Quiet towns in rural Japan in May

[Grant_T]

A bit of a different one. I've been given permission by the wife to go to Japan for the month of May as a sort of writing retreat/mental refresh. I'd like to base myself in a small pleasant town with opportunities for scenic walks, but away from tourists and crowds. The only facilities I'd need is cheap accommodation, a supermarket, and that it is reachable by train. Any suggestions?

[katoftw]

Early or late May? You okay with hotter temps?

 

I think being May. I'd aim for Tohoku or somewhere along the sea of Japan side of Honshu.

 

So many options. Just really up to you to decide what town would appeals to you.

 

I think it won't be difficult to find a town that suits your needs. It's more finding accommodation that can deal with a international visitor. But very small hurdle really.

 

Sorry for a super vague response. I can throw some random rural towns I have in mind mind. But where do you start and finish?

Edited March 5 by katoftw

[Grant_T]

Yeah, I'm okay with the heat. Both your suggestions are along the lines of what I was thinking. I'd love to be by the sea.

[katoftw]

What will be your arrival airport?

[Kamome]

May temperatures are not too bad. The humidity doesn’t increase until late June/ mid July. Up to then you can escape the any heat quite easily. Remember early May is Golden week so areas predominantly for Japanese tourism will be busy/expensive. 

 

I would consider what parts of the culture you want to experience and then go from there. Japan can be a little colloquial with very specific areas for very specific experiences. Most Japanese tourism seems to be based on what food they want to eat and then go from there. 😂Scenic walks are across Japan and a supermarket won’t be an issue unless you’re wanting to go very rural. Even a short way out of the main hubs, you probably won’t see any tourists, but expect many people asking why on earth you are here. 

[Grant_T]

6 hours ago, katoftw said:

What will be your arrival airport?

 

Narita, but I don't mind taking the Shinkansen anywhere.

[Gunzel]

Sounds great, I’ll just throw some names out there. Most might be a bit bigger than what you seem to be after, but you could find somewhere nearby that’s a bit smaller and still accessible. I’ve tried to stick to places on the sea. 
 

Nemuro

Kikonai - or somewhere along the South Hokkaido Railway

Ominato

Kessenuma
Gobo

Nishi Maizuru

Tabirahiradoguchi

Uwajima

Shimabara

 

[Tony Galiani]

@Grant_T - great news - I hope you have a wonderful time.

 

I really don't have enough knowledge about smaller towns in Japan - but when does lack of knowledge stop anyone from offering suggestions on the web?

 

I have never been, but want to go, to Shimabara.  Looks like a neat town with interesting things to do nearby and you get to ride the Shimabara Railway along the coast and stop at one of the closest to the sea stations in Japan.  Riding their cafe train along the coast is on my travel list.

 

We enjoyed our recent visit to the Tohoku region and as the weather gets warmer, that might be a nice area to be in.  Anyway, looking forward to your trip reports!

 

Cheers,

Tony

 

 

[Grant_T]

8 hours ago, Gunzel said:

Nemuro

Kikonai - or somewhere along the South Hokkaido Railway

Ominato

Kessenuma
Gobo

Nishi Maizuru

Tabirahiradoguchi

Uwajima

Shimabara

 

 

This is amazing thanks. There are a couple of really appealing places there.

[Ekiben]

Sounds like a great opportunity to inspire your writing. Of course, where you go will depend largely on what gets your creative juices flowing and how small your idea of a small town is. Personally I love the countryside, mountains, temples and hot springs of Shikoku. The place just seems a little more laid back than the rest of Japan. The city of Matsuyama, pop. 500,000, has the feeling of a small city with a strong literary tradition thanks to Haiku poet Masaoka Shiki and author Natsume Soseki among others. My wife's family is from Shikoku and we travel there as much as possible. During these trips I always make sure to head into the country on my own for a couple of days to explore the island, and I've yet to be disappointed.

 

I will suggest the Iya Valley if you're into mountains and remoteness. Access is by train to a place called Oboke, then onward by bus or hitchhiking.

