Originally Posted by LapLap
Anyway - I need to present ideas tomorrow, and I'm now much happier about the suggestions I can put forward. She can decide between:
Kansai - Kyoto, Kurama, Osaka on the 3rd for Sh!tenno-ji Wasso festival, and she can decide whether to visit Nara, Koya San or Arima Onsen (near Kobe). I've emailed IACE to see if they can fiddle with a shinkansen/2 nights lodging 3 day tour itinerary so that she can return by train on a later date... that might be the most cost effective way to do this. I'll report back with a yes or no.
or
The Shizuoka/Hakone spa visits, which should prove more relaxing. Onsen examples in post 1 and post 15
here.
ok, that's it, you're booking my next Japan trip!
Let us know that she decides.
BTW, what is MrLapLap's aversion to onsen? I can't imagine a trip to japan without several long soaks in extremely hot water ;-o Even as an oversize white guy i've rarely gotten a second glance at onsen (tho they might wonder what the shirokuma is doing in the hot baths).
_m