7 Cities I Want to Visit the Next Time I Am in Japan

Blogging about one's travels can be a huge source of inspiration and ideas, as there is so much one can write about a place they have visited. There's the cultural aspect, as well as outdoor locations for nature enthusiasts. Then there's the entertainment side, and let's not forget about food! 

I was looking for some inspiration for my next blog post, and I absentmindedly paused over something I wrote almost three years ago, when visiting Japan was just a dream I hoped one day would come true. The post I'm referring to is 7 Cities I Want to Visit When I Am in Japan. I won't deny that I got a little nostalgic for some reason, although definitely in a positive way. It may have been because I was at the beginning of this journey—when I wasn't really sure about the path I wanted my blog to take, or if I would actually ever be able to go to Japan one day. 

I started reading it—happily noticing how my writing has improved over the years—and I smiled at the fact that out of the seven cities I mentioned in that post, I was able to visit four of them during my recent trip to Japan. Not only I've visited some of the cities I wanted to travel to, I've seen and experienced so much more than that. 

Although I wasn't able to see everything I had on my list, it gave me the excuse to write about it, so today I'll be sharing with you a list of 7 cities I want to visit the next time I am in Japan. And there will DEFINITELY be a next time! 😉 

NIKKO

Photo by AXP Photography on Unsplash

A small city located in the Tochigi prefecture, Nikko is most famous for the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. As an Edo period enthusiast, this city is a must for me, and I will definitely put it on my top list for my next trip to Japan. However, for me, the main reason for visiting Nikko is to go to the Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura theme park. I couldn't visit this time due to logistics in our itinerary, but I'm sure I'll have lots of fun feeling like I'm back in the Edo period. 

KAWAGOE

Photo by S.Tsuchiya on Unsplash

Located in the north-west of Tokyo, Kawagoe—affectionately named Koedo, "Little Edo"—is an Edo-period castle town and it's knows for its merchant homes and clay warehouses. I was immediately drawn to it for its historical aesthetic, and its convenient location makes it for the perfect daytrip! Besides Kita Temple and Honmaru Goten—the only remaining building of Kawagoe Castle—I'm also quite eager to visit the merchant area where there are lots of traditional shops selling homemade sweets, otherwise known as Candy Alley. I may not have much of a sweet tooth, but it certainly looks like a fascinating place to visit.

ISE

Photo by Canva

I'll admit that Ise wasn't initially in my wish list of top favourite destinations, however, a new acquaintance recently told me about it, and I thought it was a wonderful place. It's a coastal town in central Mie prefecture, and it's home to Japan's most sacred shrines... which makes me want to visit it even more. There's certainly plenty to see in Ise, both historically and culturally, with lots of shops and food options, so now I'm really looking forward to visiting it! 

KINOSAKI ONSEN

Photo by Wikimedia Commons Images

I've never been to an onsen town before, let alone an actual onsen, but Kinosaki really caught my eye on multiple occasions, so I was sad when I didn't manage to visit it during my recent trip to Japan. Located in northern Hyogo Prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan, Kinosaki Onsen has been an onsen town since the 8th century. The 7 Mystic Onsen are the "main attraction" of this charming place, and I've heard you can do a rally stamp of all the baths, so I think that'd be quite the fun activity. Of course, I'd love to visit Onsenji Temple, but I'd also be very interested in visiting the sanctuary for the endangered Oriental Stork.

KOYASAN

Photo by Caleb Jack on Unsplash

Out of all the places I'm mentioning in this blog post, I think Mount Koya sits pretty high on my priority list, as I was very very disappointed I didn't manage to visit it while I was in Japan. A large temple settlement in Wakayama Prefecture, Mont Koya is known for being the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism, an important Buddhist sect introduced to Japan in 805 by one of Japan's most significant religious figures. The main reason for me to visit this sacred place is Okunoin Temple, there are pilgrimage hikes I'm interested in, and also a graveyard I've heard that is quite atmospheric if visited at night. However, I also would really like to visit the Tokugawa Mausoleum, so I'm pretty sure I'd like to spend a few days here.

OMI HACHIMAN

Photo by Roméo A. on Unsplash

To continue the "trend" of merchant towns, Omi Hachiman is another one on my list. It's located in Shiga prefecture, and it's divided into three three adjacent sightseeing areas: the Canal area, the Town area, and Mount Hachiman area. Besides the canal boat cruises that sound very fun to take, I'm obviously looking forward to visiting shrines and temples there, and perhaps some hiking trails that promise a breathtaking view of Lake Biwa... Although I guess I will have to see, haha! In terms of activities, I saw somewhere that there's a bracelet-making workshop I'm quite interested in, as they teach you how to make those religious bracelets with wooden beads, and I'd love to learn how to make one.

ONOMICHI

Photo by Christian Ladewig on Unsplash

Somehow, I always have to find a way to include Ryu Ga Gotoku (known as Yakuza on my side of the pond) in my travel destinations, and Onomichi is the last one of the video game locations I haven't been able to see yet. Although Kosanji Temple and the Temple Walk are quite interesting activities, I don't have a particular spot I'd like to see. I would be happy simply walking around town and exploring, just like Kiryu.

🗻🗻🗻

And there you have it, 7 cities I want to visit the next time I am in Japan! Would you visit these locations? Is there a specific place you would like to see if you're in Japan? Let me know in the comments!

次回まで。♥