Johnson Town in Iruma, Saitama, is a picture-perfect recreation of a small American town straight out of the 1950s. Neatly trimmed lawns separate period-style wooden houses, vintage cars are parked at the most scenic spots, and restaurants sell homemade burgers. 

Although Johnson Town feels American, all the residents and shopkeepers are Japanese. It’s an American dreamland made by Japanese for Japanese, which is further part of the town’s charm. 

Things to see and do

MiMi Mom, a store that sells American sundries, and the American diner East Contents Cafe.

Johnson Town is an easy day trip from Tokyo, offering scenery that feels like walking through the sets of Leave it to Beaver while offering a large variety of contemporary delights. They range from hearty American-style food, closely adhering to original recipes to the latest in western-inspired health food. 

Try the huge burgers at a cafe called Blue Corn, or the rice flour bread (米粉パン) at Koigakubo Bakery. The bakery also sells the famous Johnson Town ice cream, a delicious gelato using locally grown Sayama tea as a key ingredient. 

If you are in a shopping mood, there are plenty of designer stores scattered across Johnson Town, selling locally made fashion. You might also want to check out the vintage clothing stores and the antique shops specializing in vintage Americana. 

Photo by: Johannes Schonherr Shops in Johnson Town sell vintage American wares.

Feel free to take your pets out there. Most shops and restaurants pride themselves as pet-friendly, some going as far as to advertise themselves as “shops for dogs and their owners.” 

Adjacent to Johnson Town is two large parks. They make for a leisurely stroll through the woods with your dog after consuming that large hamburger. 

Johnson Town history

Photo by: Joji Morita (Isono Corporation) A town rich with Japanese and American history.

Johnson Town is rooted in an American Airforce settlement dating from the same period whose image Johnson Town today tries to preserve.  

In 1937, the Irumagawa Airfield was opened and soon became one of Japan’s largest military airfields. The airfield played an important part in World War II, including the deployment of kamikaze missions.

After the war, the American Airforce took over the Japanese airfield and renamed it Johnson Airbase. 

Photo by: Joji Morita (Isono Corporation) You don’t see too many lawns in Japan.

Several residences were built to accommodate the American officers. Those residences offered the latest in American comforts, which the officers were accustomed to back home. Houses were spacious and had what many consider a staple of American life, a lawn. 

Today, Johnson Town sports more than 50 businesses. They range from wellness clinics to cafes, and a great variety of quirky shops. Parts of the town are purely residential. You can walk those streets, but please respect the privacy of the citizens. 

For more information visit the Johnson Town official website.

Higashiyama Onsen is a historical onsen (hot spring) town located on the eastern outskirts of Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture. More than 1,300 years old, the town’s healing waters have been a respite for Buddhist priests, noble samurai, and weary travelers alike.

Today, Higashiyama Onsen is known as one of Tohoku’s top three onsen resorts. About 15 different hot spring hotels and ryokan (traditional inn) and hotels sit along the tranquil Yu River, nestled in a scenic valley. The old-style wooden ryokan are the best option, as they give you the impression of stepping back in time and make you feel like an honored guest in real traditional Japan.

Mukaitaki Ryokan

Photo by: M Murakami Onsen for nobles and pilgrims alike.

Mukaitaki Ryokan is undoubtedly the most famous among Higashiyama Onsen’s ryokan. It’s well known as the valley’s most prominent landmark. It also offers its guests one of the most authentic onsen experiences you can have.

Discover Aizuwakamtsu

The Mukaitaki offers several onsen baths, one of them being kazoku style, where you can enjoy the hot spring in private with your family.

The food on offer is decidedly Japanese and features local ingredients. The Aizu region is famous for sweet-water fish, beef, and delicious vegetables. The sake made from local rice is divine. Depending on the season, you will get served the best in a multitude of dishes.

Enjoy a geisha performance

Photo by: Sayaca Autumn in Higashiyama Onsen.

Higashiyama Onsen is a certified geisha district. Thus, you can experience what it’s like to be entertained by a real, traditionally trained geisha.

The geisha of Higashiyama Onsen, locally known as geigi or kanariko, are refined stage performers, masters at playing the shamisen, and singing ancient songs about love and life. Seeing them dance and perform in their elegant kimono is utterly unforgettable.

