Hello! I'm planning a trip to Japan for an entire year from now (I like having lots of time to think about things, lol). The time while there will be somewhat limited. I will be travelling with my boyfriend and two of our friends and we'll be there for roughly 2.5 weeks around March-April. For now, the plan is mainly to stick around Tokyo and hopefully also do 3-4 days in Kyoto, but I am now also considering if it would be worth going somewhere in the countryside for 2 days.
My main worry is the fact that I don't really have a concept for the scale of Tokyo and what can feasible be done in 1-2 weeks. For reference, I don't like my trips being super hectic and packed to the brim- I have seen itineraries for "Tokyo in 3 days!!!" and I know from decades of travelling that I would hate that. However, I am questioning how long a Tokyo stay needs to be for it to feel "satisfying"- like you've actually seen what you wanted to see? Would it be better to just cut my losses and spend more time in Tokyo & Kyoto and simply try to get back out to Japan at some point later in life to explore deeper?
As well as that, I have found researching areas in the Japanese countryside to be rather difficult and not really giving any descriptions of value. I want something that feels truly unique. I live in the countryside myself, thus am not absolutely blown away by the mere existence of greenery like some of my city-dwelling friends & family are, lol. Thus, I would like some suggestions that feel like nothing you've ever seen. Something like area around Mt. Fuji is a perfect example, but I'm also interested in hearing other places so I can weigh a few different options. I'm hoping to stay in a ryokan to get some level of an "authentic experience" of Japan, but would still like some things nearby to see, including shrines and temples. Not a necessity, but I would also like it to be somewhere with a special local dish that's difficult to find elsewhere. From what I've heard, there are regional dishes for basically every corner of Japan, but thought I'd still specify.
So, my main questions in summary are:
- Would it be realistic to do (for example): Tokyo 10 days, Kyoto 4 days, [countryside location] 2 days? Would it be possible to squeeze those locations in and still feel satisfied with the trip?
- Where in the countryside would you recommend that has a unique natural beauty while also having things to do/see nearby? Bonus points if you can also recommend a good ryokan in the area.
by madeleine61509