As it heats up across the country, who isn’t looking for a place to cool down and escape the soaring temperatures? While indoor activities and hitting the beach are always popular in July and August, this year, we’re looking to Japan’s stately forests and valleys to help stave off natsubate (summer heat fatigue).
In Japanese, these cooling summer getaways are called hishochi. Whether you want to be surrounded by trees, bask in the splashing of a waterfall or take in the beauty of some alpine flora, you’ll find your own summer escape in these 10 cool spots across Japan.
1. Iya Valley (Tokushima)
Vine bridges, misty forests and mountain air in remote Shikoku
Traverse one of Iya Valley’s historical rope bridges. Image: AND555/iStock
Escape the heat of the city to the mountains of Tokushima Prefecture and you’ll find Iya Valley.
With a topography that includes Shikoku’s second tallest peak, Mount Tsurugi, and several waterways, the Iya Valley has become increasingly popular for its natural landscape.
The highlight of the valley is crossing one of the region’s three remaining historical vine rope bridges. Suspended 14 meters over the valley below, Iya no Kazurabashi is the main bridge. Stop by in the late evening and see its surroundings illuminated with LEDs.
2. Furano (Hokkaido)
Lavender fields and soft summer breezes in Japan’s north
Treat your eyes and nose to fresh lavender in Furano, Hokkaido. Image: littlewormy/iStock
Located in the middle of Hokkaido, Furano has much to offer heat-weary travelers. One of the most well-known summer resorts, this getaway features daytime highs of 25 degrees Celsius during July and August. Perhaps the most famous attraction here is flowers and specifically lavender, with fields that stretch out to the horizon, delighting both your visual and olfactory senses. Furano also offers cooling summer foods, like ice cream flavored with local milk and lavender, and spiced soup curry loaded with seasonal vegetables.
3. Kiyomizu Waterfall (Saga)
A spiritual cascade surrounded by forest and statues
Buddhist statues and the cascading Kiyomizu Falls imbue this site with spiritual power. Image: Cycleいとうゆき/Pixta
About two hours on foot or a 15-minute taxi ride from Arita’s Ogi station in Saga Prefecture, the 75-meter-high Kiyomizu Waterfall cascades down the mountainside. Kiyomizu is considered one of the top 100 waterfalls in Japan.
With Buddhist statuary standing watch near the base, Fuyo Myou, the fearsome destroyer of evil, reminds you of the spiritual power the site has long held.
4. Hotel New Otani Garden (Tokyo)
Historic rooftop gardens and misty waterfalls in the city
Stroll through this rooftop Japanese garden in the heart of Tokyo. Image: Kuremi/iStock
With a history stretching back over 400 years, the garden of the Hotel New Otani was developed by several powerful samurai families. Visitors can enter this 10-acre green space for free and enjoy the cooling mist coming off the main waterfall.
Elsewhere, you can explore a variety of historical stone lanterns from the Kamakura (1183-1333) and Edo (1603-1867) periods. Also, check out the stone garden where different elements represent mountains and the sea.
5. Karuizawa (Nagano)
A classic summer retreat with ponds, trails and cool lakes
Karuizawa’s beautiful forests have long been known as an escape from Japan’s city heat. Image: bradtzou/iStock
Maybe the most famous summer cooling area on our list, Karuizawa is known for its scenery. In the summer, it’s hard to beat its lush forests, waterfalls and deep cool lakes. Thanks to the high volume of tourists, Karuizawa also has a well-developed network of shopping and cultural sites to view alongside its breathtaking natural scenery. Don’t miss the chance to escape the heat with a stroll alongside Kumoba Pond or enjoying the gentle splashing of Shiraito Waterfall surrounded by verdant forest.
6. Nasu Highland Park (Tochigi)
Escape from Tokyo with outdoor fun and hot springs
All this greenery is only about one hour from Tokyo by bullet train. Image: TNK/Pixta
A bit over an hour from Tokyo via shinkansen, Tochigi Prefecture’s Nasu Highland Park is a cooling paradise close to the metropolis. Located at a higher altitude, this park offers summer vacationers the chance to engage in a variety of outdoor activities, from hiking to cycling, at temperatures rarely exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, even in August.
With an abundance of hot spring facilities and cultural venues, like the Nasu Stained Glass Museum, you can also relax in indoor-outdoor spaces to avoid the harsh sun.
7. Oirase Area (Aomori)
Kilometers of trails, waterfalls and shaded forest hiking
Immerse yourself in over 14 kilometers of hiking trails under the lush summer foliage. Image: Anesthesia/Pixta
Oirase Gorge in Aomori is bordered by a majestic forest with trickling streams and waterfalls. Oirase Stream, which runs along the bottom of the gorge, is located near an accessible 9-kilometer-long hiking trail which provides access to both scenic bridges and waterfalls. The entire gorge itself extends 14 kilometers from Lake Towada with the surrounding greenery providing a cooling effect in the summer and spectacular colors come autumn.
8. Bijin Bayashi Forest (Niigata)
Beech trees and serene paths 2° cooler than town
This beautiful forest offers a cool escape from the sweltering summer heat. Image: PIXSTAR/Pixta
In Niigata prefecture’s Bijin Bayashi Forest, elegant and straight beech trees provide shelter from the unrelenting heat. While usually an alpine species, these beech trees were able to grow unhindered after the land was clear-cut in the early 20th century. The forest takes on a different character each season with a blanket of snow in the winter and a yellow and orange canopy overhead in the fall.
Cool off in the summer under the shaded foliage and a breeze that lowers the temperature a couple of degrees.
9. Mount Daisen (Tottori)
Hike to shrines and waterfalls on a sacred peak
Marvel at the view from Mount Daisen’s Oyama Afuri Shrine. Image: kuro/Pixta
Tottori Prefecture’s Mount Daisen is the tallest peak in the Chugoku area. A dormant volcano, Mount Daisen has significant spiritual importance and has been compared to Mount Fuji.
With hiking courses for all levels, come and enjoy the cooling effect of the many pristine forests and waterfalls. The Natsuyama course will bring you to the Misen peak and through a beech forest while the Daisendaki Waterfall course offers the perfect summer resort photo spot of a two-tiered waterfall.
10. Todoroki Valley and Nippara Limestone Caves (Tokyo)
Cool caves and urban forest trails — Tokyo’s natural air-con
There’s no sun down here in the Nippara Limestone Caves. Image: Ystudio/Pixta
Finally, while we would love to add Setagaya Ward’s Todoroki Valley to this list, most of it has been closed to the public since 2023. With a pleasant one-kilometer trail flanked by thick woods and housing a variety of stone structures, you’ll want to keep this spot in mind for future summers.
As you wait for Todoroki Valley to reopen in March 2026, why not escape the sun altogether with a trip to the Nippara Limestone Caves at the western edge of Tokyo. One of the biggest cave networks in Kanto, this certified natural monument stretches over 1,270 meters long from start to finish. With temperatures hovering around 11 degrees throughout the year, it’s the perfect place to cool off and explore an otherworldly landscape.
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