Planning a trip to or in Japan? With all the new attractions and stunning heritage sites to add to your travel list, the options can be a bit overwhelming. Your array of choices can become even more mind-boggling if you're looking for places that honour diversity, inclusivity and sustainability while being amazing to visit. To help you narrow things down, look no further than the newly announced winners of the Japan Travel Awards, which highlight exceptional travel destinations and operators around the country.
Now announced for the fourth time, the Japan Travel Awards have this year recognised a total of 11 outstanding attractions that promote tourism through diversity, inclusion, sustainability and hospitality. The winners were chosen by a panel of industry experts from a total of 16 finalists that had made the cut from among nearly 200 open-call entries from across Japan.
Here's a closer look at this year's award-winning destinations and experiences.
Grand Prix Winner: Kurabito Stay (Saku, Nagano)
This remarkable stay in Nagano prefecture is a unique cultural and sustainability-focused experience that lets you become a kurabito or sake brewer for a day in one of Japan’s top sake-brewing regions. The stay promotes slow, immersive cultural exploration and also shines a light on preserving long-standing Japanese businesses like the 300-year-old local Kitsukura Sake Brewery, where the experience takes place.
Best Accessible Travel: Barrier-Free Outdoor Support ‘wildwater’ (Otsu, Shiga)
This outdoor tour operator situated on Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, provides accessible water sporting experiences such as stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing and fishing. Founded by a former firefighter, the company offers activities that can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of physical abilities or limitations.
Best LGBTQ+ Travel: Ace Hotel Kyoto (Kyoto, Kyoto)
Ace Hotel Kyoto is the first Ace Hotel to open in Asia and has set a standard for diversity and inclusivity in Japan's hospitality world. Along with providing a welcoming and engaging environment for all guests, the hotel also engages the LGBTQ+ community with various collaborations, events and campaigns.
Best Sustainable Travel: Natural Indigo Dye Studio AiAii (Sumoto, Hyogo)
This natural indigo dyeing studio grows and ferments its own indigo plants and lets visitors learn the techniques of indigo dyeing through workshops available in English and Japanese. Sustainability is key at the studio, whose workshops help us re-examine the excessive waste of the fashion industry while providing another way to extend the life of our existing items.
Best Inbound Travel: Samurai Trip – Kendo Experience Tour (Ota City, Tokyo)
This foreigner-friendly tour provides comprehensive multilingual experiences that are worth travelling to Japan for. It’s an immersive kendo tour that aims to showcase the competitive spirit of the sport as well as teach visitors the historical and cultural aspects of Japanese martial arts.
Best Family Travel: Iganosato Mokumoku Tezukuri Farm (Iga, Mie)
Travelling with a family can be nerve-racking, but not so at this self-sufficient sightseeing farm that welcomes especially those with small children. At the farm, you can observe how animals contribute to our daily lives and get hands-on with fun activities like milking cows and feeding the farm animals.
Best Destination Development: Hakko House Nagaoka (Nagaoka, Niigata)
Hakko House Nagaoka is a cosy guesthouse that serves as a starting point for exploring Niigata's food fermentation culture. Visitors can participate in various activities at local farms and enjoy delicious gastronomy experiences with a local chef. While Nagaoka is most famous for its summer fireworks, this guesthouse shares a new aspect of the area, giving guests another reason to visit.
Special Recognition Awards, Best Accommodation: Hakone Honbako (Hakone, Kanagawa)
This outstanding accommodation gives you another reason to visit the famous onsen town of Hakone. The hotel is home to a stunning library with over 12,000 books that you can read or purchase onsite, and offers unique gastronomic experiences where you can dine on meals made with produce provided by nearby farmers and producers. The hotel is also family-friendly, offering events for children throughout the year.
Special Recognition Awards, Best Luxury Experience: Treeful Treehouse Sustainable Resort (Nago, Okinawa)
If you're looking to relax in the lap of luxury, you'll want to check out this gorgeous treehouse resort in Okinawa. Japan's first and only treehouse hotel, Treeful Treehouse offers unique lodging in Okinawa's Yanbaru Forest, complete with impeccable interior design and remarkable service.
Special Recognition Awards, Best Social Impact Award: Ume, Yamazoe (Yamazoe, Nara)
This modern inn aims to break down barriers in the tourism industry with its unique concept. The inn welcomes a minimum of 12 families for a complimentary stay every year, with at least one member of each family living with severe illness or a disability. Through this act of generosity, guests are provided with a safe and welcoming environment that may otherwise be impossible to find.
Special Recognition Awards, Best Cultural Travel: Templestay Zenso (Chiyoda, Gunma)
This unique guesthouse is situated on the grounds of the 700-year-old Horinji Temple and offers guests an engaging stay centring on the historical and traditional. Guests can enjoy temple activities like zazen meditation, sutra copying and morning prayers – and chat with the resident priest.
For more on the Japan Travel Awards, visit the website.
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