Looking for recommendations for fun areas to visit around/between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe particularly during the TBD stops noted below. I lived in Japan in the 90s and am conversationally fluent if rusty. Bringing three friends (40s – active) all savvy travelers who speak multiple languages (just not Japanese).
We’re fine splitting up during the day as some want to do more cultural-focused activities while others want more dinner/nightlife.
We’ll rent a car/van. There’s no interest in using rail passes though we’ll use trains/buses in Tokyo and Kyoto. All are experienced international travelers, tech savvy, and have driven in multiple countries.
All have been to Tokyo/Kyoto before though for short visits. I’ve been there countless times though I’m sure it’s changed. We’ll time 2-3 days for Gion festival in Kyoto (July 16-18).
Rough itinerary:
July 9-12: Tokyo – not everyone arrives same day. Rent car on last day.
July 13-15: TBD (this could be July 12-16 even — depends on options)
July 16-18: Kyoto/Osaka for GION – I lived there. Others have visited so the main focus is GION and Kokedera (moss temple – will reserve in advance).
July 19-23: TBD (beach + ?)
July 24-25: Tokyo, return rental
Types of activities they like: FOODIES – also love to try local spirits and foods. Two of us might do a few day tours – sake creation, local crafts/traditions whether fan making, pottery (loved Hagi the few times I was there).
Kaiseki (unique meals though not $$$$ every night), distillery/sake tours/tasking, scenic drives/walks/hikes, very light bar hopping (not clubs) but Izakaya followed by fun local bars.
TBD options:
* Nagano – might be cooler and haven’t been there (at least not in 30 years)
* Takayama/Kanazawa
* Small town festivals (most aren’t confirmed yet so I check every few weeks but would love recommendations!!)
* Beach trip – it will be incredibly hot/humid so might schedule an overnight to cool off
* Sake tours
* Hiking (not Mt. Fuji though fine staying somewhere with view)
Avoiding: Hiroshima, Nara, Himeji Castle, Mt Fuji, Disney/theme parks
Appreciate your suggestions and recommendations!!
14 comments
There’s a nice beach in Awaji called Ohama beach. It’s kinda secluded so there’s only locals that really go there. They go fishing in that sea so if you dip your feet, you might find a small fish lol. But was a nice beach to see the sunrise and relax.
In Yamaguchi there are these restaurants called Sanzoku (いろり山賊) which are bandit hideout restaurants. They’re fun experiences. In the summer you can sit outside near the waterfalls while you eat. It is a little distant for the just going to eat but it’s a decent experience.
While you’re in the Osaka/Kyoto area you can make a trip to Kobe. They have Suma beach. It’s kinda dirty though. But Kobe port is really nice. They have the mountain view as well as a small skiing area up there.
I enjoy Takayama & Kanazawa and it will tick a lot of your boxes. Takayama has sake breweries and hiking nearby at Kamikochi. While Kanazawa has some neat restaurants and Izakaya’s. Both areas are nice to drive around should you want to go for a drive.
Thank you! That’s what I found as well.
Just get ready to sweat. Japan in July is ROUGH. I’d recommend holding til November or December if you can. Will be a much more enjoyable experience.
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Note that AFAIK Saiho-ji (Kokedera) has stopped accepting applications for a visit from non-residents, so unless at least one person currently lives in Japan or you will a concierge service – you won’t be able to visit it.
Good points. I lived there for 8 years and my friend group is from South America. We’ll be miserable at times but have appropriate clothes, personal cooling fans/towels and camel packs.
maybe look into Arima Onsen, it is north east of Kobe. Staying at a ryokan there was a pretty nice experience for our group, plus the meal was really good (kobe beef sukiyaki kaiseki meals for us).
I really enjoyed my visit to Hakone. It is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and famous for the hot springs, natural beauty and the view across Lake Ashinoko of Mount Fuji.
I especially recommend the Hakone Open Air Museum, Tenzan Bath House, and Amazake-chaya Tea House.
The Amazake-chaya is a teahouse along what was once along the Tokkaido Highway. The family has been serving travelers there for more than 350 years. Hot, gooey mochi (pounded rice) cakes are grilled over coals and dusted with soy powder or crushed black sesame. Naturally sweet amazake, a non-alcoholic fermented rice drink that is the house speciality, is served hot, with pickles on the side.
Hope you enjoy your trip!
Fuji Rock Festival is the weekend after you leave of your dates are flexible and that’s something any of you are interested in. Just FYI.
I gather a group every year to attend and it’s always been a good time. Very different from western music festivals of that’s any concern. /r/fujirock has some more info.
Thank you!! Will look into that!
Wish we could but dates are pretty set. Thanks!