Booking a geisha for a performance at your dinner table is also possible. While on the pricey side, sharing the bill with a group of friends would make it still quite affordable.

Tucked away deep in the mountains of northern Japan is Kuroyu Onsen, a secluded hot spring area that’s surrounded by unwavering stillness.

Its location in Towada Hachimantai National Park makes it perfect for adventurers. While Kuroyu is in Akita Prefecture, the park itself rests on an expansive area of forests, mountains and hot springs that encompasses parts of Aomori, Akita, and Iwate prefectures.

Kuroyu Onsen is actually one of seven hot springs of Nyuto Onsen, a remote location which rests above Lake Tazawa, the deepest in Japan and a major attraction in this area of Akita.

Photo by: photozou Tsuru-no-yu is part of the Nyuto Onsen area.

These hot springs have been in operation since the Edo Period, and even today visitors come from all over Japan to relax in natural waters.

Mixed-gender onsen

Hot springs in Japan are usually separated by gender, but what makes Kuroyu stand out from other onsen (hot spring) is that it has a mixed-gender open-air bath (kon yoku rotenburo).

In Japan, these types of onsen baths have an image of being frequented by rural grandmas and grandpas, but they remain an attractive choice for families and couples. This is a Japanese tradition that is fast dying out, so visitors should take the opportunity to experience it while they can.

The hot spring water of Kuroyu has a cloudy-blue appearance because it’s rich in minerals and is said to have healing effects for the body. Visitors will find serenity in the surroundings: the rustling of leaves, chirping of birds and the burbling of the nearby boiling source of the hot spring.

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Know before you go

For accommodation, traditional inns dot the picturesque valley, but you can certainly visit this or other hot springs in the area, as several of them are open to guests even if you’re not staying overnight.

If you’re looking to enjoy fall foliage, you have until November to make a trip to this scenic spot as some locations close in winter and re-open in April of the following year. (Other onsen in the area are open in winter, though.)

The area is beautiful in autumn but some locations in Kuroyu Onsen close in winter.

Nearby natural attractions in spring and summer include hiking to the summits of Mount Nyuto and Mount Komagatake where a variety of flowers bloom from June to September. There’s also a trek through a tunnel-like birch tree forest and a leisurely walk through Karafuki Wetlands, located about 20 minutes away from Nyuto Onsen on foot.

Love Japan’s countryside? Explore more of its natural wonders.

Sasebo is the second largest city in Nagasaki prefecture. It’s also home to a U.S. Navy base. So if you’re looking for a brief respite from being the only foreigner in a crowd, central Sasebo has you covered.

Sasebo is a city where cultures cross borders and fuse together in unexpected, but delightful ways.

A major draw to the area is the Dutch-themed amusement park Huis Ten Bosch in southern Sasebo. It’s not strictly Dutch or Japanese but the combination therein is both entertaining and charming.

Go Dutch at Huis Ten Bosch.

Then, there’s Sasebo’s signature local specialty – the aptly named Sasebo Burger. It’s traditionally characterized as a beef burger topped with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and a sunny side up egg but each shop offers its own variations. Created in the 1950s, its origin stems from local eateries’ attempts to cater to the appetites of American servicemen stepping off base. Over the years, the burger has become more and more popular. Today, locals and foreigners alike line up to grab one of these scrumptious institutions from joints throughout the city.

Sasebo also contains the Sakai National Park 99 islands, or Kujukushima. This area, despite its name, actually contains 208 largely uninhabited islands. You can take in the islands from three observation towers: Tenkaiho, Ishidake, and Yumihari. Movie buffs out there might want to head to Ishidake; the observatory’s beautiful panoramic views were featured during the opening sequence of the 2003 Tom Cruise film The Last Samurai.

Discover the Kujuku 99 Islands.

For a more up-close view of the islands, try to gain passage on one of two touring boats operated out of the Kujukushima Pearl Sea Resort. There’s the Pearl Queen, a lovely white ship with a wood interior. Or channel Captain Jack Sparrow and ride the red pirate-themed boat Mirai. Tours are typically 50 minutes in length and cost ¥1,400 for adults to senior high school students, ¥700 for junior high school students to four-year-olds.

