How to travel these two hidden gems in style:

My three-week Japan trip together with my husband (before the pandemic) brought me not only to the typical route of the “Golden Triangle” (Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka) with three extensions (Hakone, Takayama & Kanazawa), but also to rural Japan to two off the beaten path destinations. And this was a much needed change to the rather city focused rest of our route! If you plan to visit the Land of the Rising Sun once it is possible again, consider doing the same. It is well worth discovering a different side of Japan.

Before going into these two off the beaten path destinations, first a look back to my other posts about Japan.

My other Japan posts

This blogpost will be the last of my Japan adventure. Previously on my blog, I published five more. I started with our itinerary and things to do in the respective stops. This included a map – created with My Google Maps – complete with all the activities, hotels and restaurants of our trip. Next was a post about the (luxury) hotels of our Japan tour. I continued with an excursus how to find good restaurants for gourmets and how to get reservations at them. This was followed by a post about our choice of (Michelin) fine dining spots. And the fifth blogpost was about our stay at a luxurious ryokan.

Why Kiso Valley & Yakushima Island?

Of course, these destinations did not come out of my head. I have to admit that I came upon both while following other travel blogs. As my husband and I had three weeks available for criss-crossing Japan, I wanted to include some spots that are not so frequently traveled. And I was also looking for a rural contrast to the rest of the trip that went from one city to another.

In addition, both stops could be integrated in our itinerary without too many difficulties. Yakushima never seemed to be a problem insofar as it can be either reached from Honshu by train/ferry or from major cities by air.

As to Kiso Valley, it is on the the way from Hakone resp. Tokyo to the so-called Japanese Alps (Takayama & Kanazawa). While you can reach it by train, it is a bit inconvenient yet feasible.

Especially when I came across a ryokan owner that offered to pick us up from the station. However, this became moot with our decision to do the first part of our trip by rental car. If you should wonder about driving in Japan, it was no problem at all. My husband insisted on doing so, and I am grateful that he did!

Now to some information about the destinations, the things to do there and where to stay in style.

1. Kiso Valley, an off the beaten path destination in Japan

Why visit Kiso Valley?

If you have two nights to spare for a lesser-visit rural destination with historic relevance on your way from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka or to Takayama/Kanazawa, then Kiso Valley is it!

This rugged area covered with forests in southwestern Nagano is the place to step back in time. It is home of the beautifully preserved posts towns of Magome, Tsumago or Nerai. These three places, above all the two former ones, are the jewels of the Nakasendo. This is an old mountain route from Kyoto to Edo (nowadays Tokyo) used by merchants and samurais in the old times.

Magome and Tsumago (part of Nagiso), have put much effort into keeping their towns authentic as it was at the time. In addition, they are connected by a wonderful 7.7 km/4.8 mi stretch of the Nakasendo.

This is a great hike to do. And it is not too hard, especially if you start in Magome. It sits higher in the mountain range than Tsumago. It is a rewarding stretch to do as you pass hamlets, local shrines, brass bells (to keep away bears), a tea house (with free tea) and beautiful nature.

Before you set off, have a look around in lovely Magome to appreciate its unique architecture.

You will need about two to three hours to do the hike. For your return to Magome, you can take the bus from Tsumago. But count in enough time to explore this gem of a town before. Here you feel like being in an open-air museum village.

If you have some time left, Narai, in the northern part of Kiso Valley, is remarkably well preserved too. And it is much larger than the other post towns in the area. It features the longest stretch of historic wooden houses (1 km/0.6 mi).

Where to stay in comfort in Kiso Valley

Regular readers of my blog will maybe note that I wrote “comfort” instead of “style” in the title of this chapter as I usually do. And this is for a reason. When looking for an accommodation in the area, I did not find one that deserves the label “upscale”. But I came across a ryokan that sounded promising. And my husband and I were not disappointed by our stay, although I missed one or two things that I usually attach value on …

If you really want to stay at a supposedly truly luxurious hotel in Kiso Valley, I might have a tip. When doing some research after returning home, I came upon a newly opened property. But I do not want to promote it here as I consider it as way too expensive! A room for two costs 240,000 JPY (2,100 SFR/US$) per night. Although it is inclusive gourmet full board (without drinks) and one activity a day, I do not think that it could be worth the expense. In case you are interested in this option and have troubles finding it, get in touch …

But now to the ryokan we stayed at in Kiso Valley.

