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Winter trip advice for Kyushu, Chugoku 2017/12/31 15:41
I'm interested in visiting the following sites but think that some might be better left to another trip, either because they might be too quiet, too cold, scenery not at its best, holidays, etc. I'm aware of the difficulty of travelling around New Year, and I was hoping to reach Osaka by the 28th of December and stay there until after the New Year rush had passed (good idea? or not?).

Would you be able to advise about what I could leave out, if any? Also, would it be better to travel mostly in December, rather than extend the trip too much into January?

Chugoku: Tottori, Matsue, Izumo, Hagi, Akiyoshido Cave, Tsuwano, Iwakuni, Onomichi, Ikuchijima Island, Rabbit Island

Shikoku: Takamatsu (Ritsurin, Naoshima day trip, Kotohira)

Kyushu: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Beppu

Osaka - for New Year period

Any advice much appreciated
by Ben (guest)  

Re: Winter trip advice for Kyushu, Chugoku 2017/12/31 20:24
It's now New Year's, but I take you are talking about the end of 2018, right?
It would help if you gave more info like how many days your trip will be, as well as your interests.

All the places you mention have some great places. And while travel during New Year's can be a headache, it's also an opportunity - experience the New Year Japanese style.
Getting to the Sea of Japan(Tottori, Matsue, Izumo, Hagi) and travel around is very time consuming. If you have to get rid of something due to time, I'd say leave that for a future trip. Next time fly into Tokyo and just catch a flight to near there to start off. For this trip, don't go too far from the bullet train line.

Bunny Island is also rather time consuming, but there are not a lot of places to go where you can get mobbed by rabbits. Definitely something you won't forget. But it may eat up at least half a day just for one place.
Akiyoshido is the ideal place to visit regardless of the season or the weather. Inside is a constant temperature, though pretty humid. The experience though is surreal.
https://youtu.be/DqIKC9S8TFQ
Tsuwano & Iwakuni are also very good - Taikodani has a good Inari feel without the mobs that are at Fushimi Inari in Kyoto.
http://bit.ly/2CgIvaR
Both Onomichi and Kosanji on Ikuchijima are excellent.
http://bit.ly/2wL4cfN
You might consider adding Miyajima too.
Plus Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, and Beppu all have some good sights.
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/fukpic.html
The question is, do you have the time for all these places. Only you know your travel interests and pace.
by Ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Winter trip advice for Kyushu, Chugoku 2017/12/31 20:31
I'm aware of the difficulty of travelling around New Year, and I was hoping to reach Osaka by the 28th of December and stay there until after the New Year rush had passed (good idea? or not?).

I think you will be traveling in next year (Dec 2018 to Jan 2019). By "the difficulty of travelling around New Year" you mean the difficulty in finding affordable hotel rooms, the reservation of trains and the crowd in the touristic spots? The crowd in the touristic spots such as famous shrines and theme parks is true, but some hotels are not so expensive and some trains are rather vacant.

I checked the cyberstation (http://www1.jr.cyberstation.ne.jp/csws/Vacancy.do) and found many trains for 1st Jan 2018 (tomorrow) have plenty of seats available. In general, 30th Dec to 2nd Jan is not so crowded as for long distance trains.

I further checked the hotel rates in Osaka for 1st to 3rd Jan. Interestingly, some fancy hotels are more expensive than usual while some inexpensive hotels with many single rooms are very cheap. I think many family tourists go to fancy hotels with large rooms, but business workers are off the work so the cheap single rooms tend to be vacant.
by frog1954 rate this post as useful

Re: Winter trip advice for Kyushu, Chugoku 2017/12/31 20:35
Thanks so much for your detailed reply. I can see the soundness of your advice re the Sea of Japan and the time needed to travel there.

I'll do as you suggest and stck closer to the main Shinkansen line. Do you think there will be an issue travelling to Osaka on the Shinkansen on 28 December?
by Ben (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Winter trip advice for Kyushu, Chugoku 2017/12/31 20:40
Dear frog1954.

That's so kind of you to have checked. That information is very interesting and gives a different perspective on what is usualy posted about travel at this time of year.

Certainly puts my mind at ease.
by Ben (guest) rate this post as useful

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