The Japan Destinations Locals Laugh At
I’ve helped plan trips to Japan for tons of people. Whether it’s friends, family, or clients, one of the most common questions I get is, “What are the must-sea places?” But here’s the thing. People tend to pick the same spots over and over again. And honestly, a lot of those places are completely overrated. In this video, I’m going to show you five destinations in Japan that might look great on Instagram, but leaving you feeling, let’s say, a bit disappointed. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, though, with some alternatives and insider tips along the way. So, stick around. And if you’re just starting to plan your trip, don’t miss out on my free travel guide and the links below. Everybody knows the pain of standing in a slowmoving line. Right now, imagine doing that while climbing up a freezing cold mountain. It’s probably not the serene, spiritual experience you probably had in mind. This place is nearly on every Japan bucket list. You’ve seen those incredible sunrise shots from the summit. But here’s what they don’t show you. The crowds. Hundreds of people trudging along up against the coal. And by the time you get to the top, that magical moment you’re talking about is often covered by the clouds or some selfie sticks. Let me be clear, I’m not hating on Mount Fuji. It’s definitely iconic for a reason. And if seeing it up close is something you absolutely have to do, go for it. But for a lot of people, the climb can feel more like a test of patience than the maybe spiritual experience they wanted. So, where should you go instead if you want to avoid the hassle? This place is just an hour from Tokyo and offers everything from those beginner friendly trails to the more challenging, difficult routes. At the summit of Mount Taka, you’ll find Yakuin Temple. They have beautiful views and on clear days, you might even still catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji. And don’t forget at the base, there’s this beer garden like that they run during the summer and in Onsen Hotr. Definitely great ways to sort of kick back and relax after your hike. You’ve probably seen these photos. It’s a beautiful building sitting on like a pretty pond. It’s got lot a lot of lush greenery around. It honestly from the images looks like it’s something out of a dream. But what those photos don’t show you, again, similar to Fuji, is the tons of tourists that are around you fighting for the same iconic shot. You’re being shuffled along sort of along the like it’s a fixed path. And honestly, you’re not even really always able to stop to take it all in because there’s so many people. You’re just kind of being again shuffled along. And that peaceful vibe you were looking for completely lost. King Kakuji or the Golden Pavilion absolutely is beautiful, but I feel like for me it can feel more like a you’re being rushed through like a theme park. So, what if you’re looking for something just as scenic but way less crowded? I’d check out one of these two temples. Both temples feature these mosscovered statues with unique playful expressions. The Adashino Nimbutsuji is I think there’s 1,200 statues and then Ultagi Nimbutsuji has a couple hundred, but I think they’re both commentaries on like transients and life being fleeting, but they’re very peaceful and I think those they help create some of those reflective moments if if you’re into that. And they’re also I feel like some unique Japanese temples. You can also pair this with a boat ride down the Hosugawa River, which I think you can sort of soak in more of Kyoto’s natural beauty. By the way, if you’ve got your own pick for an overrated spot in Japan, definitely drop it in the comments. I may have missed one, and so I’d love to hear your thoughts. For this one, we’re heading back east, looking for a trendy spot where you can experience some of the coolest Japanese fashion and culture. But instead of a fun shopping trip, you sort of find yourself waiting through a sea of humans. One of the first times I visited this spot with one of my Japanese friends. I had one of the weirdest experiences in Japan. So, I’m black as as it might be obvious. This Nigerian dude approaches me. He’s like, “Hey, brother. What’s up?” And I’m like, “Uh, nothing.” He’s like, “Ah, come to my store.” I’m like, “No, I’m good.” And he’s like, “Oh, I know the US. You from the US?” I said, “Yeah, I’m from Baltimore.” He’s like, “Oh, yeah. New York City, man. New York City.” I’m