2nd trip to Japan - 2 weeks - 21/04/2019

Hi all,

My partner and I will be looking to go back to Japan for our 2nd trip at the end of April (21st). We will be travelling back from Japan to the UK on 5th May from Tokyo, but we haven't decided on the flight there yet as we will be travelling to Japan from South East Asia (looking to leave on 20th or 21st April).

The first time we went to Japan was over late summer for 3 weeks and we did the following:
Tokyo,
Kamakura,
Shirakawago,
Takayama,
Kanazawa
Hakone,
Nagoya,
Osaka,
Kyoto,
Nara,
Koya san,
Hiroshima,
Miyajima

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and was completely blown away by everything.

This time, we would like to experience something different but also some of the same things. List in priority:
Cherry blossoms,
Farm stay (1 night),
Onsen town,
See mt Fuji (possibly hakone again as the last time we didnt see Fuji san as it was too hazy)
Stay in buddhist temple again
Stay in a heritage village (like shirakawa)
Experience festival,
Old towns like Takayama / Shirakawa / Miyajima

My idea is that to probably fly into Sapporo and explore Hokkaido for 5 days and from 26th April flying down to Osaka (cheap one way flight at £50!). The reason for this is that I was looking at the cherry blossom season and a friend has said we would have better chance at experiencing this in Hokkaido.
If we were to go to Hokkaido, can any of you recommend places to go and what would be a good itinerary for 5 days? We can fly from Hakodate / Sapporo to Osaka on 26th.

I have reserved 2-5th May to be in Tokyo.

So between 26th April - 2nd May, we would like to do the above and explore some new places in and around central Japan that includes Osaka and Kyoto. If you could recommend or suggest new places we can go to, that would be most appreciated!

Many thanks

Ina

Hi. I'd go:

Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchi - look I wasnt really fussed on Kawaguchiko but the fuji views are fantastic;
Kawaguchiko to Matsumoto (nice castle) - some people love it. I like it on the weekends but find it a bit quiet on week nights;
Matsumoto to Kamikotchi, possibly overnight (Kamikotchi onsen hotel is nice, great rotenburo and you get to see the monkeys in the morning), possibly on to Takayama;
Takayama (cant get enough of that Takayama beef and the squirrels, also the bus trip from Kamikouchi is fun, try Hotel Associa);
Takayama to Hikone (great castle), nice overnight. Hikone is next to Maibara and on Lake Biwa, not to be confused with Hakone. Have a look at Hikone Castle View Resort;
Hikone to Nara or Kyoto. I far prefer Nara to Kyoto, not as crowded and more open.

Each place you could stay a night if you are speedy, or longer if you want, but you do better with small luggage.

We did pretty much that trip in October/November last year, it was awesome

@Lazy Pious & I both really like Hikone. It's a great small castle with a good garden & really good museum. I always mention Ryotanji as needing a visit while you are there. Hikone is off the main tourist path so is lovely & quiet too. Otherwise central Japan to me means Okayama as a base to visit the Korakuen garden. Ride bicycles on the Kibi plain cycle route and to do day trips to Bitchu Matsuyama castle, Kurashiki, The art installations on Naoshima (It's the Setouchi Trienniale this year https://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/) and maybe as far as Onomichi.