The traditional crafts live and breathe in and around the Tokyo area. The origins vary from religious symbols to architectural designs to just pure enjoyment. The exploration of the endless creativity behind Japanese crafts can take you on a journey to discover some of the wonderful towns and cities beyond the capital, deepening your appreciation of Japanese culture as a whole. Let's visit five fascinating places in and around Tokyo where tradition meets creativity in the craft world.

Japan feels different when you stop chasing checklists and start borrowing from everyday life. Across Kanto, there are places where the border between “visitor” and “local” softens: a former elementary school reborn as a community hub, a temple that doubles as a soul-reboot button, a farmhouse where river fish go straight from pond to irori, a classroom where you become the transfer student for a day, and a cat café where you can design a good-luck charm at your own pace. These attractions are spaces where staying overnight, cooking, training, meditating, or simply chatting becomes part of the experience. “Beyond travel” here means learning how people live, eat, and practice their traditions, and carrying some of that depth home with you.

The quality of the food and drink made in Japan are not simply a goal, but a way of life. Even in the most extraordinary restaurants and breweries in Japan, you may not find Michelin stars, but you will discover culinary craftspeople dedicated to protecting and improving the traditional methods that have produced cuisine of superior quality for centuries. From historic restaurants maintaining the Aizu food culture of northern Japan to shops perfecting the production of the humble senbei (rice cracker), the commitment of small businesses to the flavors of traditional Japan is unchanging over time. You'll find many of these establishments operating outside of central Tokyo; fortunately, the network of public transportation, with the JR East train lines as the backbone, gives visitors to Tokyo quick and easy access to most of them.

Tokyo is a city of contrasts, yet its spiritual side doesn't leap immediately to mind when you consider this vast urban metropolis. Yet, from the mountains guarding the city's western flank to its bayside bustling with the busyness of modern life, Tokyo's spiritual side is deep and ancient. Neighboring Saitama, too, has grown up on the heels of its more famous neighbor, but deep in its rugged mountains, you'll still find ancient landmarks of Japan's Shinto and Buddhist religions. Take a few steps off the beaten path to explore another side of Tokyo and Saitama and discover the spiritual roots that run deep around the Tokyo area.

Fukushima is the kind of place that sneaks up on you. The first time I hopped on a Shinkansen bullet train and visited this Tohoku prefecture just north of Tokyo, I was simply curious about what Fukushima had to offer. Before I knew it, I had fallen in love with it: the fertile agricultural fields framed by rugged mountains, the kindhearted people who offered their sincerest hospitality, and the proud cultural heritage rooted deep in its samurai history. Many first-time visitors come to Fukushima unsure of what to expect from it but leave, often reluctantly, with a new-found respect for its beauty, people, and culture.

Kanto is full of surprises. Just beyond Tokyo’s dense skyline, a unique kind of creativity flourishes, one shaped by rolling hills, quiet lakes, and innovative spaces where art and nature coexist. In Chiba and Gunma prefectures, these worlds come together in unexpected ways, from sustainable farms dotted with contemporary sculptures to museums where nature seamlessly blends with exhibition spaces. Whether it’s a hands-on experience at an eco-friendly art farm or an architectural masterpiece that doubles as a hotel, these destinations prove that inspiration thrives in the most unexpected places.

Bonsai, Bamboo, and Japanese Whisky A Green Path Crafted by Nature, Refined by Hand

A Spring Journey along Historic Routes and Seasonal Flowers

The Koshu Kaido is one of Japan's five great routes from the Edo period, a historic road that stretches approximately 220 kilometers (about 137 miles) from Nihombashi in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kofu, before continuing on to join the Nakasendo route at Shimosuwa in present-day Nagano. Today, this ancient road also feels like a living corridor through Japanese history. Connecting mountain passes, post towns, and landscapes that once inspired ukiyo-e masters such as Katsushika Hokusai, it remains an inspiring path rich in cultural landmarks and memorable sights. Originally developed in the early Edo period as a military route linking Edo Castle with Kofu Castle, the Koshu Kaido served strategic and defensive purposes. Historical records suggest it may have even been envisioned as an emergency evacuation route for the shogun. By the mid-Edo period, however, the road had evolved into a vital commercial artery, transporting silk textiles and agricultural products from Kai Province (modern-day Yamanashi) to Edo. Religious pilgrims heading to Mount Fuji and Mount Minobu added to the flow of travelers, and along the way, 45 post towns developed to support them with lodging, meals, and other services. Much of the original road follows what is now National Route 20, but traces of its storied past are remarkably well-preserved.

