Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Niseko
Beyond the Powder — four seasons and mountain community culture
Experiences
1Winter powder skiing (or summer climbing)
2Niseko onsen and a field-vegetable harvest
3Visits to craft studios around Mt. Yotei
Best season
Winter (skiing) & summer (climbing)
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan / eco-resort
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Asahikawa
The Essence of Woodwork — forest and craft in conversation
Experiences
1Furniture studio tour and a woodworking workshop
2Asahikawa forest bathing and a foraging class
3Traditional lacquerware class led by an artisan
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Converted timber kominka ryokan
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Sorachi
A History of Coal Mining — industrial heritage and nature
Experiences
1Mikasa coal-mine heritage tour and mining history
2Industrial museum and a geology talk
3Mountain onsen and climbing
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Kushiro & Akan
Wetland Ecology, Onsen Culture — sacred ground of the dancing cranes
Experiences
1Kushiro wetland canoeing with a conservation ranger
2Akan onsen and a marimo algae viewing trip
3Japan crane conservation centre and birdwatching
Best season
Spring (migration) & autumn (viewing)
Accommodation
Luxury Akan onsen ryokan
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Nemuro
Easternmost Coast of the Main Island — the red-crowned crane reserve
Experiences
1Nemuro wetlands and red-crowned crane field watching
2Lake Furen and a guided wildlife ecology tour
3Fishing port experience and a seafood cooking class
Best season
Spring (migration) & autumn
Accommodation
Nemuro fishing-port minshuku
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Sapporo
City and Countryside in Dialogue — an urban culture walk
Experiences
1Jozankei onsen town in depth, with a private bath
2Sapporo art village and a creative studio workshop
3Traditional wagashi making in the Tsukisamu district
Best season
Summer & autumn
Accommodation
Jozankei onsen ryokan / boutique minshuku
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Otaru
Canal Town — glass craft and seaside romance
Experiences
1Glass studio workshop, trying the glassblowing craft
2Visiting historic-building restoration studios by the canal
3In-depth sake brewery tasting and the brewing process
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Converted kominka boutique ryokan
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Obihiro & Tokachi
Continental Climate Farming Waltz — the kingdom of ingredients
Experiences
1Large-scale farm operations and joining the harvest season
2Tokachi beef and a local-ingredient cooking class
3Beet-sugar plant and sugar museum visits
Best season
Summer & autumn (harvest)
Accommodation
Farmstay minshuku / ranch ryokan
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Shiretoko & Abashiri
Call of Primeval Nature — a UNESCO World Heritage ecological adventure
Experiences
1Shiretoko Five Lakes hike and a primeval forest guided walk
2Lake Abashiri ice break-up (winter), crane watching (spring)
3Lake Akan onsen and an Ainu culture experience
Best season
Spring (migration season) & summer (hiking season)
Accommodation
Secluded Shiretoko onsen ryokan
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Wakkanai, Rishiri & Rebun
Japan's Northernmost Solitude — remote-island nature and romance
Experiences
1Mt. Rishiri climb and a walk on Japan's northernmost coast
2Rebun alpine flora garden and wild-vegetable foraging
3Wakkanai port and a fishing-life experience class
Best season
Summer (June–August)
Accommodation
Small remote-island ryokan / minshuku
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Hakodate
Layers of a Port Town — seafood and architectural heritage
Experiences
1Goryokaku history walk and a photography workshop
2Joining the morning market and a sashimi-making class
3Meiji Western-style residence restoration tour
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Converted historic ryokan / harbour-view minshuku
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Furano & Biei
Lavender Field Poetics — farming in the rolling hills
Experiences
1Lavender cutting and hands-on essential-oil distillation
2Living at a farmstay minshuku in the wheat fields
3A circuit of hillside art museums and artist studios
Best season
Summer (July–August)
Accommodation
Farmstay minshuku / organic resort
Hokkaido · Hokkaido · Rumoi & Mashike
A Small Town on the Sea of Japan — fishing and architectural heritage
Experiences
1Mashike Town historic architecture walk and history
2Rumoi fishing port, the closed railway line and industrial heritage
3Seaside foraging and seafood cooking
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fishing-port minshuku
Tohoku · Iwate · Tono
Home of Folk Legend — the world of The Legends of Tono
Experiences
1The settings of The Legends of Tono and a folk village
2Folk beliefs and traditional craft studios
3Rural minshuku and a local food class
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Rural minshuku
Tohoku · Iwate · Hanamaki
The Literary World of Miyazawa Kenji — a highland onsen walk
Experiences
1Miyazawa Kenji Fairy Tale Village and literature museum
2Luxury onsen in the Hanamaki onsen village
3Highland farming and a morning-dew gathering class
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Hanamaki onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Iwate · Kamaishi
Steel Industrial Heritage and Recovery — new life on the coast
Experiences
1Guided industrial archaeology at the Kamaishi ironworks site
2Recovery art festival and coastal community exchange
3Sanriku Coast scenery and meeting local fishermen
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Recovery community minshuku
Tohoku · Iwate · Morioka
Castle Town Reimen Aesthetics — a Morioka architecture walk
Experiences
1Morioka reimen cold-noodle studio and a noodle-making class
2Morioka castle ruins park cherry blossom history walk
3Nambu ironware studio tour and iron casting
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Morioka machiya minshuku
Tohoku · Iwate · Hiraizumi
UNESCO World Heritage Buddhist Ideal Land — Pure Land garden art
Experiences
1Chuson-ji Konjikido and a World Heritage history talk
2Garden art appreciation and a zazen workshop
3Temple shukubo stay guided by local monks
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Temple shukubo
Tohoku · Miyagi · Kesennuma
Japan's Deep-Sea Fishing Representative — where daiginjo meets the sea
Experiences
1Deep-sea fishing company tour and shark-fin processing
2Kesennuma daiginjo sake brewery and food culture
3Seaside recovery community and traditional crafts exchange
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside onsen minshuku
Tohoku · Miyagi · Onagawa
Fishing Port Recovery — new life in a disaster-hit town
Experiences
1Onagawa fishing port and a walk through the rebuilt district
2Fishing experience and a seafood processing class
3The recovery community and cultural exchange
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fishing-port minshuku
Tohoku · Miyagi · Matsushima
Poetic Coast of the Three Views — an island ecology walk
Experiences
1Matsushima cruise with ecology commentary on 200 islands
2Ama diver foraging and a shellfish cooking class
3Zuigan-ji treasure museum and a history and culture talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside Matsushima onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Miyagi · Sendai
City of Trees — Tanabata and the city's artistic pulse
Experiences
1Sendai Tanabata (August) in depth and decoration making
2Jozenji-dori cherry blossom photography and an art village
33.11 reconstruction museum and community regeneration
Best season
Spring & summer (Tanabata, August)
Accommodation
Boutique ryokan in central Sendai
Tohoku · Miyagi · Tome
Red-Brick Heritage — a Meiji town frozen in time
Experiences
1Tome Education Museum and a red-brick architecture walk
2Traditional building restoration work tour
3Local mingei folk crafts and warosoku candle making
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Converted kominka ryokan
Tohoku · Yamagata · Yamanobe
Cherry Blossom Gorge and Mogami River Boating — nature as poetry
Experiences
1Mogami River boating and gorge ecology
2Cherry blossom gorge walk and a photography workshop
3Traditional crafts (bamboo work, lacquerware)
Best season
Spring (cherry blossom) & summer (river boating)
Accommodation
Gorge onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Yamagata · Shonai
The Faith Path of Dewa Sanzan — in the footsteps of Shugendo ascetics
Experiences
1Dewa Sanzan pilgrimage route hike and ascetic training
2Mt. Gassan eighth-station shrine, shukubo ascetic training
3Shonai folklore and a crafts tour
Best season
Summer & autumn
Accommodation
Foothill shukubo temple lodging
Tohoku · Yamagata · Yonezawa
Samurai Legacy and Uesugi Culture — a city of food and the arts
Experiences
1Uesugi castle ruins, museum and a history talk
2Yonezawa beef and a local cuisine masterclass
3Yonezawa-ori (silk textiles) studio tour and making
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Yonezawa onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Yamagata · Ginzan Onsen
