So my husband and I took our first trip to Japan last April and though we spent a good amount of time in the city (Kyoto and Tokyo), my favorite part was definitely being in the mountains of Hinohara in Tokyo and Yase in Kyoto. We are planning to visit again Autumn 2024 and are looking to do a single day or two day trip to the west or north of Tokyo with a similar vibe. What I liked the most about the areas was them being densely wooded mountain valleys with a stream running through it and many walking trails. Any old temple complexes or shrines is also a plus.
My main restriction is I don’t really want it to be more than 3.5 hours from Tokyo Station by train or bus.
I was originally looking at going to Yamadera temple and stopping in Sendai but it seems a lot less walkable between attractions in those mountains and some posts online have implied Sendai is uninteresting.
I also considered Izu/Ito to the south but it seemed to be more of a summer destination than a fall destination. I also looked at the areas around Kanazawa, Nikko, and Matsumoto but nothing seems to have the same forest valley vibe.
I saw a TON of posts online recommending Takayama and it definitely seems like the closest bet so far, but the trip there seems to be at least 4+ hours, though I wonder if Hokuriku Shinkansen is pretty and would make the journey worth it? (avoiding Tokaido Shinkansen since I’ve already done it before).
I know this post is super picky lol that’s why I’m asking for help. Hoping someone understands the vibe I’m going for and has a suggestion of a town/city/village they know.
1 comment
>…densely wooded mountain valleys with a stream running through it and many walking trails. Any old temple complexes or shrines is also a plus…
This 100% describes my experience of Nikko when I spent a day there. You may want to reconsider it, although perhaps there is something I’m missing about your preferred vibe. It was quite busy with tourists when I was there in the summer.