When visiting Kobe, one attraction you should put on the list is the Nunobiki Herb Gardens and Ropeway. Located a very short walk from the Shin-Kobe Station, this is a must see on a sunny day or as the sun goes down. At the top of Mt. Rokko is the herb garden and to...
The Orizuru Tower in Hiroshima is not off the beaten path at all, but rather in the heart of Hiroshima just steps away from the iconic Atomic Bomb Dome Memorial and Hiroshima Peace Park. However, its a hidden gem of Japan in that most visitors coming to Hiroshima...
Kinoaski is one of the most popular onsen or hot springs towns in Japan. Situated very close to the west coast of the Sea of Japan, its off the beaten path, yet well worth the small effort to get there. The signature feature of the town is that there are seven...
The Nakasendo Trail is an historic route that dates back to the early 1700's and was an important road connecting Kyoto to Tokyo, then known as "Edo". Along the way there were more than 69 small villages called "post towns" where travelers would rest, obtain new...
Yokohama is a wonderful town with an abundance of things to see and do. One of the nicer points is that although it is a very short train ride from the heart of Tokyo, it isn’t nearly as packed with tourists. Therefore, we highly recommend making a stop or even...
Is the Sistine Chapel in Japan? Of course not, but an incredible replica is, along with more than 1,000 other works of the great masters through history. They can be found in the Otsuka Museum of Art. When I first saw the website for this museum, I thought perhaps...
To get a sense of the real Japan, one needs to get off the beaten path which requires a little effort, but given the excellent rail network of Japan, this is not as hard as it sounds, provided you are okay renting a car. Don’t be dissuaded about driving, especially...
Kyoto is a world class city by any measure, and there is no shortage of scrumptious bakeries and patisseries from which to put your sweet tooth into overdrive. Unfortunately, Kyoto is also so popular these days that getting into one of these establishments can be a...
For an off the beaten path experience in a stunning garden setting, we recommend visiting the Sankeien Garden Park in Yokohama. Japan is blessed with many outstanding gardens, and the most popular such as Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa can get overrun with tourists. ...
Tokyo is the most populated city in the world, and it can be hard to imagine finding a place of quiet and solitude, however, if you look around and follow our lead here at Uncharted Japan, you can enjoy them. One of our favorites is the Yaesu Terrace situated just a...