Japan

Japan's train network makes it possible to cover a lot of ground without a single missed connection — which is exactly why most itineraries end up threading together far more than 15 places. Here's a shortlist to start from.

The list

• Tokyo — Shibuya, Shinjuku, and the quieter backstreets of Yanaka
• Kyoto — temples, the Arashiyama bamboo grove, and Higashiyama at dawn
• Osaka — the country's best street food, hands down
• Nara — a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, famous for its free-roaming deer
• Hakone — hot springs and views of Mount Fuji on a clear day
• Kanazawa — a smaller castle town with one of Japan's best gardens
• Hiroshima & Miyajima — the Peace Memorial and the floating torii gate
• Takayama — preserved Edo-period streets in the Japanese Alps
• Nikko — elaborate shrines a short trip north of Tokyo
• Naoshima — an island dedicated almost entirely to contemporary art
• Sapporo — gateway to Hokkaido's ski country and seafood markets
• Okinawa — a completely different side of Japan, coral reefs included
• Kamakura — a relaxed coastal day trip from Tokyo, Great Buddha included
• Yakushima — ancient cedar forests that reportedly inspired Studio Ghibli
• Matsumoto — home to one of Japan's most striking original castles

Trying to cover all of these in one trip usually backfires — pick a region (Kanto, Kansai, or Hokkaido) and go deeper rather than wider.

← Back to Terra & Tide