Ever heard of the unknown Japanese destination Okutama, backyard of Tokyo?

OK, so you're a hiker or an outdoor enthusiast, you're heading over to Tokyo sometime soon, and you're looking for someplace out of the ordinary. It really is time for you to check out Okutama. This travel destination has a variety of activities available to the day-tripper as well as those staying overnight.

There are numerous hiking trails, a spectacular walk along the Nippara and Tama rivers and lake Okutama, the Nippara and Ohtake Limestone caves, hot-springs, and trout fishing for the anglers in the crowd. And here's the thing.

Tokyoites rely on Hakone, Nikko, Okutama and other relatively close-by destinations for their getaway plans, but Okutama doesn't have a high name recognition among foreign travelers. That's bad news for most, but good news for those of us in the know, because Okutama is gorgeous from start to finish.

There are a few hotels in the area, my very favorite is the Kokumin Shukusha Hatonosuso, a ryokan (Japanese-style traditional hotel) just outside of Hato-no-su station (two stops before Okutama).

After a day of hiking in the mountains, walking down the river, checking out the caves, fishing, or walking around Lake Tama, the experience of sitting in a hot-spring-fed bath looking out over the deep gorge, is simply fantastic.