Taisho Romance Onsen Town — lamplight in the snow
Experiences
1Onsen town walk and Taisho architecture
2Winter snow-viewing onsen and kaiseki dining
3Silver mine ruins history exploration and crafts
Best season
Winter (snowscapes)
Accommodation
Converted Taisho-era onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Akita · Kakunodate
Charm of the Samurai Residences — a walk in an Edo town frozen in time
Experiences
1Samurai residence history walk and a kominka stay
2Cherry blossom (spring) and foliage (autumn) photography
3Traditional craft studio tour (tansu chests, furniture)
Best season
Spring (cherry blossom) & autumn (foliage)
Accommodation
Converted samurai-residence minshuku
Tohoku · Akita · Akita City
Akita Kanto Festival and Knife-Carving — living city tradition
Experiences
1Akita Kanto Festival (August) and a performing arts workshop
2Akita dog museum and a kennel visit
3Akita knife-carved pottery making and traditional crafts
Best season
Summer (festival, August) & autumn
Accommodation
Traditional ryokan in Akita City
Tohoku · Akita · Lake Tazawa
The Deep Blue Secret of a Volcanic Lake — mountain onsen and nature
Experiences
1Cycling around Lake Tazawa and lake-view photography
2Ikutama Onsen and a mountain onsen circuit
3A secluded bathhouse in the Nyuto onsen village
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Secluded onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Akita · Shirakami-Sanchi (Akita side)
UNESCO World Heritage Deep Forest — four seasons of ecological change
Experiences
1Shirakami-Sanchi guided ecology walk and a climb
2Foothill villages and a wild-vegetable foraging class
3Forest research institute tour and conservation work
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Foothill onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Aomori · Gonohe
A Village of Traditional Crafts — Nambu ironware and embroidery
Experiences
1Nambu ironware studio tour and iron casting
2Gonohe Neputa float making and folklore
3Farmstay minshuku and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Farmstay minshuku
Tohoku · Aomori · Hirosaki
Cherry Blossom Castle and the Symphony of Tsugaru Crafts
Experiences
1Hirosaki Castle cherry blossom photography and history walk
2Tsugaru lacquerware studio tour and hands-on making
3Folk village kamado and a fire-roasting class
Best season
Spring (late April)
Accommodation
Hirosaki kominka ryokan
Tohoku · Aomori · Towada
The Mysterious Blue of a Volcanic Lake — a highland art village
Experiences
1Lake Towada canoeing and a lakeside walk
2Towada contemporary art museum and an art village circuit
3Oirase Gorge waterfalls and autumn foliage photography
Best season
Autumn (foliage, November)
Accommodation
Lake-view Towada onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Aomori · Shirakami-Sanchi
Primeval World Heritage Wilderness — climbing and adventure
Experiences
1Guided climb in Shirakami-Sanchi with a certified guide
2Foothill-village wild-vegetable foraging and cooking class
3Taking part in forest ecology research and conservation
Best season
Summer & autumn
Accommodation
Foothill onsen ryokan
Tohoku · Aomori · Hachinohe
Fishing Port Life and the Essence of Mingei — a morning market walk
Experiences
1Joining the morning market and a fish cooking masterclass
2Hachinohe folk-crafts museum and a craft-making workshop
3Coastal fishing and a ride on a small fishing boat
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fishing-port ryokan / minshuku
Tohoku · Fukushima · Aizu-Wakamatsu
The Glory of the Aizu Samurai — Tsurugajo Castle and folk life
Experiences
1Tsurugajo cherry blossom history talk and samurai experience
2Aizu lacquerware and Akabeko folk-craft making
3Byakkotai sites and a heritage history talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Aizu kominka ryokan
Tohoku · Fukushima · Koriyama
Modern Industry Meets History — new life in a city of recovery
Experiences
1Industrial heritage site tour and a modern factory visit
2Koriyama recovery project and community meetings
3Local ingredients and farming
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Koriyama hotel / minshuku
Tohoku · Fukushima · Tadami
Secluded Mountain Village Autumn Colour — a single railway line
Experiences
1Riding the Tadami Line and a circuit of its remote stations
2Autumn foliage photography and a mountain village walk
3Wild-vegetable foraging and a local cuisine class
Best season
Autumn (foliage, November)
Accommodation
Mountain-village minshuku
Tohoku · Fukushima · Fukushima City
Climbing Mt. Adatara — onsen and autumn foliage
Experiences
1Mt. Adatara ropeway and a summit climb
2An Oku-Tsuchiyu onsen circuit and onsen culture
3Foliage season (autumn) photography and a nature walk
Best season
Summer (climbing) & autumn (foliage)
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Kanto · Ibaraki · Kasama
Pottery Village Kiln Circuit — a craft and creative base
Experiences
1Kasama ware studio tour and a pottery class
2Kiln studio circuit and artist studio meetings
3Kasama Inari Shrine and the art festival (autumn)
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Art village minshuku
Kanto · Ibaraki · Mito
Tokugawa Urban Heritage — Kairakuen through the seasons
Experiences
1Kairakuen plum blossom season and a garden art talk
2Tokugawa Museum and samurai culture
3Mito natto traditional making workshop tour
Best season
Spring (plum blossom, February–March)
Accommodation
Mito City kominka minshuku
Kanto · Ibaraki · Oarai
Seaside Onsen and Magnet Museum — science meets nature
Experiences
1Magnet museum and a science workshop
2Oarai Onsen, a seaside walk and seafood
3Ama diving, gathering and learning about shellfish
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside onsen ryokan
Kanto · Ibaraki · Hitachi
Seaside Industrial Heritage — where Hitachi, Ltd. began
Experiences
1Hitachi Mine ruins and industrial archaeology
2Seaside art festival and a contemporary art museum
3Full-scale ayu (sweetfish) fishing and local cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside minshuku
Kanto · Gunma · Ikaho
Stone Stairway Onsen Town — Taisho romance and autumn colour
Experiences
1Stone stairway street walk and Taisho architecture
2Ikaho Onsen stay and Akagi autumn foliage
3Japanese toy making and a mingei folk-craft workshop
Best season
Autumn (foliage)
Accommodation
Stone stairway historic onsen ryokan
Kanto · Gunma · Minakami
Tone Gorge Adventure — a summer rafting paradise
Experiences
1Tone River rafting and gorge adventure
2Minakami Onsen and a mountain cooking class
3Mt. Tanigawa climb and alpine flora observation
Best season
Summer (rafting)
Accommodation
Minakami onsen adventure ryokan
Kanto · Gunma · Kusatsu
Kusatsu Onsen — sulphur and the Yubatake aesthetic
Experiences
1Kusatsu Onsen Yubatake and in-depth onsen culture
2Mt. Motoshirane climb and volcanic ecology
3Onsen town walk and a yukata aesthetics workshop
Best season
Winter (snowscapes) & spring
Accommodation
Kusatsu luxury onsen ryokan
Kanto · Gunma · Myogi
Strange Rock Climbing Paradise — the sheer faces of Mt. Myogi
Experiences
1Mt. Myogi climb and rock climbing
2Akagi, Haruna & Myogi three-mountain circuit
3Rock-face photography workshop and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Foothill onsen ryokan
Kanto · Saitama · Ogawa Town
Home of Washi — traditional Hosokawa paper technique
Experiences
1Hosokawa paper studio tour and papermaking
2Traditional crafts and papermaking techniques
3Townscape walk and mingei folk crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Washi village minshuku
Kanto · Saitama · Kawagoe
Edo Charm in Kurazukuri Streets — the time-machine town
Experiences
1Kurazukuri street walk and an architectural history talk
2Kawagoe Festival (autumn, October) and its floats
3Wagashi studio making class and tea ceremony
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kawagoe kominka minshuku
Kanto · Saitama · Chichibu
Sansho Pepper, Sake and Washi — a mountain craft village
Experiences
1Chichibu Night Festival (December) and traditional floats
2Chichibu sake brewery and local sake tasting
3Chichibu washi studio and papermaking
Best season
Winter (December festival) & spring
Accommodation
Chichibu onsen minshuku
Kanto · Saitama · Nagatoro
Arakawa Gorge Splendour — red cliffs and autumn colour
Experiences
1Arakawa Gorge river boating and scenic photography
2Autumn foliage walk and rock-face experience
3Iwadatami rock terrace and a volcanic geology talk
Best season
Autumn (foliage, November)
Accommodation
Gorge onsen minshuku
Kanto · Saitama · Hanno
Mt. Buko and Sayama Tea — tea-country industry experience
Experiences
1Mt. Buko climb and mountain worship
2Tea picking and a tea-making class in Sayama tea fields
3Tea ceremony and wagashi pairing tasting
Best season
Spring (tea picking)
Accommodation
Tea-country minshuku
Kanto · Kanagawa · Yokohama
Port City Modern Heritage — the Red Brick Warehouse story
Experiences
1Red Brick Warehouse and a historic architecture walk
2Yokohama harbour cruise and a modernisation museum
3Chinatown and cross-cultural exchange
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Yokohama harbour-view minshuku
Kanto · Kanagawa · Kamakura
Ancient Capital Buddhism — the Great Buddha and a temple pilgrimage
Experiences
