The best Japanese cities to visit, according to someone who's traveled there 11 times — and Tokyo's not one of them

<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Grace Cheng says there are different destinations outside Tokyo that offer authentic experiences of Japan.Courtesy of Grace Cheng</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Grace Cheng, a 22-year-old travel blogger based in the US, has visited Japan 11 times. </li><li>Cheng has a soft spot for cultural activities and authentic Japanese cuisine.</li></ul><p><a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-japan-does-better-than-the-us-culture-shock-2024-7">Japan</a> is fast becoming a popular bucket-list destination among US travelers.</p><p>Online travel agency <a target="_blank" class href="https://media.hopper.com/research/japan-summer-travel-outlook">Hopper</a> said users researching trips to Asia so far this year searched specifically for Japan almost a third of the time.</p><p><a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-weak-currency-yen-boosts-foreign-tourism-luxury-purchases-travel-2024-4">Trips to Japan are also more budget-friendly</a> for Americans nowadays with the dominance of the US dollar. As of July 26, $1 buys 154.03 yen.</p><p>Grace Cheng, a 22-year-old travel blogger based in New York City, isn't surprised Japan is so popular. Since <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-chinese-flock-to-japan-in-search-of-luxury-bargains-2024-7">visiting Japan</a> for the first time in 2017, she's gone an additional 10 times.</p><p>"It grew on me," Cheng said. "Now, since I actually have more understanding of culture and different aspects of traveling, I can say it's my favorite."</p><p>Cheng has plenty of advice for first-time visitors, including <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-for-going-to-japan-avoid-mistakes-travel-advice-2024-7">mistakes to avoid</a>. But her wisdom also extends to which<strong> </strong>Japanese cities to prioritize.</p><p>Even though Tokyo, the capital, is a must-visit for a seven- to 10-day trip, Cheng prefers these three cities and encourages travelers to include them in their itineraries.</p>