For all the endless hordes of tourists coming to Japan, the vast majority will see the same urban sights.
Zooming on the shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto will deliver glimpses of Japan’s natural beauty, and day trips from Osaka will bring mountains and valleys within arm’s reach, but for the average inbound traveler, Japan largely remains an urban playground to explore.
However, far be it from the country’s further-flung regions to lean on anything but the natural environment, the most bountiful and, in some cases, the only resource at their disposal, to draw tourists from Japan’s metropolitan magnets. And in the far north of the country, the Hokkaido East Trail is the latest pastoral lure.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.