5 off-the-beaten-path destinations to go to with the Japan Rail Pass
JR Tadami Line in Fukushima Prefecture during autumn
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The JR Pass is a great choice for getting around Japan, both its most well-known destiations and hidden gems alike!
Japan as a destination tops the list of many world travelers. A country with a distinct culture, both old and new, there is a wide variety of activities and locations to visit that anyone can enjoy. For many, locations like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima are the most well-known, and for good reason! Each of them is a world-culture hotspot with a distinct identity all their own. Exploring each one is sure to make for a trip of a lifetime. However, the island nation is also home to lesser-known yet just as worthwhile destinations. To many, both ends of the spectrum are essential to the whole experience of traveling Japan.
Traveling around Japan with the JR Pass
For getting around the country and discovering all it has to offer, there is no better option than the Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass for short). This specialized travel pass is issued by Japan Railways and grants access to unlimited travel via their extensive public transportation network. Included with the JR Pass are railway facilities like local trains, limited express trains, and even the famous Shinkansen bullet train for cross-country travel! A number of bus networks and even ferries are included as well!
JR’s transportation facilities go throughout the country, meaning that everywhere from Japan’s metropolitan centers to charming remote countryside villages are accessible!
Japan Rail Pass by the ticket gates
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Order your Japan Rail Pass to go everywhere in Japan!
"Off-the-beaten-path" destinations with the JR Pass!
Using the Japan Rail Pass, discovering some of the country’s off-beaten-path locations is made easy. This makes the opportunity to go where many other travelers don’t that much more of a worthwhile endeavor! Take a look at some of our lesser-known yet absolutely worthwhile destinations to visit in Japan using the JR Pass!
Toyama
The Hokuriku Region is defined by two major geographic features of Japan: the mountains and the sea. On one side, the Japan Sea blesses the area with rich coasts and pristine waters that are home to some of the world’s best seafood. Inland, rolling mountains of the Japanese Alps poke their peaks through the sky, visible from basically everywhere within the region. The combination of these gorgeous panoramas and the rich culture that calls this prefecture home led the New York Times to put Toyama on their list of 52 Places to Visit in 2025.
Toyama is one of the prefectures most synonymous with Hokuriku, indicative of much of the region’s charms. This is one of the best destinations in Japan to take things slow and experience the charms of countryside life. Toyama City, the prefecture’s capital, is relatively unassuming, but its home to great restaurants championing the great local seafood and stylish cafes with dedicated clientele. The crown jewel, for many, however, is the architectural marvel that is the Toyama Glass Art Museum and Library. This building, designed by the legendary Kengo Kuma highlights the famous local glass art through a medley of exhibitions as well as serving as the city’s main library.
Also of note is Unazuki Onsen, a getaway hot spring town located nearby Kurobe Gorge, a site famous for its gorgeous scenery that is especially notable in the fall, when a sea of burgundy and gold foliage flows through the valley and mountainsides.
Toyama Glass Art Museum
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Train going through Kurobe Gorge, Toyama
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Both Toyama City and Unazuki Onsen are stops on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. This Shinkansen bullet train line goes between Tokyo Station in the nation’s capital and Fukui Prefecture. The Japan Rail Pass fully covers the journey for this Shinkansen bullet train and only takes around 2 to 2.5 hours leaving from Tokyo. From Kansa destinations like Kyoto and Osakai, a combination of the Thunderbird Limited Express Train and Hokuriku Shinkansen departing from Tsuruga in Fukui makes the journey easy as well.
Okayama
A hidden treasure between the more well-known cities of Osaka and Hiroshima, Okayama provides visitors with a fusion of culture, history, and scenic beauty without the packed crowds. Okayama, much like Toyama, is a great place to visit if you want to see Japan more slowly and easy-going.
A must-visit in Okayama is Koraku-en Garden. This enormous landscape park is one of Japan's 3 treasured gardens (alongside Kenroku-en in Ishikawa and Kairaku-en in Ibaraki). The park provides a peaceful refuge from the nearby major cities, with wide lawns, meandering streams, and picturesque teahouses that allow guests to stop and take in their surroundings. Every season offers an idealic reason to visit, with Okayama Castle serving as a beautiful background. In the spring, there are cherry blossoms; in the summer, there are irises; in the fall, there are vibrant maples; and in the winter, serene snowscapes.
The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which is only a short train journey away from Okayama Station, takes tourists back in time. Throughout the area are charming canals dotted with willows, stone bridges, and merchant homes with white walls.
Kurashiki Binkan Historic District, Okayama Prefecture
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Okayama Castle by the river
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Koraku-en Garden, Okayama
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There are a number of boutique stores, art galleries, and museums, such as the Ohara Museum of Art, Japan's first museum devoted to Western art. The neighborhood, which was once a thriving rice distribution hub during the Edo period, still carries the spirit of its history. Visitors may experience the serene ambiance from a different angle by taking a leisurely boat trip down the canal.
Okayama Station is a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen that goes between Kansai and Kyushu, the most southern island. The Sakura, Hikari, and Kodama Shinkansen bullet trains on this line are fully covered by the JR Pass, but Nozomi Shinkansen bullet trains require a supplementary charge. Kurashiki is accessible from Okayama Station via local JR train lines, which are also covered by the pass!