 

I'm researching an upcoming trip to Japan and think some of the small towns along the Yodo Line , which runs south of Uwajima, might also suit your needs. Uwajima, as mentioned by a previous poster, is worthwhile but more of a regional hub. The Yodo Line is among the least used lines in Japan and runs through some spectacular scenery.

 

Likewise, there are many interesting-looking communities along the Mugi Line on the eastern side of Shikoku. This is a great area if you're into (or want to start) surfing or enjoy the seaside in general.

 

A few other spots in Shikoku might include Ozu, Imabari and Awa Ikeda. These are all small regional centres that are definitely more town than country. There are also many beautiful Island in the Seto Sea (Sadoshima, Nakajima and dozens of others) where I could easily spend a month or a decade.

 

Shikoku can be explored pretty thoroughly with the relatively cheap All Shikoku Rail Pass. An added bonus is that the island's major cities (Matsuyama, Takamatsu, Tokushima and Kochi) are only a short train or bus ride away if you ever find yourself longing for the modern conveniences of city life.

 

Wherever you choose, I'm sure you'll be able to find ideal spots throughout the country as there are so many small centres with easy access to nature that have a kind of faded modernity that I find really attractive and inspiring.

Edited March 7 by Ekiben

[Gunzel]

2 hours ago, Ekiben said:

I'm researching an upcoming trip to Japan and think some of the small towns along the Yodo Line , which runs south of Uwajima, might also suit your needs. Uwajima, as mentioned by a previous poster, is worthwhile but more of a regional hub. The Yodo Line is among the least used lines in Japan and runs through some spectacular scenery.

 

The Yodo line is great, you can even ride a Shinkansen. I rode the Shiman Torocco train in May a few years ago and it wasn't very busy. And the All Shikoku Rail Pass is as @Ekiben mentioned stil relatively good value. You could even try travelling to and from Tokyo on the Sunrise Seto.

[Ekiben]

21 hours ago, Gunzel said:

You could even try travelling to and from Tokyo on the Sunrise Seto.

 

Yes to this! Even travelling in the Nobi Nobi cheap seats as I did once several years ago was a great time It's the last of Japan's sleeper trains.

[bikkuri bahn]

The range of towns and environments are so diverse in Japan its really difficult to recommend specific places, unless you provide a detailed list of what you are looking for.  Things like environment (sub tropical, highland, deciduous forest, rocky coastline, sandy beaches, onsen, fishing towns, more remote the better, etc.).  I lived in rural Japan for two years in a very remote city (Nemuro)- I am very much a city person, it was a good experience, but not something I would do now, so my recommendations should be taken with that in mind/biases.  If anything, look for a place where you can be in the center of a major city within 3 or 4 hours (doorstep to doorstep).  By major city I mean not just Tokyo, but places like Osaka/Kansai, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Sendai, etc.   Once again, I am a city person, so I am biased, but rural Japan tends to be geriatric and isolated (perhaps more psychologically than spatially), so culturally and atmospherically it lacks both the stimulation and ease of living I need that a big city provides- I can enjoy the countryside if I know that on the weekends I can be in an urban area by lunchtime after leaving my abode at 8am.  Aging has not changed this for me- I felt this both when in my twenties (when I was in Nemuro) and now (in my fifties).  The great thing about Japan is the railway network (well, outside of Hokkaido where I live now), and especially using the Shinkansen, allows you the wonderful ability to "warp" and change your surroundings from deepest rural to hyper-urban in half a day or less.

[Tony Galiani]

@Grant_T Maybe this is a potential location for you?

 

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15143244. A rural location, near Tokyo and on a train line.  Just saw this yesterday.

 

Cheers,

Tony

[katoftw]

Okutama isn't that far from Tokyo. It got a little claim to fame recently. Town was getting well known for selling those cheap rural house that was all the rage just before covid hit.

 

Amazing a Town one hour out of Tokyo had somehow become forgotten and had a massive population decline.