I had a great Kaiseki lunch in Nara at Wa Yamamura in Nara 2 years ago. Less than $120 then.
As a railfan I enjoy the Train museum in Kyoto and plan a return visit in October.
Hi there,
If you’re choosing *between* **Takayama and Kanazawa** — your focus seems to be on fine food and fun activities, so Kanazawa will offer you more on that front. My partner and I loved Kanazawa when we visited. We did the major attractions everyone does in Kanazawa, but we also spent 3-4 hours just walking/exploring along the river, stopping in at little shops and temples you’d never find in an Anglophone guidebook. Not to quite the same degree as Kyoto, I would still call Kanazawa a ‘great city to get lost in for a day’.
However, if as your itinerary develops, you find yourself wanting to experience smaller cities/towns and more rural areas, Takayama is very cool. And, if you go that way, the UNESCO World Heritage site – Shirakawa-go – is a must. At minimum as a day trip, but I can highly recommend an overnight stay in one of the traditional farm houses, where you’ll be treated to ‘rustic’ set meals (rustic, but absolutely delicious – like fresh caught river trout fried to perfection) and very gracious hosts.
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Two potential day trips from Kyoto:
**KURAMA/KURAMDERA:**
To help scratch the hiking itch, travel to the hilly terrain of northern Kyoto to Kurama, where you can bathe in the local onsen (*my partner and I went for the autumnal fire festival, and didn’t have the time to get to the onsen, but it’s well-reviewed*!); reverently climb the steps of beautiful Kuramadera, stopping now and then to take in breathtaking views; then, from the top of the shrine, hike through the forest to the little gem of a town, Kibune. There are two lovely shrines, well worth the visit, and, if I remember correctly, a cafe that plays…jazz? From there, catch a bus back to Kyoto, or hike back and stay the night at the Kurama onsen.
**MOUNT KOYA:**
Koyasan is the spiritual heart of Japanese Shingon Buddhism: A gorgeous mountain village that centers around a large number of monasteries, many of which offer temple stays (**Shukubo).** Plenty of opportunities to walk/hike, including through an absolutely ***massive***, elegant graveyard – **Okunoin**, where the famous and revered monk **Kobo Daishi** is entombed. (Along with countless other faithful – from Samurai and peasants of old to CEOs and salarymen of the modern era.)
As foodies, you and your friends ought not to pass up on a temple stay. What you get for your money depends on where you go, but practically all of them will serve you the specialty Japanese Buddhist vegetarian cuisine known as **Shojin Ryori** as a dinner set meal and a breakfast set meal. We ate a lot of incredible food in Japan – from budget priced ramen bowls that packed wallops of flavor, to high end restaurants serving wild boar, wagyu beef, etc. The best food I ate, bar none, was that temple food. I, a lifelong unrepentant meat eater, was ready to become a full-fledged vegetarian if I could only learn the secrets of crafting such exquisite fare.
We stayed at a monastery that, in addition to feeding us one of the best meals of my life, invites guests to attend morning prayers and afternoon fire rituals. If you think you’re interested, ask me, and I’ll look back through my travelogue to find the name of that particular monastery.
We learned a lot there about Shingon Buddhism, and the life of Kobo Daishi. And the town – particularly the area with the monasteries – has an energy to it I just can’t describe beyond saying it’s gently magnetic, resonantly centered, and serene – if you’ll pardon my woo.
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**Beach Trip:**
I know you want to avoid Hiroshima, but you have to travel there to go by ferry to **Miyajima**. Even if the big Ise torii gate is still covered in scaffolding, the trip is well worth it. ***Daisho-in*** temple was one of my Top 5 fave temples (*and we went to, at barest minimum, 100 temples/shrines on our trip*). Big complex in the lower foothills of **Mt. Misen**. Mt. Misen provides a great hike or cable car ride/hike to the top, where can see marvelous views of the Seto Inland Sea. Our route was to ascend the mountain by cable car, then hike around, and where we hiked down we ended up stumbling into Daisho-in.
I know, I haven’t even mentioned the beach yet. But it’s great! Lovely, sandy, popular with locals and tourists alike, for good reason. Like Nara, the deer stalk people around the boardwalk, begging for food. We saw one buck grab a ticket to some attraction from a man’s back pocket and eat it. There are many restaurants and food stands to take your pick from on the boardwalk, and plenty of stores and a few bars.
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It’s well past bedtime, but it’s been a blast writing this – getting the opportunity to remember moments as I type. I’d be happy to add to this at another time, or elaborate on or clarify anything I’ve typed here, if you’d be interested – just let me know. I can also tell you a bit about the northern part of Honshu that most tourists don’t make it out to, if you like.
I hope this info helps. Take care & Happy travels!
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*edit: added a word