Japan is renowned worldwide for its iconic landscapes and cultural landmarks. From the snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji to Kyoto’s Golden Temple, the country is filled with extraordinary sights. Yet beyond these famous destinations lies another side of Japan — one filled with lesser-visited regions that offer a deeper and often more authentic perspective of the country.

I recently travelled to Japan to explore and inspect part of our new Japan: Four Island Adventure tour programme, starting in Sapporo on Hokkaido Island and finishing in Kyoto in southern Honshu Island. During my journey, three destinations in particular stood out for offering a truly off-the-beaten-track experience.

During my time in Hokkaido, I travelled north from Sapporo to Asahikawa, Hokkaido’s second-largest city and a gateway to much of the island’s natural beauty. Often overlooked by visitors, Asahikawa offers valuable insight into the culture and heritage of the Ainu people, an indigenous ethnic group native primarily to Hokkaido.

The Ainu are known for their distinct language, spiritual traditions, and deep connection to nature. Although many Ainu communities were displaced during the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912), pockets of Ainu culture remain throughout Hokkaido, including in Asahikawa.

While there, I visited the Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Memorial Museum, the oldest Ainu museum in Japan. Owned by the Kawamura family, who are themselves of Ainu descent, the museum feels more like a family home than a formal exhibition space. Inside are more than 500 artefacts, including traditional clothing, tools, and beautifully carved wooden objects — a craft for which the Ainu are particularly well known. Within the grounds stands a traditional chise (Ainu thatched house), allowing visitors to step inside and experience how the Ainu once lived.

We also visited the Asahikawa City Museum, home to an extensive two-floor exhibition dedicated to Ainu history and culture. The displays explore many aspects of Ainu life, from Hokkaido’s flora and fauna to traditional customs, clothing, beliefs, and daily living.

Further south, on Honshu — Japan’s largest and most populated island — lies the breathtaking Matsushima Bay, just an hour from the bustling city of Sendai. Translating as “Pine Island”, Matsushima Bay is famous for its 260 pine-covered islets, known locally as shima, which are scattered gracefully across the water.

Recognised as one of the “Three Views of Japan”, Matsushima Bay offers the kind of scenery that feels almost too picturesque to be real. I joined a round-trip sightseeing cruise that carried us deep into the bay, weaving between the tiny islands, many of which have wonderfully imaginative names. Among them were Helmet Island, named for its resemblance to a traditional samurai helmet, and Frog Island, which appears poised to leap into the sea.

Back on shore, Matsushima’s peaceful atmosphere continues through its many historic temples and shrines. One of the most striking is Godaido Temple, an iconic symbol of the region that sits on a small islet connected to the mainland by a beautiful vermillion-lacquered bridge.

Kyoto has long been one of Japan’s most celebrated destinations, famous for its temples, gardens, and traditional streetscapes. However, with its growing popularity comes increasingly large crowds, particularly during peak travel seasons.

Fortunately, less than an hour from the city are a number of smaller villages that offer a quieter and more traditional glimpse into rural Kyoto. Using Japan’s famously efficient rail network, we took a series of short train journeys to reach the mountain village of Kurama.

Nestled within Kyoto’s ancient forests, Kurama feels almost otherworldly — like stepping into a scene from a Studio Ghibli film. Although visitors can take a cable car part of the way up the mountain to Kurama-dera Temple, we chose to make the one-hour walk instead, which felt like a spiritual pilgrimage in itself.

The trail began beneath rows of vermillion tōrō (traditional Japanese lanterns), leading us past small Shinto shrines and saisen-bako - wooden offering boxes placed before the shrines. As the forest path wound deeper into the mountains, we passed trickling waterfalls, moss-covered stone steps, and quaint wooden bridges, all made even more atmospheric by falling snow.

At the summit stands Kurama-dera Temple, an important spiritual centre dating back to the 8th century. Spread across several levels of the mountainside, the temple complex encourages visitors to undertake a symbolic ascent through its grounds. From the upper terrace, we were rewarded with panoramic views across the forested mountains we had climbed through and far beyond.

Japan will never fail to intrigue and inspire travellers. As visitor numbers continue to grow, so too does the importance of discovering destinations that remain less crowded while still offering equally fascinating experiences.

What is particularly encouraging is how many hidden gems exist just beyond Japan’s most famous cities and landmarks. For those willing to venture a little further, Japan reveals a quieter, richer, and deeply rewarding side that many visitors never get the chance to see.