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Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/9/29 17:23
Hello,

for my next trip in Japan (when borders will be open again!) I'm planning to go again during the autumn colours.
This time I would like to explore the south Nara, Mie and Wakayama prefectures. In particular, I'd like to focus on Ise, Hasedera, Yoshino, Tanzan and Nachi temples.

I am looking for something between Tokyo and Nagoya, where to spend a day. I don't like Nagoya and already visited Kiso Valley. I would like a place like the Kiso with scenic views of autumn colours or relaxing onsen. Can you suggest me a location like that?
Thanks!
by cochese  

Re: Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/9/30 11:21
Shuzenji. It is pretty easy to get to, and quite lovely.

Either that or Hikone, which is my favorite castle town by far with an awesome garden in the castle grounds.

I'd expect colour in both of those places by mid November. If you are going earlier (early November) then I'd be looking at Takayama, but it is a bit of a hike to get there with a biggish trip from there to Nara.
by Lazy Pious (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/9/30 15:24
Totally in agreement with @LazyPius.

Hikone isnft technically between Tokyo and Nagoya, but itfs on the way to Nara. Around Hikone there are also some hills with temples on them that are famous for autumn colors.

Hakone would be an other possibility. I am not the greatest fan of Hakone, but if the volcano is open for visitors, itfs a great sight (and awful smell) to walk through the bubbling , boiling volcano. Also I kind of hope that visitor numbers to Japan wonft increase again immediately to pre-COVID numbers, so it might be a good moment to visit Hakone without too many tourists.

For your stay in Nara prefecture I warmly recommend to stay in Yamatoyagi. Itfs perfectly located to reach Hasedera, Asuka, Yoshimi etc and has a very nice , yet undiscovered, old city:

http://bicycletraveljapan.blogspot.com/search?q=Yamatoyagi+&m=1

If you are looking for a budget option to stay in Yamatoyagi I can warmly recommend Egao:

https://guesthouse-egao.com/


by LikeBike rate this post as useful

Re: Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/9/30 17:21
Maybe Seki-juku (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Ry8IZxF8Q) which would be on your way and contains old town feeling. (But its not enough for a full day). But you can combine it with Sato no Yu. and Nagashima Spa Land (one of the impressive onsen entertainments i know)

by Glimpigumpi rate this post as useful

Re: Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/9/30 17:23
(PS: to be more concrete, i mean "Nagashima Onsen Yuaminoshima" in Nagashima Spa Land. Dont google for Spa Land or it will show up an entertainment park)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nagashima+Onsen+Yuaminoshima/@35.026...
by Glimpigumpi rate this post as useful

Re: Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/9/30 21:44
thanks so much!
by cochese rate this post as useful

Re: Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/10/1 02:00
Hi!

I've also stayed in Yamato-Yagi, though I stayed at the nearby Candeo Hotel. I got a really good rate going through the hotel's website. I doubt the water is natural hot spring water, but they do have a public bath on the top floor and the view is quite nice. Yamato-Yagi does not get a lot of foreign tourists, or at least didn't when I was there Summer 2019.

The Kintetsu line between Sakurai and Ise-Isibashi, perhaps a little closer to Nagoya was quite pretty. I can't remember which station it turned more industrial.

We didn't make it but Yunoyama Onsen looked like it could be a nice stop off area. We really enjoyed Akame 48 Falls. We didn't stay there but there are several ryokan in the area and I would imagine it is very pretty in Fall. Nabari has an old town that could be interesting, but we had limited time. I'd really like to go back to that part of Nara, but I am unsure how my child felt about it.

Yamato-Yagi is also super close to Osaka and Kyoto. We ended up meeting a friend for dinner in Osaka one of our nights and it was not a terribly expensive train trip and we were there in under 45 minutes, however it felt a world away.
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: Hasedera and Nara prefecture 2020/10/1 02:53
If it is mid Nov the Fuji Five Lakes region should be good for autumn foliage. Kawaguchiko is holding its annual autumn festival in Nov and the maple corridor is beautifully lighted up after dark.

https://en.kawaguchiko.net/event-en/fujikawaguchiko-momiji-festival/

by William5 rate this post as useful

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