OccasionalFlyerPerson

I speak Japanese. If anyone wants me to check out a Japanese website, please quote this and ask.

I've only been to traditional ryokan when I lived in Japan and my family visited. I can't remember how I went about booking them, but they were ryokan in the mountains on Honshu. They were quite traditional - e.g. full Japanese style rooms with futons, no western beds, and staff dressed in kimonos. I remember them being very reasonably priced. Maybe twice the price of the most basic 'business hotel' in a small city (not Tokyo.)

I googled ryokans in Okinawa and my jaw dropped at the price I saw for anything that was a authentic looking ryokan. The cheaper places called themselves ryokan, but they weren't.

In my opinion, it's well worth staying in a traditional ryokan for the experience.

BTW: Japan is cold in the winter, but it's nothing like Siberia or Scandinavia. Maybe the same as the UK, more or less.

While Okinawa is legally Japan, it's quite a different place really with its own culture. And things work a bit differently there.

Given the OP's itinerary, I would recommend spending some time in the mountains in a tiny ryokan. Big cities are big cities. Don't miss out on the countryside. There's also places like Nara.

My information is from some time ago, so things may have changed.

EDIT: This looks useful in terms of explaining the different types of ryokan. https://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/ryokan-styles/

jphripjah

I did enjoy the Dojo Bar in Okinawa. Check it out.

Gradfly

A couple of the ryokans I stayed at were booked through a tour company as part of a package tour. The rest of my ryokan stays were through Agoda and Japanican.

I would suggest to stay in or nearby a large metro area during New Year's. You might run out of things to do or see if you're in a more rural area. A lot of places will be closed or have reduced hours. I stayed in a rural area, Yudanaka Onsen, but fortunately it was only about an hour away from Nagano city. A large city would leave you with more options. Also you can get on the Fukubukuro (lucky bag) action at the department stores.

freecia

Kinosaki in Kansai seems fairly popular with foreign tourists and offers overnight guests an onsen hopping pass. You could basically choose a ryokan for the food and lodging comfort, then go seek out a favorite bath in town, rather than looking for the trifecta- great food, onsen, and lodgings for < $150 pp ideally on/near JR station. Also, being foreigner friendly usually means the public transit info and onsen hours+map will all be available in English.

Here are a few more to think about in Kyushu
Around Nagasaki-

• Takeo onsen
• Unzen onsen

Kumamoto/Fukuoka -

• Kurokawa - my favorite small "rural" ryokan onsen town with onsen hopping pass, worth splurging. Not for those who want nightlife.
• near Mt Aso for soaking in nature
• Yufuin for resort town connected by a cute JR Kyushu train Yufuin No Mori
• Beppu if you wanted the "onsen mega-hotel" experience which I'd argue is probably how most Japanese salarymen can afford onsen visits with friends/family (thus "authentic", but not what you are imagining, and can still be fun, large onsens, and budget friendly)

+1 for evergrn's advice. A large ryokan doesn't mean it isn't traditional.

Great food - while food is subjective, coupling a really good onsen with great food is also going to drive the price up. Especially if you want course by course service in a private room. Finding a bang for buck ryokan with good food & nice onsen isn't too difficult but there's also really outstanding food to be had in Japan and it will probably be cheaper for higher quality at a restaurant outside Tokyo. I usually find it easier to make a reservation at a good restaurant + stay in a business hotel one/two nights to satisfy the trip's "have really outstanding meal" category rather than unbundling onsen from ryokan because I enjoy water variety & frequent bathing at all hours.

Basically, there's a combination which impacts prices - onsen variety & water quality, food quality, service level, room/ryokan amenities (incl private baths), and location. Kyushu ryokans will offer more bang for buck than areas on shinkansen lines from Tokyo.

hikouki

Is it worth going to Japan during the first half of December? Any suggestions as to places/ activities?

I have always wanted to go to Hokkaido, but I feel that is a Spring/ Summer destination. I'm more partial towards visiting Taiwan (now that traveling to HKG is not really an option). But my parents are leaning towards going to Japan (Tokyo/ Osaka).

