Japan private tour insights for Hyogo Prefecture Part 2

The ruins of Hyogo Prefecture's Takeda Castle floating in the sky at dawn in autumn.

Before I get into Part 2 of Hyogo Prefecture, I would like to mention two recent Japan tourism news themes.

Given the problems of overtourism I am increasingly advising my Japan private tour clients to avoid Kyoto during super peak season (March-April and October-November). Alternatively, I have increasingly designed private tour itineraries for peak-season Kyoto that avoid the crowds by starting early and choosing wisely. It is important for foreign travelers to Japan to understand that the entire country is like Kyoto or similar to Kyoto. There are many towns and cities that offer the same charming and unforgettable attractions.

Recently, Yamagata Prefecture, which is about 3 hours north of Tokyo by bullet train, was voted the best locations in the world by National Geographic and for good reason. Yamagata is sparsely populated and full of nature, hot springs, and history. And the prefecture has been promoting its attractions to the world with increasing sophistication.

Beyond its stunning natural landscapes, Yamagata has many high-level cultural and historical attractions. It has samurai culture. The famous Yamadera Temple site, set high up on a forested mountainside, is an excellent location to experience the depths of Buddhist spirituality.

The second piece of recent tourism news concerns the rising recognition of Toyama's Unazuki and Oomaki Onsen hot spring towns for wellness tourism. Both of these onsens are gaining international attention for their unique mix of serenity, simplicity, and deep natural beauty.

Unazuki Onsen is located at the entrance of Kurobe Gorge and its hot springs are fed by some of the purest water in Japan. These mildly alkaline waters are good for the skin. And the area’s outdoor baths offer incredible views of cliffs and lush forests.

The remote Oomaki Onsen, with only one ryokan, lies deep in Toyama's Shogawa River basin. You can only get there by boat! This is a place where you can disappear into nature while enjoying world-class kaiseki cuisine and local sake perfections. Learn more!

The rest of this post covers:

Great Hyogo Prefecture destinations beyond Kobe City

Japan private travel content by Your Japan Private Tours' (established in 1990) founder Japan travel expert Ian Martin Ropke. I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. Your Japan Private Tours specializes in bespoke travel for private clients (I do not work with agents) including exclusive excursions, personalized experiences, and unique adventures. I am 100% client-centric and total individual attention. Consider my Japan travel services for your next trip. And thank you for reading my content. Learn more!

Great Hyogo Prefecture destinations beyond Kobe City

Kinosaki Onsen: The famous hot spring town of Kinosaki is located at the north end of Hyogo Prefecture and faces the Sea of Japan. It is easy to get to by fast train from Osaka and Kyoto in about three hours. Kinosaki Onsen's hot springs were discovered nearly 1,300 years ago! Kinosaki is super charming and authentically traditional. I have stayed there three or four times and every time the experience was amazing. There are no huge hotels and no ugly modern disturbances of any kind in Kinosaki. You can stroll through the town in your yukata "bath robes" (from your ryokan) in the warm months and bathe at one of the town's many public hot spring facilities. The main part of the town was built along a river lined with lovely willow trees. And you can also tour near the town and experience a number of interesting locations ranging from stunning geological formations and cliffs to a well managed stork sanctuary and great beaches.

Must-see Himeji Castle: Himeji Castle (also known as the White Heron Castle) is generally considered to be Japan's most beautiful historical castle. It's also a World Heritage Site! The castle is one of twelve castles across Japan that were not damaged by war or natural disasters. Himeji Castle is perfect in short and inspirational in many ways. The hillside site was already a strategic location in 1400s and over the following centuries the castle continued to evolve and grow in size. The current castle buildings, more than eighty, date to 1609. Himeji Castle was designed to be a maze or labyrinth to confuse attackers and slow them down. From the top floor of the castle visitors are afforded amazing views of the surrounding landscape and also the castle itself. And during peak seasons (Oct-Nov and March-April) try to avoid visiting Himeji Castle on weekends, as it can get extremely crowded!

The wonders of spiritual Mount Shosha: Mount Shosha is only half hour from Himeji City and easy to get to by bus and ropeway. It is a popular hiking destination and also a special spiritual experience. One-thousand-year-old Engyoji Temple is located at the top of Mount Shosha. The temple's many buildings are spread out across an enchanting forested area. The wooden Maniden temple hall is cantilevered on a steep slope with the use of numerous support pillars (similar to Kyoto's Kiyomizu Temple's grand verandah). The stunning natural setting of the temple is free of any by modern features, which makes it authentic and well worth the effort. The temple has been used for many movies and TV shows including "The Last Samurai" starring Tom Cruise.

The romantic ruins of Takeda Castle: Hyogo Prefecture's Asago City (about 70 km north of Himeji Castle) is home to breathtaking views from the ruins of Takeda Castle high up on a large plateau. The castle is also known as the "castle floating in the sky" for its appearance on the foggy mornings of autumn. The original castle was built in 1411 and fell into ruin from about 1600. It was only restored, in part, in the late 1970s. Though there are no major buildings at the site the foundations are mostly still intact. The views from the site attract photographers from all over Japan (especially in autumn for the foggy morning views). If you are in Japan in October or November then try to get to the castle at first light to experience the sea of clouds from the castle ruins.

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