Traveling around Japan without tourists
Discover the best places to go from Osaka City (大阪市)
Looking for a stunning nature escape near Osaka without the tourist crowds? Kuronodo Park (くろんど園地) is a hidden gem offering breathtaking waterfalls, panoramic mountain views, and serene forest trails. Hike through lush landscapes, visit Ukimi-do (浮見堂), and enjoy a peaceful retreat just an hour from the city!
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Discover Futami Okitama Shrine (二見興玉神社) – a hidden coastal gem in Mie Prefecture where legend, nature, and spirituality merge. Walk along stone paths between cliffs and the sea, witness the famous Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩) “wedded rocks,” and uncover the mystical Kaeru Iwa (かえる岩). A breathtaking, crowd-free escape near Ise!
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Located in Fukuchiyama (福知山), Fukuchiyama Onsen Yōrō no Yu (福知山温泉 養老の湯) is a hidden gem in Kyoto Prefecture, offering one of the most relaxing and scenic hot spring experiences in the Kansai region. With its expansive open-air baths (rotenburo, 露天風呂), traditional Japanese gardens, and various therapeutic baths, this onsen is perfect for those looking to unwind in nature, away from the usual tourist crowds.
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On the mountain of Fukuyama (福山), in the prefecture of Hiroshima (広島県), is Shinshoji Zen and Garden Museum (神勝寺 禅と庭のミュージアム), a unique space that combines the serenity of Zen with the relaxation of an onsen thermal baths (温泉).
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In Kyoto Prefecture (京都府), there is Mukō Jinja (向日神社), a shrine that combines history, natural beauty and serenity. Founded in 718, this shrine is a haven of peace that is almost unknown to mass tourism, despite being located on the top of a small mountain, surrounded by the city of Kyoto and Mukō (向日市).
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In Hyogo Prefecture, the JR Fukuchiyama Line Haikensen (JR福知山線廃線敷) offers a unique experience by combining nature, railway history and adventure. This former railway line, which once connected the region via locomotives, has been transformed into a scenic trail of approximately 4.7 kilometers along the Mukogawa River (武庫川). Opened as a hiking trail in 2016, visitors can explore the route at their own risk.
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Taketori Onsen Akari no Yu (竹取温泉 灯りの湯) is the first natural hot spring in the Kyoto region and is surrounded by a magnificent bamboo forest. Its large open-air baths not only offer panoramic views of Kyoto and Osaka, but the scenery changes depending on the time of day. In the morning, the light creates a cool glow on the bamboo; at dusk, the reddish hues of the sky envelop the surroundings; and at night, illuminations transform the forest into a fantastical setting.
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