A Green Journey into Japan’s Farming Spirit and Local Food Culture

© Sébastien Raineri

In an age when Tokyo and Kyoto are separated by little more than a three-hour nap on the bullet train, I found it difficult to imagine what travel once demanded of merchants, pilgrims, and samurai in the Edo period. Fortunately, Japan’s five historic roads still remain, preserving many of their original landscapes and waypoints. I chose Nakasendo, an inland route that once connected Nihonbashi in Edo (present-day Tokyo) with Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto, stretching roughly 526 kilometers (about 327 miles). Unlike the coastal Tokaido road, the Nakasendo cuts straight through Japan’s interior. Along its length, 67 post towns known as shukuba once provided travelers with food, lodging, and supplies as they crossed the highland landscapes of present-day Saitama, Gunma, and Nagano. The route included demanding stretches such as the Kiso Valley, making it longer and more physically challenging than the Tokaido. But with far fewer major river crossings, it often became the preferred alternative during flood season. Luckily, I didn’t need to walk the full 526 kilometers to feel the pull. Over the course of a few days, I visited six road-side destinations that revealed different layers of Nakasendo, from its hardships and hospitality to its spirituality and scenic beauty. Along the way, I encountered historic towns like Narai-juku, Unno-juku, Tsumago-juku, and Magome-juku, where Edo-period streetscapes remain remarkably intact. For history lovers like myself, the Nakasendo carries deeper resonance: The young Princess Kazunomiya Chikako once traveled this road from Kyoto to Edo for her marriage to Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi, a political union meant to steady a waning shogunate. And the echoes of her journey remained a gentle companion throughout my journey.

Hakone, Odawara, Nihonbashi. Where Tradition and Contemporary Art Intersect

Tracing Japan’s Autumn Landscapes as Seen by Hokusai

A Winter Journey of Prayer, Handcrafts, and Timeless Japanese Beauty

A Snow-Covered Route Journey through Japan’s White Landscapes

Stretched across a distance of 495 kilometres (307 miles), the Tokaido was one of the Five Routes developed during the Edo period, connecting Nihombashi in Edo (present-day Tokyo) to Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto. 53 post towns were established along the Pacific Coast of Honshu to form the region’s main transportation artery. Following Tokugawa Ieyasu’s change of political base to Edo in 1590, the shogunate established a publication, transportation and communications system in 1601. To ensure efficient travel and logistics, horses and porters relayed officials, documents, and goods from one post town to the next. Travelers kept track of their journey through distance markers at regular intervals along the route. The Tokaido runs through the areas now known as Tokyo and Kanagawa. Between Miya-juku and Kuwana-juku post towns, transportation was supplemented by a sea route known as Shichiri no Watashi, which crossed the estuary where the Kiso, Nagara, and Ibi rivers flow into the sea. In present-day Kanagawa Prefecture, nine post towns were located between Kawasaki-juku and Hakone-juku, making this section an especially busy and important transportation corridor. Travelers could enjoy coastal scenery along the way, before entering the rugged mountains of Hakone, west of Odawara. As a former resident of Tochigi Prefecture and current resident of Tokyo, there is no better way to deepen my understanding of the Kanto region I call home than to travel along sections of the Tokaido. So, I decided to undertake a journey over three days. I mentally placed myself in the steps of my ancestors, reimagining the story from Nihombashi to Hakone through curious and modern eyes.

A Spring Walking Journey through Cherry Blossoms and Post Town Traditions