Kibi Plain Ancient Heritage Tourism Corridor

The riverbank area of Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture preserves Edo-period townscape. White-walled storage houses line the streets with beautiful willow trees. Designated a Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings in 1979. Multiple museums add cultural value. Attracts approximately 1.5 million visitors annually, exemplifying Japanese townscape preservation.

Kurashiki Bikan District in Kurashiki, Okayama preserves an Edo-to-Meiji merchant town. White-walled earthen-walled merchant houses along the Kurashiki River with weeping willows express quintessential Japanese beauty. Once a cotton distribution hub, it pioneered private preservation efforts. Represents Japan's finest example of integrated preservation combining buildings, land, and water landscape.

A district in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, dense with Edo to Meiji-era merchant houses featuring white plaster walls. Over 170 buildings are preserved along the Kurashiki River, maintaining their historical character despite modernization—a rare streetscape. Integrated with cultural facilities like the Ohara Museum of Art, it conveys the history of Edo-period commerce. Designated as an Important Preservation District, attracting over 1 million visitors annually.

A cultural city in Hokuriku that flourished as the castle town of the Kaga domain, where tradition and modernity coexist at Kenroku-en Garden, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, and Higashi Chaya District. The 2015 Hokuriku Shinkansen dramatically improved access from Tokyo, triggering a tourism surge.

One of Japan's premier mountain scenic spots at approximately 1,500m elevation in the Northern Alps. Views from Taisho Pond and Kappa Bridge reflecting the Hotaka Range are sometimes called 'Japan's Switzerland.' Private car restrictions preserve the natural environment, making it a popular base for mountaineering and trekking.

A UNESCO World Natural Heritage archipelago roughly 1,000km south of Tokyo. Called the 'Galapagos of the East,' the islands are a treasure trove of endemic species. Accessible only by a 24-hour ferry, this remote paradise is popular for whale watching and diving.