Places to visit during 10-day trip to Japan?

[zensanity]

Hi everyone,

I'm taking a 10-day trip to Japan this December.

I lived in Japan for a year back in 2003 and toured quite a bit during that time, so I'm trying to brainstorm some off-the-beaten-path activities for my upcoming trip.

My Japanese is pretty good and I'm traveling light.

Any suggestions from the hive mind?

[Belton]

A few suggestions starting from Nagoya and Centair Airport.

Nagoya --> Inuyama --> Takayama (train) (If you like onsen Gero onsen is on this route.)
Meiji mura is an interesting side trip from Inuyama if you like Architecture.
From Takayama get a bus to Shirakawa-go (stay overnight in a traditional farmhouse) Bus to Kanazawa. From Kanazawa you can head north for off the beaten track.
It'll be cold in the mountains in December, and might even be snowed in.

Nagoya to Mie by Kintetsu. They have an excursion ticket available that is very good value.
http://www.kankomie.or.jp/sagasu11_traffic/t_06.html
Ise, Futami, Toba, Ise-Shima, Spain-mura (a bit desolate yet surreal in winter), You could also head to Nara and Osaka.

Koyasan would probably be spectacular in the snow.

Hiroshima has very pretty Christmas lights. After New Year there is the annual bugaku on nearby Miyajima.

Kagoshima and Sakurajima in Kyuushu are worth a trip also. (Milder weather in the southernmost part of the main Islands)

The other end of the country Sapporo has it's winter festivals at this time of year I think. I haven't been but friends have.

Again I haven't been but Sado Island could be interesting. But potentially severe weather on the West coast in December I would have thought.

[Yamanchu]

I hired a car with a friend and drove for a couple of days around the Kii Penninsula (near Nagoya) quite some time ago now. I really beautiful piece of country. Pine covered mountains, very quiet, small country roads. Every now and then the road would drop down off the mountains to an ocean inlet and we'd find a small fishing village that looked like it could have been there for a thousand years. Definately worth the effort if you have the time.

[zensanity]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful responses! Belton, thank you for that link. I will probably end up getting that.

I'll be sure to post a link to some photos/video of the trip.

Meanwhile, anyone else out there with ideas?

[Taurus]

I don't know how helpful these suggestions are, but I once went to a place called Kinosaki which I really loved. We stayed in a ryokan and had an eight-course crab meal (crab sashimi, crab tempura, grilled crab, crab nabe, etc. etc.). And another onsen town that I enjoyed was Yunishigawa.

[Jessi]

I really like reading the different recommendations everyone has! I've never been to Kyushu, but I'd really like to go and visit some places out in the countryside. I grew up in the countryside, and now that I'm living in a big city, I miss the peace and quiet sometimes!

And Taurus, that eight-course crab meal sounds simply amazing I LOVE crab!!

[Taurus]

Well in case it's useful, I think this is the place that I stayed - but it was a few years ago. I'd definitely recommend it!