As I enter the final year of this decade of my life, I’m looking back at the years I’ve spent living in and traveling through Japan. Rather than the usual tourist hotspots, I’m sharing the ten places that truly left an impact on me. These range from the scarecrow village of Nagoro to the koi-filled canals in Hida-Furukawa. If you're looking for places in Japan that are off the Golden Route, these are the spots that often fly under the radar.