Ryokans with Onsen near Narita/Tokyo/Chiba (Timewise)
 

After our last visit (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...l#post11663398) we planned on having a much longer visit and we booked travel for early March.

Sadly, I have had to cut this short by a week due to work commitments. We we can't reschedule the flights to a later time as the ATW fare being used needs to be completed by mid March. :(

So we only have 4 nights; flying in to NRT Wednesday and Departing Sunday back to Australia.

Rather than rush around like we did last time we are looking to spend two relaxing days/night nights in a Ryokan (hopefully with onsen) and have a day or so around Tokyo.

I have been researching this and have considered the following: We are aware it will be early spring, before the Sakura so it will be rather cool.

Does anyone have any experience/suggestion/advice/tips as to places that are convenient to get to (oand other things/activities to do) from Narita and/or East/South of Tokyo.

All input will be gratefully accepted.

How about the Hakone area? For a less touristy experience, maybe on the Izu or Boso peninsula, although I don't know even if there are onsen in those places. I am sure a few experts on these areas will soon weigh in.

There are vast amounts of ryokan in the Izu area, it's very popular with Japanese but less so with foreigners (who are drawn like moths to Hakone instead). Search for ryokan in eg. Atami, Mishima, Shimoda, Shuzenji.

Can't say I've ever heard of any onsen or ryokan in the Boso area? But if you head further up north, Nikko and nearby (Kinugawa, Chuzenji etc) is definitely an option though.

I am SO strongly tempted to say that when I was talking about Boso, I was just clowning around.

But I wasn't, hence I won't.

Y'Know, the climate at the southern end of the Izu peninsula and Boso peninsula is warm enough that you may find a few cherry blossoms in mid-March. Perhaps not a stunning display, but ...

Hmm, that's a thought - head South.

I have been looking at this web site: http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/chiba/index.htm . Is it a reasonable website and are there other guides with more options?

In other thoughts, would it be better to stay at the one place for two nights or just the one. I have seen information about some places preferring guest be away during the middle of the day.

You have to go quite a long way from Tokyo to find a place with a milder climate than the southern tips of those two peninsulas. Southern Kyushu might be the closest place with noticeably warmer winters.

That one seems to be pretty high profile.
You could also check out http://www.ikyu.com/en and http://travel.rakuten.co.jp/en/
The Ikyu hotels and ryokan tend to be upmarket. Rakuten offers the whole gamut of accommodations.

I'd suggest one night - arriving fairly early so that you get to have a relaxed bath and dinner at the inn, then leave at a fairly relaxed pace next day. You might want to splurge for an upmarket place to experience that - even if only once.

Thanks for the advice; we intend to do a one nighter ... :)

We looked closely at Boso, but the travel was 4 hours to get there (and not much less back to Tokyo).

There is a similar issue with Izu peninsula.

Spurred on by Megatoplover's post on the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japan...l#post15554602 re Hoshinoya Karuizawa, we are looking to book there.

Yes, it wont be warm; maybe even slushy rather than frosty but such is life.

Since "one night" stays can only be booked one month ahead, we need to wait a little time before booking.

We've followed that with a two night award at the Tokyo Hilton.

Hoshinoya Karuizawa worked very well, being an easy shinkensen hour from greater Tokyo.^

(And, no, it wasn't "Warm" in late February with snow all around; but that was rapidly melting in the sunshine as were departing last Friday.)