Japan's tourism explosion: Be careful what you wish for

MORIOKA, Japan -- As an enthusiastic traveler to Japan's far-flung regions, I have a particular fondness for exploring midsize provincial cities, usually en route to a hidden hot spring bath or a mountain retreat.

While generally on the sleepy side, these small cities usually have some sites worth visiting. In Iwakuni, an hour outside Hiroshima by car, I enjoyed walking on the historic wooden Kintai Bridge. Near Wajima, on the Noto Peninsula, I spent an hour photographing the scenic Senmaida rice terraces jutting over the Sea of Japan.