Missed Marvels: 5 Hero Destinations You've Never Heard Of
But may be the best of all
Hello Insiders!
In this month’s edition:
Outrageously overlooked hidden gems near major cities
Cheaper than Smart EX? Surely not!
Japan Unravelled: Insider Updates
Fantastic but Forgotten
Earlier this month one reader requested a topic for a future email/video:
“…ideal spots to go to, unknown to most people.”
As a description of the places I most like to talk about, this is pretty hard to beat. So I set about thinking of all the incredible destinations that are near the major cities, yet majorly overlooked by most tourists. Heck, most Japanese for that matter.
I say “near” - what I really mean is, doable as a day trip. All of these places are about 2 hours or less from the big city.
Prepare to tear up that itinerary…
Near Tokyo - Mount Nokogiri
Back when I didn’t know much about travelling in Japan, I first learned about Mount Nokogiri by seeing it on an episode of Top Gear. Head up the ropeway to find a 31 metre tall Buddha halfway up the mountain, and a 30 metre tall carving of Kannon at the top. When I first visited, I found the scale of this giga-carving utterly staggering. I wasn’t exactly sure where I was going, so when I stumbled upon the right place, it felt like I’d uncovered a treasure hidden for centuries. But it’s just a bit south of the metropolis. Be sure to enjoy the panoramic views of Tokyo Bay from the summit before you leave.
Near Kyoto - Hikone Castle
Mention castles to anyone visiting Japan and most likely you’ll hear either the words Osaka or Himeji. Himeji Castle has the world heritage status, and the visitor numbers to match of course. Osaka “Castle” on the other hand is more a castle-shaped museum. But if you head north of Kyoto for less than an hour you’ll find the superb 17th century masterpiece, Hikone Castle. Unlike other fortresses, the keep here is original, not reconstructed like almost all other castles across the country. Not surprising then that it’s designated as a national treasure, along with just 4 other castles. But it’s rare that I meet anyone who’s visited. Enjoy exploring the extensive complex here, as you get a sense for how castle life would have been back in the 1600s. Though don’t leave before making a circuit of the enormous moat, and recharging in one of the cosy cafes down Hikone’s Edo-style castle road.
Near Osaka - Tomogashima
It's a bit of an understatement to say that Japan has a lot of islands, but this uninhabited one not far from Osaka will have you thinking you've stepped straight into an anime location. Once a naval defence installation up until 1945, now all the guns and troops are gone you're free to roam the tunnels and ruins to your heart's content. Not enough? There are also plenty of non-strenuous hiking trails through luscious forests, and a gorgeous view across to Awaji Island from the lighthouse. But if you're not sold yet, I don't know what will convince you to visit.
Near Okayama - Shodoshima
You've likely already heard of the famous art island Naoshima, with it's iconic spotty pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama. But just over to the east is the unsung hero island of the Seto Inland Sea - Shodoshima. While it’s famed for olive groves and traditional soy sauce factories, Shodoshima is also overflowing with epic scenery, from the underwater-or-not Angel Road, to the staggeringly pretty Kankakei Gorge. And since the island joins the Setouchi Triennale art festival just like Naoshima, you’ll also find permanent art exhibits in certain locations.
Near Hiroshima - Kintaikyo Bridge
If you’re visiting Hiroshima, it’s easy to get completely drawn into exploring the city’s historical legacy, and then get sucked into the island paradise of Miyajima. And you should. But explore just a bit further west to Iwakuni, and you find one of the best-looking bridges money can’t buy. Kintaikyo was originally constructed back in 1673, before being comprehensively obliterated by a typhoon back in the 1950s. Thankfully, the locals clubbed together to reconstruct the entire crossing, because oh my, this is one elegant bridge. Have fun traversing the bumps across the river, or sit on the riverbank to admire the view. It’s a wonderfully peaceful spot, and a great place to spend an afternoon.
When using Smart EX ain’t that clever
Smart EX is JR’s online reservation service for Shinkansen between Tokyo, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Hakata, and Kagoshima-chuo. You can get some reasonable discounts for booking in advance, and it’s really handy as you can do everything on your phone or PC. I recommend using Smart EX if you’re doing simple point to point journeys, like if you’re staying in Tokyo and visiting Kyoto for the day. But there are times when using Smart EX is actually a dumb move.
The Stopover Rule Method
If you’re travelling to multiple destinations in one direction, like from Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, and staying in those places, then Smart EX may be more expensive for you. You may be better off going to the ticket machine or counter and buying separate base fare and Shinkansen tickets. Having a separate base fare ticket allows you to do unlimited stopovers on your journey (if it’s over 100km) and will be more cost effective than buying separate tickets on Smart EX.
Smart EX
Day 1: Tokyo to Kyoto - 11,690 yen (28 day advance discount)
Day 4: Kyoto to Hiroshima - 10,770 yen (no advance discount)
Total: 22,460 yen
Separate Base Fare Ticket and Shinkansen Tickets
Buy base fare ticket for Tokyo to Hiroshima: 11,880 (6 days to complete the journey)
Day 1: Tokyo to Kyoto - 4960 (Shinkansen ticket only)
Day 4: Kyoto to Hiroshima - 4170 (Shinkansen ticket only)
Total: 21,010 yen (saving 1450 yen)
Note that the saving will almost certainly be higher for most people - around the 3000-4000 yen mark. This is because advance discounts on Smart EX sell out quicker, well quicker than the Shinkansen itself. During my research, the 28 day discount between Tokyo and Kyoto sold out in less than a day. However, the tickets used for the stopover method are always available at the same price.
I’ll explain this method in more detail in a future video, but you may find the other less complicated options here easier to understand. If you still want to know more, check out this breakdown.
The Hidden Discount Tickets Method
Smart EX is good at offering discounts for advance bookings when travelling between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. But it has fewer deals on offer for journeys to places like Hiroshima and Hakata (the main station for Fukuoka City). And even if there are discounts, you may find they’ve already sold out when you want to book.
Not to worry! Ditch Smart EX and head over to Klook for some enormous discounts on the route which don’t sell out. For example, Shin-Osaka to Hakata costs 10,900 one way, instead of 13,140 yen if you can actually bag a 7 day advance ticket on Smart EX.
The Regional Pass Method
Regional passes can often be more cost effective than using Smart EX, even if you only use them for one day. For example, if you book a round trip from Shin-Osaka to Hiroshima with Smart EX, it’ll cost 21,100 yen (I couldn’t find any discounts at all). But buy JR’s Kansai Hiroshima Pass, and you can do the same trip for 17,000 yen!
Japan Unravelled: Insider Updates
Thanks to everyone who’s subscribed since the start of the year, and especially those of you who have pledged. I’d like to turn on paid subscriptions at some point later this year, but only if I can decide on what extra content/perks/Japany goodness that will provide. Besides, producing videos and this email is already quite a braincrunch.
If you’ve got any strong opinions about what you think a paid subscription should include, you can always reply to this email, or leave a comment. Don’t worry though - the monthly email will remain free.
And if you like the destinations I highlight each month, I’m sure you’ll love the project I’m currently working on. Keep an eye out for future updates.
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Transport: JR Pass / Regional Passes / Shinkansen Tickets
That’s all for this month! See ya!
Andrew
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I've done many trips to Nokogiriyama, the mountain temple complex above Kyonan Town in Chiba Prefecture. It's easy to get to from Tokyo by train and ferry from Kurihama in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The other hidden gems are on my bucket list of Japan destinations!