Japan’s Best-Kept Secrets
According to Booking.com’s 2025 travel predictions, travelers desire “authentic, off-the-beaten-path” experiences1. This trend continues from their 2024 predictions, where around 47% of travelers were interested in experiencing “off-the-beaten-path” experiences with locals and around 44% wished to visit remote locations that tourists have limited access to2.
One country that stands out to meet those needs is Japan, a treasure trove of hidden wonders. From serene fishing villages to the snow-dusted hot springs of Nagano’s monkey park, the country offers a wealth of experiences unknown to most. But where are Japan’s best-kept secrets?
The travel and luggage experts at Bounce have analyzed the highest-rated hidden gem attractions from Kyōto to Osaka and everywhere in between to reveal Japan’s overlooked treasures.
Nara is the Japanese city with the most hidden gems
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1. Nara
Percentage of hidden gem attractions: 1.80%
Located in the Kansai region and the capital of Nara Prefecture, the city of Nara has the highest proportion of hidden gem attractions on Tripadvisor.
Of the 499 attractions in the city, there are nine hidden gems, for a total of 1.80%. One such attraction is the Yoshikien, a garden built on the former priest residences of Kofukuji Temple with the Yoshikigawa River running through it. There are three unique gardens within the garden, a pond garden, a moss garden, and a tea garden.
2. Kyōto
Percentage of hidden gem attractions: 1.53%
Kyōto, also in the Kansai region, takes second place, with 1.53% of its attractions on Tripadvisor being hidden gems.
One of the 68 hidden gems in the city is the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, first built in the Otagi District, which is now present-day Kyōto, by order of Emperor Shotoku in the 8th century.
Another point of interest in the area is the Ōkōchi Sansō, a famed landscape garden by the famed Showa-era actor Denjiro Okochi. The gardens were painstakingly built during the 1930s and 1940s and would become open to the public in 1962.
3. Kanazawa
Percentage of hidden gem attractions: 1.10%
Kanazawa, located in Ishikawa Prefecture, rounds out the top three cities in Japan with the most off-the-beaten-path attractions. There are 724 attractions in the city on Tripadvisor, with 1.10% of those being hidden gems.
One must-see attraction is one of the old Geisha towns of Kanazawa, Kazuemachi Chayagai. It is quieter than the more tourist-packed Higashi-Chaya and offers travelers an authentic and traditional Japanese experience with many restaurants and teahouses (Chaya).
Another attraction is the Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum, where visitors can see the gold-beating tools used to create gold leaf and observe artisans demonstrating the process.
Japan’s Top Hidden Gem Regions: Kansai, Kantō, and Kyūshū Uncovered
1. Kansai
Percentage of hidden gem attractions: 0.64%
The Kansai, also referred to as Kinki, region has the highest proportion of obscure attractions in Japan. The region has 131 hidden attractions, 0.64% of all Tripadvisor attractions.
The fishing village of Ine no Funaya, located in Kyōto Prefecture, offers boat rides to explore the surrounding area. The Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, a Buddhist temple with approximately 8,000 stone statues and pagodas, is also nearby.
2. Kantō
Percentage of hidden gem attractions: 0.49%
In second place is the Kantō region. Of its 29,112 attractions on Tripadvisor, 0.49% are considered hidden gems.
One attraction for cat lovers is the Gotokuji Temple, a Buddhist temple also known as the “cat temple” due to the countless maneki-neko (beckoning cat) figurines.
There is also the Nissan Heritage Collection, located in Zama. It has only been open to the public since 2014 and has cars dating back to the 1930s.
3. Kyūshū
Percentage of hidden gem attractions: 0.36%
Kyūshū is the region in Japan with the third-highest number of lesser-known attractions, with 0.36% of all attractions in the region on Tripadvisor being considered so.
In Okinawa, there is the Southeast Botanical Gardens, which has more than 1,300 varieties of tropical and subtropical plants and over 50 animal species.
There is also the Nanzoin Temple in Sasaguri-machi, which has a bronze statue of a reclining Buddha, the largest bronze statue in the world.
Okinawa is home to the highest-rated hidden gem
1. Southeast Botanical Gardens
Percentage of excellent reviews: 69.99%
Okinawa’s Southeast Botanical Gardens is Japan's highest-rated hidden gem attraction, as 69.99% of its 863 reviews on Tripadvisor are “excellent,” the highest rating available.
The garden is around 100 acres and has a wide variety of plants, including around 450 species of palm trees, flowers, and fruit trees. There is also a Polynesian Lake, in which visitors can see carp and a range of different insect species.
