Experience essential and undiscovered Japan from Tokyo to Kyoto and Fukuoka to Kagoshima with Goway Travel
By Christopher D. Silbernagel
When travelers plan a visit to Japan, Tokyo and Kyoto often become the sole or main focus to discover the country’s bustling city life and traditional architecture and arts. While these experiences are exceptional, and both cities go far beyond famous crossings, colorful towers, and tea ceremonies, there is more to Japan across every island that is worth exploring. Goway Travel specializes in customized group tours and independent getaways in Japan, both by car and train, providing travelers a taste of the Land of the Rising Sun that may otherwise be overlooked.
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Fukuoka’s Food Culture and Vibrant Nightlife
While Osaka and Tokyo often receive global fame for their culinary scene, locals and foodies alike celebrate Fukuoka as a top culinary destination for its regional dishes and rich street food culture.
Motsunabe is a hearty hotpot featuring beef or pork offal, which are intestines that turn soft and juicy when boiled in the soup with vegetables and plenty of garlic. Traditionally, after eating the meat and veggies, it’s customary to finish the leftover soup with thick champon noodles. It’s a delicious meal that’s guaranteed to leave you feeling warm and full, which is particularly welcome on colder days.
The yatai food stalls are famous in Fukuoka, specializing in street food like grilled chicken skewers (yakitori), karaage fried chicken, and gyoza dumplings, quick meals that go great with beer, sake, or a soft drink like ramune, a popular Japanese soda. One of the most popular dishes at yatai is Hakata ramen, a local favorite with a rich, cloudy tonkotsu pork-bone broth and ultra-thin and firm noodles.
Fukuoka’s nightlife goes hand-in-hand with yatai, especially in Tenjin, which is a modern downtown area famous for fashion, indie vinyl bars, craft beer, and nightclubs. Within walking distance, Nakasu provides a different experience, being on an island between the Hakata and Naka Rivers. It’s the third-largest entertainment district in Japan, packed with neon lights, izakayas, cocktail lounges, and riverfront yatai. Night cruises are available along the rivers, as well as water and light shows at the Canal City Hakata entertainment complex.
Relaxing Onsens of Beppu and Mountain Views
To mix things up in Kyushu, Goway sends travelers to Beppu, an onsen resort city along the northeastern side of the island in Oita Prefecture. Many people travel to Japan just to experience onsens, and Beppu produces more hot spring water than anywhere else in the country, with over 2,500 sources in bathing areas known as Beppu Hatto. Each of these eight districts offers unique mineral qualities, mud baths, sand baths, and steam baths.
From each district, there are also unique views. Enjoy old-town vistas with quiet residential alleys in a historic, low-profile seaside neighborhood like Hamawaki. The relaxed seaside and beach views looking right over the calm waters of Beppu Bay and the coastal promenade are favorites from Kamegawa. Though meant for viewing rather than soaking, the Hells of Beppu are geothermal hot springs with surreal shades of crimson and cobalt from Chinoike Jigoku and Umi Jigoku, respectively.
Visually, travelers will be able to see Mt. Tsurumi and Mt. Yufu from Beppu, though the latter will be blocked from view if centrally located in the city. For unprecedented views of Mt. Yufu, the nearby twin town Yufuin has onsen and viewing points that are specifically designed to look directly up at the towering ridges of the mountain.
The Shrines, Coastline, and River-Carved Canyon of Miyazaki
South of Beppu is Miyazaki Prefecture, with the Hyuga Sea featuring dramatic wave-eroded sea cliffs, subtropical island shrines, and the iconic geological formations known as Oni no Sentakuita, or the Devil’s Washboard. Enjoy one of the finest examples of Shinto architecture at Udo Shrine; a true sanctuary built inside a dramatic natural red-rock sea cave on the steep ocean cliff edge. The shrine is famous for its ritual clay ball-tossing for good luck.
North of the City of Hyuga is Umagase, featuring 70-meter-high sheer columnar basalt sea cliffs and clear views of the Pacific Ocean. The name means the “horse’s back,” which comes from the narrow, arched shape of the ridge. Speaking of horses, at the southern edge of Miyazaki is Cape Toi. The peninsula is famous not only for its lighthouse, palm-lined roads, blue ocean views, and unique rock formations of the Nichinan Coast, but also the wild Misaki-uma, a small herd of about 100 ponies that descend from samurai warhorses left to graze in the area in the late 1600s.
