Wish Upon the Stars at Japan's Colorful Tanabata Festival

The small city of Iwakuni is best known for the Kintaikyo Bridge, its 350 year old wooden pedestrian bridge that becomes even more scenic during cherry blossom season. Traverse its 5 elegant wooden arches as they leapfrog across the Nishiki River on 4 large stone pillars. For lunch or dinner, try the various locally popular cuisines, including “fugu” pufferfish. And one of Japan’s 3 greatest pagodas, Ruriko-ji Temple, is found in Yamaguchi. Notable for its cypress bark shingles, the five-story pagoda is designated a National Treasure.

The first World Heritage Site designated in Japan, Shirakami-Sanchi boasts one of the world’s largest virgin forests of beech trees. Hike up mountains and through valleys to waterfalls and lakes in a natural splendor that’s home to bears, monkeys, and 87 species of birds. Time travel to the 17th century as you stroll by Kakunodate’s immaculate samurai homes on streets lined with thousands of cherry trees. And when it’s time to relax, soak in the milky hot springs found in the rustic mountainside ryokan of Nyuto Onsen.

Traverse the Japan Alps in a variety of vehicles when you hop on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Journey by foot, cable car, aerial ropeway and more along the 37.2 kilometer route. Then travel deep down the Shogawa River to the secluded and idyllic area of Gokayama, where you’ll behold traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, many of which are more than 300 years old. And in the heart of the city, put on a yukata and stroll around the Japanese garden and spacious lawns of the Toyama Castle grounds.