Otaru is a small harbor city west of Sapporo. Famous for its many hills and a nearby ski resort the town has been an important trade and herring fishing center. A wide canal that led from the port to the old town's warehouses has been maintained for touristic purposes and the old stone or brick-built warehouses have been beautifully converted to restaurants and boutiques.

Aomori, on Honshu's northern edge, is one of Japan's most enchanting destinations: dark, forested peaks, cherry-blossom castles, soaring temples, and dramatic scenery. It's best known for Nebuta Matsuri, a summer fire festival of huge illuminated floats, lanterns, and pounding drums. See Hirosaki Castle in spring, Sannai-Maruyama's Jomon history, and UNESCO-listed Shirakami Sanchi, a beech-forest wilderness of waterfalls and black bears.

Noshiro is a gateway to Lake Tawada and nearby nature reserves on Akita Prefecture's Sea of Japan coast. The city of about 55,000 also provides access to Shirakami-Sanchi, a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness of Japanese beech forests. The Yoneshiro River meets the sea here, and Mount Yakeyama is the area's highest point at nearly 1,000 meters. Following the river north leads to Lake Tawada and Oirase Gorge.

Sado, Japan's sixth-largest island, relies mainly on fishing and agriculture. Tori Forest Park was chosen for the reintroduction of Crested Ibises, once reduced to about 12 birds worldwide in 1981. Japan and China bred the last five wild Japanese ibises in captivity on Sado, and the birds successfully nested in the wild again in 2012. Another attraction is Sado Gold Mine, where visitors can explore deep tunnels and see how gold was mined for nearly 400 years.

Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, once rivaled Kyoto and Edo for cultural wealth. Spared in World War II, it preserves old districts well. Its best-known site is Kenrokuen, beside Kanazawa Castle, one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, with a pond, hills, historic tea house, and Japan's oldest natural-pressure fountain. Nearby Higashi Chaya Gai is a major geisha district and National Cultural Asset. The city is also known for lacquerware, Kutani pottery, gold leaf, and silk kimonos.

The Oki Islands are an archipelago in the Sea of Japan, with four inhabited islands-Nishinoshima, Nakanoshima, Chiburijima, and Dogo-and over 180 uninhabited ones. People have lived here for 30,000 years, and obsidian was mined and traded in the Stone Age. With dramatic volcanic landscapes, mysterious ecosystems, and nature-shaped rocks, the islands offer a glimpse into the Sea of Japan's formation. Oki Islands Geopark joined the Global Geoparks Network in 2013.

Hagi is a former castle town in Yamaguchi Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast, surrounded by mountains, the sea, and the Abu River. Built around Hagi Castle in the early 17th century by Terumoto Mori, it still preserves a 400-year-old castle town atmosphere from the samurai era. It is also known for Hagi-yaki pottery, brought from Korea, whose porous clay changes color over time, and for summer tangerines and tangerine-flavored soft ice cream.

Busan, South Korea's second city, is a lively port framed by mountains and sea. Highlights include cliffside Haedong Yonggung Temple, lantern-lit Beomeosa, and the colorful, art-filled Gamcheon Culture Village. Feast on bibimbap and seafood, then unwind on Haeundae or Gwangalli beach, with city skyscrapers, sand festivals, and the glowing Gwangan Bridge completing Busan's quirky urban-coastal charm.

Busan, South Korea's second city, is a lively port framed by mountains and sea. Highlights include cliffside Haedong Yonggung Temple, lantern-lit Beomeosa, and the colorful, art-filled Gamcheon Culture Village. Feast on bibimbap and seafood, then unwind on Haeundae or Gwangalli beach, with city skyscrapers, sand festivals, and the glowing Gwangan Bridge completing Busan's quirky urban-coastal charm.

Sakaiminato is a small city almost surrounded by water: the Sea of Japan, Sakai Channel, and Lake Nakaumi. Across the lake, Matsue and Yasugi offer notable sights. Matsue, the "Town of Water," is beside Lakes Shinji and Nakaumi and has one of Japan's few remaining wooden castles; castle tours and boat rides on the Horikawa River and moat are popular. Yasugi's Adachi Museum of Art is famous for contemporary Japanese paintings and a 165,000-square-meter garden, often named Japan's best.

Takamatsu is the capital of Kagawa, Japan's smallest prefecture. With about 420,000 people, it blends natural beauty and urban function. Its port was once Shikoku's main gateway until the 37km Seto Ohashi Bridge opened in 1988. Since the 17th century, the city has prospered under the Matsudaira family, who completed Ritsurin Garden: a 75-hectare villa garden with 13 hills, 6 ponds, and views of Mt. Shiun. Takamatsu is also known for fresh seafood and Sanuki udon.

Osaka, Japan's third-largest city, is a neon-soaked, food-loving spectacle of giant signs, bustling restaurants, shopping, and glittering temples. Dotonbori Bridge glows above the canal, while Kuromon Ichiba Market-"the nation's kitchen"-has served street food for nearly 200 years, from pufferfish and okonomiyaki to octopus. Visit 16th-century Osaka Castle for history and city views, and cherry blossoms in spring. Kyoto's temples are a short train ride away.