 

Town hall had/has been pushing in initiatives to get people to return to the town.  This small hotel (looks more like a ryokan to me) is probably one of those initiatives.

[katoftw]

Takayama is choc full of tourists recently.  Been huge complaints on recent tourists forums.  Buses completely full and people not getting there.

[Grant_T]

On 4/12/2024 at 1:46 PM, NovaNexus said:

I'd recommend checking out Takayama. It's a charming historic town nestled in the Japanese Alps with plenty of picturesque walking trails and traditional architecture. While it does attract some tourists, especially during peak seasons, it's not as crowded as major cities like Tokyo or Kyoto. You can easily find affordable accommodations, there are supermarkets for your essentials, and it's well-connected by train. Plus, the serene atmosphere and beautiful surroundings make it perfect for focusing on your writing and rejuvenating your mind. Enjoy your time in Japan!

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I love that part of Japan, but as Katoftw says, it's a bit touristy. 

 

I've actually done a 180 on this and will be staying in Tokyo for the month and doing some day trips. Given the topic of my research at the moment (games, toys and miniatures) this makes a lot more sense. And I think I will find the environment stimulating.

[katoftw]

Go west along the chuo line or east into Chibu. Easy to get away from the city for a day. Even a little further north to Gumna.

[Grant_T]

Just five sleeps to go. I'll be in Tokyo for a month, basically taking a small backpack, laptop, one change of clothes (don't worry, I plan to buy more once there), travel guitar, camera, JR pass (anyone in Japan want to meet up for coffee/beer/sake?), credit card, and no wife (she has been gracious enough to let me travel alone). I plan to write in the mornings, and then explore after 2pm. Much excitement. 🙃

[katoftw]

Exciting.  I am following you in September.  Have fun.

[Grant_T]

I've been here for five days now (or is it six? I'm losing track of time). The writing is going well. I've also been on several very long walks and my legs are a bit toasted. I've bought more unitrack and some other things (including another guitar, doh). Yesterday I caught the Tozai line out to the vicinity of Kato Headquarters and then walked the rest of the way. It was pi#$%ng down, but I had an umbrella so it was quite a nice atmospheric walk through the backstreets in the rain. I was a little underwhelmed but by headquarters itself as the layouts really need a good spruce up. I also got a bit lost on the way back to the station. In my attempt to mostly stay offline on this trip I didn't bother getting mobile wifi or roaming. I'm also thinking about buying a cheap bike for the rest of my stay. 

 

 I'm here in the the dormitory suburb of Nishikasai for the next week getting work done, and then I'm on a trip taking in Aizuwakamatsu, Nikko, Hiroshima and surrounds, Himeji, and Osaka.

 

A question: Are walk up tickets generally available for baseball games (particularly in Tokyo and Hiroshima) at this time in the season? 

 

I haven't really been taking many pictures, but the ones I do take are mostly of details that might make it onto the next layout.

Edited May 1 by Grant_T

[beakaboy]

enjoy your trip Grant. A bike sounds like a great idea!  Nikko. That brings back alot of memories of our Japanese trip in 1985. 

[RS18U]

Sounds like a great time.  While waiting for our train at Shimabarako station in March we met a Korean who was cycling around Kyushu, on a folding bike.  He was having a great time, so I imagine a bike would be a good option.

[Tony Galiani]

Where have I been?  I have been missing your posts.  Hope your trip is going well and looking forward to reading more updates.  NHK has a show on biking around Japan - you can find it on their web site if you like - there are some interesting trips including to some of the islands close to Japan (though no trains on them).  We enjoyed Nikko, particularly getting out of the main shrine and heading to the lake and some of the areas outside the town.

Safe travels.

Tony

 

[Kamome]

On 5/2/2024 at 8:32 AM, Grant_T said:

I'm on a trip taking in Aizuwakamatsu, Nikko,

May 17th in Nikko has the horseback archery display and May 18th has the 1000 samurai procession at Nikko. Lots of people dressed up in Edo period costume.