Originally Posted by
NewbieRunner
I
haven’t heard any rumours about Kumamoto or Shikoku. 
Easter 2025 is late, almost as late as in 2019 when we went to Sapporo for Hokkai-Do. I’ve been thinking of Kanazawa with a post-do visit to Tateyama Snow Corridor which opens between mid-April and mid-June each year and possibly a stay at an onsen nearby. In addition to Kanazawa itself, we might go on a day trip to visit Tōjinbō Cliffs, Eiheiji Temple, and Maruoka Castle.
I’ll start a new thread for further discussion.
Kanazawa is a great city to visit and I would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone, but it was a popular side trip this year for those attending 2024 Nagoya DO. So, I would say it’s too much of the same region in back to back years.
Kanazawa Castle is great, Little Kyoto is atmospheric, food / fish markets are delicious albeit struggling from popularity due to Anthony Bourdain episode.
Maruoka Castle is the smallest still standing castle from the original ones? It’s cute, but requires quite a bit of a detour. New Shinkansen line helps. Fukui is a nice town to explore on the way to/from Kanazawa to Maruoka. Lots of dinosaurs bones have been found in Fukui region. Also, Our Brewing by Fukui JR Station is great.
I’ve looked into Tojinbo Cliffs and they seem to be a tourist trap.
Tateyama Snow Corridor would be a great side trip, but I worry about completing it given the typical lines along the route and Japan DO group typical glacial pace.
In conclusion, my $0.02 is Kanazawa would be an excellent Japan DO base, but perhaps for 2026 or 2027 as we just did Nagoya in 2024.
I would strongly consider the merits of those vicious rumors about Kumamoto DO or Shikoku DO😆