2. Miho Museum
Percentage of excellent reviews: 69.65%
The second highest-rated of Japan’s secret treasures is the Miho Museum, located in Koka, Shiga Prefecture. Nestled away in the Shigaraki mountains, accessible by an electric trolley, the museum is named after Koyama Mihoko, its founder and one of the richest women in Japan.
The architecture of the building itself is nearly as stunning as the ancient artifacts it contains, ranging from the Egyptians and Romans to various Asian cultures. There are also several pieces from Mihoko’s private collection.
3. Kinosaki Onsen
Percentage of excellent reviews: 66.32%
Rounding out the top three highest-rated hidden gem attractions in Japan is the Kinosaki Onsen, located in Toyooka, Hyōgo Prefecture. This little resort town stands along a willow-lined river on top of natural hot springs and is considered one of the best onsen destinations in the region.
During the evenings in this charming old-fashioned Japanese town, visitors of the local ryokan stroll about the town in yukata and geta, visiting the numerous public baths.
The most popular hidden gems are located in Tokyo
1. Shimokitazawa
Number of annual Google searches: 2,247,000
The most popular hidden gem attraction in Japan is Shimokitazawa, located in Setagaya, Tokyo Prefecture. It’s a cultural quarter with an old Tokyo vibe. Its narrow mural-painted lanes have lots of stylish stores for vintage clothing and vinyl, as well as a range of cafes, bakeries, and bistros.
It is also home to the Honda Gekijo Theatre, which debuts new cutting-edge plays regularly.
2. Gotokuji Temple
Number of annual Google searches: 1,389,000
Gotokuji Temple takes second place among Japan's most popular obscure attractions, with just under 1.4 million searches in the last 12 months. Tucked away among the bustling streets of Setagaya, the “cat temple” is the birthplace of the “maneki-neko.” The temple is filled with feline figures, each symbolizing luck and prosperity.
3. Nakano Broadway
Number of annual Google searches: 1,388,500
In third place is the Nakano Broadway, located in Nakano, Tokyo Prefecture, and has had over 1.3 million searches over the last 12 months. This shopping complex in Tokyo is well-known for its wide variety of shops, especially those that sell anime merchandise and manga, located on the second and third floors. The ground floor has shops selling clothing, shoes, and second-hand goods.
Cody Candee, CEO and Founder of Bounce, comments on Japan’s hidden gems:
“Japan is a veritable treasure-trove of hidden gems, and while many visitors to Japan start their journeys in more populous areas such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, there are plenty of uncovered secrets in the rural areas and fishing villages.
“For those seeking unique urban experiences, Shimokitazawa offers a vibrant mix of vintage stores, trendy cafés, and live music venues, while Nakano Broadway is a treasure trove for anime and pop culture lovers. Gotokuji Temple, which is believed to be the birthplace of the iconic lucky cat (maneki-neko), is a charming and photogenic spot in Tokyo.
“Coastal and island escapes also hold many wonders. Ine no Funaya, a fishing village where homes are built directly above the water, is a peaceful getaway. Onna Blue Cave in Okinawa is a fantastic diving and snorkeling destination, while the Kitayamazaki Cliffs in Iwate offer some of Japan's most dramatic coastal scenery.
“And for those who love offbeat experiences, the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum transports you back in time with its collection of historical buildings, while Shikoku Mura Village showcases traditional rural architecture. Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is an iconic yet surreal sight, where monkeys relax in steaming hot springs.
“Wherever the off-the-beaten path takes you, lugging your bags around everywhere might not be ideal. Many of these hidden locations Japan has to offer often are in remote areas or are awkward to traverse, such as the steep steps to reach Takachiho Gorge, the uneven natural terrain of Aokigahara Forest and the narrow streets of Ine no Funaya. As such, luggage storage should be a strong consideration, as it allows you the freedom to explore and fully immerse yourself in the sights and culture without the hassle of carrying around your heavy luggage.”
Methodology
We started by building a list of Japan’s most populous cities using City Population and a list of the regions in Japan. We then used Tripadvisor to record the total number of attractions and “hidden gem” attractions in each city and region. This allowed us to calculate the percentage of hidden gems within each city and region. We removed any cities that had no hidden gem attractions at this time.
We then made a seed list of hidden gem attractions using articles such as The Invisible Tourist, Japan Travel Pros, and City Unscripted. We then used Tripadvisor to get the number of reviews for each attraction and then the number of “excellent” reviews. We then calculated the percentage of “excellent” reviews for each.
Using the same seed list of hidden attractions, we also looked at which were the most popular using Google Keyword Planner to get the global search volume of each attraction from January 2023 to December 2024.
References:
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