Japan is known for many things, and its special villages and islands are things you can only see in Japan. Check out our article on these special places in Japan.
Japan has many great sights to experience. There are so many things to go and visit that some places either get lost in the commotion, or they haven’t been given enough publicity. These places are usually tucked away or on a small island next to the main one. They can be great places to explore the many different sides of Japan. It can be one of the best adventures you have ever had.
Miyagi Fox Village
You can travel to Miyagi prefecture to go to the Zao Fox Village. The entire village is filled with over 100 hundred foxes. You can feed and interact with them directly. There are play areas for you to enjoy the foxes, and they have been around humans so they like interacting with people. You can even get a special time set aside to enjoy a sleeping fox. The village is open all year round and it is even better during the wintertime. The snow backdrop with the foxes creates an almost storybook setting. It is a great way to see sides of Japan that don’t get enough recognition. Make sure to make your reservations ahead of time as it is a popular place in Japan.
Nara Deer Park
The park in Nara is located next to the station. It is an open area that has deer roaming around the grounds. They have the entire area to themselves and are acclimated to having people around them. You can enjoy the bungalows around the park and feed the deer the popular Shika senbei. There are vendors around the entire park, and you can buy the cookies from all of them. The deer are used to humans feeding them and will approach anyone who has them. You should be careful as some of the males get aggressive when they want some of the cookies. You can even get the deer to bow to you to get one of the cookies.
If you aren’t into the deer there is a museum on the grounds for you to enjoy. There is a restaurant on the basement floor, and it serves hot food at decent prices. There are a few shrines nearby as well and can be great to experience Japanese culture. They have festivals and events there as well, you can plan your trip during those times.
Ōkunoshima Rabbit Island
It is located off of Hiroshima and is home to hundreds of wild rabbits. They haven’t had much human interaction but have no fear of people. They have become accustomed to being fed by tourists and have begun to follow visitors around. You only take a 15-minute ferry from the mainland and you can enjoy the island filled with rabbits. You can buy rabbit food from the convenience store there and it is recommended to do so to get the best experience.
There is a poison gas museum on the island that was made to alert people to possible poison threats. The story is that they would run tests on the rabbits, and when the facility initially shut down the rabbits escaped. The rabbits were left alone and gradually took over the island. Make sure to make reservations and plan your trip accordingly.
Aoshima Cat Island
This island in Ehime is crawling with felines. Most of the island residents have left the island and now only a few people remain. It has become famous for the enormous number of cats that inhabit the island. The cats are wild but are used for human interaction and will walk up to people who visit. They will shower you with love if you show up with food. You can only feed them in the city center, so if you wish to feed them, you will need to go there. There are no hotels or places to stay on the island so you will need to travel there from the surrounding areas. The people on the island are mostly elderly so try to be nice during your time here.
These are some of the most unique experiences you can have in Japan. They are not hard to get to and can lead to some great memories. It should be a great experience for anyone thinking of seeing a different side of the country. Make sure you get all of your reservations in order and you should have no issue enjoying the entire trip.