I'm travelling to Japan in 2025 and planning the itinerary. I'd like to do 4 days or so upfront decompressing and unwinding before we get into serious activities. I'm looking for suggestions for (my ideal):
City/Town that is close to nature – walking trails nearby, perhaps near a lake for walks around the lake, not looking for serious hiking.
A big enough city that there are lots of accommodation options and restaurants, but small enough that the nature is on our doorstep.
I've looked at Yakushima Island but have let it go as accommodations were an issue. We are 4 adults needing 3 western-style beds and most home rentals don't offer 3 western beds. I also looked at hotels, but they were either too rustic (not peaceful) or crazy expensive for 3 rooms (Sankara).
I also looked at Beppu – still possible, or maybe Hakone (Mount Fuji area).
Any suggestions?
by LePetitCoin