Hey guys
I’m traveling with my buddy to Japan for 16 days (September 10th), starting Tokio for 3, afterwards going to Kyoto for a couple of days (visiting Nara and Osaka as well) and we are trying to evaluate if we’d be better off going to Hokkaido by plane for 3-4 days, or perhaps go further SW to Fukushima or hang out and stay at some smaller villages and find Onsens and hiking terrains somewhere down south. Afterwards we’d be back to Tokio for the last 2-3 days or so.
On the one hand, I worry the travel time will consume lots of time both ways and we’d be better off just focusing of everything south of Tokio (we will probably buy JR Pass), on the other, my friend says that I’ll really be magnificent (2 days dayhiking and visiting certain Onsen) and it’s worth it:
Id appreciate another opinion, thanks
3 comments
The main question here is “when”?
Hokkaido during the winter is cold, but it has lots of snow activities. During the other seasons, there’s lots of mountain hiking and outdoor activities to do.
For me, I live somewhere with similar weather to Hokkaido (Minnesota, USA), it’s not a place I’m particularly interested in visiting in Japan. I’d personally rather go to the more western/southern portions of the country.
But if you like wintry outdoor activities, that’s a place to be.
I haven’t been to Hokkaido yet but as you only have 16 days, I’d rather visit Shikoku if I were you. I really enjoyed hiking there.
Further SW to Fukushima??
Hokkaido is beautiful but it takes time to visit the really good places. What about continuing west toward Hiroshima instead? You can also visit Kyushu and move back to Tokyo by train (is the Japan rail pass still a thing?)