For dance enthusiasts, Sasebo hosts one of the largest yosakoi dance festivals in Kyushu. Held over the third weekend in October every year, the festival is spread over several locations where you can watch more than 170 dance teams from across Japan show off their sweet moves.

Sightseeing in the remote prefecture of Kochi is unforgettable. But to understand and appreciate the culture of this naturally diverse area, you’ve got to be ready to roll up those sleeves and get to work with some of the area’s most passionate producers.

Looking out onto the rugged, rocky coastline of Kuroshio, on the southeastern corner of Kochi Prefecture just 15-minutes’ drive north of central Shimanto, is Saltybe, a salt-making workshop with incredible views, wonderful culinary experiences, and hosts that embody that warm Kochi hospitality.

A family-run affair, Saltybe specializes in what they call Tosa no Shiomaru, also known as “sunshine salt.” This is a pure form of sea salt naturally sourced directly from the sea and harvested using only sunlight, patience and good, old-fashioned manual labor.

The Saltybe workshop is a unique experience in Kochi Prefecture.

Saltybe’s methods may be traditional, but with a penchant for collaboration and willingness to open themselves up to the public, their ideologies are not. It’s run by Takumaru Yoshida and is one of the very few salt producing workshops open to the public. It is here you can watch it all in action with the beautiful backdrop of the crashing ocean waves.

The salt-making process

The salt water is pumped through a network of tubes that reach out into the sea just meters from the humble production plant. From there, it runs through a drip-processing system, which separates the seawater from the salt, before making its way to the drying room.

Photo by: Lucy Dayman Saltybe owner Takumaru Yoshida at the workshop.

Resembling a greenhouse, this drying room is where the crystallization — the real magic — happens. Housing tray upon tray of salt in various stages of crystallization, the drying room aka the mystically named “Crystal House” is a curious ecosystem.

Built to advance the water evaporation process in winter, a little time in this transparent tent is a welcome relief from the crisp sea air, but in summer, it reaches sauna-level temperatures unbearable for us mortal beings, but the guys that work in here are on a whole different level.

During the crystallization is when the destiny of the salt is decided. As Yoshida explains, “The more you mix and stir the drying salt flakes the smaller they become.” Smaller powdery flakes are typically sold for home consumption, while some commercial chefs prefer their salt in more rustic rockier chunks.

Head to the southern coast of Kochi to get the local experience of sea salt making.

Try a workshop

Saltybe runs regular 90-minute salt-making workshops for guests of all ages and backgrounds. During the experience, guests are given a tour of the facility, an informative but engaging lecture on the process of how to turn seawater into salt, before getting hands-on with stirring the crystallized salt and packaging their own little take-home jar of the finest Tosa no Shiomaru grain.

If you want to go even further, there are additional bitter tofu-making classes where guests can try their hand at the unique experience which utilizes the excess seawater that’s separated from its salt content.

Photo by: Lucy Dayman After you do the sea salt making, try the sea salt ice cream.

Salty-sweet treats

In more recent times, the company has teamed up with other culinary families to craft uniquely delicious hybrid treats, like their eye-catching baby blue salt ice cream. A balanced combination of soft, milky-sweet ice cream with just a hint of salt, it’s a delightfully refreshing way to treat yourself after a rewarding two hours of salt harvesting.

If you want to go camping in Japan but can’t be bothered pitching your own tent or starting a campfire from scratch, Namegata Farmer’s Village in Ibaraki Prefecture has got you covered. The farm offers a full glamping experience, with cozy cabins and tents already set up and waiting for you.

Its countryside location, about two hours east of Tokyo, makes it a great place for stargazing around a campfire, away from all the noise and over-stimulation of the city.

If you’re new to glamping (glamorous camping), you’ve been missing out. Get ready to kick back and enjoy a different side of Japan. Since this is a farm, you still have the chance to get your hands dirty by planting or harvesting sweet potatoes, strawberries and more!

Photo by: Randiah Camille Green Swing low sweet chariot!

Glamping Ibaraki style

The cabins at Namegata Farmer’s Village are actually repurposed shipping containers outfitted with an air conditioner, snug beds, and a deck out front for grilling. Both the cabins and tents can fit up to two people comfortably.

