Living in Japan and looking for a vacation somewhere on one of the islands? There are many great destinations to head to for a few days or more. Japan has diverse treats to offer, with plenty of culture mixing with great scenery ranging from castles to mountains to beaches. You won’t need to worry about jetting off abroad for a break. Beyond Tokyo and Osaka (both of which get plenty of attention), here are a few other places to consider if planning a Japanese holiday.

Kyoto

Japan’s former imperial capital, Kyoto is rich with history and culture, a modern thriving city that has preserved much tradition. Unsurprisingly, this makes it a popular destination for tourists and holiday-makers. You can see castles, the imperial palace, and some of the best temples and shrines in Japan. There is no shortage of things to see and do if you want to spend a week or more here. Visiting the teahouses of Gion and boating along the Fushimi canals are evergreen favourites, but it’s also worth heading to further out places such as Arashiyama to see the bamboo forest and snow monkeys.

Mount Fuji

Arguably Japan’s most famous landmark, Mt. Fuji can be seen at a distance from cities such as Tokyo. However, viewing the nearly 4,000m-high landmark is best done from close in. This is why so many center their holidays around a trip to Mt. Fuji. It’s an active volcano (last eruption 1707) that you can climb from July to mid-September. Popular resorts where you can stay for several days and nights include the Fuji Five Lake region, where you can combine mountaineering with boat rides, and the onsen resort of Hakone. There’s also Yeti Snow Town and Fujiten if you prefer a winter break and maybe a bit of snow sports.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima will probably always be best known for its terrible fate at the end of World War II, where large parts of the city were destroyed by an atomic bomb that killed tens of thousands of inhabitants. But there is a lot more to both Hiroshima city and wider prefecture than that. Obviously there is much wartime history to take in, with the Peace Memorial Park in the city center containing bombed out remains as well as a brilliant museum. Beyond this, you can spend a day or two at Hiroshima Castle and nearby Shukkeien Gardens, enjoy evenings in the vibrant downtown district, and make excursions around Hiroshima Bay and the Seto Inland Sea. The biggest draw here is Miyajima, famed for its mesmerizing floating torii gate and free-roaming rabbit population.

Nara

Japan’s capital city before Kyoto, Nara is another part of the country steeped in history and tradition. Here, you’ll find some of Japan’s oldest and largest temples, as well as the biggest bronze Buddha in Japan. It’s a great place to enjoy a vacation if you’re looking to wind down and immerse yourself in Japan’s ancient history. It’s also easily accessible, located in the Kansai district not too far from Osaka and Kyoto. There’s also plenty of natural beauty here, including Nara Park where visitors come to see and feed the many free-roaming deer.

Okinawa and the Southwest Islands

Here’s where to head to if you’re after an idyllic beach holiday. These islands are a semi-tropical archipelago that are distinct from the rest of Japan, not just in climate but in culture. This is largely because they only became part of Japan in the 19th century, having existed as an independent kingdom prior to this. The islands have their own unique way of life, evident in everything from cuisine to architecture, and they boast some of the best beaches in all Japan.

Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons