The 5 Destinations in Japan You Should Visit This Year

Traveling to Japan can be a little bit of a double-edged sword sometimes. The country is home to some of the most unique and unforgettable cultural experiences you'll probably ever have, which makes it an easy place to choose for your next overseas holiday. That said, it's also so full of potential it's hard to know where to start.

If you're looking to go beyond the key locations of Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo, that's great! More local and regional areas offer a whole breadth of experiences you won't get in the big cities. Not too sure where to go? Here are just some of our favorite destinations in Japan, each with something a little different to offer. Make this your year to experience a side of Japan you'll never forget. 

Hokkaido is Japan's rugged northern island; it's unique in that it's both a region and a prefecture, and its landscape is nothing quite like what you'll experience on the mainland.

It's an island of untouched natural beauty and world-class ski fields, a place with a rich indigenous (Ainu) culture, bustling modern energy, and incredible food; basically, it has it all.

Hokkaido is also home to Sapporo, a city of two million-plus people, and yes, home to the legendary Sapporo beer. But going a little beyond this growing metropolis is a wilderness that seems worlds away from the Japan you think you know.

Hokkaido is different from mainland Japan in many ways, making it a must-add destination for your next Japan visit. Be warned, it is big, so to make the most out of your visit, it's best to be prepared and do a little homework to know what you're after before you get here.

Sapporo city is close to the island's main airport, the New Chitose Airport, making it a great starting destination. Here you'll find Nijo Market, a vibrant local market filled with incredible seafood. If you're more into BBQ, then try the local take, jingisukan at Sapporo Beer Factory/ Sapporo Beer Hall.

Depending on the season you visit, you'll have a lot of options in terms of location. In summer, Furano is home to colorful fields of lavender, an idyllic photo spot, while if you make it in winter, consider heading to Abashiri, near Russia to witness "ryuhyo", vast chunks of floating sea ice. Niseko and Abashiri are also excellent ski destinations.

For an all-year-round location, Otaru, just outside Sapporo, is a picturesque town with a beautiful canal lined by delightfully aging warehouses. Hakodate, on the other hand, is another great choice, this quaint city was once one of the main destinations for European settlers, and you can practically read the city's history in the architecture. As we said, there's a lot, so no matter what you choose, you're bound to have fun.

Situated on the Seto-inland sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, Onomichi offers a super local but quite modern Japanese town experience. Many travelers add Hiroshima City to their Japan travel itineraries, but not too many know about Onomichi, so it still feels like a little secret.

The town is probably best known for being the starting point of the Shinamani Kaido, a 70 km cycling route connecting Honshu's main island to Shikoku down south. If you plan to cycle the route, it's well worth adding a day or two in Onomichi to your itinerary, as there's a lot to explore.

Two unique key points make Onomichi so special; the first is its geography. The town sits on a cluster of slopes, and many of its attractions are dotted along the slopes, nestled between cozy laneways, making it like a little labyrinth of hidden delights. To understand the layout better, take the famous Onomichi Temple Walk route, which will guide you up and down the slopes as it leads past the route's 25 temples.

The second key unique point of Onomichi that makes it a key place to add to your itinerary is the people. Onomichi has become, over the past few years, a hub of new small businesses founded by entrepreneurial folk looking to take a break from the more cut-throat energy of city life. Nestled between the charmingly aging homes and 25 temples, you'll find hip little cafes like Hibi Coffee and stylish outposts like Hotel LOG, as well as more niche offerings like made-to-order spectacle shops and select craft stores.

Another highlight is HOTEL CYCLE. Facing the port, at one end of a re-fashioned warehouse, is the unique 28-room HOTEL CYCLE, and as the name suggests, it's a cyclist's dream. It's a part of and housed within the larger ONOMICHI U2 complex, which was completed in 2014.

Located west of Osaka, along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, Setouchi is a region that is also home to one of the destinations on this list, Onomichi. But it's worth looking at this region as a whole as well because, with so much to offer and explore, you'll be hard-pressed to argue why it's been named as an addition to National Geographic's "cool list" and New York Times best places to go.

The region is probably best known for being home to the country's "art islands" of Naoshima, Teshima, and Shodoshima. In recent years, these islands have been growing in popularity thanks mainly to the globally acclaimed modern art festival, the Setouchi Triennale, which happens every three years and draws swarms of guests and artists from across the world.

Beyond the famous art islands, this region offers a more old world, local Japan, which is a little slower paced but charming in its own right, with plenty of hidden surprises. One such spot is Tomonoura in Fukuyama, the inspiration behind Ghibli's "Ponyo". Stroll the quaint streets, and you'll fall in love with the charming wooden houses, some of which have been transformed into small businesses, like cafes and gift stores.

For something even more local, try Manabeshima, an island with a population of 300. Manabeshima's charm is, in a lot of ways, its nothingness. The island garnered some global attention after 2015 when French artist Florent Chavouet published a book about his summer on the island titled "Manabeshima Island Japan: One Island, Two Months, One Minicar, Sixty Crabs, Eighty Bites and Fifty Shots of Shochu". It's a 40-minute high-speed or 70-minute regular-speed boat ride from Okayama prefecture, and well worth the journey if you want a laid-back taste of rural fishing life and the bragging rights to visiting a part of Japan we can pretty much guarantee your friends have never been.

If you've heard the name Morioka, chances are because it was listed in the New York Times' "52 Places to Go in 2023". This town boasts a similar energy to that of Onomichi, a lively and charming combination of old regional city laid-back energy with the invigoration of young, entrepreneurial upstarts.

Located in Iwate Prefecture, the city is about two and a half hours by bullet train, making it a relatively easy place to access for a few nights. The city is home to plenty of rich natural attractions and is flanked by mountains and lined with clear water rivers that cut through the city.

Foodies hunting for something other than ramen should consider a culinary pilgrimage as the town is home to a famous trilogy of dishes known as "Three Great Noodles of Morioka". The noodles are Reimen, a type of cold, slightly spicy Korea-inspired noodle that comes complete with a slice of watermelon, jajamen, a kind of almost tantanmen-like noodle made with minced meat and cucumber, and the all-you-can-eat food challenge that is wanko soba, endless servings of soba offered up in small, slurp-sized portions. One travel tip, come hungry!

Like Hokkaido, Okinawa feels worlds away from mainland Japan but on a whole different spectrum. These southern islands are nothing short of tropical paradise; the region is home to beaches as beautiful as Hawaii's and food as delicious and distinct as Kyoto's.

Okinawa is a cluster of islands, 160 in total, both inhabited and uninhabited islands that each boast their own unique blend of Japanese, Chinese, and American influences.

From the white sand beaches of Miyakojima to the lush rainforests of Iriomote and the bustling downtown charm of Naha, this corner of Japan is a goldmine of adventure with no shortage of things to do, spectacular sights to see, and delicious food to eat.

If you're looking for resort-style relaxation, Okinawa also has you covered. The island is home to plenty of amazing beach resort options to choose from, making it a nice change of pace from mainland Japan.

For those on the hunt for city life, Naha, the region's main city, located on Okinawa Island, is a great place to start your Okinawa adventure. We've curated a guide to three days in Okinawa starting in Naha, so check it out to help you plan your tropical adventure.

Plan some time to head off and explore one of the region's many other attractive destinations, like Ishigaki, a pristine island with white sand beaches, crystal clear water, and a vibrant abundance of colorful marine and coral life.