Photo by: Randiah Camille Green Glamp till your heart’s content.

At night, the campsite owner and resident farmer will hook you up with a grand wagyu beef barbecue without you even having to lift a finger. This, of course, all depends on what package you choose — starting from ¥18,000 a night. If you’re feeling really fancy, opt for the hot mulled wine and s’mores roasted from the comfort of the clubhouse fireplace.

Pick strawberries… at night?

Photo by: Jacqueline Olive Strawberry disco!

The campsite is surrounded by several vegetable patches so you can pick and eat whatever is in season. Don’t miss the nighttime strawberry picking in a greenhouse decked out with disco lights! It’s likely the most unique fruit picking experience you’ll ever have.

You may have heard of farm-to-table dining before, but at Namegata, the farm is literally right next to the table. Ibaraki Prefecture’s open landscape makes it an agricultural goldmine — it’s the second biggest producer of sweet potatoes in Japan. The bacon you’ll be served for breakfast comes from pigs who are fed the sweet potatoes being grown onsite.

Photo by: Randiah Camille Green Nush on some fresh strawberries even in winter.

Sweet Potato Museum

Speaking of sweet potatoes, have you ever noticed how they have a tendency to make you pass gas? Well, now you do thanks to the Namegata Yakiimo Factory Museum.

You’ll hardly be able to hold in your laughter as you make a flatulence rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by touching the colorful butt-shaped mannequins, each producing their own musical note.

After you’ve learnt the history of how sweet potatoes came to Japan, and watched assembly workers meticulously making sweet potato treats, don’t forget to take some home for yourself. The sweet potato galette and sweet potato apple pie, which are both made in-house, will make your tastebuds dance!

Nakazakicho is a charming, historic neighborhood tucked away from the hyper-modern sprawl surrounding it. Despite its location next to Osaka’s busy Umeda business district — a place with more high-end shopping centers, restaurants, and clubs anyone could count– Nakazakicho has remained quietly residential and independently commercial. Though its residents are predominantly of the older generation, the neighborhood has gained a following as an art district populated by young hipsters.

Colorful murals and sculptures are now scattered among the faded business signs and houses from earlier eras.

Photo by: m-louis .® A vintage shop nestled in between residential buildings.

It may seem an anomaly that this tiny neighborhood has managed to escape commercialization, but it’s not such a mystery to the locals. Osaka was heavily firebombed during World War II which left much of the city leveled.

Nakazakicho was one of the few places to miraculously avoid damage. The houses were well-constructed for their time and built very close together, making them sturdier. The resilient houses remain to this day, giving the area its quaint, bygone atmosphere.

Nakazakicho’s humble beginnings

Though the area has retained its pre-war atmosphere for decades, Nakazakicho has taken on a new life as a popular arts district that’s home to trendy cafes and vintage shops.

It started in 2001 with the opening of Amanto Cafe. The owner, an artist also named Amanto, created the space for all kinds of people to come and mingle or just relax. It quickly became a haven for artists.

Photo by: Eric Foto The cafes along Nakazakicho’s cozy streets have lots of character!

At the time, many of Nakazakicho’s buildings had fallen into disrepair (including the one Amanto Cafe now occupied) so, Amanto teamed up with some of his artist patrons and friends. Together they got to work on revitalizing other buildings and establishing the artist community that flourishes today.

Nakazakicho today

Since then, dozens of independently owned art galleries, shops, and cafes have opened.

Photo by: alexxis Art can be found around every corner.

Colorful murals and sculptures are now scattered among the faded business signs and houses from earlier eras. Galleries can be found in apartment complexes, cafes under elevated railway tracks, and second-hand shops in old warehouses. Residential and commercial dwellings collide, yet thrive side by side.

Nakazakicho is a lovely place to spend a day, or even a few moments escaping the rush of nearby Umeda. The best way to experience it is simply to wander and see what interesting gems you can find.

Who hasn’t thought about quitting their day job to move out into the wilderness, live off the land and trade modern convenience to find true happiness? That’s exactly what the owners of Kochi Prefecture’s most historic inn did. And it’s what travelers get to experience while staying here.

Chojuan Inn is a local minshuku (traditional bed and breakfast) hidden deep in the mountains a few hours from Kochi station in the heart of Japan’s least populated island, Shikoku.

