The golden sun warms your face as the sea breeze blows through your hair.

The thrum of the boat engine lulls you into a state of relaxation as the water's foamy white wake spreads like wings and then disappears into the horizon behind you. This is the typical feeling while on the way to Ojika, a small island in the northern reaches of Goto Archipelago in Nagasaki.

Ojika is not your typical tourist destination.

You won’t find lots of blaring neon, cheap plastic souvenirs, and metro din. Not even the ubiquitous convenience stores Japan is known for are in sight. Not one Lawson, Seven-Eleven, or Family Mart.

This is a deeper, kinder, more thoughtful Japan, one that holds onto the past and showcases what Japan was and still is at heart. Where local shops close early, where Sundays are entire days off, where slow life and connection to family and friends are what matters most. Welcome to the real Japan.

Here are the Top 7 wonders found in Ojika:

1. Wide Open Spaces