Tokyo is an extraordinary city, but it has a gravitational pull that keeps most visitors locked within its orbit — or sends them shooting directly to Kyoto on the Shinkansen without stopping. What they miss is a ring of historic castle towns within two or three hours of the city, places where feudal Japan left its mark in stone walls, samurai districts, and merchant streets that survived the 20th century more or less intact. ...
Japan doesn’t market its lighthouses the way it markets its temples or its cherry blossoms, which is a shame — and also your advantage. Honshu’s coastline stretches for thousands of kilometers, wrapping around sea cliffs, volcanic headlands, and fishing coves that most foreign visitors never see. The lighthouses that stand along it tend to be old, well-built, and set against views that would stop anyone in their tracks. Below are seven of the finest lighthouse stops along Honshu, chosen for scenery, accessibility, and the general absence of tour groups. ...