bigshooter

Hello everyone. I'm very excited to go back to Japan... haven't been since 2019.

My first trip was Osaka -> Kyoto -> Fukuoaka -> Hiroshima -> Kobe -> Tokyo.
Second trip with a buddy of mine was Osaka -> Kyoto -> Tokyo

I've had a few additional short stop overs into Tokyo and Narita town as well, but want to revisit a couple places and explore more. Current itinerary for early May is

Arrive HND 5am and take Shinkansen to Fukuoaka.
2 nights Fukuoaka
2 nights Nagasaki
1 night Hiroshima
2 nights Kinosaki Onsen (I hope the place actually saves my reservation so I can go this time...)
3 nights Osaka (Nara day trip, Yamazaki distillery, kuidaore...)
3 open nights
3 nights Tokyo

I have been trying to figure out where to go between Osaka and Tokyo for the 3 open nights. I could head up to Kanazawa area and back down, go to Hakone, or Kakamura/Yokohama). I'm also thinking about dropping Osaka to 1 night and flying/take ferry to Sapporo to check out Hokkaido area (Otaru, Sapporo, and a couple cities on the way back to Tokyo).

Any thoughts on how to fill the back half of the trip? The availability in Kinosaki (only days Morizuya Onsen had available) is set so I can't spend more time in Kyushu or head north earlier. I'm not sure if I want to save Hokkaido for a separate trip and spend more time up there. I guess I'm just excited to be going back.

IJN Harekaze

Two places spring to mind at once to fill in a day or two...

1) The Ghibli Museum in Inokashira Park in Mitaka - something that I have always wanted to visit and is on my top ten list of things to do when I finally get to visit Japan

2) Mikasa Park in Yokosuka - home of the last remaining British built Battleship, the IJN Mikasa. As I understand it, she still flies the IJN version of the national ensign on her jack and not the Article 9 compliant one. Some of the local restaurants in the area serve a curry to the same recipe that the old Imperial Navy and now the JMSDF uses, though I can not speak upon its taste as I have not had that pleasure

freecia

Have you been to onsen before and/or are set on the public bath onsen-hopping town style of Kinosaki? There's some great onsen water in Kyushu and Hokkaido but the communal onsen town atmosphere of Kinosaki is well known internationally. Actual bath experience wise, it's good for bathers who enjoy being around people and indoor bath houses. The town offers a good bit of strolling atmosphere & street side beer.

If you are flying to HND then it'd make sense to fly to FUK, either as a connection or on an air pass https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2364.html as there should be plenty of flights. FUK is very close to town. You can get from Hakata to Nagasaki with a Northern JR Kyushu pass or even up to Hiroshima & Osaka with JR Sanyo Sanin Northern Kyushu Pass.

bigshooter

Based on flight times it would actually get into fukuoka later than just taking the train, plus I’d need to deal with the airport.

I will have a 14 day JR pass so I can go pretty much anywhere. Only reason I would fly from Osaka to Sapporo is to avoid the slow train from Hakodate to Sapporo.

I have done onsen before and Kinosaki is just something to do for once as well as enjoy good kaiseki meals. I was going to go to beppu or somewhere south, but heard Beppu especially is very run down and many of the nicer places really require car or bus to get there.

bigshooter

I have thought about Ghibli museum in the past. Never went. Mikasa park sounds interesting and who doesn’t love Japanese curry!? I will have to check it out one of my Tokyo days.

IJN Harekaze

I am sure you will love it - the ship is the famous flagship of Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō and apart from the good Admiral Tōgō's flagship, there is a shell from the IJN Yamato that was never loaded on her final voyage to have an idea at the massive scale of her guns and a pleasant looking little park overlooking the harbour.

pest

Takayama, take the Wide View Hida express train from Nagoya, the scenery on the way is incredibly beautiful from May - Aug

FlyingUnderTheRadar

A couple of suggestions I enjoyed my time around Hakone. I bought the FreePass and had a nice day walking around with stops along the way. Had great views of Fuji from the lake Combine that with a stop in Kamakura before returning to Tokyo would easily fill the 3 days.

seattlebruce

A couple of ideas that are sort of between Osaka and Tokyo:

I enjoyed Matsumoto in the Japan Alps -- interesting castle, traditional town, nearby wasabi fields.

