Last Updated: Apr 27, 2024

Why Get Off the Beaten Path

Authentic Travel in Japan

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

“Donny, why is it that you focus on off the beaten path destinations?”

— Everyone

Truth be told, I must get this question several times per week in one form or another. After all, aren’t the majority of tourists interested in seeing major attractions like Fushimi Inari Taisha? In light of this booming inbound tourism industry in Japan, why not focus on producing content for only the most popular destinations?

The short answer is that I believe that the mainstream spots have been so over commodified that they have lost all sense of authenticity. Historically famous sites like Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera are now so overwhelmed with tour groups that the experience has become akin to a visit to Disneyland. As you might imagine, it’s hard to appreciate these attractions’ sense of spirituality when you’re concerned about losing an eye to a selfie stick.

By sidestepping the hordes of travelers and getting off the beaten path, I allege that visitors to Japan are able to connect more deeply with the culture. Those that fail to escape the mainstream spots are often doomed to only see the country vicariously through someone else’s curated vision…