What is known as the Golden Route of Japanese tourism covers 800 kilometers from Tokyo to Hiroshima, connecting many of Japan’s most popular destinations. There’s Hakone, with its traditional inns and views of Mount Fuji, the ancient capital Kyoto and its collection of World Heritage sites, and the ever-bustling city of Osaka, to name just a few highlights.
But as more and more travelers are finding out, there’s still plenty to explore in Japan beyond the Golden Route, and it’s easier than ever to get to thanks to Japan’s widespread rail and air networks.
Once you’ve experienced Tokyo at its most modern, with the youthful trends of Shibuya or the luxury shopping and Michelin restaurants of Ginza, you’re just a short flight or a quick flight away shinkansen train to experience the many varied sides of Japan. You can start in Hiroshima Prefecture – about 90 minutes from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on one of ANA or JAL’s multiple daily flights, or less than 4 hours by shinkansen from Tokyo Station – the perfect starting point to explore the less-visited Chugoku and Shikoku regions to explore.
From top to bottom: Tottori – The Sand Museum Tottori Sand Dunes, Shimane – Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, Yamaguchi – Motonosumi Shrine, Okayama – Inujima Shrine, Hiroshima – Sandankyo Gorge, Kagawa – Ritsurin Garden, Ehime – Dogo Onsen, Tokushima – whirlpools of the Naruto Strait, Kochi – Hirome food market. Connected via local train lines. Illustrated by Tatsuro Kiuchi
First steps of the Golden Route
At the westernmost end of the Golden Route, Hiroshima Prefecture is best known for attractions in and around the city of Hiroshima, such as the moving Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the ‘floating’ tori (symbolic gates) at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. However, the broader Chugoku region around Hiroshima also offers opportunities to experience Japan’s outdoors.
For starters, about 55 kilometers northwest of Hiroshima city, you can take a bus to Sandankyo Gorge, a lush stretch of river dotted with waterfalls and transparent emerald pools, ideal for riverside walks, activities like kayaking, or simply enjoying the rest. Or there’s the quaint town of Onomichi, 80 minutes east of Hiroshima city by local train, which is not only a destination in itself but is also the northern end of the Shimanami Kaido, a 70-kilometre cycling route that crosses the met island-strewn Seto Inland Sea all the way to Shikoku.
The Shimanami Kaido Cycle Route connects Hiroshima and Ehime prefectures and crosses the Seto Inland Sea via a collection of scenic bridges. Photo courtesy of Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company Limited
Sandankyo Gorge is a lush stretch of river dotted with waterfalls and transparent emerald pools. Photo courtesy of the Hiroshima Tourism Association
If you travel west from Hiroshima, using a mix of JR West’s Sanyo Shinkansen train, local JR lines, buses and rental cars, it’s possible to go even further off the beaten track with a visit to Nagato in Yamaguchi Prefecturehome to picturesque terraced rice fields, a rugged coastline dotted with striking rock formations, and the photogenic Motonosumi Shrine, known for its winding tunnel of red torii gates – similar to Kyoto’s famous Fushimi Inari Shrine – perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean.
The torii gates of Motonosumi Shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Photo courtesy of Motonosumi Shrine
Deeper into Chugoku
North of Hiroshima, the Chugoku region continues into Shimane and Tottori prefectures, which, like Yamaguchi, offer travelers the opportunity to wander the roads less traveled.
In Shimane PrefectureA highlight is the UNESCO-designated Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, where almost a third of the world’s silver is said to have been mined during the 16th century.e century. Production here ended in the early 20th century, but travelers today can explore the old mine shafts, learn about the region’s mining heritage, and visit the well-preserved townscape of Omori, which flourished with the development of the mines .
At its peak, the Iwami Ginzan silver mine in Shimane Prefecture is said to have produced a third of the world’s silver. Photo courtesy of Shimane Prefecture
Northeast along the coast, Tottori Prefecture then offers a very different experience with natural sand dunes stretching along 16 kilometers of coastline, creating a Sahara-like landscape where you can go paragliding and sandboarding, or view art. For the latter, The Sand Museum Tottori Sand Dunes is the only indoor facility in the world dedicated to sand sculpture, with exhibitions replaced annually by teams of artists invited to Tottori from around the world.