Takimi Onsen Inn Nagiso

Location/Owners

The small ryokan is idyllically located amidst a forest and overlooks a picturesque waterfall.

You can reach it from the Nagiso station in fifteen minutes by car. As mentioned, the ryokan owner, Koike, collects you from here, if you should need it. He speaks English, although I think he learnt it mainly by teaching himself. Anyway, he is a very nice person, aged more than 70 but looks much younger. He has been running this inn together with his wife for 32 years.

Facilities

A particularity of Takimi Onsen Inn is, that you can book it for one party only. And be it one person only or up to eight guests. Onsite you find eight rooms. There is the master bedroom,

which my husband and I had, plus three more, on which we have not set eyes. The inn features two onsen, each with an inner and outer basin, complete with shower and washing facilities.

And there are two (gender-separated) toilets onsite. If you are here as a couple, only one is available to use.

As to the onsen, it was so relaxing to soak in the hot water and to contemplate the thundering waterfall at the same time! While the facilities are well kept and very clean, they have not been updated recently. What bothered me most, was the fact that there are no en suite bathroom and toilet. You have to leave the room to use those. Having said that they are for your exclusive use. You do not have to go far to reach them yet it is still unusual. However, if you are not as fussy as I am, it will probably not be a problem for you. A nice touch was it also that the owners offered to do the laundry for us!

Food

The food here is amazing! On our first evening, Koike treated us to an inside fire pit dinner.

He prepared shabu shabu, food cooked in a hot pot, and grilled wagyu beef, vegetables and mushrooms. He served also salmon and horse sashimi, rice, miso soup, pickles

and a small fish from the grill. You have to eat the latter as a whole – if you dare -, and it was so delicious, as the rest of the meal!

Our second dinner was a highlight, too! This time it was sukiyaki, under the lead of Koike’s wife, Kazoku.

She is also a very friendly yet only speaks a few words of English. As to the meal, you also cook food (wagyu beef, tofu, vegetables and mushrooms) in a pot yet in contains rather a sauce than a broth. After being in the pot, you dip the ingredients in raw egg before eating. And it was delectable! Later on, the owner brought noodles, which you also cook in the pot. Along with the sukiyaki, tuna sashimi was on offer.

Pricing

Staying at Takimi Onsen Inn does not come inexpensive, especially if you lodge here as a couple. But it is absolutely worth the price. It cost us 58,800 JPY (540 SFR/US$) per room and night, including dinner (without drinks).

2. Yakushima Island, a hidden gem in Japan

Why visit Yakushima Island?

Location/Particularities

The term “magic” is ubiquitously used nowadays, but Yakushima Island is definitely one of the places that qualifies for it! Walking around in its forests full of fairytale-like trees covered with moss, from which are many more than thousand years old, is one hell of an experience! But let me come to the essentials.

The island, located 61 km (38 mi) south of Kyushu, has been a UNESCO world heritage since 1993. And it is known for its numerous natural wonders. Yakushima’s mountainous interior is covered with subtropical rainforest. This one is home to some of the most ancient trees in Japan, cedar trees known as Yakasugi. The island is not large, you can drive around its perimeter in about three and a half hours. Apropos getting around, it is absolutely necessary to rent a car to fully appreciate Yakushima’s offerings. And the public transportation system is not that well developed.

I have to mention one more thing. The island is Japan’s wettest place. And the annual precipitation is one of the world’s highest. Therefore, be prepared and bring your rain gear …

Activities

Yakushima offers great options to do some hiking in its extensive and hauntingly forests. Both Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine (the most popular choice)

and Yakusugi Land (quieter) feature some superb hikes.

