Looking for location suggestion

Hi All,

At present - I'm currently planning my last major trip to Japan which includes some of the last major places I have not visited in Japan (yet). My current predicament is the following:

I have 2 nights free in late June . I will travel between Toyohashi (main shinkansen line between Osaka - Tokyo) and Morioka. I'm looking for suggestions on places which have a reasonable amount to do which is not on JG.

Places I've already done along with route includes: Shizuoka, Izu Peninsula, Hakone, Kamakura, Yokohama/Kawasaki/Tokyo, Nikko, Aizu Wakamatsu, Bandai, Hiraizumi, Tono and others.

Things that were on my radar included Lake Hamanako and stuff in Fukushima prefecture.

For those who are interested - my current trip includes: Stuff around Utsunomiya + Nikko, 3 Nights in Southern Tochigi (Tochigi, Ashikaga, Kiryu, Sano), 2 Nights Chichibu, 4 Nights Nagoya (+ revisit to Meiji Mura), Gujo-Hachiman + Mino/Seki, 1 Night around Futagawa/Toyohashi, <<2 nights of ????>>, 4 night drive loop from Morioka down to Sendai along the coast and back (Sanriku Coast), then 3 driving days around Ibaraki. There are also a couple of days in staying at locations such as 2 nights in Morioka (before and after driving), Narita airport before and after etc

Have you done tea fields in Shizuoka?
What about the islands off Izu, eg Oshima?

If you like old industrial heritage, how about Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace, a World Heritage Site that you have never been to?
https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/manabi/bunkazai/...
https://www.city.izunokuni.shizuoka.jp/bunka_bunkazai/guido.html
If you like musical instruments, motorcycles, and cars, a factory tour in Hamamatsu might be a good idea.
Eels in Hamamatsu are also delicious.
https://www.hamamatsu-japan.com/en/sightseeing/
Although I have never been there, I am also interested in the Shiseido Museum of Art and Kachoen in Kakegawa.
https://k-hana-tori.com/
https://corp.shiseido.com/art-house/en/
The Keisuke Serizawa Museum in Shizuoka was a good one that I have already been to. The Toro Ruins are also nearby.
https://www.visit-shizuoka.com/en/spots/detail.php?kanko=466
https://www.seribi.jp/
https://www.shizuoka-toromuseum.jp/
I've never been there, but the Sunpu Museum seems to be nearby. Only open during special exhibitions.
http://www.sbs-bunkafukushi.com/museum/
http://www.sbs-bunkafukushi.com//museum/exhibi/index.html
You may have already been there, but Nihondaira, Kunosan Toshogu Shrine, and the Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art are also close.
I was thinking of going to the Keisuke Serizawa Museum in Sendai, but I haven't been there yet.
It looks like it's under construction now.
https://www.tfu.ac.jp/kogeikan/

It just came to my mind, but a trip on the Oigawa Railway might be good too.
However, due to typhoon damage, it is necessary to transfer to a bus in the middle of the route.
https://daitetsu.jp/

Have you done the Sea of Japan side? Also, how about the popular Setouchi islands?

Have you been to Minobusan? Nice temple and hiking opportunities. Ropeway and views of Mt. Fuji on a good day. An easy day trip from any number of places, or a stop-off while taking the Tokaido Shinkansen to or from Kanto.

Miura Peninsula? Keikyu has some discount tickets that include transportation and extras. I wouldn�ft call this a �gmajor�h spot but I had a nice outing there once that included a maguro lunch and a boat ride.

Both of these are between Toyohashi and Tokyo, so on your route, but neither would be much fun in the rain (late June�c).

For a June trip I would be on the lookout for firefly viewing opportunities at various places on your route, if you have any interest in them. I find them magical myself and have spent some exquisite June evenings enjoying them in Japan. A surprising number of places have firefly festivals during June, and some hotels and ryokans even have excursion buses that make outings to see them. But typically you don�ft find out about these things unless you ask or look. (Unfortunately it is a lot more productive to research this subject in Japanese than in English.)

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'll try and respond below.

RE Likebike: Yep - I've already visited the tea fields of Shizuoka and quite like the quality from the area. It's actually the one prefecture that I visited most prior to leaving Japan. On Oshima - it's something I'll look into but it's a bit of a hike for 2 nights.

RE Haro: I've not visited the Furnace in Numazu but have stayed the weekend in Izu-Nagaoka. I have however visited the ropeway you have mentioned. I was going to overlook that site - but I might see what else is there as I have also not visited much of the west coast of Izu due to lack of public transport for weekends. It also seems as though you other options need a better look than 5 seconds so I'll do a bit more research.

RE Uco: Yep - I've been to the West side of Japan a couple of times. It's great how life is slower over there but it does take longer to get there. I particularly liked Hagi, Matsue and the area around Dewa Sanzan. I've also visited 4 of the Setouchi Islands. Shodoshima is where I probably would have visited if I was going past as it seems to have a bit to do.

RE - Kim. I used to live in Yokohama for 3 years but never really got down to that peninsula. I've also seen fireflies a couple of times when I stayed at Iiyama almost a decade ago. I'll have a better look at your suggestions soon.

