2026 Japan Dispatch Part III – Unzen and the Volcano Deity

Morah, the Local Farmer

For Part III of our Japan dispatch, Tatiana went even further off the beaten path. You can read her notes form her time on the Kumano Kodo Here.

However for this portion, she went south, to the Japan she once knew, as Tatiana put it.  This is Unzen and Aso, the Japan nobody ever sees. This is #bigfivin.

“Japan remains one of the most visited places in the world, and for good reason. It offers an extraordinary blend of food, culture, history, nature, temples, and safety. Yet all of this beauty comes with a price: the most iconic destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hakone are now overwhelmingly crowded. Rivers of people flow through every site, every train, every street, not only locals, but Western travelers and visitors from all across Asia. At times, it feels as if the magic is being swallowed by the sheer volume of tourism.

Last month, during yet another visit to Japan, I found myself longing for the Japan I once knew, the quiet moments, the gentle encounters, the feeling of being a foreigner in a place where everything felt new and special. And then, unexpectedly, I discovered that Japan again.

I traveled to Unzen, in Nagasaki Prefecture, and Aso, in Kumamoto, both in the Kyushu region. Nagasaki often carries a heavy place in the world’s memory, but few people know the hidden gem that lies beyond that history: a land of hot springs, active volcanoes, and a deep, unpolished authenticity. You know you have stepped off the beaten path when you realize you are the only Western-looking person on the plane.

In Unzen, the volcano has long been revered as a protective deity, a source of healing hot springs, fertile soil, and rich tradition. It was Japan’s first designated national park, and its lush nature still draws those seeking peace. Here, I met a group of young entrepreneurs and professionals who had left their high-powered lives in Tokyo in search of something quieter. They now live from the land, cultivating strawberries, plums, pears, and grapes. They traded the skyline of concrete towers for the ocean, the forest, and the tranquility of a life in the country.

What touched me most were the countless conversations I shared with locals, despite the fact that I don’t speak Japanese and they didn’t speak English. They were humble, regal in their simplicity, balanced, respectful. We spoke with our hands, our eyes, our gestures, and our smiles. Because they are not overwhelmed by foreign visitors, they were genuinely curious about me. They wanted to connect. They even wanted to take photos together.

I remember walking toward the Temple of Eyesight, where locals come to pray for better vision. At the top, I met Morah, a local farmer who volunteers to keep the temple clean. He offered me oranges and potatoes for our dinner, a gesture so pure and generous it stayed with me. That evening, we used his potatoes at a small traditional eatery beside the Unzen Jigoku steaming vents. The restaurant cooks everything using the natural geothermal steam rising from the volcanic ground, a method that has shaped Unzen’s culinary culture for generations. Food is steamed at around 100°C, preserving moisture and enhancing natural sweetness. No oil, no heavy seasoning, just clean, honest flavors from a region rich in organic farms.

Here, you can kayak at sunset on calm waters, then end your day lying on a tatami mat, watching the starry sky while wrapped in the warm embrace of the volcano.

After a short local ferry ride, I arrived in Aso, home to one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas. You can stand at the edge of the Nakadake crater, visit rural villages like Teno nestled inside an ancient caldera, and wander through wide-open landscapes shaped by fire and time. This is a place made for cycling, hiking, and breathing deeply.

Agriculture is the heartbeat of Aso. Each year, farmers burn the fields to restore minerals to the soil, allowing new grasses to grow and feed the cattle, a continuous cycle of destruction and renewal, where nature is reborn again and again.

You can enjoy a private tasting of organic tea with a woman who harvests every leaf herself, creating delicate blends that reflect the land. And you can visit Aso-jinja, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines, with nearly 2,000 years of history. It is dedicated to the Aso deity lineage, believed to protect and shape this volcanic world.

In these places, Unzen and Aso, I found the Japan I had been missing. A Japan of quiet beauty, genuine encounters, and landscapes that breathe with ancient life. Here, far from the crowds, Japan feels intimate again. Here is where the land, the people, and the traveler meet with open hearts.”