Inland, and still within Miyazaki Prefecture, Goway takes travelers to Takachiko Gorge. This V-shaped canyon has been carved by the emerald green Gokase River through ancient lava flows from Mount Aso. The gorge’s 80- to 100-meter-high basalt columns resemble dragon scales. The 17-meter-high Manai Falls is considered one of the best waterfalls in Japan, sourced from the Shinto celestial spring of Ama-no-Manai, or the Heavenly True Name Well. During the summer months, there are illumination events in the evenings.
Kagoshima’s Stunning Greenery and Sand Baths
Located in Kagoshima Prefecture, Senganen Garden is a 12-acre Japanese landscape garden that was originally built in 1658 by the powerful Shimazu clan. The garden is famous for its beautiful ponds and shrines, all framed within both Kagoshima Bay and the active Sakurajima volcano. The on-site Shoko Shuseikan Museum, which was built much later by the same clan, is housed within the oldest surviving Western-style stone building in the country.
Offshore to the south, within the Osumi chain of islands, Goway brings visitors to the lush Yakushima. This UNESCO World Heritage site is renowned for its ancient cedar forests, known as Yakusugi, and mossy, hikeable landscapes, which were the core inspiration for the setting of the Ghibli film Princess Mononoke. Adventurous travelers will be rewarded for their efforts by making the trek to Jomonsugi, one of Yakushima’s most ancient and iconic cedars, estimated to be up to 7,000 years old.
After sailing out from Yakushima, travelers will be able to experience Ibusuki for sand baths at the tip of Kagoshima Bay. These sunamushi onsen have people lie on a beach where the sand is naturally heated by underground hot springs. After being under heavy, hot sand for around 10 minutes, which is considered to improve blood flow faster than regular hot springs, visitors wash off to relax.
Nagasaki is Where East Meets West
For history buffs, Nagasaki is a dream destination. During Japan’s period of restricted foreign contact, Dejima served as the only window for Western goods. Trade with the Portuguese and Dutch flourished during this isolationist period, and echoes of these cultures still remain in Nagasaki to this day. Built in 1636, Dejima acted as the only window for Western goods, though regulations were strict on movement and religious freedoms.
Oura Cathedral is another example of Western influence in Nagasaki. Built by French missionaries in 1864, this UNESCO World Heritage site is Japan’s oldest surviving Christian church. Named a minor basilica by the Vatican, it honors the Hidden Christians who kept their faith alive in secret for generations following the 26 foreign and Japanese Christian martyrs who were crucified in 1597 under the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a samurai warlord.
Nagasaki is also the site of one of the two World War II atomic bombings, and as such has the designated Nagasaki Peace Park, a towering statue with fountains dedicated to the abolition of nuclear war, as well as the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, which includes artifacts and testimonies of survivors.
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Tokyo’s Dynamic Cultures and Sense of Discovery
Tokyo is a vibrant city made up of 23 special wards, each with unique districts, that make each corner feel unique and worth discovering. In Chiyoda, you’ll walk through the Imperial Palace gardens in one area, and then the next you’ll be in Jimbocho district, where bookstores and vintage cafes called kissaten line each street.
Chuo is most famous for the bustling Tsukiji Fish Market. Although the wholesale section relocated to Toyosu in 2018, the outer market remains open with hundreds of shops to explore. Shibuya’s famous scramble crossing is where hundreds of people line up to cross, day or night, taking photos and videos along the way to either go on to visit its vibrant shopping centers or pose with the Hachiko statue. While in Shibuya, a visit to the peaceful Meiji Shrine is a must. Built in 1920 in honor of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, who led Japan into the modern age, it sits within a vast man-made forest originally planted with some 120,000 trees.
