Japan off the beaten track: little-known destinations

Japan off the beaten track goes beyond Tokyo and Kyoto: rural villages with thatched roofs like Shirakawa-go, the wild coasts of Tohoku, the island of Shikoku and its pilgrimages, mountain onsen and fishing villages. Far from the crowds you will discover a slow, authentic Japan. Explore its most hidden destinations.

21 guides in Giappone · 🛏 Dove dormire in Giappone

Shimomeguro, Tokyo, Japan

Castles, palaces and monuments

The parasite museum in Meguro: 300 specimens (and an 8.8-metre tapeworm) in Tokyo

A free museum in Meguro, Tokyo, devoted solely to parasites: 300 specimens and the longest tapeworm in the world, 8.8 metres.

Jun 28, 2026

Kagurazaka, Tokyo, Japan

City corners

Kagurazaka, the old geisha district behind Shinjuku

Kagurazaka in Tokyo: cobbled lanes of a former geisha district, the Bishamonten temple, French cafes and stairways behind the hill.

Jun 28, 2026

Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan

Wild nature

Todoroki Keikoku: the gorge carved by the Yazawa in the heart of Setagaya, Tokyo

In Setagaya, the only natural gorge in Tokyo's 23 central wards: 1 km of trail among bamboo, an 1100s temple and a sacred waterfall.

Jun 28, 2026