Owners Hitomi and Shoji Hongawa are a happy-go-lucky husband-and-wife duo who are a great representation of what you can discover beyond the so-called “Golden Route” of Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka.

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides Owners Hitomi and Shoji Hongawa outside Chojuan.

Located in Yusuhara Town, the more than 250-year-old historic thatched-roof guest house greets you with the aroma of burning cedar and cypress logs.

Before you, lies the giant irori, a traditional indoor fire pit built into the wooden floor that’s big enough to fit eight or so people around it. It’s here that guests can partake in delicious Kochi-style cuisine crafted by the owners. You can even sample a drop or two of mountain berry alcohol, after a day of exploring the secluded mountainside that supports this community. (Because of the locale’s mild weather, the optimal time to go is in summer.)

Stay at Chojuan

Opening the sliding door coaxes you even further from the modern world to the spacious tatami mat guestroom complete with demon masks — and other traditional handicrafts — on the wall like your own personal museum.

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides Inside the more than 250-year-old guest house.

Chojuan offers a rare chance to bathe like the locals once did. In a “geomen buro,” or cauldron bath, guests submerge themselves in a metal kettle heated by a wood fire. As legend has it, Kochi’s very own Robinhood, a thief named Geomen, was actually boiled to death in this contraption. Thankfully today, it is simply another way to immerse yourself into Japanese bathing culture.

The bath is a private, tattoo-friendly and a memorable experience where you build the wood fire to heat up the water.

Despite its history, the house does still have an additional bath, electricity, running water and western toilets.

Food and drink at Chojuan

The meals also keep with tradition. Chojuan serves up homemade Kochi cuisine, including native sansai (mountain plants) like fuki-no-to, which is a bitter leafy veggie used for tempura, or yusuraume, a small red fruit with a pit they use to make sweet and dangerously good pink shochu (traditional hard liquor).

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides You can pick mountain veggies, and they will make tempura out of it for you.

Any given meal has the flavors of more than 35 different types of plants, veggies, fruits and seeds all from Kochi (with the exception of fruits like apple).

You can even do a sansai-picking experience on a short guided walk and they’ll cook your spoils for you. The meals can be included in a stay at the inn, or daytrippers can book a lunch or dinner here. Lunch starts at ¥1,600.

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides Picking mountain veggies on the property.

Visiting Chojuan is as much an adventure off the beaten path as it is an invigorating way to connect with a different side of Japan.

Tour

There is a private tour plan to go to Yusuhara Town and Chojuan by car, which is the easiest way to get there.  View tour. There is also a washi paper-making experience which is optional. Discover more about Kamikoya Washi Studio.

This article is sponsored by Kochi Prefecture.

Daikanyama, located between Shibuya and Nakameguro, mixes the trendiness of the former with the hipsterness of the latter to create an oh-so-fashionable oasis among the hectic scramble of Tokyo. Though very popular among locals and expats alike, Daikanyama lives life in the slow lane, providing a plethora of inviting spaces where you can relax with a book, chat with friends, or buckle down to get some work done.

The foremost place to do this is the famous Daikanyama T-Site, an upscale outpost of the ubiquitous Tsutaya Books located west of the station, whose award-winning architecture classes it as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. T-Site is further set apart by its unique services– you can have classic movies formerly unavailable on DVD burned on the spot, or stationary monogrammed the same day – and their wide selection of Western and Japanese books and magazines, available for perusal at one of the store’s cozy cafes.

Daikanyama T-Site has been named as one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores.

The complex also houses specialty pet, bicycle, and camera stores as well as Ivy Place, considered by many to be Tokyo’s best pancake cafe (though they have plenty of other delicious options on offer), and Caffe Michelangelo, a favorite among Japanese celebrities that is popular year-round, but especially during the warmer months when patrons can sit on its gorgeous outdoor patio. Both restaurants are very popular, so expect long lines.

