Where to go in Japan in May

Hi, would like to get some opinion on places to visit in Japan in May. I will be travelling in mid-end may, arriving in Japan via Tokyo. Was planning to spend a night in Tokyo and another in Hakone etc. (not confirmed) to get a glimpse of Mt Fuji. After which, I will depart for other cities. My total trip duration is 12-14 days. Any suggested places I could visit for great scenery and less touristy places? I will be going on a backpacking trip so it would definitely be great if I could save up on public transport costs (i.e. using sleeper buses instead of shinkansen etc).

Thank you :)

Do you at least know which region you want to visit? Parts of Chugoku are quiet but really nice. Shikoku & Kyushu are also less busy & there are plenty of great places there. Tohoku is off the main tourist beat but I havent been north of Utsunomiya so cant comment.

By the end of May it is usually getting pretty warm. In mid May pretty much everywhere is nice.

I'd go straight out to Bessho Onsen for a night where you should still catch sakura, then maybe on to Kamikouchi which will be cold. Then maybe from there on to Takayama, and wind back from there to Kyoto if that is on your list.

There is plenty of information on this web site on places to visit. Including off the beaten track places. Just browse through the different categories, e.g. there is currently a category called "Far-flung Japan", but there were also other reports on less touristy places.
In May you can essentially go anywhere and wheather should be relatively good.

Once you got your itinary worked out, if you have then question, I am sure that people here on the forum will be happy to help.

Enjoy planning your trip to Japan!

Willer express has a lot of buses, including many sleeper buses for long routes. They have timetables and booking in several languages, including english. There is also a 3 - 7 non-consecutive day pass that may be a good value for you: http://willerexpress.com/st/3/en/pc/buspass/

As for where to go? You'd have to be more specific. It's a big country with a lot of interesting areas.

Apart from Northern Hokkaido, May is one of the best months to travel in Japan. The weather is nice, the flowers are out and the crowds are not overbearing yet....

Definitely go see the awesome Japan Alps in May, and for sure, go to Matsumoto. Check out the oldest castle in Japan. There's a very good backpackers hostel (Matsumoto Backpackers) close to the Matsumoto bus/train stations. The traditional old buildings in Matsumoto are great, too. Just walk around town and check them out.

If you want to hike, there are tons of great places in the mountains around Matsumoto, including places with hot spring accommodations. Kamikochi is one of the top destinations. The owners of Matsumoto Backpackers hostel are experienced mountain hikers, so if you stay with them, they can help you out.

If you are into more modern stuff, like art, there's an excellent ukiyoe museum in Matsumoto. And Matsumoto is the home town of the artist Yayoi Kusama, and the City Art Museum has some of her work on display.

You could take an easy day trip south to Narai (also called Narai Juku) and walk around an authentic old post town. I'd highly recommend that.

Yes, Matsumoto! You can get there cheaply, too, by bus from Shinjuku in Tokyo in about 3 and a half hours. Great hiking in the hills around Matsumoto! It's also a great city for walking around and seeing interesting stuff. Spend at least two days. A full day in Matsumoto for sure. You can also use Matsumoto as a base and go to Narai, Kamikochi, hot springs. So plan on a two or three day stay

Another good destination in the area is Togura Kami Yamada Onsen (hot spring). Check out Kamesei Ryokan. The owner there will show you a great time. You can get there from Matsumoto quickly and cheaply if you get of at Obasute train station, and contact Kamesei Ryokan (in advance).
http://www.kamesei.jp/english/kannai.html

From there, lots of people like to go see the snow monkeys.

There is also an AWESOME ninja group there in the Togura Kami Yamada Onsen area. You can even take part in their class.

Great, thanks to all for your ideas! Seems like it will be a good period to visit Kamikochi and Matsumoto.