Discoveries, curiosities, and more
from the Heartland of Japan

Tsuwano and the Sagimai

  There is a rare gem hidden in the hills west of Hiroshima, an hour’s drive from the nearest fast food chain. This is Tsuwano, the “Little Kyoto” of the San’in area, a little town that was once the capital of a feudal lord’s domain, where their oldest traditions are still maintained with a passion...

Two hidden gems in Japan: Hagi and Tsuwano Series Part 2 Tsuwano

The real Japan expert’s way of traveling is to go beyond the standard route of Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. If you want to escape from the famous tourist spots and experience Japan as it really is, we recommend visiting Hagi and Tsuwano, which are close to Hiroshima and can be reached in less...

Two hidden gems in Japan: Hagi and Tsuwano Series Part 1 Hagi

The real Japan expert’s way of traveling is to go beyond the standard route of Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. If you want to escape from the famous tourist spots and experience Japan as it really is, we recommend visiting Hagi and Tsuwano, which are close to Hiroshima and can be reached in less...

Obama: a historical landmark waiting to be discovered

Situated just a few hours from the bustling streets of Kyoto by rail lies the coastal city of Obama. Considerably quieter and smaller than its tourist-centric neighbour, Obama remains, for the most part, relatively undiscovered by visitors. Yet, what this city lacks in size it more than makes up for in history and charm.  While...

Useful guides for your trip

Travelling to Japan for the first time can be daunting, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the local language or the country’s cultural norms.  To help make your trip go as smoothly as possible, Heartland Japan has created a series of helpful guidebooks, covering a range of useful topics such as how to navigate around Tokyo’s...

Food & Drink on the Nakasendo

The Nakasendo is an ancient road that stretches from Tokyo to Kyoto, through the mountains of Central Japan. With daimyo, samurai, and even members of the imperial family using the road, the food had to be top class. The post towns of the Nakasendo also served the masses and street vendors sold local delicacies to...

Help us develop new unique tours mainly for Europeans, North Americans and Australians & New Zealanders in Yatsugatake

Warmest greetings from Japan!  Heartland Japan is a travel company and travel consultancy, devoted to bringing Japan’s lesser known secrets and hidden rural treasures to a global audience. We kindly request your participation in this questionnaire. This is a Japanese governmental project, initiated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT); to develop...

Three Prefectures facing the Seto Inland Sea, offer precious experiences for you

The Seto Inland Sea is a body of calm water that lies between the Japanese main islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, stretching for 490 kilometers from Osaka to Kitakyushu.  The Seto Inland Sea includes about 3000 islands – many of which are inhabited – blessed by a mild climate and a relaxed atmosphere, often...

Discover Owari Samurai & Timber

Samurai! Many places throughout Japan claim to have a strong samurai history, but looking at the history of the Owari domain (present day Aichi) and nearby Kiso Valley which they controlled, one can truly feel why this area was such a pivotal location throughout Japanese history, and thus, a place that bred strong samurai. First...

A Look Back at 2020 and Projects We’ve Been Doing

As we all welcome in the new year, the whole tourism industry looks forward to a safe recovery after the tumultuous year that was 2020. While there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel for the pandemic situation, it is still unclear how and when travel will return to normal. No...

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