Nihon a Budget

The Iya Valley, made famous by the book “Lost Japan”, is a beautiful, ragged region in the heart of Shikoku where clear blue rivers cut down steep, wooded gorges, and homes perch up on the hillsides, linked only by winding switchback roads.

About half way between Hakodate and Sapporo you’ll find an almost circular lake with a handful of islands in the middle, and on the southern shore of that lake the resort town of Toyako Onsen. Lonely Planet describes it as “faded”, which is a pretty fair description, but if you’re a fan of either onsen or hiking (or, ideally, both) it’s well worth a stop.

Aoshima is a tiny island just off the west coast of Kyushu, south of the city of Miyazaki – and one of the loveliest places I’ve visited in all of Japan. Getting there is a bit of a pain, but if you’re visiting Kagoshima or Beppu, I’d recommend making a detour here.

Like Hiroshima, everybody knows of Nagasaki for one reason. And, also like Hiroshima, it’s the home to both an excellent museum documenting the nuclear attack and some moving memorials to the victims. But, away to the South, there’s much more to see besides – if you’re in Kyushu, it’s a city I wouldn’t want to miss.

Nara, the capital of Japan before even Kyoto, is all about the parkland, temples and slightly hazardous deer (see also Miyajima). If you’re interested in Japan’s history or fascinated by beautiful temples – or even if you just want to see the world’s biggest bronze buddha, it’s well worth a trip.