Yuya & Asuke 湯谷&足助

Hidden away in the Aichi hills, the area around Yuya and Asuke is a natural wonder all year round.

Getting to Yuya from Tokyo or Nagoya is straightforward. Take the shinkansen to Toyohashi Station and then the JR Iida Line to Yuya-onsen Station.

For Asuke, take the subway's Higashiyama line and change at Fushimi to the Tsurumai line. Take a train bound for Toyota City and get off at Josui Station. From there take the Toyota Oiden bus and get off at the Korankei bus stop.

Having meandered through Aichi's rural landscape, alight at Yuya-onsen Station and be ready to fall in love with a town. Yuya is a hot spring resort, set amid stunning scenery, with over 1,300 years of history.

Unwind at one of its many hot spring hotels and ryokans and luxuriate in the healing waters. If your schedule doesn't permit a long stay, simply take off your socks and shoes and slide your feet into one of the many free foot baths that line the town's streets.

Asuke is a well-known area of all year-round natural beauty. With the Korankei Valley famed for its vibrant reds and gorgeous golds of its autumn foliage, an ideal time to visit is in November during the Maple Festival. In the center of the valley, you can find a Zen temple where you can take time for quiet contemplation.

However, should you come in October, be sure not to miss the beautiful float carriages and matchlock musketeers of the Asuke Festival. While in the area, visit the take a step back in time at Sanshu Asuke Yashiki , a folk museum dedicated to maintaining ancient Japanese handicraft skills.