In Taito, Asakusa district is home to Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. Walk through the iconic Thunder Gate with its giant red lantern as you make your way to the five-story pagoda and shopping street. Nearby, the Tokyo Skytree illuminates the night skies with its colorful LED displays. Just north, in Ueno district, the open-air market street Ameyoko is packed with food stalls, seafood, and clothing stores where travelers can pick up some trendy threads. Ueno is also renowned for its springtime sakura-lined walking paths, large fountain, museums, and zoo, all within Ueno Park.
Of course, this is just scratching the surface of everything Tokyo has to offer travelers, and it’s worth looking into deeper. From the neon-lit, picturesque streets of Shimokitazawa to rich sumo wrestling culture spread throughout Ryogoku, there is truly something for everyone. Goway is a great choice for travelers to not only visit famous locales, but to also be adventurous, allowing you to not only experience more of this special city but perhaps learn something new about yourself.
Shizuoka’s Izu Peninsula, Shuzen-ji Onsen Town, and Suruga Bay
Part of Goway Travel’s Essential Tokyo & Kyoto package, a visit to Shizuoka is a must as it’s off the beaten path with special locales that few other travelers experience. Izu Peninsula is a particularly popular spot for Japanese tourists, with its volcanic landscapes, rugged Pacific coastline, and sandy beaches. Located within the central mountainous area is Shuzen-ji, an onsen town known as Izu’s Little Kyoto, featuring calming riverside walkways, a bamboo forest path, historic sites like Shuzenji Temple, which dates back to the early 9th century, and traditional inns centered around the Katsura River.
The rugged volcanic shoreline on the eastern side of the Izu Peninsula is called the Jogasaki Coast. Formed over 4,000 years ago by lava flows from dormant Mount Omuro, this area features dramatic cliffs, the 48-meter-high Kadowaki Suspension Bridge, and Kadowakisaki Lighthouse, which provides free stunning views of inland Izu and the Pacific Ocean.
Located at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Suruga Bay is so deep that it’s utilized for deep-seafishing, and visitors who enjoy seafood would be remiss not to try the unique Cherry Blossom Shrimp. Along the bay, a visit to Miho Pine Forest includes a walk along its black sand coastline that faces the ocean and Mt. Fuji, an area that has been a great inspiration for artists and folklore.
For additional great views of Mt. Fuji, Suruga Bay, and even Izu Peninsula, Nihondaira Yume Terrace provides 360-degree, open-air views from atop the Nihondaira plateau in Shizuoka City.
Tradition and Iconic Landmarks in Kyoto
Originally the country’s imperial capital for over a millennium, Kyoto is the historic cultural heart of Japan with its thousands of shrines, temples, and the traditional machiya houses within the preserved Gion geisha district. The Buddhist temple Rokuon-ji is a great place to start, with its beautiful reliquary, the Golden Pavilion, named for its top two floors being completely covered in gold leaf. Situated at a mirror pond, it brilliantly reflects this golden image for tranquil moments and stunning photography.
Founded in 711 CE, Fushimi Inari Taisha is famous for its 10,000 vibrant vermillion torii gates that line up to Mount Inari. Foxes are messengers of Inari, the Shinto god of agriculture and prosperity, and visitors will find stone fox statues holding related symbolism like rice sheaves and keys.
Travelers looking to spend time in Gion can enjoy sights like the willow-lined Shirakawa Canal and Yasaka Shrine, with evening lantern viewings a particular standout. For those interested in more intimate experiences and not afraid of language barriers, taking in a traditional kabuki performance at historic Minamiza Kabuki Theater is a must. For those interested in music, games, and conversation with geisha and maiko, be sure to respect their privacy by not taking photos at the venue or around Gion.
The Best Ways to Travel Japan
Whether travelers decide to experience Japan by car or public transportation via the timely Shinkansen and other methods, Goway Travel has each mode down pat. In Kyushu, the best options for those with less time to cover the island are by train. By car, it’s best to have at least two weeks available for multiple stops, including what will likely be many impromptu visits along the way to each destination. Tokyo, Shizuoka, and Kyoto by train will take 10 days, with additional time to consider for those hoping to explore beyond the popular spots in Tokyo.
No matter which path or the destinations travelers seek, Japan is a stunning and eye-opening experience. A window into a culture that has been beautifully preserved and appreciated throughout the world.
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