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.

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genkidesu

Love to travel, interested in J-beauty products and consider myself a convenience store snack aficionado. Navigating the ever-present challenges of expat life, particularly about my TCK's (third culture kids).

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TonetoEdo

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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TonetoEdo

on Aug 24

Can I add one more neglected beauty? Ibaraki Prefecture is routinely the underdog when it comes to liveability and tourism. But I adore Ibaraki for the people and natural beauty. One of my favorite spots is Tsuchirura for the remains of the castle site and affability of the local people.

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genkidesu

on Aug 24

@TonetoEdo I'm a big fan of Ibaraki! It always appears at (or close to) the bottom of most visited prefecture lists, but I can never really understand why. Tochigi I admittedly need to explore more of, I think you're right that the focus goes to Nikko and a lot of the rest gets missed!

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TonetoEdo

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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BigfamJapan

on Aug 26

I agree with the places already mentioned - particularly Gunma, Ibaraki and Tochigi. I'll also add Fukushima to the mix. I had been to Fukushima many years ago, but it was only last year when I revisited it that I realized just how underrated it is.

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