1Kamakura Gozan temple pilgrimage and a zazen workshop
2Great Buddha visit and the Kamakura National Treasure Museum
3Seaside walk and Shichirigahama coastal photography
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kamakura old-temple minshuku
Kanto · Kanagawa · Zushi & Hayama
Sagami Bay Seaside Retreat — surf culture
Experiences
1Hayama coast surfing and seaside culture
2Sagami Bay seaside walk and a vegetable stall
3Zushi beach and a geology talk
Best season
Summer (surfing), spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside resort
Kanto · Kanagawa · Yugawara
Rustic Onsen — a quiet seaside onsen village
Experiences
1Yugawara Onsen and onsen therapy
2Seaside walk and a geology talk
3Onsen town architecture and traditional crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Kanto · Kanagawa · Hakone
Volcanic Onsen Kingdom — Lake Ashi through the seasons
Experiences
1Hakone seven hot springs circuit and onsen culture
2Lake Ashi cruise and a volcanic ecology talk
3Visit to the Hakone Open-Air Museum
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Hakone luxury onsen ryokan
Kanto · Chiba · Katori
Katori Jingu Faith — a walk through the waterside town
Experiences
1Worship visit to Katori Jingu and a history talk
2Tone River boating and waterside ecology
3Sawara waterside old streets and Edo architecture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Waterside minshuku
Kanto · Chiba · Katsuura
Pacific Golden Coast — sunrise views and shellfish cuisine
Experiences
1Katsuura sunrise spots and wren photography
2Ama diving and a shellfish cooking class
3Amatsu-Kominato seaside walk and a geology talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside onsen minshuku
Kanto · Chiba · Narita
Naritasan Faith — the temple approach and Omotesando
Experiences
1Worship visit and faith experience at Naritasan Shinsho-ji
2Walk along the approach and traditional craft studios
3Naritasan Park and its gardens
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Narita kominka minshuku
Kanto · Chiba · Choshi
Pacific Fishing Port Life — soy sauce and seafood
Experiences
1Choshi fish market and fishing culture
2Soy-sauce brewery tour and a soy-sauce making workshop
3Inubosaki Lighthouse and Pacific views
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fishing-port minshuku
Kanto · Chiba · Kisarazu
Edo Clam Digging — a shellfish-gathering tradition
Experiences
1Tidal clam digging and shellfish gathering
2Shellfish cookery and an ingredient identification class
3Kisarazu Castle and an Edo heritage talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside minshuku
Kanto · Tokyo · Okutama
Western Tokyo Mountain Wilderness — clear streams and climbing
Experiences
1Lake Okutama cruise and mountain climbing
2Tama River mountain-stream fishing and nature
3Ome Line railway and a mountain village walk
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Mountain onsen minshuku
Kanto · Tokyo · Ome
Industrial Heritage on the Tama — Gyokudo Art Museum
Experiences
1Gyokudo Art Museum and Japanese painting appreciation
2Tama River boating and natural scenery
3Ome Kaido historic architecture walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Riverside minshuku
Kanto · Tokyo · Kuramae & Yanesen
Shitamachi Creative Quarter — old Tokyo in miniature
Experiences
1Kuramae & Yanesen walk with creative workshops
2Traditional craft studio tour (dyeing and pottery)
3Yanaka Ginza and a secondhand bookshop circuit
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Shitamachi kominka minshuku
Kanto · Tokyo · Oshima
Remote Island Nature — volcano and black-sand coast
Experiences
1Mt. Mihara climb and volcanic ecology
2Black-sand coast and an ocean-side onsen
3Island walk and local cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Island minshuku
Kanto · Tokyo · Hachioji & Takao
Kanto's Famous Peak — Mt. Takao faith and climbing culture
Experiences
1Mt. Takao climb and a visit to Yakuo-in temple
2Takao 599 Museum and nature education
3Mt. Jinba ridge traverse and scenic photography
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Takao onsen ryokan
Kanto · Tokyo · Sumida & Shitamachi
Asakusa Everyday Culture — walking what remains of Edo
Experiences
1Worship visit to Senso-ji and a Nakamise history talk
2Traditional craft studio tour (ink and bells)
3Sumida River boating and a shitamachi walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Asakusa kominka minshuku
Kanto · Tokyo · Hinohara Village
Tokyo's Most Remote Village — secluded onsen and nature
Experiences
1Hinohara mountain-village experience and a minshuku stay
2Minami-Hinohara onsen and the Ozawa stream
3Hinohara folklore museum and traditional crafts
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Village minshuku
Kanto · Tochigi · Mashiko
Pottery Village — Mashiko ware and a kiln circuit
Experiences
1Mashiko ware studio tour and pottery experience
2Kiln studio circuit and meetings with artists
3Pottery festival (spring and autumn) and the art museum
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Pottery minshuku
Kanto · Tochigi · Kinugawa
Gorge Onsen Rapids — river boating and hot springs
Experiences
1Kinugawa river boating, rafting and gorge ecology
2Onsen shukubo stay and in-depth onsen culture
3Gorge walk and a waterfall photography workshop
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Kinugawa luxury onsen ryokan
Kanto · Tochigi · Tochigi City
Storehouse Town Edo Charm — textiles and a mingei village
Experiences
1Tochigi storehouse street history walk and architecture
2Hemp textile studio tour and a making experience
3Cherry blossom walk along the Uzuma River
Best season
Spring (cherry blossom) & autumn
Accommodation
Converted kominka minshuku
Kanto · Tochigi · Nasu
Highland Retreat Heritage — onsen and art
Experiences
1Nasu Highland art museums and a gallery circuit
2Nasu Onsen village and traditional onsen culture
3Mt. Chausu climb and highland plant observation
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Nasu onsen ryokan
Kanto · Tochigi · Nikko
World Heritage Sacred Site — Toshogu and nature in dialogue
Experiences
1Detailed guide to Nikko Toshogu and a history talk
2Senjogahara hike and Lake Chuzenji views
3Nikko Yumoto Onsen and its sulphur springs
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Nikko onsen ryokan
Chubu · Aichi · Seto
Capital of Porcelain — a thousand years of jar firing
Experiences
1Seto ware studio tour and pottery experience
2Porcelain museum and meetings with potters
3Historic townscape and climbing-kiln ruins walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Pottery-village minshuku
Chubu · Aichi · Chita
Home of Traditional Crafts — Chita cotton and Tokoname ware
Experiences
1Tokoname ware studio tour and pottery experience
2Chita cotton and a textile studio tour
3Coastal fishing-village experience on the Chita Peninsula
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Craft-village minshuku
Chubu · Aichi · Toyota
Frontline of the Automotive Industry — industrial heritage and today
Experiences
1Toyota plant tour and an automotive technology talk
2Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
3Toyota local culture and industrial heritage sites
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Toyota minshuku
Chubu · Aichi · Nagoya
Culture of an Economic City — Nagoya porcelain and architecture
Experiences
1Nagoya Castle and a castle-town history talk
2Nagoya porcelain studio tour and making
3Modern architecture and art museum walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Nagoya kominka minshuku
Chubu · Gifu · Seki
Town of Swordsmiths — the Mino smithing tradition
Experiences
1Seki industrial heritage and a swordsmithing tour
2Mino swordsmithing studio class
3Historic townscape and merchant-house architecture walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Craft-village minshuku
Chubu · Gifu · Gujo
Water and Dance in Gujo Hachiman — summer nights of Gujo Odori
Experiences
1Taking part in Gujo Odori (August) and the dances
2Hachiman river fishing and fishing-gear making
3Historic townscape and waterway walk
Best season
Summer (Bon Odori, August)
Accommodation
Gujo kominka minshuku
Chubu · Gifu · Takayama
Old Town of Hida — sake brewing and woodwork
Experiences
1Takayama historic townscape and Jinya history walk
2Hida sake brewery tour and tasting
3Hida woodwork studio tour and making
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Takayama kominka ryokan
Chubu · Gifu · Shirakawa-go
UNESCO World Heritage Gassho-zukuri — thatched-roof aesthetics
Experiences
1Shirakawa-go World Heritage village visit and a homestay
2Gassho-zukuri architecture and traditional building methods
3Wild-vegetable foraging and a local cuisine class
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Gassho-zukuri minshuku
Chubu · Gifu · Mino
Home of Mino Ware — pottery village and old kilns
Experiences
1Mino ware studio tour and pottery experience
2Old-kiln circuit and meetings with potters
3Townscape walk and mingei folk crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Pottery-village minshuku
Chubu · Yamanashi · Lake Kawaguchi
Mt. Fuji Vantage Point — lake scenery and onsen
Experiences
1Mt. Fuji vistas and lake views
2Onsen therapy at Lake Kawaguchi
3Lakeside walk and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Lake-view onsen ryokan
