Japan Local Sightseeing Guide: Hokkaido

In Japan, some rural regions are anxious for foreign traveller guests and working on making an appeal for economy develops. You can have unique-to-Japan experience at such countryside towns. Furthermore, these places are especially glad to entertain you if you visit.
10 rural towns welcoming foreign traveller and their policy for sightseeing are introduced here.

1. Obihiro in Hokkaido prefecture

https://www.city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp/nouseibu/nouseika/d07rakunou-seisankindai.html

Many foreign traveller visit Hokkaido, but most of them visit only main city such as Sapporo and don't visit countryside. Then Obihiro are anxious for foreign tourist guests.
Obihiro features it's abundant with agricultural and livestock products, so there are many restaurants which serve fresh and delicious foods. On the contrary, there are few accommodation facility. Then Obihiro try to collaborate with other city where there are many hotels such as Kushiro city.In the meanwhile, Staying at guest house is might interesting because you can experience to stay at Japanese house.

2. Akita prefecture

Foreign travellers have increased in Japan recently, but the number of foreign guests at Akita prefecture in Tohoku region doesn't increase so much. Then Akita desire to increase it.
There are many traditional tourism resources such as Namahage, Akita dog and other sightseeing spots. Akita prefecture embark on setting concierge who can speak English at each spots, preparing wi-fi environment, appealing sightseeing spots and so on. In addition that, Akita cooperates with international students.

3. Minakami in Gunma prefecture

Minakami in Gunma prefecture has some facilities for skiing and anxious for foreign tourists.

This towns are working on publish tickets of skiing for foreign tourists, arranging toilets, preparing guides and pamphlets in some languages, producing movies for appealing etc.
The deepest station in Japan is also in Minakami city, it might be interesting.

4. Nagano prefecture

There are many tourism resources in Nagano prefecture such as hot spring, historical castle and ski resort etc. Nagano works on preparing information center and displaying guidance in English, so it's easy to go around for foreign travellers.
Especially, there are some instagrammable sights such as Jigokudani Monkey Park, where you can some monkeys bathing in the hot springs.

5. Wakayama prefecture

There are both beautiful sea and mountain in Wakayama prefecture, it has abundant tourism resources such as Shirahama, Kumano, Kouyasan and so on.
Wakayama also hopes more foreign tourists visit there, so works on appealing homestay experience in Japanese house, preparing free Wi-fi spots, guidance in some languages, keeping toilets in good repair and so on.
Wakayama is near Kyoto, Osaka and Nara, so it's convenient to visit with those places.

6. Kagawa prefecture

https://www.my-kagawa.jp/udon/feature/sanukiudon/mainmenu

Kagawa prefecture is famous for its specialty Udon, it's popular food in Japan. Actually, Kagawa has beautiful sea and there are many sightseeing spots.
In Shikoku region, foreigner travellers can use ALL SHIKOKU Rail Pass, this ticket enable foreign visitors to get on and off train in Shikoku freely.
Kagawa works on preparing call center for interpreting, free Wi-fi, information center guidance in some languages, information site and SNS (https://www.my-kagawa.jp/en/).

7. Shimane prefecture

Shimane prefecture also has many tourism resources such as beautiful sea, mountain, historical shrines, castle, and silver mine etc. The population in Shimane prefecture is the second fewest in all prefectures in Japan, so Shimane anxious for foreign visitors and put effort for that.
Shimane introduce sightseeing spots and model course in some languages at web site, manufacturing movies for appealing. In the result, the number of foreign tourists has increased rapidly.

8. Shimanami Kaido

http://www.go-shimanami.jp/

Shimanami Kaido connects Hiroshima prefecture in Honshu island and Ehime prefecture in Shikoku island. You can enjoy landscape of sea and islands of Setonaikai with cycling, this might be special experience. Shimanami Kaido prepare guidance and web site in some languages, then attract foreign travellers.

9. Beppu in Oita prefecture

https://gurutabi.gnavi.co.jp/p44/n4401/

Beppu in Oita prefecture is famous for hot spring, the annual output of hot springs is the most in Japan. It desire more foreign travellers stay there.
It works on arranging guidance and web site for sightseeing, supplying movie for appealing, proposing tour to travel agent of other countries.

10. Kagoshima prefecture

Kagoshima is the southest prefecture except Okinawa in Japan. Kagoshima has abundant nature, historical sightseeing spots deriving from Takamori Saigo, delicious food (beef is especially famous) and so on. Kagoshima also struggle to let foreign tourists visit there. Kagoshima works on offering information about sightseeing by Internet, using mascot well.

You can enjoy countryside in Japan as well as main city.. Such towns anxious for foreign tourists, so they might welcome you indeed.

There are many natural view in Hokkaido prefecture. The population density of Hokkaido is about 1 percent of that of Tokyo.
Among them, Soya hill at Wakkanai city in Northern Hokkaido has especially amazing spectacle. It's as if it were not in Japan.

The swing hanging on tree is charming, it's like Switzerland. Many Japanese adore the nature of the country.

I recommend to cycling there. It's very refreshing. You can rental bycicle at hotel or station in Wakkanai city by about 500 yen.

Dairy farming is one of the major industry in Hokkaido prefecture. You can see cows and sheep in very close at Soya hill. They seldom move, the appearance is so cute!

Soya promontory near Soya hill is the northest point in Japan. You can see Russian Karafuto island from there if weather permitting.

You can access to Soya hill by car, bicycle or bus from Wakkanai station which is the northest station in Japan. At Wakkanai, you can enjoy Japanese nostalgic atomsphere.