I still remember you saying your last trip was really your last trip (wink, wink).
I can't go through all your countless reports, but if you haven't seen Hamamatsu yet, it does have some decent sights. Some good temples with nice gardens...nothing mind blowing compared to what you've seen so far, but a few are Makayaji, Daifukuji, Ryotanji and Jissoji. If June, the hydrangea are beautiful and there is the Hamamatsu Flower Park plus Hamanako Garden Park.

Speaking of which, western Tokyo-to has some excellent hydrangea places too near Akiruno like Minamisawa Ajisai Mountain, or there's the Mitsugo and Otake Limestone Caves.
The Tanzawa-Oyama area might be a place you like too. There is an Odakyu pass for it, but the place is often ignored by many travelers.

One more often ignored place in Shirakawa by the shinkansen tracks north of Tokyo. Nothing to faint over, but the Suirakuen Garden is not bad, plus Nanko, Shirakawa Flower World and the Shirakawa Komine castle ruins. Plus nearby there is the Auschwitz Peace Museum - the last thing you'd ever expect in the area. No direct connection, but the museum has some German relics.

BTW one suggestion if you are going to put up more travel reports with photos - I noticed a lot of your pictures (at least some older ones) were crooked. Tilted to the right, since you were pushing down the shutter button. As a suggestion, you might use your timer instead (most these days have 2 and 10 second timers).

The Enshu Sanzan in Western Shizuoka are nice temples that have their windchime festival during the summer (including June):
https://www.fukuroi-kankou.jp/feature/fukuroi-fuurin/

Koyama Castle, also in Western Shizuoka (Yoshida town), is nice.

Unfortunately June is too early for the Kikugawa Rice Paddy art. I agree with Ikuoji Temple in Minobu which someone mentioned above as being worthwhile.

In Kanagawa Prefecture, Daiyuzan Saijoji Temple is an interesting Tengu temple. In the mountains beyond the temple are site related to the famous Kintaro folktale. The town stakes claim as the place where the story originated.

Thanks for all of the suggestions given again. It seems as though I'll probably stay 1 night in Hamamatsu and somewhere around Fujinomiya once I've gone through the weeds and decided what I want to exactly do in this area since so many suggestions have been given.

On Shirakawa - thats a place I'll be visiting when I have a car in Ibaraki for the day. I don't know if I found this site myself or through one of your previous suggestions Ken. I'm also aware of my early photos being rather slanted - but they have improved but get a bit more wonky if I'm tired or in a rush. I'll not be posting this time though.

Good to hear from you again Rabbittyama. Visiting something like a small festival will also be nice. I'm just hoping that wearing mask laws/expectations are a bit more lax when I travel in summer. - as it is nice to actually see peoples faces but when in Rome....

Adding to my previous comment.
On the west coast of the Izu Peninsula, I have been to the Chohachi Museum in Matsuzaki-cho.
https://www.izu-matsuzaki.com/pages/69/
In Matsuzaki-cho, there are many buildings with plastered namako walls.
https://izumatsuzakinet.com/seacucumberwall/#:~:text=%E3%80%8C%E3%81%A...
https://www.izu-matsuzaki.com/pages/54/
There seems to be Chohachi Memorial Museum.
https://chouhachi-mh.izu-westwind.net/
In the south, I went to Shimogamo Onsen.
I've never been there, but Ginsuiso in Dogashima might be good too.
https://www.dougashima-newginsui.jp/

Dear Ken
Thank you for introducing me to Tanzawa and Oyama.
I live near the station near Tanzawa.
Oyama is listed in the Michelin Green Guide, so it seems to be particularly popular with French people.
Shopping on Koma Sando is also fun.

When you�fre planning your Hamamatsu and Shizuoka segment you might get some more ideas from this article by Raina Ong, and it has nice pictures. There certainly isn�ft any shortage of things to do around there. This area is sort of off the foreign tourist radar map, but I always prefer these types of places.
https://www.japan-guide.com/blog/solo-female-travel/190224.html

Well since I'm getting good help here like normal - I'd thought I'd include a new question.

My first night is at the Hotel Nikko Narita airport as I can't be bothered moving around with 5PM flight from Europe. I was then going to stay 3 nights in Utsunomiya and do stuff in the local area.

One of those things was visiting Tobu World Square and Nikko Edomura over a day as I'm bit of a completist.

Then - I noticed that the Nikko World Heritage Pass exists along with cheap accommodation at K's House Nikko in Kinugawa Onsen (https://kshouse.jp/nikko-e/index.html). There are also meant to be discount passes with the Nikko Pass to both of these locations - which is something I guess.

So my question is this - would you stay in a business hotel in Utsunomiya for 3 nights next to the station (plus travel 1 day to Nikko) or change 1 night to a very simple onsen hotel/hostel using the Nikko Pass. I'd probably travel from Asakusa - Kinugawa Onsen area and then on the way back get off at Tochigi and make my own way to Utsunomiya. Just trying to work out if this will save me much money or is the changing of trains just too fiddly.....

Regarding the Hotel in Narita, if you like onsen/rotenburo my recommendation would be Narita Art Hotel. The hotel itself is your typical, huge airport hotel. Nothing special but they have an onsen with several nice rotenburo options. This would be my choice as first night in Japan after a long flight.
Direct bus from Narita airport.

https://www.art-narita.com/onsen/