Inside Travel Group has unveiled the first of five ‘undertouristed’ destinations that its InsideJapan Tours brand will be promoting for 2025.
The operator says the prefecture of Toyama, which is two-and-a-half hours from Tokyo by shinkansen (bullet train) and situated between the Japanese Alps and the Sea of Japan, has been overlooked until now.
Senior Japan Tailormade Product Manager Kate Samuel said: “Over a third of the prefecture is covered in national parks. Emerald rivers rush through gorges, mirror lakes reflect mountain peaks, and the sushi is among the freshest in Japan.
“Toyama is fiercely committed to preserving its heritage and using regeneration-fuelled tourism as a force for good.”
Options include fine dining in Iwase, one of Toyama City’s most atmospheric districts, with six Michelin-listed restaurants; a stay at a 120-year-old farmhouse in the valley village of Tonami; and Wakatsuru Saburomaru, one of Japan’s oldest whisky distilleries.
The operator can weave a stay in Toyama into any tailored itinerary, and the destination is also included in its ‘Hidden Zen’ self-guided cultural tour.
Inside Travel Group Co-Founder Simon King said InsideJapan is enhancing its product in each of the five regions throughout 2025, encouraging travellers to combine one or more of the ‘undertouristed’ locations into their Japan trip.
“With ever-growing visitor numbers, we believe part of the solution to overtourism lies in dispersing travel to lesser-known parts of the country – regions like Toyama – where 99% of international tourists have never set foot in,” he said.
“It’s a place where regeneration is powered by creativity, and tourism isn’t about ticking sights off a list – it’s about being part of something meaningful.”