like, “Bro, I just said I’m from B.” Ah, New York City. New York City. At some point, I kind of was annoyed. So, I just said to him, “Yo, I ain’t got no bread on me.” So, just just to let him know that I wasn’t buying whatever he was selling. This is the greatest day of my life. Yes, it was very nice meeting you, too. Excuse me. And to this day, my homie uses that phrase, which he probably shouldn’t, and he uses it wrong sometimes. But this all went down on Testa Street in Harajuku. So, was supposed to be sort of a quirky fun experience. It’s often like sensory overload. It’s just too many people. There’s people trying to hawk things at you. It’s overpriced sometimes. You’ve got these snacks and pretty just generic souvenirs. If you’re looking for a spot where you can escape all the chaos and still get that cool Tokyo vibe, I think these two places are perfect alternatives. The first place is Paradise. Like literally for like vintage clothing and clothingy thing like cafes and Shimokawa. There’s um some live music videos. Shimokazawa is really cool. And then Koenji is more about the underground music scene. You’ve got record shops, live houses, and street art and all those sorts of things. So, a chance to experience some of that fashion kind of alternative type culture, but not get yelled at for not coming into a Nigerian man’s store. Why are you running? So, imagine a place where you have beautiful snowcap mountains. Backdrop is this gorgeous hot spring. You’ve got wildlife and these natural monkeys in their natural habitat. Sounds pretty magical, right? Depending on who you are. Here’s the reality. I think unfortunately this place is really packed with tourists like a lot of places in Japan. And everybody’s sort of jockeying for that perfect picture, right? And the monkeys, the snow monkeys, they’re cool, but I think the experience can sort of feel a bit more like a crowded zoo than more like a peaceful getaway retreat. When you go to Jigokadani Monkey Park, it’s definitely unique again, but I think the effort to get there and just the amount of visitors that can be there all at once sort of take away from the charm, which I think is a little bit of a shame. But if you’re looking for something that’s a bit more of a relaxing experience, you can go to this place which has these really beautiful secluded outdoor baths, breathtaking views, hiking trails. I mean, Subame Onsen has really got a lot going for it. You can even take trails to an even more hidden hotring bath. And it’s a perfect way to sort of have that same backdrop, that peaceful scenery with the hot spring without a lot of the same crowds. You’ll miss the monkeys, but I think if you’re going to go sort of in this direction across Japan, I’d go up to myo and check out. All right, so this one it’s it’s a shame. I actually really like, but it feels like something that’s straight transported out of the feudal era. But honestly, I think it’s a bit of a let down. It’s because really when you step inside the magic sort of fades away and instead of maybe that ancient historical feel that you’d hope that you get in a castle, you get modern museum exhibits and there’s everybody that’s in there snapping selfies in Osaka Castle and it just doesn’t feel maybe as immersive. And so I think if you’re going to see one castle, where would you go? I would say check out one of Japan’s 12 original castles, specifically Matsu Castle. You probably were thinking Heimei. It’s not a bad castle. It’s fantastic. But I think Matsu Castle has still more of a authentic feel to it. You still got those wooden interiors. There’s less people. It’s definitely a little bit out of the way. You’ve got gorgeous views. And it really feels like you’re getting thrown back into a different period in Japan’s history. You’ve got the nearby Her Memorial Museum. You can do a boat ride around the castle. Matsu Castle. Absolutely fantastic. I think if you have the time, go see Matsu Castle. If you think I missed something, definitely feel free to drop it in the comments. If you’ve got some overrated spots that you’d like people to find an alternative to, drop that in the comments. I know some of my takes on some of those places might sound a bit harsh, but I think the reality is Japan has so much more to offer than just the typical tourist spots that you hear of. And you have this info, but if you’re interested in some underrated places that I think you can absolutely add to your trip, you definitely need to check out this next video.
