11D10N Nagoya regional itinerary

11D10N Japan road trip

Road trip 11D10N Nagoya and surrounding regions

Before I get into details of planning, seeking some advice on feasibility.

It�fll be for extended family of 12pax, 7-17th dec�f24.

Upon reaching Nagoya
7th-12th: driving road trip north of Nagoya
Ie Gifu, Shirakawa, Takayama/Tateyama, Nagano optional.

Come back to Nagoya switch to campervan for down south driving trip
12th-15th- Ise/Mie etc

Back to Nagoya for 15th-17th.

Will try REALLY hard not to pack the itinerary, trying to keep it leisurely.

How�fs the spread of the days sound?

I am wondering how you are going to get 12 people around on a driving trip. Are you renting a minibus or something? If so, are you aware that the local roads in places you are going can be narrow and winding? Large vehicles can be hard to maneuver in such places, and it can sometimes be hard to find suitable parking. Also, although snow during the first half of December isn�ft as common as it is in January or February, it can definitely snow in mountainous areas. If you don�ft have winter driving experience, you should have some contingency plans so that you aren�ft out driving around on narrow, winding, and slippery roads. People who lack winter driving experience often have the mistaken notion that putting winter tires on a car cancels out all of the effects of snow and ice on roads, but the truth is that it merely gives you a little more traction.

There was recently a segment on a Japan TV news program on the subject of foreign tourists renting cars in the winter in places that have snowy/icy roads. There have been a lot of accidents, some of them fatal.

Just some things to think about. Of course driving gives you more flexibility, but there are significant downsides, especially in winter.

Thanks for the precautionary tale Kim. I�fm very mindful of that too :)

Not a minibus.

Northward to Gifu would be several cars. Good reminder that snow tires doesn�ft mean it becomes driving on normal roads.

Down south was actually thinking to campervan.
Further toward mie and the coast? Where i don�ft think it snows or becomes icy.
Finding a campervan with heating etc

Kim, I don't think OP understand your rather harsh sarcasm judging by his responses. Poor thing.
Tripadvisor and here, the respondents are normally a little sarcastic

Personally I find the Japanese public transport so spectacularly good it is virtually stress free (except the recent lines at the ticket office that I was moaning about, not likely in Feb). A gun to the head couldn't get me to drive in Japan, especially in winter.

I appreciate it costs a bit more if you have a big group, but I'd look to see whether you could do it by public transport.