Kamikatsu, a trailblazer in eco-tourism, has garnered accolades like the Forbes Japan Xtrepreneur Award 2024 for its innovative approaches to sustainability.
This vibrant town serves as a ‘living laboratory’ offering visitors the chance to engage with ground breaking zero-waste initiatives, through immersive stays at the Zero Waste Action Hotel, HOTEL WHY, a property furnished with designs crafted from upcycled materials and scrap wood, and actively supports the town’s waste management practices, and dining experiences at PERTORNARE, an Italian restaurant that highlights locally sourced ingredients while supporting the region’s agricultural heritage.
Rates at HOTEL WHY starts at 35,200 Yen/night (£184/night). Dining packages at PERTORNARE available when booking a stay or separately.
The Kamikatsu Zero Waste Centre, “WHY,” boasts an impressive recycling rate of over 80%, with interactive exhibits and programs to showcase the town’s ‘leaf business’ that creatively repurpose flowers and plants harvested, and the centre’s method to categorises waste into 43 types, ensuring maximum reuse.
Regeneration Projects Embracing Heritage and Sustainability
Wakusui
The Setouchi region is redefining sustainable tourism through its inspiring heritage regeneration projects, exemplified by Wakusui, a beautifully renovated 100-year-old tangerine farmhouse on Suo-Oshima Island. This exclusive retreat with a private bathhouse infused with local citrus and Japanese garden backdrops blends traditional Japanese architecture with modern luxury, accommodating just one group of up to 10 guests per day. Prices start from 171,600 Yen (£896) per night.
IKUNO STAY
IKUNO STAY in Hyogo Prefecture transforms former mining housing into charming accommodations, honouring the region’s industrial past while offering guests the chance to delve into Ikuno Town’s rich mining history, explore local culinary gems, seasonal harvesting, and e-bike tours. Prices start from 16,500 (£86) Yen per night room-only.
Meanwhile, Chiiori and Togenkyo-Iya, nicknamed the “Tibet of Japan,” showcase centuries-old thatched-roof houses in the lush valleys of Tokushima. Restored by cultural preservationist author Alex Kerr, they provide a unique glimpse into Japan’s rural heritage set among lush green vegetation, deep gorges, cascading waterfalls and rivers and mountains. Prices start from 14,500 Yen (£76) per night room-only, for up to 10 people per group.
Setouchi DMO is inviting visitors to explore a slice of Japan at a more leisurely pace. The destination, formed by seven prefectures including Okayama, Kagawa and Hiroshima, has launched a series of 23 newly-curated thematic itineraries – Setouchi Journeys, lasting between 3-5 nights, designed to introduce travellers to slow travel and to encourage them to explore fascinating highlights rich in centuries-old culture, iconic Japanese cuisine, and idyllic island landscapes.
The destination has been featured in Season 4 of BBC’s Race Across the World, and is located in western Japan and surrounds Japan’s largest inland sea. To access the region from the UK there are direct flights to Tokyo from London Heathrow with British Airways and Japan Airlines, from there it is a 4.5 – 5 hour journey via Shinkansen to stations in the region including Shin-Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima and Shin-Yamaguchi.