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Music Credits:
sunwo0o – DKMW – Instrumental Version
Steven Beddall – Daisies – Instrumental Version
Aves – The Chase
The Turtlemelon Band – Tokyo Midnight Blues – Instrumental Version
Video Sources:
日テレNEWS
ANNnewsCH
Got to Hachioji
Discover Kyoto
Tokyo Street Walker
Japan Walk
Virtual Explore
NBS長野放送ニュース
ABC News Australia
NiikeiNews
JapanVideoTours
Deep Japan By the last Samurai
Other Sources:
Shimane Japan Official Travel & Tourism Guide
47 Comments
It's honestly shocking, that this channel does not have more views. Like these tips are so good yet people always flock to the content that's always regurgitating the same crap "Go to Senso-Ji, Go to Uniqlo Ginza it's so cool, go to golden gai". Like everyone is talking about overtourism in Japan and in the big cities, but let's be real there is only overtourism in very very specific places e.g. Senso-Ji. Desmon for example even mentions Ebisu, it's only one stop away from Shibuya station, yet it's barely got any tourists even though it offers so much and especially high quality restaurants.
Desmon, please continue making this high quality content youtube really needs this especially Japan Travel Youtube.
I stopped leaving travel reviews when I discovered that all it does is give away my travel secrets and have my favourite places overrun.
Don’t believe the lies. The Sapporo Clock Tower is not to be missed
Really good!
I think a great alternative to Takaosan is the nearby Mitakesan, bigger mountain, much fewer people. Musashi Mitake Jinja shrine at the pleak is beautiful and the hiking options can vary from 4 hours train station to summit and back down or the full day descending to the rock garden and then continuing on to summit the taller mountains of Nabewarisan and Odakesan.
Just visit other places that are not so mainstream. Hiroshima, Fukuoka or one of the Islands of Okina. Enough to see outside the cities.
If you go to Japan for a once or twice in a lifetime holiday, then even if it's super congested you're going to visit somewhere like 金閣寺, 新宿区, 原宿 etc. but i really can't see a reason ever to go to mount fuji unless ur there outside of season the way Japan is rn. also for the castle fronts if you wanted to go to a castle in a bigger area i'd recommend 名古屋城 or 会津城 neither are original but they have some original exhibits oand a lot of historical significance.
A place isn't overrated just because someone has been to them many times and this is their nth number of trips to Japan, or because they live in Japan. I'm not really into Osaka or Kyoto anymore because it's too crowded (and Tokyo I still enjoy because I don't go to the tourist attractions, I go for the local stuff), but I still recommend them to first time visitors because, well, they're some of the biggest attractions in the first place for a reason.
We saw Mt Fuji from the train. It was enough
Avoided the golden temple.
We went to Otagi Nenbutsuji, It was beautiful and very peaceful around 10 am when we were there ,
Best temple we went to in kyoto was ninnaji they have beautiful cherry blossom trees and gardens…..they have beautiful flowers in the summer and cherry blossoms in the spring
I wildly disagree about Nagano Snow Monkey Park. Two trips, 75 days total, all 4 major islands and it remains one of my favorite experiences in Japan.
where was this back thennnnnn. i’m saving this for when the time comes.
wishing for your success in this channel. love the no-nonsense approach.
It’s wild how everyone has such similar itineraries- Japan’s big! Take that ferry to Shikoku… I took a bus from Matsuyama (hot damn the castle is so worth it, plus Dōgo onsen….ferry from Hiroshima if you end up there) to Imabari on a random day trip and got off at a random stop Ryūoka/TamagawaChō- amazing! A guy along the highway pulled over and asked if I needed help because it wasn’t a tourist spot which was amusing. Continued on to Imabari and had some great food and a wonderful onsen soak….. a random local dude was excited to see my and bought me some random drinks and snacks at a grocery store. Quite the memory. Hit up Nagasaki! Take that bus to Unzen Hell and Obama-onsen. Charming town. I Nagasaki local befriended me and drove me around Shimabara Peninsula for a day for free….. such an experience. Japan is vast and has so much to offer. Then I hit up Ureshino Onsen/tea town. So cool. It’ll leaving you wondering how the hell barely any tourists roll through…..It’s more than Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto🎉Going to Kagoshima and Kumamoto is a couple weeks. So stoked. I suppose I quite like Kyushu, that Fukuoka coastline is pristine, Beppu Hells are great, Nagasaki area was amazing. Ureshino was dope too…. I’ll still have Miyazaki Ken left to see though… unless…. Hmmm. Cheers
So you're the reason my commute on the Keio line is so full of foreigners lately.
