Itineraries寄道
Off-the-beaten-path add-ons
One- to three-day side trips that bolt onto a classic route.
Last reviewed · Sep 2026
- Kanazawa (2.5h from Tokyo by Shinkansen): Kenroku-en garden, samurai and geisha districts
- Takayama & Shirakawa-go: Alpine old town and thatched farmhouses
- Hiroshima & Miyajima: Peace Memorial and the floating torii — an easy day trip from Osaka
- Kumano Kodo: ancient pilgrimage trails and temple lodgings on the Kii Peninsula
- Naoshima: art island in the Seto Inland Sea
- Nikko: ornate shrines and waterfalls, 2 hours from Tokyo