December 2021
Hokaido
Winter Trip in Japan? Here are The Best Non-Tourist(y) Spots!
We’re switching from T-shirts to sweaters and bringing out the kotatsu (a table with a heater underneath), which means spectacular illuminations and adorable winter dates in Japan.
Sadly, despite the weather, it can still be quite busy.
Here’s a brief list of places not on everyone’s list to enjoy the wintertime vistas around Japan safely and peacefully.
So put on your gloves and scarf, and let’s go!
Kanto
Lake Yuno (Nikko)
Although Tokyo’s winter illuminations are spectacular, if you don’t want swarms of people in your photographs, you’ll have to leave the city.
The wintery beauties of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture are a delightful alternative for an overnight excursion.
The winter months are ideal for a stroll around Yuno Lake, where you can see the snow-capped hills gleaming across the calm waters.
You can witness illuminations around Lake Chuzenji in the evening, when the lights bounce off the lake and create a lovely environment.
Alternatively, foodies and fruit enthusiasts may visit one of the numerous strawberry farms in the area to choose their own wonderful winter delicacies.
Strawberries (grown in greenhouses) are a favorite winter fruit in Japan, and Tochigi is famed for its luscious strawberries.