Great video!
My husband and I just returned from a month-trip to Japan. We visited family in Okayama (we went to Ikura caves), Takamatsu, Matsue, Osaka and Tokyo. Then, on our own we visited Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kyoto, Nara, Kanazawa (the ryokan was amazing), Nagoya, Takayama, Toyama, and Nagano. We definitely enjoyed the destinations with fewer tourists as they were more relaxing and just as beautiful.
Definitely agree with you about Osaka Castle. It looks great from the outside, but then when you get inside, it looks like a hotel lobby, elevators and all. I was pretty disappointed by that when I was there, but the view of the city from the top was excellent.
Senso-ji was also pretty disappointing. It was probably the most "tourist trap" place I visited in Japan. Meiji Jingu and Sengaku-ji were both much more pleasant shrine visits, although Meiji Jingu can be pretty crowded as well, but at least you get a nice walk through the park to get there.
Nice video. I visited most of those places on my first trip to Japan and you are right about them. I will visit again in October and this time I’ve an itinerary to visit the real Japan where no foreign tourists go. And I’m damned if I’m going to share that with anyone! 😂😂😂
Great Great video thanks a lot
i was also going to say osaka castle! i remember being so let down by the stark modern interior. cool exhibits but it lost the magic. BUT then we visited Matsumoto castle and it was so historical on the inside that some stairs were actually ladders. and when we exited, there was a street market nearby and we were treated special because there so few foreign tourists. very cool experience!
I laughed at the Shimokitazawa plug since iirc, because of Bocchi the Rock the place has seen a major tourist boom already lol
After spending about 3 months traveling all over Japan my favorite places are Takamatsu and Otaru. It's the small things that I love and those two areas just felt welcoming and real. I could see me living in Takamatsu. Its just that kind of place. Love it.
In kawazu there is a frog zoo. Need i say more?
5 places in Japan that aren’t flooded with Chinese tourists next
odawara castle is sooo nice too!
Mf if you put kinkakuji on this list imma throw hands 🤛 🤜 in all honesty this is a needed video for ppl who don’t do much research
Great call on Kinkakuji specifically. Even though there were also huge crowds at Fushimi Inari, and I had to wake up at the crack of stupid to see Kiyomizu Dera without the crowds, they both still felt worthwhile. Kinkakuji was definitely the most disappointing. Doubly so considering it's not super-accessible by transit – we had to take multiple very, very full buses to get there. One thing to mention about Osaka castle, if you're already in Osaka,while I didn't feel like I was missing much by not going into the castle, the castle grounds were absolutely worth a visit – it's a large park winding through the moats and courtyards around the castle, and was a really nice walk, the crowds are spread out enough you don't feel much pressure from them, and even without going into the castle you still get some nice views of the city, looking past the ancient battlements, to the skyscrapers of modern Osaka, with just a glimpse of the mountains beyond the city.
Totally agreed with Kinkakuji – stunning, but the crowds are insane, and it's kind of out of the way, so it can take a lot of time for just the one place.
I do still think Osaka Castle is worth it because the park is beautiful, it's close enough to other stuff, and on a nice day, you can get great views from the top floor. But I get what you're saying. Kakegawa Castle was nice for that and definitely not crowded when we went.
Some love to Shimane!!! I love it!!! Matsue castle is awesome!
Kochi Castle > Osaka Castle
Definitely stop going to the same 2 or 3 cities, that's my first recommendation. Kyoto and Osaka are cool and all, but they are not really "special" in any outstanding way. If you want to party like in Osaka, go to Hakata or Fukuoka. If you want to eat great food, well anywhere in Japan really, and it's best to go to the local especiality. If you want beautiful views, try the Japanese Inland Sea, the largest National Park. Almost every mountain has a religious link attached to them! And if you want to see great Temples and Shrines, go to the Chugoku region! (Hiroshima, Okayama etc)
Try also Japanese National Parks, they are beautiful
If you want to go to hit springs, just go to Beppu
To be honest, the crowds are for many people one of the reasons for visiting Tokyo. But if you are not in for the crowds, just get lost! Go to some random place, and there is a good chance you will have a nice experience. If you have a JR pass (unfortunately quite expensive now), just hop in a train and see where it will get you. Other than that, good tips! (oh and by the way, I agree about the Golden Temple, very overrated, for me one of the least interesting parts of Kyoto)
Weirdly I thought Shimokitazawa was a little too overcrowded as well 🥲
Also thanks for the amazing video! I’m also a Marylander living in Japan LMAO
Y'all missing it:
