Last Updated: Sep 20, 2022

Traveling in the Countryside

Avoiding Common Problems

One of the most peculiar things about Japan’s many tourism assets is the fact that a significant number of them are situated far away from metropolitan centers. While cities like Tokyo and Kyoto have large concentrations of venues to experience, many major shrines and temples are actually located way out in the countryside. Take for example, the likes of Izumo Taisha. Despite being one of the oldest and most important shrines in Shintoism, the complex resides in rural Shimane Prefecture. This is about as far off the beaten path as you can get!

Luckily though, Japan’s amazing transportation system allows even those fresh off the boat to navigate their way to just about anywhere. Nevertheless, as you might imagine, there are some stark differences between traveling in the major cities and venturing out to the countryside. To ensure that the reader not encounter any unnecessary hardships, I’ve put together the following list of best practices to keep in mind. While some of these apply specifically only to foreign tourists, many are relevant to Japanese travelers as well. Simply put, once you’ve left the confines of the inner city, many convenience comforts eventually disappear. In an environment like this, failing to plan is planning to fail.