相模原

Sagamihara is a large city in Kanagawa Prefecture that runs from Tokyo's commuter belt into genuine mountain country toward the Tanzawa range. It is better known to scientists than tourists: Japan's space program keeps a major campus here, and lakes and trails fill the city's green west.

The JAXA Sagamihara campus museum displays satellites and hardware from asteroid missions like Hayabusa, the probe that carried asteroid dust home. West of the city, Lake Sagami and Lake Tsukui pull weekenders for boating and lakeside barbecue, plus a big illumination event in the cooler months.

Trails lead into the Tanzawa foothills, so you can pair a museum morning with an afternoon ridge walk. Trains on the Yokohama and Chuo lines thread the city's districts from Tokyo. Sagamihara suits space fans and hikers more than sightseers, and that is precisely its appeal.