Winter Honshu 14-day trip

Hello everyone!
Two years ago my wife and I went to Japan and visited the most famous attractions (Tokyo, Kamagawa, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Nara, Koya, Kiso valley, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Hiroshima, Himeji, Miyajima).

Now we want to go back in the main island, Honshū, around February 2019 for 14 days.

Could you give me some recommendations about what to see and visit? I saw on this website lots of roads are closed during winter and I'm also wondering if it's better to get a JR pass also this time, or to rent a car.

One location I'd like to visit this time is Nikko, because it was under restoration last time and I removed it from my list.
Thanks for your help!

Mike

I saw on this website lots of roads are closed during winter and I'm also wondering if it's better to get a JR pass also this time, or to rent a car.

It depends on the places you visit. Many tourist destinations in Japan can easily be explored by public transportation, but some attractions in the countryside are much more conveniently explored by rental car. Northern Japan and the higher elevations around eastern Japan get a lot of snow. If you don't want to drive in the snow, then you better don't rent a car there.

Could you give me some recommendations about what to see and visit?

It depends on your interests, so I looked at your profile (cute cat!), and based on your travel interests, I recommend the following besides Nikko:
- Kusatsu Onsen: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7400.html
- Snow Monkeys: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6028.html
- Matsumoto: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6050.html
- Kanazawa (unless that's what you meant with Kamagawa): https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2167.html
- Ise: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4300.html
- Kurashiki: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5750.html

And although you specifically asked for Honshu, I would also consider places on Kyushu and Shikoku, such as:
- Naoshima: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5475.html
- Nagasaki: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2162.html
- Kurokawa: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4575.html

Hi Uji, thanks for your answer! You wrote a lot of interesting places and now it's up to me to work!

I'd like to go in Hokkaido in the winter, but my wife is scared about the cost, that's the main reason we will stay in the main island; the Nagasaki island is amazing too and I'd like to visit it in the future.

Just one question: do you advise me the road in the Nagano mountains which go through the snow?
This: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7550.html
Is it worth in your opinion?

Thanks again!
Mike

PS: Lum-chan, my cat thanks you!

do you advise me the road in the Nagano mountains which go through the snow?

It is not open in February. It is only open between mid April and November. It is a great destination for people who like to enjoy mountain scenery without much physical effort.

I'd like to go in Hokkaido in the winter, but my wife is scared about the cost

The cost of what? Transportation is essentially "free" with a JR Pass, and if you prefer flying because the trains are too slow, that's not too expensive either. https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/66905/

Hi Firas, Uji,

thanks again for your answers. Now I try to put down a new trip planning and will post in a few days with our decisions!
Mike

Hello everyone! My trip planning is proceeding well, thanks to your comments!

One place I'd like to add to my plan is the visit of Senjogahara marshes, and hike in the snow with snow shoes. In this travel page https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3811.html#section_get_there it's written that you have to take the bus from Nikko and stop at the Sanbonmatsu parking, where you can rent the snow shoes. However, later in 'Access' it's written that at that stop 'Sanbonmatsu bus stop offers a small observation deck with views over the marshland, but no access to the hiking trails'.

So my question is: what bus stop would you advise to rent snow shoes and start the hiking trail I see in the report pictures?
Thanks!

Hi, can someone answer to my last question about snow shoes rental? Thank you very much for your help!