yeshekathy

We are visiting Japan in November. The first two weeks are decided (thanks for lots of help with that). We are spending these with our daughter and grand-daughter, one week in Tokyo (and surrounds), 5 days in Kyoto and then a couple of days in Hakone on the way back to drop them off at Narita.
After that we have another 9 days on our own. We’ve travelled in Japan quite a few times and trained and driven around from Hokkaido to the bottom of Kyushu having visited most of the well-known places. Now we just want to amble about and enjoy one of our favourite countries. Here is one plan that I’d love some comments on:

17th November Train Narita to Nagano (using JR East pass)

Stay one or two nights in Nagano maybe going out by train from there – where to?

Then hire a car for 5days and visit some or all of these places
Obuse and/or Suzaka
The Noto peninsula
Kanazawa
Shirakawago (and maybe Takayama but we have been there twice)
Gujo Hachiman
Inuyama
Maybe down to Lake Biwa
Kiso and Narai-juku (been to Tsumago and Magome and did the walk)
Matsumoto
Back to Nagano to return car

Train back to Tokyo for perhaps one night… or just go straight to Narita

As you can see I have made a big circle (of sorts) from Nagano… We don’t have to go to all these places and probably there are other lovely towns and sites in the area I have missed. Please any suggestions would be great!

We like great food, temples and castles, old style towns, shopping (who doesn’t) and beautiful scenery. We like to stay in budget places with atmosphere or business hotels. Not too much walking these days (arthritis becoming problematic) but a little is always good.

I am not tied to hiring the car from Nagano but since we’ll have to return it to wherever we pick it up, it needs to be ‘central’ (and on the JR East list of places), drop off fees being what they are.

We’ll be there 17th – 26th November. Will there still be autumn colours this far north at that time?

Looking forward to advice.

kja

I hate shopping.
Otherwise, sounds like it should be a great trip!

mrwunrfl

>>we’ll have to return it to wherever we pick it up

Is that an assumption or are there high one-way fees?

>>Maybe down to Lake Biwa
Do you mean Hikone?

Have you considered Ise Jingu and surrounds?
I think you will be too late for fall colors.

yeshekathy

Yes I looked into the one way drop off fees and in general they are pretty high (unlike Europe where if you are in the same country you usually get away without one at all), and when I try to book a car wanting to drop it off in a different place I often get the answer that there are no cars available (?).
Still trying lots of rental sites - any advice about good experiences with rental companies? I've tried Tocoo and the main ones so far.
Ise Jingu is a little out of our main route - although we have often thought about driving around there, possibly better done from Kyoto. We have stayed in Nara (of course) and Koyasan, and November would be a beautiful time in this area - maybe maybe...
Mostly I am looking for lovely small towns to visit between Nagoya in the south west and even as far as Niigata in the northeast.

yeshekathy

Actually someone pointed out to me that Toyota have no drop off fees if you return the car within the same prefecture - a bit limiting but something to consider... I hadn't realised it because all the towns I tried were in different prefectures. It means we could pick up a car in Matsumoto for instance and drop it in Nagano... or vice versa that might help.

Adastra2200

Nagano definitely has some of the best natural scenery in Japan. The trouble is that a lot of it is mountainous and that means you'd likely be too late there for the autumn colors, and many picturesque places aren't served well (if at all) by trains or buses. So you might consider traveling by car for some places.
If you really want to go by rail/bus, there is always Karuizawa, plus some good hot spring places like Bessho and Nozawa. But if you're willing to go by car, there are a few places...you might consider Kakizore Gorge for example.
http://bit.ly/2w7T23i

And in Chino City there is Yokaya Gorge.
http://www.go-nagano.net/shisetsu-de...tsuid=14018002
But again, you'll be too late for the autumn colors.

If you've been to Takayama enough, you could go up the tracks a bit to Hida-Furukawa. Not so many tourists and still has the same flavor.
If you are willing to go into Gifu, Gero is also famous for its hot springs. Hikone is also nice for its original castle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCp5HCc6rYQ
And the Genkyuen Gardens next to it also is charming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbftZ0Xj8gU

Plus if you're going to Inuyama, the castle there is small but also one of the originals, and Meiji Mura might be a strange trip for you - like walking back into a westernizing Japan over 100 years ago.
I'm sure you'll have a great trip.

kja

If you go to Inuyama, you might consider visiting Urakuen, in addition to the castle and Meiji Mura.

Kavey

We picked up a rental car in Hikone, which has a really beautiful castle, and used it to reach Shigaraki, where we visited various potteries including Soto-en where I did a pottery class. And we went on to Miyama north of Kyoto and then drove into Kyoto next day where we returned the car. I'd actually organised the rental to visit Miho Museum but messed up as it was a Monday! Doh!

yeshekathy

Great ideas to investigate thank you!

yeshekathy

Hmmm… on advice I think we'll extend the car to 6 days at least and fit in a little more.
Koyo is hard to determine, we've had bad luck on other years when it was late and we were too early. Being there from 1st Nov to 26th in all we'll hope we catch it at peak somewhere.

Here’s the latest idea:
Our daughter and grand-daughter leave from Narita 16th - say goodbye at 5.30pm
Get train straight away to Takasaki using JR East pass. Stay near station (Toyoko Inn?)
17th day around Takasaki (leave bags at hotel) – train to Nagano (Toyoko Inn) (JR East Pass)
18th around Nagano outings to Obuse or Karuizawa (use pass), check MT Kusatsu-Shirane (autumn colours)
19th Pickup hire car in Nagano about 10.00am and drive to Noto peninsula along coastal route (3 ½ hours) stay Nanao? Or ?
20th around Noto Peninsula
21st drive to Kanazawa (1 ½ hours) stay Kanazawa
22nd around Kanazawa stay Kanazawa
23rd drive to Gujo Hachiman area (2 1/3 hours) possibly via Shirakawago (3 ¼ hours) Not sure where to stay there – any ideas??
24th Drive to Narai-Juku (less than 3 hours)
25th Drive to return car in Matsumoto (1 hour be there by 10.00am) and stay one night there
26th train to Tokyo/Narita – fly home that evening (checkin 4.30pm)

What do you Japan experts think? Any suggestions of lovely places to stay?

kja

Sorry if I've missed your mention of it, but have you been to Kanazawa before? I regretted giving it only 2 nights -- I think I would have preferred at least 2.5 or 3 days there. And since you are interested in shopping, well, it has some unique and very special items. I actually did most of my shopping (and I HATE shopping) for friends and family members while in Kanazawa.

yeshekathy

Yes kja, we have been to Kanazawa before and really liked it. Happy to go back but not for too long. Good that you remind me about good shopping there - thank you!