Any thoughts?

nishimark

What are you concerned about? Weather? Winter in main parts of Japan (Tokyo, Osaka) doesn't usually set in until end of December and even then rarely, if ever, gets below freezing. Coldest is usually January and February (maybe freezing or a few degrees above at night), though most days are sunny and clear.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I have been in Tokyo in December/early January and it is a beautiful time of year to visit ( esp early December with the christmas/winter decorations throughout tokyo).
It can be cool/cold ( and occassionally the wind can feel cooler but ) with a warm jacket for outdoors is fine. The parks can be a little barren,

Days can be very sunny ( in a weeks stay I only had part of a day with rain)

The chances of seeing Mt Fuji in the distance from observation decks in Tokyo is also higher ie Tokyo Tower, Mori Tower, Skytree, Sunshine 60, Tokyo Metropolitan Govt building. Also Disney does christmas very well

I highly recommend it!

Regards

TBS

hikouki

Not so much concerned about the weather for myself as I live in the Pacific Northwest. But my parents are more used to Texas and Southeast Asia weather. I was just afraid there isn't much to do in December.

Hmm, but Disney sounds good!

I was looking at the JNTO web site and it seems most of their tours are during the summer? Or maybe they just have not published the winter dates yet?

nishimark

I think that time of year has no effect on things available for tourists to see and do in Japan. Here's a site with good information in several sections. DIY tourism in Japan is not difficult at all.
https://www.japan-guide.com

CanadianMoocow

JNTO website doesn't work for me at all in English but the traditional Chinese site does. Anyway, do you have any ideas on what you want to see? Like cultural sites, dine and shop, just walk around, or onsen? I visited Nagano around Feb. back in 2015 and it was pretty cold, probably not as cold as Hokkaido but cold like Pacific Northwest during the winter time. May be visit Taiwan then make a quick stop in Naha? It's only 1.5 hours away and I assume if you're not visiting typhoon season it should be good.

evergrn

Tokyo, Kyoto/Osaka , Kyushu and much of the country in general are great to visit in Dec, as others have said.
Hokkaido will be great if you're just there for winter sports and/or onsen. Otherwise I don't think I'd choose to go in Dec.
Problem with Okinawa in Dec is that it'll probably be too cold to enjoy the beach.

hikouki

Thanks for all the response guys!

Disney Christmas sounds really good!

My parents are elderly and I think they will only want to slurp ramen and sit inside a guided bus/ private car tour. If my brother/s tag/s along, then we can probably do some cultural tours.

I studied Japanese culture back in university but I never really went for my year-long study tour because I had to go straight to graduate school. So yes, cultural sights would be interesting for me.

I have been to Tokyo once, but I was still six years old. I have also been to Osaka twice (and Kyoto). Any other place in Japan worth seeing in December?

Thanks again!

freecia

Japanese tourism is pretty well developed for all seasons. Even if they wanted to do a ramen pilgrimage, it is a thing.

Certain foods like crab, tuna, and oyster shacks are also in-season in December. Yakushima's been trending higher among domestic package tours but that's more outdoors, though there are bus tours. JTB has day tours, too https://www.japanican.com/en/tour/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2275.html lists multi-day package tours which tend to be good for the less mobile or to get a surface visit of many things without having to plan a lot. If your family speaks Cantonese or Mandarin, there's other US-based tour companies like Signet Tours which operate in those dialects (guessing based on HKG, TPE).

There's Universal Studios Japan in Osaka if you like theme parks. Early December is also a manageable crowd season at Disney World in Florida if you want Christmas feels galore which would could take about a week or so to do leisurely with seniors.

shuigao

I think one missing piece of information is how long your trip duration will be. You mentioned "first half of December" but it's not too clear if it's a full 2 weeks (or longer?).

hikouki

I will probably just stay for a week, sometime between Dec 3 - 16.