Then as said, driving around the island’s perimeter is an awarding thing to do. This is especially true for the Seibu-rindo Forest part with lots of monkeys

and deer around (drive extremely slowly and carefully).

Furthermore, activities in and around water are also an option. Opportunities include chasing waterfalls (possibly the best one is Ooko-no-taki),

soaking in the seaside Hirauchi onsen or making use of the good snorkeling and sea-kayaking spots. Please also refer to my Google Map where I listed things to do in a compact form.

As to luxury accommodation, possibilities to stay in style are scarce on Yakushima. Actually, there is only on hotel that deserves the label “luxurious”.

Where to stay in style on Yakushima Island?

The one and only luxurious accommodation on the island is Sankara Hotel, where we stayed. Despite the lack of competition in the upscale hotel segment here, this is absolutely a good choice!

Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima

Location/Rooms

The Sankara Hotel is remotely located on the island’s south. It is set amidst lush tropical forest, on the hillside and overlooks the sea.

When it comes to which room to choose, there are basically two options. On the one hand, you can opt for an accommodation in the main building where you can benefit from sea views (five rooms). This is the more costly way to enjoy your time on Yakushima.

Alternatively, you can go for one of the twelve stand-alone villas (with two rooms each) that are deep in the forest and with no sea views.

That is what my husband and I did. We chose a room on the upper floor which comes with a small additional charge. These Samudra Villas are very large (53 sqm), luxuriously appointed and feature a balcony.

Views are of the surrounding woods. This kind of room comes with a daybed, which is nice. Unfortunately, ours featured the not so great view of the neighboring villa.

We liked our accommodation, although it could use a little touch up. The propriety opened about ten years ago, and the extremely wet climate contributes to its aging quickly.

Facilities

There are two restaurants, which I will go into in the next chapter. Further, you find here a fitness center, a library lounge where they serve snacks and drinks in the afternoon. On this occasion, there is a self-service beer dispenser in use, which impressed my husband deeply.

Other amenities include a large outdoor pool (only open in the summer season), a car rental service (a must-have here), laundry services and washing machines for self-use. Furthermore, transfers from and to the ferry (Ambo Port) and to Yakushima airport are complementary.

Food

As mentioned above, you may choose between two restaurants. On the one side, there is the casual fine dining Ayana

that serves well-made Japanese French cuisine.

This is also the place where you dine when being on half board. And you get a fantastic breakfast here with exquisite freshly baked good from the onsite bakery.

One the other side, there is Okas, the signature Japanese French dining-spot. Here you get elaborate cuisine in a pleasant ambiance. My husband and I had an excellent nine-course tasting menu here. I am not completely sure but I think that this kind of meal (omakase) is the one and only way to have dinner here. And I am not certain about that point too, Okas does not have a listing at the Michelin guide because they do not review this part of Japan.

Highlights of our dinner were the grilled bonito with egg yolk confit and mushroom juice

as well as the grilled Kagoshima beef with seasonal vegetables.

I recommend opting for a counter seat at Okas to witness the action going on in the open kitchen. Here the chef performs his culinary magic behind an array of pots and a grill,

while his team in front of him prepares cold dishes and arrange plates.

Dining here comes with an extra charge of 6,170 JPY (57 SFR/US$) per person when being on half board. While this is considerable, it is worth its high price tag. Okas belongs to my list of top dining picks on our Japan trip.

Staff/Pricing

You get assigned a butler. Ours was Eri who did a good job. As to service orientation in general, staff was immaculate at the front desk and at the upscale restaurant (Okas). However, we had some issues at the Ayana Restaurant. On one evening, servers were very busy. When my husband complained of our seats being too drafty, our waitress was not really helpful.

Having said that, the overall experience here is good and I would stay here again. This despite the fact that rates are quite high (116,600 JPY per day and room including half board, about 1,034 SFR/US$).

Date of visit: November 2019

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