Chubu · Yamanashi · Kofu
Takeda Shingen's Castle Town — home of Koshu wine
Experiences
1Kofu Castle ruins and a Takeda Shingen history talk
2Koshu winery tour and tasting
3Koshu beef and a local cuisine masterclass
Best season
Autumn (grape harvest)
Accommodation
Kofu kominka minshuku
Chubu · Yamanashi · Lake Yamanaka
Lake Views Below Mt. Fuji — meeting the swans
Experiences
1Winter swan watching on Lake Yamanaka
2Lakeside onsen and Mt. Fuji views
3Lakeside walk and a photography workshop
Best season
Winter (swans)
Accommodation
Lake-view onsen ryokan
Chubu · Yamanashi · Minami-Alps
Gateway to the Southern Alps — climbing and alpine flora
Experiences
1Southern Alps climbing and alpine ecology
2Alpine botanical garden and seasonal flower viewing
3Onsen village stay and local cuisine
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Foothill onsen ryokan
Chubu · Yamanashi · Mt. Fuji foothills
Centre of Mt. Fuji Worship — volcanic landforms and onsen
Experiences
1Fuji Five Lakes hikes and a Mt. Fuji worship visit
2Visit to Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha
3Mt. Fuji foothill onsen circuit and onsen culture
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Mt. Fuji foothill onsen ryokan
Chubu · Niigata · Echigo-Yuzawa
Living Beauty of Snow Country — onsen and snowscapes
Experiences
1Echigo-Yuzawa onsen stay and winter snowscapes
2Snow country life and winter traditional crafts
3Kiyotsu Gorge in winter and onsen therapy
Best season
Winter (snowscapes)
Accommodation
Echigo-Yuzawa onsen ryokan
Chubu · Niigata · Sado
Microcosm of an Island — the Sado gold mine and performing arts
Experiences
1Sado gold mine tunnel tour and industrial archaeology
2Sado Noh stages and Noh appreciation
3Island farming and a local cuisine class
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Sado remote-island minshuku
Chubu · Niigata · Tokamachi
Beauty of a Textile District — making Echigo chijimi cloth
Experiences
1Echigo chijimi studio tour and loom experience
2Tokamachi Hataya and the textile museum
3Terraced rice fields and a farming experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Textile-district minshuku
Chubu · Niigata · Niigata City
Merchant Town on the Shinano Delta — sake and rice culture
Experiences
1Niigata sake breweries and a brewery tour class
2Rice culture museum and local rice tasting
3Furumachi and a Niigata machiya architecture walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Niigata kominka minshuku
Chubu · Niigata · Yahiko
Faith on Mt. Yahiko — a visit to Yahiko Shrine
Experiences
1Mt. Yahiko climb and a visit to Yahiko Shrine
2Onsen and mountain scenery
3Myojo-ji and traditional temple culture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Chubu · Shizuoka · Izu & Shuzenji
History of an Onsen Village — training halls and onsen culture
Experiences
1Visit to Shuzen-ji and a shukubo onsen stay
2Izu onsen village circuit and onsen therapy
3Bamboo grove walk and a zazen workshop
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Shuzenji onsen ryokan
Chubu · Shizuoka · Kakegawa
Beauty of Tea Country — Kakegawa tea and tea culture
Experiences
1Kakegawa tea picking and a tea-making class
2Tea ceremony and wagashi pairing tasting
3Kakegawa Castle ruins and a castle-town walk
Best season
Spring (tea picking)
Accommodation
Tea-country minshuku
Chubu · Shizuoka · Miho
Sea Views Below Mt. Fuji — home of the Hagoromo legend
Experiences
1Miho no Matsubara and Mt. Fuji photography
2Hagoromo legend sites and a folklore talk
3Seaside walk and a fishing-village experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside minshuku
Chubu · Shizuoka · Hamamatsu
Centre of the Instrument Industry — pianos and Hamamatsu music
Experiences
1Instrument museum and keyboard instrument experience
2Piano factory tour and a music talk
3Tenryu River basin and woodcraft
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Hamamatsu minshuku
Chubu · Ishikawa · Kaga Onsen
Three Onsen Villages — the depths of onsen culture
Experiences
1Yamanaka Onsen and onsen therapy
2Yamashiro Onsen and onsen art museum appreciation
3Katayamazu Onsen and its lake-view baths
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Luxury onsen ryokan
Chubu · Ishikawa · Kanazawa
Kaga Million-koku Cultural City — Kenrokuen and the chaya districts
Experiences
1Kenrokuen and a Kanazawa Castle ruins history talk
2Kanazawa craft studio tour and making
3Evening walk in the Higashi and Nishi Chaya districts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kanazawa kominka ryokan
Chubu · Ishikawa · Noto
Tip of the Noto Peninsula — gentle breezes and ama divers
Experiences
1Noto ama diving and foraging with ama divers
2Sunrise viewing at the tip of the Noto Peninsula
3Funaya boat-house village and meeting fishing families
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Noto coastal minshuku
Chubu · Ishikawa · Hakusan
Sacred Ground of Hakusan Faith — climbing and shrine visits
Experiences
1Mt. Hakusan climb and a visit to Shirayamahime Shrine
2Hakusan alpine botanical garden and ecology education
3Foothill onsen and mountain cuisine
Best season
Summer & autumn
Accommodation
Foothill onsen ryokan
Chubu · Ishikawa · Wajima
Home of Wajima Lacquerware — lacquer making and the morning market
Experiences
1Wajima lacquerware studio tour and lacquerware making
2Wajima morning market and local food
3Sosogi Coast and a sea-view walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Wajima kominka minshuku
Chubu · Nagano · Karuizawa
Meiji-Era Summer Retreat — highland resort culture
Experiences
1Karuizawa retreat architecture and a history walk
2Art museum circuit and a creative workshop
3Highland resort and vegetable farms
Best season
Summer (highland retreat) & autumn
Accommodation
Luxury resort hotel / kominka
Chubu · Nagano · Matsumoto
Beauty of a Castle Town — Matsumoto Castle and craft culture
Experiences
1Matsumoto Castle and a castle-town history talk
2Harinoki Pass climb and the Northern Alps
3Folk-crafts museum and a craft studio tour
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Matsumoto kominka ryokan
Chubu · Nagano · Suwa
Faith of Suwa Taisha — lake-view onsen and industrial heritage
Experiences
1Visit to Suwa Taisha and a faith experience
2Watching the Omiwatari ice ridge on Lake Suwa
3Clock museum and precision machinery culture
Best season
Winter (Omiwatari ice ridge)
Accommodation
Lake Suwa onsen ryokan
Chubu · Nagano · Zenko-ji
An Ancient Great Temple — a centre of faith
Experiences
1Visit to Zenko-ji and shukubo ascetic training
2Faith and a zazen workshop
3Walk along the temple approach and traditional crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Temple shukubo
Chubu · Nagano · Hakuba
Mt. Shirouma Climbing Paradise — high-altitude ski fields
Experiences
1Mt. Shirouma climb and alpine ecology
2Winter skiing at the Hakuba ski fields
3Onsen village stay and local cuisine
Best season
Winter (skiing) & summer (climbing)
Accommodation
Hakuba onsen / ski ryokan
Chubu · Nagano · Kiso
Nakasendo Post Towns — hinoki cypress and forestry culture
Experiences
1Kisoji post towns and a history walk
2Hinoki forestry and a woodcraft studio
3Kiso horse museum and meeting the horses
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Post-town kominka minshuku
Chubu · Toyama · Gokayama
Gassho-zukuri Village Time Travel — a world of thatched roofs
Experiences
1Gokayama World Heritage village tour and a homestay
2Watching a gassho-zukuri roof re-thatching
3Wild-vegetable foraging and a local cuisine class
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Gassho-zukuri minshuku
Chubu · Toyama · Takaoka
Home of Bronze Bell Casting — traditional crafts carried on
Experiences
1Takaoka bronzeware studio tour and casting experience
2Zuiryu-ji and Kaga million-koku culture
3Historic townscape and merchant-house architecture walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Craft-village minshuku
Chubu · Toyama · Nanto
Another Gassho-zukuri Village — wild silk and farming
Experiences
1Gassho-zukuri minshuku and farming experience
2Wild silkworm rearing and silk product making
3Mountain onsen and local cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Gassho-zukuri minshuku
Chubu · Toyama · Himi
Toyama Bay Fishing Port — the bounty of cold currents
Experiences
1Himi fishing port and fishing culture
2Himi winter scenery and winter seafood cuisine
3Morning market visit and a shellfish gathering class
Best season
Winter (cold currents)
Accommodation
Fishing-port minshuku
Chubu · Toyama · Toyama City
Gateway to Tateyama Kurobe — medicine town and fishing
Experiences
1Tateyama Kurobe climbing and alpine ecology
2Toyama traditional medicine museum and medicine making
3Toyama Bay deep-sea life and fishing experience
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Toyama City onsen ryokan
Chubu · Fukui
Kingdom of Dinosaurs — fossils and geology
Experiences
1Dinosaur museum and a fossil dig experience
2Geology talk and rock-strata observation
3Kuzuryu River and a nature walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Dinosaur-village minshuku
Chubu · Fukui · Awara Onsen
The Classic Onsen Town — onsen culture of the Kaga domain
Experiences
1Stay at Awara Onsen and onsen culture
