Best cozy town destinations in Asia
Best cozy town destinations in Asia
Traditional hillside villages and secluded agricultural outposts across Asia
A lantern-lit old town in Vietnam has preserved its heritage remarkably well, with tailors, lanterns and riverside cafés creating an atmosphere that's hard to find elsewhere in the region. Smaller towns near major Japanese cities offer a quieter, more traditional version of the same unhurried charm.
The destinations on this list range from preserved trading port towns with centuries of merchant history to small towns near major cities that offer a quieter alternative without sacrificing easy access. Both reward an evening walk as much as a daytime visit.
Staying overnight rather than visiting on a day trip matters considerably, where the atmosphere changes noticeably once the lanterns are lit after dark. Staying in a restored heritage home adds further to the experience.
Lists by region
Town in Japan
Kusatsu-Onsen
Steaming hot water field and bath hopping
Steam rises from the Yubatake, a long wooden channel where hot spring water cools before it flows to the baths. Sulfur scent fills the air. Women with wooden paddles stir hot water in a traditional show. Warm sweet buns called manju are sold on every street corner.
Town in Japan
Yufuin Onsen
Lakeside onsen town below Mount Yufu
Mount Yufu rises behind the small town, with morning mist on Lake Kinrin. Small cafes, galleries and craft shops line the main lane. Ryokan inns have private baths overlooking the hills. Walk the trail to the lake early, before day trippers arrive. Sweets shops sell cheesecake.
City in Japan
Hida
Carp canal and sake town near Takayama
White walled storehouses line a narrow canal in the old quarter of Hida Furukawa. Carp swim in the clear water below. Candle shops and sake breweries sit in wooden buildings with dark lattice windows. In April, drummers parade in the Furukawa Festival. Local beef grills over charcoal.
Village in Japan
Shibu Onsen
Nine public baths and cobbled lanes
Nine public bathhouses line the stone lanes. Guests of local inns get a key to all of them. Locals still bathe in them every day. The town has wooden inns and a stamp walk. Nearby, snow monkeys soak in hot springs in the Jigokudani valley.
City in Japan
Gero
One of Japan's three great hot springs
A scholar in the Edo period ranked this valley among Japan's top three hot springs. Hot water flows from the hills beside a river. Soak in an inn bath, then stroll in a yukata, a light cotton robe. Footbaths are free. Old wooden farmhouses sit in the open air museum.
Village in Japan
Nozawa Onsen
Thirteen free public baths and a ski area
Every January 15, villagers in this ski town set fire to a huge wooden shrine in a night festival. Thirteen free public baths are open to visitors, heated by hot springs. Steaming oyaki dumplings are sold on the main street. Snow piles on tiled roofs.
Village in Japan
Kurokawa Onsen
Riverside bath hopping in a Kumamoto valley
A small river valley on Kyushu holds some of Japan's quietest baths. Visitors buy a wooden pass, called a tegata, that lets them try three inns' outdoor pools. No neon signs are allowed. Lanterns glow along the stream at night. Steam rises beside mossy rocks.
Village in Japan
Shirakawa-go
Thatched gassho farmhouses in the Hida mountains
Farmhouses with steep thatched roofs, shaped like hands in prayer, stand in a quiet valley. The style is called gassho zukuri. Snow piles high in winter. On select nights the houses are lit up. Inside, hearths smoke softly. Guests sleep on futons and eat mountain vegetables.
Village in Japan
Kinosaki Onsen
Seven bathhouses to stroll between in yukata
Seven public bathhouses line a willow shaded canal. Guests wander between them in yukata and wooden sandals. Each bath has its own style, from rock pools to cypress tubs. Winter brings Matsuba crab, served at ryokan dinners. Steam drifts from the stone bridges on cold nights.
City in Japan
Kawagoe
Edo-style warehouse town near Tokyo
Black walled warehouses called kurazukuri line the main street of this old merchant town. It is nicknamed Little Edo. The Toki no Kane bell tower has rung the hours since the 1600s. Candy Alley sells sweet potato snacks and old fashioned sweets. Tokyo is a half hour away by train.
City in Japan
Takayama
Old town, morning markets and Hida beef
Sake breweries hang cedar balls above their doors to show that the new brew is ready. Dark wooden merchant houses fill the Sanmachi Suji district. Morning markets by the river sell pickles and apples. Mountain air is crisp. Hida beef skewers warm cold hands on winter days.
City in Japan
Kurashiki
Canal town with storehouses and Western art
A willow lined canal runs through the Bikan historical quarter, with white walled storehouses on both banks. Flat bottom boats drift under stone bridges. The Ohara Museum of Art opened in 1930 and holds works by Monet and El Greco. Nearby Kojima is known for its denim.
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