Western Japan
Kyōto
It was easy to find streets not crowded with tourists, located just a few blocks away from streets that were. There are more than 1000 temples, so there are plenty of compounds open to exploration. Bring warm socks in winter, or wear a double layer of socks, because you have to take your shoes off inside temples.
Ōsaka
Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture, Chūgoku region
Cities of Kyūshū
Three night views compared
Japan has three famous night views: Nagasaki, Kōbe (next to Ōsaka), and Hakodate in Hokkaidō. I’ve never been to Hokkaidō, so instead I’m using Tōkyō as the third night view.