2Kaga domain history museum and the culture of its lords
3Onsen town walk and historic architecture
Best season
Winter & spring
Accommodation
Luxury onsen ryokan
Chubu · Fukui · Eihei-ji
Head Temple of Zen — training hall and faith
Experiences
1Visit to Eihei-ji and shukubo ascetic training
2Zazen workshop and seated meditation class
3Shojin ryori and Buddhist culture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Temple shukubo
Chubu · Fukui · Ono
Castle-Town Stone Walls — flowing water and pottery
Experiences
1Ono Castle ruins and a castle-town history walk
2Pottery studio tour and making
3Fishing on the Kuzuryu River
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Town kominka minshuku
Chubu · Fukui · Tsuruga
Kitamaebune Port Town — the history of Sea of Japan trade
Experiences
1Tsuruga port history museum and Kitamaebune experience
2Red-brick warehouses and a harbour architecture walk
3Kehi Jingu visit and faith experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Historic port minshuku
Kinki · Kyoto · Uji
Ancient Capital of Tea — Uji tea and Byodo-in
Experiences
1Uji tea-garden picking and a tea-making class
2Byodo-in visit and architecture appreciation
3Tea ceremony and a Kyoto kaiseki experience
Best season
Spring (tea picking)
Accommodation
Tea-country minshuku
Kinki · Kyoto · Kibune & Kurama
Kyoto's Inner Retreat — mountain onsen and Shugendo
Experiences
1Kifune Shrine visit and mizuura water fortune
2Kurama-dera and a Shugendo main-hall experience
3Mountain onsen and a satoyama walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Mountain onsen ryokan
Kinki · Kyoto · Kyoto City
Ancient Capital as Cultural City — temple and garden aesthetics
Experiences
1Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji visits, and Zen gardens
2Gozan culture and a zazen workshop
3Architecture aesthetics talk and an old-capital walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kyoto kominka ryokan
Kinki · Kyoto · Chayama
Matcha Training Hall — tea country beyond Uji
Experiences
1Tea-garden picking and a tea-making class
2Tea ceremony and Kyoto kaiseki
3Tea merchants and a traditional workshop tour
Best season
Spring (tea picking)
Accommodation
Tea-country minshuku
Kinki · Kyoto · Fushimi
Brewery Town — Fushimi sake and Inari faith
Experiences
1Visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha and a faith experience
2Fushimi sake brewery tour and a tasting class
3Brewery-town walk and a history talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Brewery-town minshuku
Kinki · Mie · Ise
Sacred Ground of the Jingu — a wellspring of Japanese faith
Experiences
1Visits to the Ise Jingu main sanctuary and Toyouke Daijingu
2Jingu visit and a merchant-house walk on the approach
3Shikinen Sengu culture and a faith experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Ryokan near Ise Jingu
Kinki · Mie · Kumano
Kumano Kodo — a UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage route
Experiences
1Hiking the Kumano Kodo and a spiritual experience
2Visits to Kumano Sanzan (Hongu, Shingu and Nachi)
3Shukubo ascetic training and waterfall meditation
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Shukubo temple lodging / mountain minshuku
Kinki · Mie · Shima
Pearls and Ama Divers of Ago Bay — aquaculture seascape
Experiences
1Pearl farm tour and pearl making
2Ama diving and seafood foraging
3Ago Bay boat trip and a sea-view walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside onsen ryokan
Kinki · Mie · Matsusaka
Matsusaka Beef and Merchant Culture — a historic commercial centre
Experiences
1Matsusaka beef ranch tour and meat-quality education
2Matsusaka beef cooking masterclass and tasting
3Grand merchant houses and a commercial heritage walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kominka minshuku in Matsusaka City
Kinki · Mie · Toba
Ama Diver Culture — pearls and the memory of the sea
Experiences
1Ama diving and foraging in Toba, and an ama experience
2Pearl museum and a pearl-making class
3Toshijima and a remote-island fishing-village experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside onsen ryokan
Kinki · Shiga · Omihachiman
Canal Castle Town — birthplace of the Omi merchants
Experiences
1Omihachiman canal boat trip and a castle-town walk
2Grand merchant houses and a commercial heritage talk
3The white-rice village and a farming experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Canal-district kominka minshuku
Kinki · Shiga · Koka
Home of the Ninja — Koka-ryu and traditional handicrafts
Experiences
1Ninja house and a ninjutsu class
2Koka pottery studio tour and making
3Koka basin satoyama walk and a farming experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Koka kominka minshuku
Kinki · Shiga · Shigaraki
Shigaraki Ware Pottery Village — home of the tanuki
Experiences
1Shigaraki ware studio tour and a pottery experience
2Tanuki belief and a folk village experience
3Tea ceremony and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Pottery-village minshuku
Kinki · Shiga · Otsu
Ancient Capital on Lake Biwa — imperial capital and lake views
Experiences
1Mt. Hiei Enryaku-ji shukubo training
2Lake Biwa cruise and a lake-view onsen
3Otsu-kyo ruins history talk and a walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Mt. Hiei shukubo / Lake Biwa onsen
Kinki · Shiga · Hikone
Hikone Castle Town — home of the Omi merchants
Experiences
1Hikone Castle and a castle-town history talk
2Omi merchant museum and commercial heritage
3Lake Biwa fishing experience and fish cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Hikone kominka ryokan
Kinki · Osaka · Kawachinagano & Chihayaakasaka
Nanbokucho History — Akasaka Castle and mountain faith
Experiences
1Akasaka castle ruins and a Nanbokucho history talk
2Mt. Kongo climb and mountain ascetic training
3Mountain folklore and traditional handicrafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Mountain shukubo / minshuku
Kinki · Osaka · Kishiwada
Industrial Port of Senshu — Kishiwada festival and industrial heritage
Experiences
1Joining the Kishiwada festival (September) and its history
2Senshu industrial heritage and a harbour experience
3Coastal fishing and a seafood processing class
Best season
Autumn (festival, September)
Accommodation
Kishiwada port minshuku
Kinki · Osaka · Sakai
Where the Matchlock Arrived — swordsmithing and kitchen knives
Experiences
1Sakai swordsmith studio tour and knife making
2Sakai City kofun mounds and an archaeology talk
3Bayside fireworks and a history walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Craft minshuku in Sakai City
Kinki · Osaka · Senshu
Commercial Port Town — Senshu towels and coastal industry
Experiences
1Senshu towel factory tour and a loom experience
2Senshu harbour and modern industrial heritage
3Seaside fishing-village experience and seafood
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Senshu port minshuku
Kinki · Osaka · Nose & Toyono
Osaka's Secluded Satoyama — nature and farming
Experiences
1Nose Mt. Myoken visit and mountain faith
2Organic farm and a vegetable harvest experience
3Satoyama walk and a local cuisine class
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Satoyama minshuku
Kinki · Nara · Yoshino
Sacred Ground of Cherry Blossom — Mt. Yoshino and the ascetic path
Experiences
1Mt. Yoshino blossom-season visit and blossom viewing
2Kinpusen-ji shukubo training and a spiritual experience
3A Kumano Kodo branch route and mountain faith
Best season
Spring (cherry blossom, April)
Accommodation
Kinpusen-ji shukubo
Kinki · Nara · Nara City
Ancient Nara — Todai-ji and the deer of Nara Park
Experiences
1Todai-ji visit and the Great Buddha
2Meeting the deer in Nara Park
3Old-capital walk and temple gardens
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Nara kominka ryokan
Kinki · Nara · Nara Basin
Rice Paddies Meet the Ancient Capital — farming culture
Experiences
1Rice-growing experience and farming culture
2Kofun burial mounds and an archaeology talk
3Satoyama walk and local cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Basin farmstay minshuku
Kinki · Nara · Asuka
Where Japan Began — the history of kofun and temples
Experiences
1Asuka kofun mounds and hands-on archaeology
2Asuka-dera visit and an ancient history talk
3Satoyama walk and kofun viewing
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Asuka kominka minshuku
Kinki · Hyogo · Kinosaki
Seaside Onsen Town — fishing-village culture of Tajima
Experiences
1Kinosaki onsen-town walk and onsen culture
2Ama diving and a seafood foraging experience
3Tajima fishing villages and a fishing-culture exchange
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kinosaki Onsen ryokan
Kinki · Hyogo · Kobe
International Port Town — cross-cultural fusion and architecture
Experiences
1Kobe harbour and a walk of the Western-style residences
2Modern architecture appreciation and an art museum
3Kobe beef and a local cuisine masterclass
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kobe harbour-view minshuku
Kinki · Hyogo · Takeda Castle
Japan's Machu Picchu — mountain castle above a sea of cloud
Experiences
1Climb to Takeda Castle ruins and sea-of-cloud views
2Asago City old-castle study and a history talk
3Mountain onsen and local cuisine
Best season
Autumn & winter
Accommodation
Mountain onsen ryokan
