Japan's Smaller Cities Offer Lands of Discovery and Adventure

Tokyo and Kyoto aren't the only worthwhile destinations to visit in storied Japan, but they're often the only ones Americans know about. Its smaller towns offer plenty of attractions, from a land where oriental white storks fly overhead to a historic town memorable for its hot springs to another notable for its close proximity to the stately and picturesque Mount Fuji.

They're also perfect complements to a longer tour throughout Japan, offering less crowded destinations with just as much culture, history and gastronomic adventure as the larger cities.

Toyooka City, located on the northern coast of southwestern Japan, can be accessed from Kyoto or one of the other cities in the region. It's a beautiful town offering opportunities to enjoy Japanese culture at its most elemental, complete with izakayas, or pub-style restaurants offering delicious regional dishes.

The town is home to the country's oldest wooden market, Kousetsu Ichiba, which offers freshly grown produce and flowers. Toyooka, known for its history of producing high-quality bags, offers its own Caban Street, or bag street, where travelers can pick up a bag or wicker trunk whose legacy reflects the town's 1,200 year-old bag-making history.

The town is located near two very special natural landmarks. The first is the Genbudo Caves, where columns of basalt rise to the sky in a staggeringly organized manner. The second is the oriental white stork, or kounotori. This gorgeous bird was once found all across Japan, but was threatened nearly to extinction in the mid-1900s.

It was in Toyooka City that residents captured some of the last wild oriental white storks and began breeding them in an effort to continue their species. Today, Hyogo Park of the Oriental White Stork in Toyooka is a free, family-friendly attraction that includes educational activities along with wildlife viewings.

Kinosaki is a historic town along the Maruyama River in Hyogo Prefecture, just north of Toyooka City. Known for its onsens, or hot springs, residents and travelers to the town have been soaking in the springs since the year 720 A.D!