Your Obscure Dream Trip

Since guessing accurately when borders will open is about as likely as winning the lottery - I thought it would be fun for people to share where they want to visit in Japan which is NOT the normal golden route.

So where would you like to travel in Japan?

I would love to farm stay hop through central Kyushu - Chikuho, Aso, Miyazaki regions.
Or beach hop along the northern beaches of Yamaguchi, Shimane, Tottori regions.

My fantasy trip is to indeed win the lottery, take a year off work and apply for the "rich person" visa, and spend the year travelling Japan. I'd keep an apartments in major cities (e.g. Tokyo, Kyoto, etc.) changing every couple of months and do short trips out into the respective regions, and soak up city life in between. I'd take short language courses, perhaps engage personal language tutors, volunteer at conversation schools, take cooking classes, etc.

Using the same monetary and time conditions as they were on my previous trips i would this time choose for two week vacation a base camp in Tokyo. Month should be May or maybe october.

At least one day should be on the beach, i like swimming even if the water temperature is below 20 degree celsius and swimming in ocean is not possible in my home country. Of course, wife would demand couple of shopping days :-). Otherwise i would visit places in Tohoku and Kanto. For example, Yamadera, Matsushima, Hachimantai region. Even in greater Tokyo i would just wander around in different neighbourhoods.

BR,
Lauri

What I miss most are onsens! Just could not wait to revisit Hokkaido. I love driving around the island, stopping by onsen after onsen, visiting remote area off the beaten track, experiencing the unexpected!

I also miss onsens so much ! We have some hot springs in my country, but they are letting the water cool down to 36-38�‹C =_=

My dream trip would be a great loop West of Osaka :
- Shikoku : Iya valley, with several nights in one of Tougenkyo-Iya's houses (but the price !) + Nakatsu gorges, then ferry to Kyushu.
- Onsen hopping around Beppu/Yufu/Aso, then South to Kagoshima.
- Yakushima by ferry. Hiking and onsens.
- Train to the coast North of Hiroshima: Hagi - Izumo - Tottori.

It would take more than one month to hit all those spots, plus the major towns in-between, though :(

I'm financially ready to travel right now, but I'm being more realistic into thinking 2021 won't be a tourist year for Japan. I'll definitely be ready to travel for my 'planned' trip in April 2022, where I'll attend the Minato Matsuri for yet another year in Onomichi.

Since I've been to all 47 prefectures already, my next goal is to visit the northernmost and southermost points of Japan on that same trip. Easternmost and Westernmost aren't as attractive and the other two. Odate, Shimonoseki, and Hagi will be part of this trip as well.

It would've been great if I just flew to Tokyo someday, love this city.

My obscure dream trip is the same thing I do every year (sometimes twice). 1-3 months in the deepest most furthest out western suburbs of Tokyo. Every day exploring the forests and rivers and mountains. Almost never going anywhere near the 23 special wards.

Soon please!

I have already seen most of Japan that are of interest to me. One thing I have been trying to do is to watch and participate in the Nebuta Matsuri festival in Aomori. I already reserved a room for next year�fs (2021 Aug) event, and hopefully won�ft get cancelled.

ML, i am like you.
Meantime i am filling my bathtub to the top, put bathing salts into and cry sobbing tears while i am thinking of japanese onsens....

I'd be happy with my postponed itinerary for this year-Okayama, Shikoku, the coast around Hiroshima and a taste of Kumano Kodo on the way back to Tokyo.

We had imagined we'd be having (another) three months in Yokohama early 2021, but I am very sure that won't be happening. That in itself was a dream trip.

I'd like to do a drive around Biwako, and go to Miyazaki Prefecture. I'd also like to do a drive around the Noto Peninsula.

For now we dream of travel we once lovingly and confidently planned, and make the most of where we are. And wash our hands.

I don't know if all of these are obscure, but some places I'd like to visit:
-Kagamino: Okutsu Onsen, the gorge, and waterfall
-Niimi's caves and the natural sites of northeastern Hiroshima
-The Oki Islands
-Sado Island
-Do the Chichibu Pilgrimage
-The October cherry blossoms (Obara Shikizakura) in Toyota (Aichi)
-Oku-Hida Onsen and the ropeway
-Yuwaku Onsen
-Mitokusan Nagereido and Misasa Onsen
-See some of the sites of the Niyodo River ("Niyodo Blue")
-Chizu's historic district
-Sayo's Hirafuku historic district
-See the Alpine Route's "snow wall"
-Uradome and Hakuta Coasts in Tottori
-The Osumi area of Kagoshima
-Visit the rest of the Top 100 castles. I've been to 75 as of now, and 30-something of the 101-200.
-Visit the last 4 temples of the Saigoku 33 Temple Pilgrimage that I haven't visited

There are a lot of places I'd like to see or revisit in specific seasons or for specific events, as well. Every time I check something off, I discover a new place to visit!

Hope this response isn't late, but my dream is to also win the lottery and buy a unit in one of the tall mansion buildings in Tokyo. I want to spend three months less a day per year and absorb the Japanese culture whether attending a sumo match or kabuki. Since I am an "influencer" on IG, I would document my stay on social media. I'd use the time to visit the 10 least visited prefectures and document the travels there and do a lot of photography and film making.

We've taken the path of local obscurity. Since we were meant to be in Japan now for my birthday celebration, my husband surprised me by bringing a bit of Japan to us. There is now a tatami room in our house. I've been playing with Super Mario Lego in there, as a COVID equivalent to USJ's new area where I was to spend my birthday.

In 2022 (or 2021 if that's viable), I want to go to Sakaiminato because of Shigeru Mizuki.

I would love to travel to Japan during April for cherry blossom season and December-January for New Years celebrations. Definitely need to visit Hiroshima, Kyoto, Kanazawa, and Tokyo again. I don't see borders opening up anytime soon maybe 2021 or 2022.

I've visited most of the places I want to visit. Some of the places which I would like to visit include

- Iya Valley
- Sanriku Coast
- Some small traditional towns in Tochigi
- Chuchibu
- Gujo Hacjiman
- Kyoto in Koyo (again)

I was actually scheduled to visit Japan between November 9 - December 8th but now I'm just waiting for my airline to cancel the flights since my home country has stated that borders are closed for 2020.

I would need 3 trips doing the following:
1. Autumn in the best and most scenic spots.
2. Nature trip across Hokkaido
3. Eating through the best specialty restaurants (best sukiyaki, tempura, wagyu steak, tonkatsu, sashimi, etc)

I had plans for our 7th trip to Japan this spring, so I just keep dreaming of same places - Ehime (stay in Matsuyama, trips around including Shimanami Kaido).
And as never get enough of Kyoto, second half of next trip there. Again & again & again.
In between also 2 nights in some remote mountain onsen-ryokan, with good food and hot soak.