Kinki · Hyogo · Yumura
Hyogo's Northernmost Secluded Spring — Sea of Japan onsen
Experiences
1Yumura Onsen and a secluded hot-spring circuit
2Tajima coast and a sea-view walk
3Local food and onsen therapy
Best season
Winter & spring
Accommodation
Secluded onsen ryokan
Kinki · Hyogo · Toyooka
Heart of the Bag Industry — Toyooka bags and leather craft
Experiences
1Toyooka bag studio tour and leather-goods making
2Leather craft and meeting the artisans
3The Maruyama River and a nature experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Toyooka craft minshuku
Kinki · Wakayama · Koyasan
Heart of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism — shukubo training and faith
Experiences
1Koyasan shukubo training and a yoga class
2Kongobu-ji visit and Esoteric Buddhist culture
3Okunoin visit and spiritual meditation
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Temple shukubo
Kinki · Wakayama · Tanabe
Main Base for the Kumano Kodo — pilgrimage culture
Experiences
1Kumano Kodo Nakahechi pilgrimage and hiking
2Tanabe castle ruins and a history museum
3Local cuisine and cultural exchange
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Tanabe kominka minshuku
Kinki · Wakayama · Nachikatsuura
Sacred Waterfall — Nachi Falls and the ascetic path
Experiences
1Nachi Falls visit and an ascetic training experience
2Katsuura Onsen and fishing-port seafood
3Kumano Kodo visit and a spiritual pilgrimage
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Kinki · Wakayama · Shirahama
Onsen Coast — Shirahama Onsen and sea bathing
Experiences
1Shirahama Onsen and an onsen therapy experience
2Senjojiki rock shelf and a sea-view walk
3Ama diving and a seafood foraging class
Best season
Summer (sea bathing), spring & autumn
Accommodation
Shirahama Onsen ryokan
Chugoku · Okayama
Onsen Village — Yunogo Onsen and the satoyama
Experiences
1Yunogo Onsen and an onsen culture experience
2Satoyama walk and a farming experience
3Traditional crafts and local cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Chugoku · Okayama · Okayama City
Garden Aesthetics of a Castle Town — Okayama Castle and Korakuen
Experiences
1Okayama Castle and Korakuen garden appreciation
2Castle-town walk and merchant houses
3Asahi riverside walk and an art museum
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Okayama kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Okayama · Takahashi
Mountain Castle Town — Bitchu Matsuyama Castle and samurai culture
Experiences
1Climb to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle and a castle experience
2Castle-town walk and a samurai culture talk
3Fukiya Furusato Village and its red buildings
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Takahashi kominka minshuku
Chugoku · Okayama · Kurashiki
Town of White-Walled Storehouses — an Edo merchant quarter
Experiences
1Kurashiki River white-walled storehouse walk
2Folk-crafts museum and traditional crafts
3Art museum circuit and an art experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kurashiki kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Okayama · Tsuyama
Castle-Town Relics — Tsuyama Castle and the Yasaka disused line
Experiences
1Tsuyama Castle ruins and castle-town history
2Tsuyama Line railway and a disused-line circuit
3Local food and traditional crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Tsuyama kominka minshuku
Chugoku · Yamaguchi · Shimonoseki
Port Town on the Kanmon Strait — Karato Market
Experiences
1Karato Market and a fresh-fish class
2Kanmon Strait cruise and sea views
3Sakamoto Ryoma museum and a history talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Shimonoseki harbour-view minshuku
Chugoku · Yamaguchi · Yamaguchi City
Kyoto of the West — Ouchi culture and its temples
Experiences
1Ouchi culture museum and a Ruriko-ji visit
2Yamaguchi castle ruins and a castle-town walk
3Temple shukubo and a zazen experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Yamaguchi kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Yamaguchi · Akiyoshi
Underground Palace of Akiyoshido — limestone cave ecology
Experiences
1Akiyoshido Cave exploration and a geology talk
2Walk around the limestone cave and nature
3Local food and an onsen experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Akiyoshi Onsen ryokan
Chugoku · Yamaguchi · Yuda
Onsen Village — the largest hot spring in Yamaguchi
Experiences
1Yuda Onsen and an onsen culture experience
2Onsen-town walk and old architecture
3Local onsen cuisine and a maiko experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Chugoku · Yamaguchi · Hagi
Castle Town of the Bakumatsu — Yoshida Shoin
Experiences
1Hagi castle ruins and Yoshida Shoin sites
2Castle-town walk and merchant houses
3Pottery experience and local crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Hagi kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Tottori · Misasa
Onsen Village — a radon-rich hot spring
Experiences
1Misasa onsen therapy and onsen science
2Rokujutani mountain stream and a nature walk
3Onsen town architecture and a history walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Misasa onsen ryokan
Chugoku · Tottori · Kurayoshi
Red-Tile, White-Wall Castle Town — porcelain culture
Experiences
1Kurayoshi red-tile, white-wall street and architecture walk
2Kurayoshi-ware pottery studio tour and making
3Tamagawa stream and a nature walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kurayoshi kominka minshuku
Chugoku · Tottori · Chizu
Forestry Village — cedar forests and woodcraft culture
Experiences
1Chizu cedar forest walk and a forestry experience
2Woodwork studio tour and woodcraft making
3Chizu Line railway and a mountain walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Forestry minshuku
Chugoku · Tottori · Tottori City
Sand Dune Natural Heritage — the aesthetics of sand and wind
Experiences
1Gliding at the Tottori Sand Dunes and a desert experience
2Dune environment study and a geology talk
3Farming around the dunes and watermelon growing
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Minshuku near the dunes
Chugoku · Tottori · Yurihama
Cluster of Onsen Villages — the largest in Tohaku
Experiences
1Circuit of several onsen villages and therapy
2Coastal walk and a geology talk
3Local food and traditional crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Chugoku · Shimane · Oki
Remote-Island Microcosm — nature and cultural heritage
Experiences
1Oki island circuit and natural ecology
2Oki fishing and seafood cuisine
3Oki kofun mound cluster and a history talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Oki island minshuku
Chugoku · Shimane · Koryo
Ancient Izumo Ruins — an archaeology village
Experiences
1Ancient Izumo Museum and an archaeology talk
2Circuit of the ruins and a history walk
3Local food and folklore
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Ancient-village minshuku
Chugoku · Shimane · Izumo
Izumo Taisha Faith — myths of ancient Japan
Experiences
1Visit to Izumo Taisha and an ancient-faith experience
2Izumo Kokuso garden and a visit to the kofun cluster
3Inasa Beach and a circuit of myth and legend sites
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Izumo kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Shimane · Matsue
Castle-Town Character — Lake Shinji and samurai culture
Experiences
1Matsue Castle and a castle-town history walk
2Lake Shinji sunset viewing and koicha thick tea
3Samurai hall and a traditional culture talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Matsue kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Shimane · Oda
Silver Mine Heritage — the history of Iwami Ginzan
Experiences
1Iwami Ginzan UNESCO World Heritage tour and mining
2Ginzan castle ruins and industrial archaeology
3Coastal fishing and a fishing-village experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Ginzan district minshuku
Chugoku · Hiroshima · Miyajima
Itsukushima Shrine, UNESCO World Heritage — the great torii
Experiences
1Visit to Itsukushima Shrine and the great torii
2Island walk and architecture appreciation
3Ama diving and seafood cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Miyajima kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Hiroshima · Kure
Home of Battleship Yamato — naval heritage
Experiences
1Battleship Yamato and a naval heritage visit
2Battleship museum and a history talk
3Harbour walk and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Port minshuku
Chugoku · Hiroshima · Takehara
Town of Edo Character — vermilion lattice windows
Experiences
1Takehara townscape walk and its lattice windows
2Taketsuru sake brewery tour and tasting
3Seto Inland Sea islands and sea views
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Takehara kominka minshuku
Chugoku · Hiroshima · Onomichi
Town of Slopes — Seto Inland Sea port-town character
Experiences
1Onomichi slope walk and old architecture
2Seto Inland Sea island circuit and ecology
3Film-town culture and the art museum
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onomichi kominka ryokan
Chugoku · Hiroshima · Hiroshima City
Peace Memorial City — atomic bomb remains and the present
Experiences
1Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park
2Peace studies and a history talk