On another trip I walked the Nakasendo Trail between Magone and Tsumago. The walk is pretty, the tourist office will transport your bags so you don't have to double back, and it's a good excuse to stay in small towns at both ends.

I'd save Hokkaido for a longer trip, preferably during a warmer month.

freecia

Kyushu - Yufuin is reachable by sightseeing train and has some ryokans with rotenburo (outdoor onsen). Daytime strolling in Kinosaki might be a little more comfortable for a solo male than Yufuin which is marketed towards women and couples (less bars and more cafes + desserts. Nearby Beppu is marketed towards salarymen). I consider Kurokawa worth a bus ride but the feel is much more village or country side than small town like Yufuin or Kinosaki. Unzen Onsen is near Nagasaki.

Kinosaki - Luxury ryokan Nishimuraya Ryokan in Kinosaki has an affiliated standalone restaurant if you want to change up a meal while you're there ?????????? One thing to possibly note is ryokan private and outdoor baths in Kinosaki are heated municipal water and not onsen water https://visitkinosaki.com/plan/visit...%20is%20heated.

cockpitvisit

You haven't stated your interests (in particular, whether you are interested in cultural/historical aspects of Japan or you are rather a traveling foodie more interested in whiskey distilleries).

If I were you (or more precisely, if you were me ), I would add one day in Nara and two days in Kanazawa.

Nara is close to Osaka/Kyoto, has a nice park containing some of the oldest buildings in Japan and a few excellent museums.

Kanazawa is 2.5h away from Tokyo by Shinkansen (and the train ride goes through some amazing scenery as it crosses the mountains). It hosts numerous attractions, a world class modern art museum, the city itself is quite beautiful by Japanese standards.

You can also travel to Kanazawa on the "Hida" limited express train (either from Nagoya or from Osaka), it follows a beautiful valley and stops at Takayama - a nice tourist village surrounded by temples, kind of a mini-Kyoto where everything is within walking distance.

If you have been to Nara already (not clear from your previous trips description), I would add one day in Kagoshima instead, in the south of Kyushu.

In your place, I wouldn't travel to Hokkaido for 1-2 days, except maybe for winter festivals - there is not much unique stuff to see there in such a short time period, the time would be better spent on Honshu and Kyushu.

bigshooter

Well maybe I screwed up, maybe not.

Since I can't change my Kinosaki reservations I cut the Osaka part down to 1 day with a flight to Sapporo the following day. I'm going to spend 3 days in Sapporo/Otaru area, then head down to Sendai for a couple of days before heading to Tokyo.

I probably should have focused on Kyushu area and saved , but decided I wanted to get the onsen town in (it was on my list originally 10 years ago but things fell through) and by that point I'm already back in Kansai.

I'll probably be exhausted from constantly being on the move, but Japan is so easy to get back to I'm sure I'll have plenty of future visits.

BTW, I am a beer, whiskey, and food guy. Sapporo brewery and food is at the top of the list. I was going to hit up Yamazaki when I was spending more time in Osaka, but the tours are always full for English speaking.

IJN Harekaze

One piece of advice I should have mentioned, if you get offered the chance to try a few teas then strongly and firmly deny it - its a tourist trap

LapLap

I’m very keen to spend time in Shizuoka because I am very interested in tea. What was your experience that made you wary about trying teas?

Was it very different to the kind of tea tasting offered here: https://ihachinouen.com/teaterrace/

Perhaps you were touted in the street? Was it an unsolicited chance you were offered?

IJN Harekaze

Sort of the latter - basically, the thing works in that a guy comes up and asks if you speak English, they then ask to have a tea with you and talk so they can practice their English and they go to a tea shop whereupon you are "asked" to buy several boxes of very supposedly expensive teas or else two guys behind you will get very upset. Whilst it has not happened to me personally, a friend of mine had it happen to them some years back and lost a few hundred quid. Any attempt to alert local police will sometimes get results but often as like not

I believe this is much the same as in China where the scam happens too