Japanese Alps, the Offbeat Japan itinerary
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All 14 places on this map are pinned at their exact location. Each one comes with a short note on what it is and why it is worth your time. Browsing is free, and with an Ikuzo account you can copy the whole map and reshape it into your own trip.
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Matsumoto Castle
The black crow of the Alps: one of Japan's few original castles, with the peaks as a backdrop.
Kamikōchi, Kappa-bashi Bridge
The sanctuary valley of the Alps: a turquoise river, 3,000 m peaks and no private cars.
Karasawa Cirque
A 6-hour hike from Kamikōchi, a night in a mountain hut, and the largest glacial cirque in Japan.
Daiō Wasabi Farm (Azumino)
Beds of gravel and spring water as far as the eye can see, and a wasabi ice cream worth the trip.
Narai-juku
The longest post town on the Nakasendō, a full kilometer of Edo-period facades.
Tsumago-juku
The best preserved post town on the Nakasendō: no power lines and no vending machines on the main street.
Magome-juku
The perfect starting point for the walk to Tsumago: 8 km of stone-paved trail through forests and hamlets.
Takayama, Sanmachi-suji
The sake merchant lanes of the little Kyoto of the Alps. Stay overnight to have them to yourself in the evening.
Hida-Furukawa
A canal full of carp and white storehouses, 15 minutes from Takayama and without its crowds.
Shirakawa-gō
The UNESCO-listed gasshō-zukuri thatched roofs. Magical under snow, ideally on a weekday.
Kanazawa, Kenroku-en
One of Japan's three great gardens, surrounded by a city of craftspeople.
Eihei-ji
The Sōtō Zen monastery in its cedar forest, where 200 monks follow a strict training routine.
Kurobe Dam
The concrete giant of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (open from mid-April to late November).
Jigokudani, the snow monkeys
Macaques soaking in their rotenburo. Unforgettable under the snow, from December to March.