3Hiroshima Castle ruins and a castle-town walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Hiroshima City minshuku
Shikoku · Ehime · Ochi
Faith of Mt. Ochi — a mountain ascetic training path
Experiences
1Visit to Mt. Ochi and mountain ascetic training
2Forestry experience and wild-vegetable foraging
3Satoyama walk and local cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Mountain shukubo temple lodging / minshuku
Shikoku · Ehime · Kihoku
Secluded Mountain Onsen — beside the Niyodo River
Experiences
1Niyodo River clear stream and a nature experience
2Onsen therapy and a mountain walk
3Local food and folklore
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Secluded onsen ryokan
Shikoku · Ehime · Imabari
Seto Inland Sea Port Town — the history of shipbuilding
Experiences
1Shipyard tour and a marine industry talk
2Circuit of the Seto Inland Sea islands
3Imabari towel studio and a making experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Port minshuku
Shikoku · Ehime · Matsuyama
Clouds Above the Hill — a castle town and its onsen
Experiences
1Matsuyama Castle and a castle-town history walk
2Dogo Onsen and an onsen culture experience
3Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum and a literature talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Matsuyama kominka ryokan
Shikoku · Ehime · Yawatahama
Seto Inland Sea Fishing Port — mandarins and seafood
Experiences
1Yawatahama fishing port and a fishing experience
2Mandarin orchard harvest and fruit-product making
3Seafood cuisine and meeting the fishing village
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fishing-port minshuku
Shikoku · Kagawa · Kotohira
Faith of Kotohira-gu — the stone stairway visit
Experiences
1Visit to Kotohira-gu and the stone stairway climb
2The shrine approach shops and traditional crafts
3Folklore museum and a faith culture experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kotohira kominka ryokan
Shikoku · Kagawa · Ritsurin
Essence of a Daimyo Garden — a Ritsurin Garden side story
Experiences
1Garden upkeep experience and an aesthetics talk
2Tea ceremony and wagashi pairing tasting
3Walk in the surroundings and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Garden village minshuku
Shikoku · Kagawa · Takamatsu
Castle-Town Character — Ritsurin Garden and Mt. Yashima
Experiences
1Ritsurin Garden appreciation and a walk
2Takamatsu Castle ruins and castle-town history
3Mt. Yashima climb and Seto Inland Sea views
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Takamatsu kominka ryokan
Shikoku · Kagawa · Shodoshima
Remote-Island Microcosm — olives and salt
Experiences
1Shodoshima olive grove and olive oil making
2Salt-pan experience and a salt-making class
3Island walk and local cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Island resort minshuku
Shikoku · Kagawa · Naoshima
Art Island — a labyrinth of contemporary art museums
Experiences
1Naoshima contemporary art museums and an art experience
2Taking part in the Setouchi art festival (autumn)
3Island art walk and a creative workshop
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Art village minshuku
Shikoku · Kochi · Ino Town
Tosa Washi Village — washi papermaking
Experiences
1Tosa washi studio tour and papermaking
2Paper-product making and traditional crafts
3Townscape walk and mingei folk crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Paper-country minshuku
Shikoku · Kochi · Aki
Bonito Town — bonito fishing culture
Experiences
1Bonito fishing and a fishing class
2Bonito cookery masterclass and ingredient appraisal
3Fishing-port walk and the seafood market
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fishing-port minshuku
Shikoku · Kochi · Kochi City
Castle Town and Sakamoto Ryoma — late Edo history
Experiences
1Kochi Castle and a castle-town history walk
2Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum and a history talk
3The Sunday market and local culture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kochi kominka ryokan
Shikoku · Kochi · Susaki
Nabeyaki Ramen Town — local food
Experiences
1Nabeyaki ramen cooking class and tasting
2Susaki fishing port and a fishing experience
3Food walk through the town
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Susaki onsen minshuku
Shikoku · Kochi · Hidaka
Horse Village — a racehorse ranch experience
Experiences
1Racehorse ranch tour and an equestrian experience
2Ranch minshuku and local food
3Satoyama walk and a nature experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Ranch minshuku
Shikoku · Tokushima · Miyoshi
Yokai Village — the secluded Iya gorge
Experiences
1Iya gorge hike and secluded cliffs
2Yokai legends and a folklore talk
3Thatched gassho-zukuri houses and a homestay
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Gassho-zukuri minshuku
Shikoku · Tokushima · Kamikatsu
Japanese Ingredients of the Katsuura River — a wild-vegetable village
Experiences
1Wild-vegetable foraging and a cooking class
2Rural minshuku and local food
3Satoyama walk and a nature experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Rural minshuku
Shikoku · Tokushima · Tokushima City
Awa Odori City — Bon Odori culture
Experiences
1Taking part in Awa Odori (August) and the dance
2Awa Odori Kaikan and a dance class
3Tokushima Castle ruins and a castle-town walk
Best season
Summer (festival, August)
Accommodation
Tokushima kominka minshuku
Shikoku · Tokushima · Mima
Indigo Town — the history of Awa indigo
Experiences
1Indigo Museum and an indigo dyeing experience
2Awa indigo making and a dyeing and weaving workshop
3Townscape walk and traditional architecture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Indigo village minshuku
Shikoku · Tokushima · Naruto
Whirlpool Spectacle — the nature of the Naruto Strait
Experiences
1Naruto whirlpool cruise and a nature experience
2Naruto Strait geology talk
3Fishing experience and seafood cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Naruto sea-view minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Okinawa · Kumejima
Indelible Ryukyu History — Kume Sennin Island
Experiences
1Ryukyu historic sites and a culture talk
2Ocean experience and an island walk
3Traditional food culture and a cooking class
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Island minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Okinawa · Miyakojima
Remote Island Charm — sea at its finest
Experiences
1Miyakojima snorkelling and ocean experience
2Walks on Ikemajima and Kurimajima
3Traditional fishing and seafood cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Miyakojima resort minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Okinawa · Ishigaki & Taketomi
Yaeyama Seas — the southernmost islands
Experiences
1Kabira Bay snorkelling and coral viewing
2Taketomi Island and a kominka walk
3Iriomote Island nature and ecology
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Ishigaki & Taketomi resort minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Okinawa · Naha
Ryukyu Culture — an island city by the sea
Experiences
1Shuri Castle visit and Ryukyu history
2Ryukyu performing arts and a dance experience
3Kokusai-dori and Okinawan culture
Best season
Winter & spring
Accommodation
Naha kominka minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Okinawa · Northern Okinawa
Beautiful Sea — coral reef ecology
Experiences
1Coral reef snorkelling and marine ecology
2Nature experience and environmental learning
3Coastal walk and the folk village
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Northern Okinawa resort minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Miyazaki · Miyazaki City
Phoenix City — seaside resort
Experiences
1Phoenix Nature Zoo and its natural setting
2Miyazaki Jingu visit and a faith experience
3Seaside walk and the Nichinan coast
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside resort minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Miyazaki · Takachiho
Home of Myth — the land of the heavenly descent
Experiences
1Takachiho Shrine visit and a myth experience
2Takachiho Gorge boating and spectacular views
3Yokagura and traditional performing arts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Myth-country minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Miyazaki · Hyuga
Seaside Town on the Nichinan Coast — shrine worship
Experiences
1Visit to Hyuga Daijingu and a faith experience
2Nichinan coast walk and sea views
3Fishing port and seafood cuisine
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside onsen minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Miyazaki · Nichinan
Striking Scenery of the Nichinan Coast — Udo Jingu
Experiences
1Nichinan coast boat ride and sea views
2Udo Jingu visit and the cave shrine
3Seaside walk and a geology talk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Seaside onsen minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Miyazaki · Kirishima
Active Volcano and Onsen Village — home of Shugendo
Experiences
1Kirishima climb and volcanic ecology
2Kirishima Onsen village and onsen therapy
3Visit to Kirishima Jingu and ascetic training
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kirishima onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kumamoto · Aso
Grandeur of an Active Volcano — Aso volcanic ecology
Experiences
1Mt. Aso climb and volcanic ecology
2Volcano museum and a geology talk
