I travelled through Tohoku with friends, between autumn forests, mountain baths and quiet towns, before continuing to Sado, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Tokyo.
During six months in Kyoto, I settled into everyday life and explored further afield, from summer festivals to the islands of the Seto Inland Sea and the Japanese Alps.
A simple guide to build a heated blanket table with parts you can find here for comfy vibes like in Japan.
I began the year with five days across Tohoku, travelling by train to a castle town, a secluded mountain onsen, the Pacific coast and Morioka.
From New Year in Tokyo, I headed north to ski in Hokkaido, then explored hot spring towns and snowy villages in Chubu before returning to familiar faces in Tokyo.
Rain shaped my first full day in Nagasaki, from the Gunkanjima Digital Museum to the Atomic Bomb Museum and Memorial Hall. Clearer weather brought Dejima, Chinese trading streets and hillside views before I followed Omura Bay north to Sasebo.
The journey began at 4:30 in Basel and continued through London and Haneda to Nagasaki. Between flights, there was time for a bath and a walk. By evening, I was looking across Nagasaki Bay from the hotel, with the long travel day behind me.
A little over two weeks took me through northwestern Kyushu and back to Tokyo. Before setting off, I planned a route around Nagasaki, Sasebo, Takeo and Fukuoka, with time for ceramics, baths, friends and a concert in Yokohama.
These last Tokyo days were filled with reunions, errands, food and one more outing into nature. From Shinjuku’s side streets and eel in Yanaka to Mitake-san and a final sento before Haneda, this was how the trip came to a close.
After nearly two weeks traveling across northern Japan, Kyoto offered a brief return to familiar ground. Between food halls, tonkatsu, the new Nintendo Museum, and an evening catching up with an old friend, the city served as a short but meaningful stop before the final days of the trip in Tokyo.
In Kanazawa we combined early seafood breakfasts at Omicho Market with one of Japan’s best landscape gardens. When the weather forced us indoors, the modern Prefectural library fit perfectly, and the day ended with a sake tasting and a private kaiseki dinner.
Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata, let us experience the gold rush, a ride in barrel shaped boats and remote island lifestyle. Sado combines raw nature, cultural heritage, and a 400 year gold mine on an expansive island.
A modern hotel set among harvested rice fields on the Shonai Plain became our base before heading into the cedar forests of Dewa Sanzan. This stretch of Yamagata offered architecture, nature, and centuries of mountain worship. The day was complete with the sunset on the Japan Sea and arrival in Niigata.
Rain set the pace in Kakunodate as we walked the samurai streets, moved between old houses, and stayed the night on the former bukeyashiki road. After plans to climb Mount Chokai fell through, we discovered Karamatsu Shrine deep in the trees, before ending the day along the coast at sunset.
Lake Tazawa, Dakigaeri Valley, and Nyuto Onsen are close on the map, therefore we did not drive long this day. From the deepest lake in Japan and its Nessie-like legend to forested valleys, the route ends at a secluded mountain hot spring, one of the most profound I have visited.
Red leaves, white snow, hot spring steam, and a former copper mine. This part of the trip moved between the extremes. From fall in Morioka to winter in Akita’s mountains, including a stay at remote Goshogake Onsen on the peaks of Hachimantai and a visit deep underground at Osarizawa Mine.
These days were active with hikes on Hakkōda-san’s snowy trails, along Oirase Gorge with moss and waterfalls, and quiet moments in the Hoshinoya resort hotel and around Lake Towada. We experienced Aomori with a strong local apple theme throughout.
Aomori was where the trip truly began. Meeting up with three Swiss friends kicked off the two-week road trip across Tohoku. Long drives, beautiful nature and shrines, calligraphy, and surprise encounters replaced trains and crowds, setting the tone for everything that followed.
One day after arriving in Tokyo, I again visited Chichibu with two friends. This time we stayed at a ryokan with a private open-air rock bath and gorgeous dinner. On the way back Kawagoe offered Edo-era streetscapes, sweets shops and a calm shrine.
November is one of the best months to travel in Japan, especially outside major cities. With autumn colors appearing in the mountains and winter slowly approaching at higher elevations, it is an ideal time to explore rural regions beyond the usual routes. This article is the start to a series that explores travelling Japan’s North in autumn.