I’ll be heading to Japan mid May for 3 weeks with my partner. I’ve been to Japan 3 times in my early-mid 20’s (32 now). I’m going with my partner & it’s his first time overseas which is exciting.
I’ve been to Tokyo, Nikko, Kamakura, Nagano, Hakuba, Fukuoka, Osaka, Kyoto, Koyasan, Nara, & Kobe.
We are flying from Australia in/out of Tokyo. I’m trying to accumulate ideas for where we can go. We aren’t keen on super touristy spots & places with lots of foreigners.
We love food, markets, temples, arts, nature, forests, small towns, tea, matcha, seeing geishas, studio ghibli, cottagecore places, gardens, learning how food is made, second hand shopping, animals (but not zoos), old rustic areas etc. We also aren’t “beach people” so not are not interested in beaches or areas that are really hot.
I’m finding it hard to narrow down where to go, I haven’t been up north so I’m drawn to head that way but we are both eager to go to rabbit island (Okunoshima) & deer island (Miyajima) but it’s a lot of effort & money to go south just for that so if there’s any spots with roaming animals up north or Tokyo region. I’d appreciate knowing.
This is the list of places I’m interested in & would love feedback. We will not be hiring a car so considering JR pass & local trains/buses.
-Tokyo for a few days
Then up to
-Hirosaki
-Kakunodatemachi (samari town)
West
-Shirakawa go/ Hida folk village
-Niigata (geishas)
-Kanazawa (geishas)
South of Tokyo
-Ghibli Park (near Nagoya)
– Nukymobi No Mori (ghibli style buildings)
Very south
– Miyajima deer Island (near Hiroshima)
– -takehara (similar vibe to Kyoto & near Hiroshima)
– Okunoshima (rabbit island)
– -Onomichi (seaside town, lots of roaming cars, cliff side temples
– Kurashiki (old town with camel boats)