3Highland farming and a vegetable harvest
Best season
Spring, summer & autumn
Accommodation
Volcano-foothill onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kumamoto · Kumamoto City
Castle Stone Walls — Kumamoto Castle and samurai culture
Experiences
1Kumamoto Castle and its stone-wall restoration
2Kato Kiyomasa history talk and the castle town
3Hosokawa domain culture and the art museum
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kumamoto kominka ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kumamoto · Minamata
Lessons of Industrial Pollution — modernisation and recovery
Experiences
1Minamata Disease Museum and study
2Recovery projects and environmental protection
3Fishing port experience and seafood
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Minamata recovery minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kumamoto · Minamiaso
Views of Aso Volcano — the secluded southern foothills
Experiences
1Volcano viewpoints and a geology talk
2Onsen therapy and a mountain walk
3Local food and a farming experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Volcano-foothill onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kumamoto · Kurokawa
Secluded Onsen Village — baths in the mountains
Experiences
1Kurokawa Onsen and a secluded-bath circuit
2Mountain onsen culture and therapy
3Nearby hiking and nature walks
Best season
Winter (snowscapes)
Accommodation
Kurokawa Onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Saga · Ureshino
Onsen Yudofu — onsen food culture
Experiences
1Yudofu-making class and tasting
2Onsen therapy and an onsen town walk
3Tea ceremony and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Saga · Saga City
Castle-Town Culture — gateway to Arita porcelain
Experiences
1Saga Castle ruins and castle-town history
2Saga nishiki weaving studio tour and traditional crafts
3Walk along the Tafuse River
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Saga kominka minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Saga · Karatsu
Karatsu Ware Castle Town — sea views
Experiences
1Karatsu-ware studio tour and a pottery experience
2Karatsu Castle and a castle-town history walk
3Karatsu Bay and a sea-view onsen
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Karatsu kominka ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Saga · Takeo
Onsen Village — the history of Takeo Onsen
Experiences
1Takeo Onsen and an onsen culture experience
2Takeo Castle ruins and a history talk
3Onsen town architecture and a walk
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Takeo Onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Saga · Arita
Porcelain Town — Arita porcelain and pottery culture
Experiences
1Arita porcelain studio tour and porcelain making
2Arita Ceramic Museum and porcelain appreciation
3Townscape walk and an old-kiln circuit
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Arita pottery minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kagoshima · Yakushima
World Heritage Primeval Forest — home of Jomon Sugi
Experiences
1Yakushima climb and a visit to Jomon Sugi
2Guided forest ecology tour and conservation
3Island walk and a folklore experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Yakushima eco-minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kagoshima · Kikaijima
Island Nature — an island of raised coral reef
Experiences
1Coral reef landforms and a geology talk
2Ocean experience and an island walk
3Local food and cultural exchange
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Island minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kagoshima · Sakurajima
Grandeur of an Active Volcano — volcanic ecology
Experiences
1Sakurajima ferry and volcano viewing
2Volcano museum and a geology talk
3Volcanic-ash country and a nature experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Volcano-foothill onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kagoshima · Ibusuki
Sand Bath Onsen — natural hot-spring therapy
Experiences
1Sand bath and natural onsen therapy
2Mt. Kaimon climb and volcanic ecology
3Coastal walk and local cuisine
Best season
Winter & spring
Accommodation
Ibusuki sand-bath onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Kagoshima · Kagoshima City
Satsuma History — castle town and volcano
Experiences
1Kagoshima Castle ruins and castle-town history
2Satsuma Gishi museum and Bakumatsu history
3Sengan-en and Satsuma culture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Kagoshima kominka minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Oita · Usuki
Usuki Stone Buddhas — historic Buddhist heritage
Experiences
1Visit to the Usuki Stone Buddhas and a Buddhism talk
2Castle-town walk and historic heritage
3Fishing port and a seafood experience
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Usuki kominka minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Oita · Taketa
Castle Town History — the Oka Castle ruins
Experiences
1Oka Castle ruins and a history talk
2Castle-town walk and merchant houses
3Local food and traditional crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Taketa kominka minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Oita · Yufuin
Onsen Town Below Mt. Yufu — luxury resort
Experiences
1Yufuin Onsen and the art village
2Mt. Yufu climb and mountain views
3Art museum circuit and onsen culture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Yufuin luxury ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Oita · Beppu
Town of the Onsen Hells — the ultimate in onsen culture
Experiences
1Beppu Hatto eight-onsen circuit and culture
2Tour of the "hells" and onsen science
3Onsen art museum and architecture appreciation
Best season
Winter & spring
Accommodation
Beppu onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Oita · Bungo-Takada
Historic Townscape — the world of Showa retro
Experiences
1Showa town walk and the Showa museum
2Showa retro art museum experience
3Local food and traditional crafts
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Showa-style kominka minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Nagasaki · Unzen
Gifts of the Volcano — Unzen onsen village
Experiences
1Unzen Onsen and geothermal therapy
2Mt. Fugen climb and volcanic ecology
3The "hell" valley and sulphur terrain
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Unzen Onsen ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Nagasaki · Sasebo
Naval Port History — modern industrial heritage
Experiences
1Naval port tour and the modern heritage museum
2Kujukushima cruise and its ecology
3Harbour walk and foreign-style architecture
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Port minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Nagasaki · Saikai
Island Fishing Villages — fishing and nature
Experiences
1Fishing experience and meeting the villagers
2Island walk and sea views
3Seafood cooking and local food
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fishing-village minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Nagasaki · Nagasaki City
Port Town with a Foreign Air — the seclusion era
Experiences
1Glover Garden and a walk among the Western-style residences
2Peace Park and peace education
3Chinatown and cross-cultural exchange
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Nagasaki kominka ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Nagasaki · Hirado
Trading Port of the Seclusion Era — Nanban culture
Experiences
1Hirado Castle and a castle-town history walk
2Nanban trade history museum
3Island fishing experience and seafood
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Hirado kominka ryokan
Kyushu & Okinawa · Fukuoka · Kurume
Home of Kurume Kasuri — the kasuri weaving tradition
Experiences
1Kurume kasuri studio tour and loom weaving
2Kasuri making and traditional crafts
3Townscape walk and traditional merchant houses
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Textile-village minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Fukuoka · Dazaifu
Tenmangu Faith — the home of Sugawara no Michizane
Experiences
1Visit to Dazaifu Tenmangu and its faith
2Walk along the shrine approach and traditional crafts
3Umegae mochi making and wagashi
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Dazaifu kominka minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Fukuoka · Chikugo
Farming on the Chikugo Plain — Shirayuki sake brewery
Experiences
1Chikugo Shirayuki sake brewery tour and tasting
2Farming experience and seasonal vegetable harvest
3Rokkakudo hall and a history walk
Best season
Spring (tea picking) & autumn (harvest)
Accommodation
Farmstay minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Fukuoka · Fukuoka City
Gateway to Kyushu — yatai stalls and the modern city
Experiences
1Yatai street food experience and its culture
2Fukuoka Castle ruins and castle-town history
3Hakata-ori textiles and craft studios
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Fukuoka City minshuku
Kyushu & Okinawa · Fukuoka · Kitakyushu
Mojiko Modern Heritage — trade with the continent
Experiences
1Mojiko red-brick buildings and their history
2Modern heritage museum and industrial archaeology
3Harbour walk and its foreign atmosphere
Best season
Spring & autumn
Accommodation
Mojiko historic-building minshuku