crowded areas though it’s a lot more effort to plan for when compared to Kyoto or Osaka
You make a really valid point. Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo are so compact and convenient-everything’s close, and public transport makes it easy to explore multiple sights in a day. That accessibility is hard to beat, especially for first-timers. The value I provide is about empowering people who genuinely want to explore beyond the Golden Route. Let’s be real-there’s no point preaching to people who aren’t interested (like 馬の耳に念仏). My goal is to help those who want to take that leap and show them how rewarding it can be.
Oh I keep trying to preach travelling elsewhere. I mean first time I get it (although even then you should spend 1/3 of your time elsewhere) but it makes no sense to spend more than a day or two in those 4 on any subsequent trips.
I completely agree with you. If it’s your first time in Japan, it’s totally fine to start with the popular spots along the Golden Route-there’s a reason they’re so iconic. But I also think people underestimate how rewarding it is to spend even a small part of their trip exploring lesser-known areas. The idea of spending more than a day or two in those four spots on subsequent trips doesn’t make much sense to me either. The thing is, while people like to complain about overtourism, many aren’t willing to invest the time, energy, or money to venture elsewhere. Exploring beyond the usual stops requires a bit more planning, but the payoff is incredible. Places like Tohoku, Shikoku, or Kyushu have so much to offer, and they provide a completely different side of Japan that most people miss out on. If more people took the leap to explore outside the Golden Route, their trips would be way more memorable and meaningful.
I definitely love to visit the wonderful japan once again especially Hokuriku Prefecture, lovely small town in Fukui get to explore the historical dinosaurs museum, the amazing Gifu castle in Gifu Prefecture, amazing snow mountain views in Hakuba to ski ⛷, lovely and peaceful monkeys taking onsen in (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen) , the magical town in Shirakawa-go, Matsumoto Castle with the mountains view is so peaceful, the Miyagawa Morning Markets in the Takayama town having a hot pudding during winter as well of the tasty Hida beef sushi 😍
The reason why I think most people would want to go to Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo is just there are some many things to do there within a small area. All the major sights in Kyoto are within one or two hours travel time, or less, and are reachable by public transport. When I was researching my next trip focusing on the less visited prefectures, I was daunted by the travel time between more places of interest. Places like Shikoku also have less robust public transport options. I definitely will avoid crowded areas though it’s a lot more effort to plan for when compared to Kyoto or Osaka
You make a really valid point. Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo are so compact and convenient-everything’s close, and public transport makes it easy to explore multiple sights in a day. That accessibility is hard to beat, especially for first-timers.
The value I provide is about empowering people who genuinely want to explore beyond the Golden Route. Let’s be real-there’s no point preaching to people who aren’t interested (like 馬の耳に念仏). My goal is to help those who want to take that leap and show them how rewarding it can be.
Thanks for the info. I was in Tokyo and Kyoto 4 months ago. Will make a comeback to visit other areas where there are castles.
Oh I keep trying to preach travelling elsewhere. I mean first time I get it (although even then you should spend 1/3 of your time elsewhere) but it makes no sense to spend more than a day or two in those 4 on any subsequent trips.
I completely agree with you. If it’s your first time in Japan, it’s totally fine to start with the popular spots along the Golden Route-there’s a reason they’re so iconic. But I also think people underestimate how rewarding it is to spend even a small part of their trip exploring lesser-known areas. The idea of spending more than a day or two in those four spots on subsequent trips doesn’t make much sense to me either.
The thing is, while people like to complain about overtourism, many aren’t willing to invest the time, energy, or money to venture elsewhere. Exploring beyond the usual stops requires a bit more planning, but the payoff is incredible. Places like Tohoku, Shikoku, or Kyushu have so much to offer, and they provide a completely different side of Japan that most people miss out on. If more people took the leap to explore outside the Golden Route, their trips would be way more memorable and meaningful.