Hi,
I just booked flights to Japan mid-March to early April. Meeting up with son and his gf who are traveling in Australia and then going to Japan. Planning Tokyo, Osaka, and a couple of smaller towns between - possibly Kobe, Kyoto, and near Mt. Fuji. We have been to Japan before and saw the major tourist highlights - this time we want to go a little off the beaten path. I'm looking for suggestions on where to stay - prefer smaller inns, moderately priced. Would love to fit some Ryokans into our trip too. One area we've heard about is Arima Onsen, not too far from Osaka/Kyoto I don't think. And near Mt. Fuji - we've been told about Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, and Karuizawa. Appreciate any suggestions - thanks!
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Chicago, IL, USA
512 posts
We had a wonderful trip to Japan that time of year. Has been some years now and the travel company we used in no longer in business. But in researching my trip to Japan for next year I found what appear to be some good resources:
https://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/ (find their pdf on the website that explains about all the different kinds of ryokans and similar places to stay)
https://walkjapan.com/who-we-are (you wouldn't have to do one of their tours but could be inspired by their itineraries)
And if you are looking for onsen, I had tagged this book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/4n7Eyhi (Onsen of Japan: Japan's Best Hot Springs and Bath Houses)
Enjoy the planning!