Ehime
Japan as a country is divided primarily into four major islands: Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku. The latter is one that is often overshadowed by the other three, but for many, it is a hidden gem that encapsulates much of what makes Japan great. The name of this island translates to “four nations,” in reference to the four different prefectures that make it up.
Of the four, Ehime Prefecture is the most populous and is home to some cultural gems many would only see in Japanese film and media.
The JR Pass makes it surprisingly easy to go to Ehime by taking the Shinkansen to Okayama and then taking the picturesque JR Yosan Line to Matsuyama, the capital of the prefecture. One of Japan's oldest and most famous hot springs, Dogo Onsen, is located in Matsuyama and is said to have served as the inspiration for Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli. With its exquisite wooden building, the ancient Dogo Onsen Honkan provides a window into traditional Japanese bathing customs. Perched on a mountaintop with sweeping views of the city and Seto Inland Sea, Matsuyama Castle is another must-see. Matsuyama is the ideal starting point for visiting Ehime since it offers a blend of history, leisure, and breathtaking nature.
Matsuyama Castle, Ehime
@flickr/ Yoshikazu TAKADA
Beyond the capital, the JR Yosan Line stretches along the scenic coastline, stopping at quaint villages like Ozu, a wonderfully preserved samurai town with a riverside castle. Along the way, passengers may enjoy breath-taking views of the Seto Inland Sea. Ehime is an off-the-beaten-path location that offers visitors a slower, more immersed side of Japan along with remarkable experiences due to its natural beauty, rich history, and convenient access by JR trains. Travelers can go to Okayama Station via Shinkansen bullet train, and then from there, the Shiokaze Limited Express train can be ridden out to Matsuyama Station.
Miyazaki
Miyazaki Prefecture is located on the island of Kyushu and is one of the most southern prefectures in all of Japan. This unique location is renowned for its stunning coastline, subtropical temperature and climate. However, it is also well-known for its strong ties to traditional Japanese mythology.
Takachiho Gorge, is an impressive canyon blessed with emerald-green streams, towering cliffs, and cascading waterfalls. It is one of Miyazaki's most alluring attractions. According to significant Shinto mythology, the sun goddess Amaterasu hid in a cave at this fabled location. Visitors may enjoy the vista from walking paths above or rent rowboats to float through the gorge. The captivating kagura dance performances that portray old stories are held at Takachiho Shrine nearby.
The Nichinan Coast, which is conveniently accessible from Miyazaki City by the JR Nichinan Line, is a must-see for those who enjoy coastal landscape. Aoshima, a little island encircled by the unique rock formations known as the "Devil's Washboard," is the main attraction here. Tucked away in a jungle-like grove, Aoshima Shrine is a holy shrine devoted to marriage and good fortune that may be reached by a brief walk across a bridge.
Aoshima Shrine, Miyazaki Prefecture
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Takachiho Gorge
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From Fukuoka (Hakata Station), travelers may take the JR Kyushu Shinkansen to Kagoshima, from where they can change to the picturesque JR Nichinan Line that follows the coastline and provides breathtaking views of the ocean on their way to Miyazaki City. Each of these trains is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
Fukushima
Fukushima City is a great, easily accessible location that is also a quality detour from typical destinations. The JR Tohoku Shinkansen connects Tokyo to the city in about 90 minutes. Fukushima is a breathtaking area teeming with untouched natural beauty and cultural gems.
Aizu-Wakamatsu, sometimes referred to as the "Samurai City," is among the most exciting places to visit in Fukushima. Tsuruga Castle, a magnificently restored structure with a rich history, is located in this historic town.
The town is conveniently accessible by the JR Ban'etsu West Line. At Aizu Bukeyashiki, a restored samurai home that depicts the day-to-day activities of feudal Japan, visitors may also fully immerse themselves in samurai culture. The town is well-known for its sake breweries and lacquerware handicraft, both of which provide interactive workshops and tastings for those seeking a more profound cultural experience.
For those who enjoy the outdoors, Fukushima has some of Japan's most breathtaking scenery. One of the most lauded railways in the country, the JR Tadami Line travels through gorgeous mountains, passing through misty valleys and clear rivers, and is fully accessible with the Japan Rail Pass. It is particularly breathtaking in the fall and winter.
Ouchi juku, Fukushima Prefecture
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JR Tadami Line in autumn, Fukushima Prefecture
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Sakura around Tsuruga Castle in Aizu Wakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture
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Ouchi-juku, a post town from the Edo era that has been meticulously preserved and has thatched roofs lining the former trade route, is another must-see. It offers handmade products and traditional delicacies.
Cuisine-wise, Fukushima is largely notable for two things: its lovely bounty of fruits and its hearty and belly-warming Kitakata Ramen. In fact, Fukushima is dubbed “the Fruit Kingdom” coloquially, and Kitakata Ramen is considered one of three great ramens of Japan, alongside Fukuoka Hakata Tonkotsu and Hokkaido Miso Ramen.
