Where To Travel In Japan Besides Tokyo

Every few years, certain destinations emerge as major travel hotspots for American tourists. HuffPost recently asked travel experts to predict the most popular choices for 2024, and while many shared a variety of countries, cities, islands and other locales, a lot of them gave the same answer: Japan.

“The destination that comes to mind first for me is Japan,” said Sarah Firshein, head of editorial at Tripadvisor. “With travelers increasingly eager to spend their discretionary income on experiences and activities, I’m fully expecting Japan’s ancient temples, diverse cultures and communities, next-level food scene, and extraordinary art and architecture to be a huge draw in 2024.”

Of course, Tokyo is likely the first city that comes to mind when you think of travel to Japan. But with the growing tourist crowds, you might want to set your sights beyond the capital as well. Below, experts share the other amazing Japanese destinations they recommend.

Sapporo

“The city of Sapporo, famous for their Sapporo beer, is in the northernmost region of Hokkaido, which receives abundant snow,” said Gabby Beckford, a travel expert and founder of Packs Light.

She praised Sapporo’s cityscape, onsen, nearby skiing options and ease of access ― a flight of less than two hours or a scenic four-hour train ride on the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo. “I’m going to Sapporo to experience their annual Snow Festival held in February, where they’ll debut hundreds of gigantic ice sculptures, transforming the city into a true winter wonderland,” Beckford said.

Osaka

“Osaka has some of the world’s most affordable high-end restaurants,” said Laura Lindsay, global travel trends expert at Skyscanner. “There are 93 Michelin-starred restaurants in