Traveling The Japanese Countryside

Japan is a wonderful destination for a vacation since it offers the contrast of modern city life with the serene and peaceful countryside. Whatever you are looking for on your trip, there will be somewhere in Japan that provides it. Most people usually associate a trip to Japan with time spent in one of the major cities, exploring the culture of today. There are plenty of other, less well known sights to see and things to do that will give a completely different view of the country, and where you will see many of the Japanese taking their own vacations too.

Since Japan is a nation of islands, many of these destinations are near the sea. There are some spectacular peninsulas that are worth a visit, including Tsunegami Hanto with its rugged mountains, and the stretch of coast known as Obama Bay which has a beautiful peninsula which reaches out into the sea, called Oshima. There are many National Parks in Japan which protect the most scenic and important areas of natural beauty. Wakasa Wan is a coastal park around the bay of the same name, while Echi-zen Kaigan park is part of one of the most magnificent coastlines in Japan. There are some spectacular cliffs here, called Tojimbo, and many people also visit the tiny village of Anto where there is a chance to experience the sights and sounds of an authentic fishing community. The center of the island of Honshu consists of some vast and photogenic mountains, including the Central Alps. There are some beautiful mountains near the coast at Sekigane too. There is also a charming village here where bamboo grows and hot springs bubble up from the ground, and the park of Kamei provides some excellent scenery amongst which to spend a relaxing afternoon.

Some of the smaller islands such as Hon-Jima also present scenic landscapes and rural calm. Mukkuchi-Jima is another beauty, while there are a number of islands in the Inland Sea around Oakayam that are worth a visit, the island group is called Shiwaku Shoto.

One of the most romantic destinations in Japan is Hokkaido, which has a lot to offer for other sorts of travelers too. Vinus Fort and Kobe Portipa also offer some beautiful locations for couples, while Ikspiari and, of course, Lover’s Cape are also imbued with romance.

If you are more interested in history then the place for you is Hagi, which is close to the West end of Honshu. Hagi is home to an ancient Samurai castle and there are some interesting sights in the surrounding town too. The Joka-Machi, for example, is the district where the samurai used to live. The Kasuga and Sho-in shrines are also worth a visit, while the Kumaya Museum houses an excellent collection of art.

The religious aspect of Japanese culture is very interesting, particularly for Westerners. On the peninsula of Kyoto Fu there is a small but historically important shrine. If you only visit one shrine while you’re in Japan, then the best choice if you can get to it is Idzumo. This shrine belongs to the Shinto religion and has been thought of as the place where the gods make their home.