After moving from North Carolina to Okinawa in 2022, my family was overwhelmed but fascinated by our surroundings. One familiar monument made us feel right at home: McDonald's two golden arches.
Avoid the crowds: 6 ways to get off the tourist trail in northern Japan
21.07.2023 - 08:35 / roughguides.com
Japan is a country full of incredible sights: the ancient temples of Kyoto and Nara; Tokyo’s glittering streets; the floating shrine gate at Miyajima; Beppu’s red, steaming hot springs. The only problem with this list of alluring sights? It completely ignores half the country. So it’s time to look a little further up on the map, and head into the great unknown: Tōhoku.
The Japanese have long considered the north of the country to be at best a charming backwater where people live simple, traditional lives, or at worst a harsh land of mountains and deprivation, where no self-respecting city-dweller would set foot.
But all that is changing now, as Japan – and the rest of the world – wises up to Tōhoku’s multifaceted charms. So here are a few reasons to veer off the tourist trail, and forge your own path northwards.
Tōhoku may be fairly rural, but don’t think your narrow road to the deep north will consist entirely of picturesque countryside and time-warped villages. There are plenty of bustling, exciting cities in the region, starting with Sendai.
Tōhoku’s largest city has many of the attractions and conveniences of Japan’s capital, but manages to keep a friendly, laidback feel sprawling Tokyo sometimes lacks. You can wake up in a capsule hotel (try the super-stylish nine hours), spend hours shopping (the region’s famous for its laquerware and kokeshi dolls), swing by an ancient temple or castle, chow down on Japanese cuisine (brave souls can try the local delicacy, gyū-tan – cow’s tongue) and, of course, waste hours at the Pokémon centre.
If you get tired of city living head out to Matsushima bay, dotted with islands straight out of a Hiroshige print. Alternatively, Yamadera (literally “mountain temple”) is under an hour away; there are over a thousand steps to the highest temple here, with stunning views across green mountains your reward. Shelve your pride before you arrive, though – you’ll almost certainly be overtaken by a few of Japan’s indomitable grannies on your way up.
Image by Rebecca Hallett
Compared to the south of Japan, there aren’t all that many religious sites in the north. Hiraizumi is the glittering exception, where you can see the remains of the Fujiwara clan’s glorious, Heian-era Buddhist buildings, the most impressive being the golden Konjiki-dō – worth the trip from Tokyo alone.
If Buddhism isn’t working for you, head even further back in Japan’s spiritual past and explore the region’s deep-running folk history. At nearby Geibikei, a glorious tree-lined gorge, you can take a boat trip down the river and be regaled with folk tales and songs.
Slightly further afield is the Tōno Valley, said to be home to kappa (sly water demons), zashiki-warashi (mischievous, prosperity-bringing child
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