Aug 18, 2024
Most underrated prefecture?
Piggybacking off ToneToEdo's question yesterday about tourism in our own corners of Japan, I wanted to get everyone's thoughts if you've done a bit of traveling during your time here. What prefecture would you say is the most underrated? It's hard for me to pick just one, but I really love the San'in Region (Shimane/Tottori) and feel that there are so many great gems there to enjoy. I'm also a big fan of our neighbor Gunma, which often gets overlooked but has some quality places to explore, especially for nature lovers.
Best Answer
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on Aug 19
Thanks for starting this Q&A! I'd say an underrated prefecture is Tochigi outside of the big tourist draw, Nikko. This summer, I visited Ashikaga City and because it was so hot, I took it slow, only seeing the historic town center. I intend to go back when it's cooler to explore a bit more - Ashikaga Flower Park, some temples, and neighboring Sano for the regional ramen and "Koedo" atmosphere. Last summer I made a solo day trip to Tochigi City and brought a friend from abroad in autumn. We were enthralled by the kura storehouses, festival float museum, river boats (with singing boatmen!), and independent coffee shops and eateries. I've blogged and written reviews about both lovely places.
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on Aug 24
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on Aug 24
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on Aug 26
@genkidesu Anecdotes from Japanese people, including Ibaraki natives, and foreign residents suggest the car-dependent environment, low density of attractions, and on the coast, the typhoon and tsunami risks push Ibaraki down the list. The places of interest take a lot of time to get to and train connections are awkward. A head-scratcher is why the Joban line doesn't have a spur to Tsukuba City 10 km away. There's a bus that takes about 30 minutes.
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on Aug 26
5 Answers