Beyond Tokyo and Kyoto: Why Travellers Should Look to Rural Japan

Selective Asia spotlights private mountain villas, preserved samurai towns and remote forest islands as demand from the UK continues to grow

October 2026 – Japan's popularity among British travellers shows little sign of slowing. During the first half of 2026, the country welcomed more than 286,000 visitors from the United Kingdom, a 5.7% increase on the same period in 2025 [1].

Yet as increasing numbers follow the familiar “Golden Route” through Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, a different side of Japan is beginning to attract attention: one of forested pilgrimage paths, rice-growing communities, historic post towns, remote islands and intimate stays rooted in their surroundings.

Tailor-made travel specialist, Selective Asia, has long encouraged travellers to spend longer in lesser-visited regions. Across its destinations, travellers now spend an average of 28% of their trip in rural areas away from the best-known tourism centers.

Rather than replacing Japan’s headline cities entirely, these countryside stays add space, cultural depth and a slower rhythm to a longer trip. They also direct visitor spending toward regional communities and give travellers access to craftspeople, landscapes and traditions that cannot be experienced from a major-city hotel.

Nick Pulley, Founder of Selective Asia, said: “Tokyo and Kyoto are extraordinary, but they are only one layer of Japan. Some of the most memorable experiences happen far from the headline sights: walking a section of the ancient Nakasendo Trail before returning to a 300-year-old farmhouse reserved entirely for one group, or meeting craftspeople in a mountain town where traditions are still part of everyday life. For travellers making a long-haul journey, rural Japan offers a level of access, privacy and cultural depth that is increasingly hard to find in the country’s busiest cities.” 

The Kiso Valley: Private Access to Japan’s Historic Mountain Country

Set among the forested mountains of Nagano Prefecture, the Kiso Valley was once part of the Nakasendo highway connecting Kyoto with Edo, present-day Tokyo. Travellers can still walk between its beautifully preserved post towns, passing waterfalls, woodland, farmhouses and dark-timber villages.

One of the region’s most exclusive stays is Zenagi, a 300-year-old kominka, or traditional farmhouse, transformed into a private villa resort. The entire property is reserved for one group each day, with a private guide, butler and chef creating personalised cultural and outdoor experiences. Activities can include walking the historic samurai trail, meeting local craftspeople of Lacquerware (who have protected a unique woodturning technique invented by the imperial family 1,200 years ago) and exploring secluded river canyons.

Selective Asia’s 17-day Following Ancient Trails tour is priced from £8,090 per person based on two people travelling and includes a journey and stay in the Kiso Valley as well as 2 nights at Zenagi. Not inclusive of flights. Suggested departure dates March - December. 

Toyama: Art, Gastronomy and Regenerative Luxury Among the Rice Fields

On the rural Tonami Plain in Toyama Prefecture, Rakudo-An occupies a restored 200-year-old farmhouse surrounded on three sides by rice paddies. With only three guestrooms, the property brings together contemporary art, regional folk crafts, architecture using natural materials and cuisine drawing on produce from Toyama’s sea, mountains and countryside. Highlight experiences include Calligraphy in a Temple, Exploring Buddhist Philosophy through Kanji as well as a Bon-Temae Tea ceremony practice that is deeply rooted in Toyama Prefecture.

Rakudo-An has also been designed as a tool for regional regeneration rather than simply a rural hotel. Two percent of accommodation revenue supports the preservation of Tonami’s distinctive dispersed farming settlements, while activities introduce guests to the landscape, its ecology and the area’s traditional industries.

The result is a particularly strong option for travellers interested in design, food and craft who want a sophisticated alternative to Japan’s better-known art and culinary centers.

Selective Asia’s 17-day Beyond the Golden Route tour is priced from £6,090 per person based on two people travelling and includes 1 night in Toyama's Rakudo-An and 2 nights at Wanoi in Kakunodate. Not inclusive of flights. Suggested departure dates April- November. 

Kakunodate: Samurai History in Northern Japan

In the lesser-visited Tohoku region, Kakunodate is a small riverside town known for its preserved samurai district, traditional houses and mountain setting. Often described as a northern “Little Kyoto,” it offers much of the atmosphere and architectural heritage associated with Japan’s ancient capital, but on a more intimate scale.

At wanoi Kakunodate, historic storehouses and residences located around the town have been converted into private accommodations. Each retains details connected to its former purpose, from buildings once used to store rice and documents to spaces associated with local samurai families, allowing guests to experience the town’s history from within rather than simply visiting it during the day.

Kakunodate is especially striking during its spring cherry blossom season, in fall when the surrounding mountains change color and in winter when snow settles across the samurai quarter.

Selective Asia’s 17-day Beyond the Golden Route tour is priced from £6,090 per person based on two people travelling and includes 1 night in Toyama's Rakudo-An and 2 nights at Wanoi in Kakunodate. Not inclusive of flights. Suggested departure dates April- November.

Yakushima: Ancient Forest and Island Luxury

Far to the south of Japan’s major cities, Yakushima is an isolated, mountainous island of waterfalls, moss-covered forest and ancient cedar trees that is recognised as a World Natural Heritage site. Its remote location and limited accommodation make it particularly suited to travellers looking for a more exclusive nature-led extension to a wider Japan itinerary. Travellers can follow specialist guides on hikes, snorkelling adventures or explorations on kayaks in crystal-clear waters.

Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima offers ocean-facing suites and villas surrounded by subtropical gardens, alongside destination dining, a spa and a sauna constructed using local cedar. The hotel also operates the Sankara Fund, supporting projects intended to protect the island’s natural environment and communities.

Selective Asia’s 14-day Journey to Yakushima tour is priced from £5,890 per person based on two people travelling and includes 3 nights at the Sankara Hotel & Spa. Not inclusive of flights. Suitable for year-round travel. 

A More Balanced Way to Experience Japan

Japan’s cities will remain an essential part of the country’s appeal, particularly for first-time visitors. However, extending an itinerary into the countryside can transform a conventional sightseeing trip into a deeper cultural journey.

From privately guided stays in the Kiso Valley to contemporary art among Toyama’s rice fields, rural Japan allows travellers to engage with regional food, architecture, crafts and landscapes at a more personal pace. It also distributes tourism spending beyond the country’s most heavily visited destinations, supporting the communities responsible for preserving many of the traditions travellers have come to experience.

-END-

Data sources

[1] Japan National Tourism Organisation Visitor Figures 

About Selective Asia    

Selective Asia is a B-Corp certified leading tour operator specialising in curated travel experiences that stop travellers in their tracks and stir their soul. Founder, Nick Pulley, and his specialist team of travel enthusiasts, thoughtfully put together tailormade itineraries and experiences that inquisitive travellers will remember for a lifetime. From the deepest parts of Borneo’s tropical rainforests to the lesser-known scattering of islands in southernmost Japan, and everywhere in between, Selective Asia make it their mission to lead travellers off the beaten track to discover new destinations in a bid to not only combat overtourism but to show travellers where the true soul of a destination lies. Unfollow the herd. 

Press Enquiries:    

Lemongrass Marketing

E: selectiveasia@lemongrassmarketing.com     

T: +44 (0)1865 237 990   

Ends

Editors notes

At the heart of Selective Asia, you'll find a passion for meaningful travel — the kind that stops you in your tracks and stirs your soul.