The Tottori Sand Dunes Sand Museum in Tottori Prefecture features sand sculptures that change annually. Recent artworks include scenes from Napoleonic France. Photo courtesy of The Sand Museum, Tottori Sand Dunes.
Then there is Okama Prefecture in southern Chugoku, a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen train between Hiroshima and Osaka. Like Hiroshima, there are many reasons to linger in Okayama City, not least the beautiful Korakuen Garden, although you can also head offshore to Inujima, a small island in the Seto Inland Sea known for its sites for contemporary art. As part of the wider Inujima Art House Project and the Setouchi Triennale, several traditional houses have been turned into galleries and art installations on this scenic island, once known for its granite.
Inujima Island in Okayama Prefecture is dotted with beautiful beaches. Photo courtesy of Okayama Prefecture Prefectural Tourism Federation
Exploring Shikoku
Once you’ve enjoyed Okayama, it’s just a short train ride across the Seto Inland Sea to Shikoku, the fourth largest of Japan’s main islands. After we got off the train in Takamatsu Kagawa Prefecture, one option is to hop on a ferry to Naoshima and Teshima, two more of the Seto Inland Sea’s artistic islands. Or you can stay in Takamatsu for Ritsurin Garden, a sprawling masterpiece of traditional Japanese landscaping.
Spread over 75 hectares, Ritsurin in Kagawa Prefecture is one of Japan’s most beautiful traditional gardens. Photo courtesy of Ritsurin Garden, a special place of natural beauty
Here you’ll find cherry blossoms in spring and fiery foliage in autumn, while there are teahouses to visit and a succession of scenic viewpoints to enjoy all year round; the most striking is from the top of the Fuji-shaped Hiraiho Hill, overlooking Ritsurin’s central pond with Mount Shiun as borrowed scenery in the distance.
If you follow the coast southeast from Takamatsu, it’s an hour by train to Tokushima Prefecturehome to the annual Awa Odori dance festival and the deep natural environment of the Iya Valley, as well as the fascinating eddies of the Naruto Strait. These eddies, up to 20 meters in diameter, form when the central current merges with slower currents on the sides of the strait, something you can see up close on boat tours or through the glass-bottom observation deck of the Onaruto Bridge.
The powerful eddies of Naruto Strait in Tokushima Prefecture can be seen up close on boat tours or from above on the Onaruto Bridge. Photo courtesy of Naruto City Uzushio Tourist Association
Wherever you go in Shikoku, you’re never far from a good meal. This is especially true for Hirome Market Kochi Prefecture, in the far south of Shikoku, which is best reached by car or a combination of trains from Tokushima. Nicknamed ‘Kochi’s Kitchen’, the sixty or so small eateries here serve a wide variety of dishes, from local classics like katsuo-no-tataki (bonito scorched over piles of burning straw). izakaya (bar style) staples such as gyoza (dumplings) and fried chicken. Best of all, you can eat at large communal tables, where there’s a good chance you’ll strike up a conversation with Kochi’s locals.
Kochi Prefecture’s bustling Hirome Market is a must for foodies, with dozens of small restaurants serving local specialties. Photo courtesy of Kochi Visitors & Convention Association
Last but not least, Shikoku is located in the northwest Ehime Prefecturelocated at the southern end of the Shimanami Kaido Cycle Route, with an airport connecting to Tokyo. Ehime’s Matsuyama is the largest city in Shikoku and offers great restaurants and historical sites such as the early 17th century.ecentury Matsuyama Castle, although it is best known for Dogo Onsen, one of the country’s oldest hot springs. At the Dogo Onsen Honkan Bathhouse, built in 1894 with the look of a wooden castle, you can take a soothing dip in a public bath before unwinding with green tea and sweets in a relaxation area with tatami mats. It’s the perfect way to end an adventure in Chugoku and Shikoku.
The Dogo Onsen Honkan in Ehime Prefecture is not only one of Japan’s most historic bathhouses, it is also said to be the inspiration for the bathhouse in the Oscar-winning animated film Spirited Away Photo courtesy of Matsuyama City
Discover more sights and delights here just a short trip from Tokyo.