1. People love packed, famous spots.
2. People are bored looking at hidden gems they should love.
A trip’s worth is in the photos and stories to brag about back home. Most don’t want unique—they want selfies at big-name places to show off at work. “I went, I snapped, so my trip wasn’t a waste.”
What's the point going off track when if you can't tell the stories because no one understands the significance of your trip ?
Hidden gems are for experience travelers only. They are for themselves or to share with other experienced travelers
Hahh… I rememeber when my mom took me to Japan as a kid and how uncrowded it was in kyoto and some other places compared to when I went again last year. Eh atleast it gives me an excuse to go to other more further and less popular and less populated areas this year lol
Spot on with Osaka Castle, it was nice to see the outside area. But once we got inside & saw it was a modern museum ( because it burned down about 3 different times like most castles in Japan) it kind of took away from the experience.
Having lived in Japan for over a decade, I'd say Tokyo is 100% skippable. Subjective, of course. Japan has some amazing parks and nature, but most people end up crammed on crowded trains and streets for a week or two before flying home. If you're a metropolitan then maybe it's not a big deal for you, but it's gotta be one of the least relaxing places I've ever lived.
Probably wasn't mentioned because its probably more commonly known as overrated than a must visit nowadays but i was pretty disappointed in Arashiyama Bamboo Forrest. I know theres alternatives but i couldnt but still go to a lot of these "must visits" my first time around Japan, more do the fact that i can say ive gone to see them and i can now move on with my life snd go see different less visited places
Living in Shimokitazawa for 12 years, I just wanna offer a small correction. Actually there’re no vintage clothes stores, independent cafes, bars, or restaurants, or really anything else of interest or value here. In fact it’s a cultural wasteland and I suggest tourists go literally anywhere else apart from here. Happy to help! 🤗
The only spots in this video I was considering doing were Harajuku and Osaka Castle but, even then, they were both just maybes. One hidden spot I’m planning to do is the Takedo Rail line hike trail north of Osaka, it looks really pretty.
Osaka Castle has more to it, but many people don't visit everything. It actually has some side defensive buildings that were reconstructed according to the information they had in their records, even using the same types of wood used at that time. That gives you the ancient feeling that you might feel like it is lacking in the main building and it is free access. I especially loved that Osaka Castle main building had a whole floor with small 3D screens along the walls with short videos telling the history of Japan. It was really cool and informative. Something I really liked about Japan is that their museums seem to be done with a lot of love and care. Except for the Ninja and Samurai museum in Kyoto! That one is just a tourist trap, and people should stay away from it! It's really expensive and so, so bad! The employers are so rude and make fun of the foreigners. Probably because they know they are using them to make a ton of money, that is not worth what they have to offer. That was the biggest waste of money I had in Japan.
My pick for something overrated is Nara for deer. Go to Itsukushima (even tho it’s still a little busy)
Can I also suggest the castle in Hiroshima as an alternative for Osaka Castle? Went in 2016 with my dad, and it was gorgeous inside.
You missed a city, but I am going to tell you because then it will get overrun. This old JET curmudgeon (call me whatever Japanese bad name you want) doesn’t want to see it overrun. If it gets popular over time on its own and tourists start to flock there, great!
BTW, thank you very much for recommending Matsue Castle as I have already been to Himeji and Osaka Castles.
Very well done video by the way. I can tell you put a lot of work into it.
FWIW, I also dealt with Nigerian dudes in 2008 in Roppongi 😉
Same reason one should avoid Taj Mahal.