North of the station, you can find Log Road, a line of shops and restaurants recently built on the former site of Toyoko Line railroad tracks. The lush greenery and timber-exterior of the buildings gives it a rustic feel similar to the High Line in Manhattan. Log Road’s main attractions are Fred Segal; the Spring Valley Brewery, a craft beer brewpub that serves food all day, offers brewery tours (in Japanese only), beer tastings, and seminars; and the popular Camden’s Blue Star Donuts, the U.S. donut shop that makes its brioche-dough donuts fresh daily in flavors like Blueberry Bourbon Basil, Cointreau Crème Brûlée, and Apple Bourbon Fritter. Are you drooling yet?

Head to Daikanyama for some of the capital’s best international food. Photo by Shibuya 246.

For foodies, Daikanyama’s array of top-ranking spots are a dream come true. Catch Tokyo’s best sandwiches (King George Sandwich Bar), strawberry pancakes (Clover’s Pancakes), and apple pie and New York cheesecake (Matsunosuke NY, which also offers baking classes in English so you can bring it home too), all within a few minutes of each other.

Photo by: Victor Gonzales Walk along Shibuya stream lit up at night to get to Daikanyama. This opened in 2018.

Meanwhile, shopaholics can find interesting shops like Journey, a vintage shop with goods imported from the U.S., and UES, who make denim products designed to be used in some way for their full product life. Specialty shops like Okura, which makes goods treated with a traditional indigo dyeing technique from the 10th century, and Kamawanu Tenugui, making one-of-a-kind, hand-dyed tenugui (traditional oversized multipurpose handkerchiefs), are good for unique souvenirs.

2019 top destination

Daikanyama is one of GaijinPot Travel’s Top 10 Japan Travel Destinations to check out in 2019. Discover Daikanayama and the other destinations in our video.

Deep in the wilderness of Shikoku, Japan’s smallest of its main islands, is an unexpected way to experience a traditional Japanese art form. Kamikoya Washi Studio, where you can learn how to make your own washi (handmade Japanese paper) and even stay the night, is not your typical tourist stop.

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides Washi Master Rogier Uitenboogaart in his washi showroom at Kamikoya Washi Studio.

The studio and two-story minshuku (bed and breakfast) is atop a hill overrun with wildflowers and plants overlooking the Otado valley in the relaxing nature of Kochi Prefecture.

Photo by: kamikoya A wintery view from Kamikoya which is green and lush in warmer months.

The studio, located in the remote Yusuhara Town, is run by longtime resident Rogier Uitenboogaart and his wife. They started it after Rogier moved to Japan to study washi paper making, a craft that started in 610 AD. Over 34 years later, he is part of the reason the practice endures in its purest form despite the advance of technology.

Rogier, who is from Holland, and his wife, who is Japanese, are gentle souls dedicated not only to their own thriving craft business but also spreading the joy of it to others through their workshop experiences.

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides Visitors can experience the joy of handmade paper making.

At the studio, you can see how they make the washi paper almost entirely by hand — from the stripping the bark off the mulberry trees on their property to drying and breaking it down to the fibers of the bark to adding a sticky extract from the vegetable okra.

Photo by: Kamikoya The delicate art of washi painting at one of the workshops.

The workshop is a hands-on experience where Rogier takes you through each step. You get to make keepsakes such as a washi paper lantern decorated with leaves you collected from the yard. After it dries, they’ll later send you the homemade souvenir.

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides Design your own washi with natural elements and do washi painting for flair.

Beyond the studio, the guesthouse is a fusion of East and West, going from a log-cabin-like common area to a traditional Japanese guest room upstairs. Guests get a taste of a real Kochi meal made from local and organic ingredients like river fish and mountain veggies for dinner and then take a rest in the tatami mat room accented with washi paper lamps.

Photo by: Victoria Vlisides A delicate washi paper lamp which makes for a unique souvenir.

Near Kamikoya lies more of Kochi’s untouched nature such as the Shikoku Karst Natural Park, a gorgeous sea of rock formations and rolling pastures and the babbling tributaries of the Shimanto River, that make up the region’s lifeblood.

Kamikoya Washi Studio is a one-of-a-kind experience that’s your reward for venturing out into the real Japan.

Tours

There are a few tours to consider while traveling in this area. Here are two options:

• Chojuan lunch and washi paper making tour – See tour.
• Washi paper making and cycling by the Shimanto River – See tour.

This article is sponsored by Koch Prefectural Government.