Hi there,
My cousin and I (mid-late 20's, female) are traveling to japan at the end of March for 2 weeks. We are starting and finishing the trip in Tokyo(about 4 days), we already have our accommodations for tokyo covered. We booked accomadtions for Kyoto for in the middle/end of the trip for 4 days. I am coming to you for help/insight/advice on what to do in between Tokyo and Kyoto and what to do for a few days after Kyoto. We know we want to stay in a temple on Koyasen and have done a ton of research of small towns such as: Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa, Nara. Also, a little bit about us- we are both very into seeing the authentic culture rather than overly touristy things, we are traveling on a budget(that being said we don't mind spending money on going to see shows or must-see things even if they are more expensive- we just want to spend little on where we stay, as we probably won't be there long). We both work with antiques and jewelry for living, so we are creative types who would love to see some antique shops or outdoor markets(looked up some although it seems none will be happening when we are there)?

What towns would you recommend, and which would you pass? We are both fast moving people, meaning we get bored staying in one place too long - and won't want to spend too much time walking around museums. Also, I wanted to get some advice on finding an onsen, I have three small-medium size tattoos and I understand this is not widely accepted in the onsen. I have read other forums on this topic and was just curious if there are any that are more geared towards travelers and may allow them(eek- pains me to go somewhere touristy over authentic but if this is the only way!)

We have about 4 days in between Tokyo and Kyoto- we are open to anything. Are there any smaller islands nearby that are easily accessible and relatively affordable to get to?

Thank you!

For Koyasan, the specific temple seems to make a difference. I recommend Shojoshinin:
https://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/...n=Shojoshin-in

I really enjoyed Takayama and Kanazawa (I think the pair deserves 4 to 5 days; you may be able to see the morning market in Takayama) and I loved Nara -- but to be clear: none of these are "small" towns. Here's info on the Takayama markets:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5907.html
and Kanazawa is known for its high quality crafts
http://www.japantravelinfo.com/blog/...tional-crafts/

For a small island, you might consider Miyajima, which is easily paired with Hiroshima. There's an unusually affordable ryokan on Miyajima that I enjoyed: Momijiso:
https://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/...yokan=Momijiso

Do you already have your airline tickets? If no, consider flying into Narita and out of Kansai or vice versa so you don't have to backtrack.

Enjoy!

Thank you so much for your information! We do have our airline tickets already, it would have been nice to leave from a different spot, in hindsight! The only temples with openings are Hoon-in and Eko-in, do you have a opinion on either of these, I would really appreciate it! Its so hard to tell from the internet! Also good to know they are not small towns, which is a bit of surprise! - Again hard to tell over the internet. I really appreciate this info!

I think I remember somebody posting a positive review of Eko-in, but can't be sure. I don't remember seeing the name Hoon-in, which probably means absolutely nothing. Are the reviews on the japanesegueshouses of any help? That's how I originally selected Shojoshin-in for myself.

I think the main japan-guide page for each location says something about size. And if you haven't found that web-site, do check it out -- it is a great source of information!

Thank you everyone!

Toji Temple in Kyoto has a flea market in the grounds the 21st of every month, it's a mix of genuine second hand stuff, cheap tat second hand stuff, new stuff, food to eat there and food to buy to take away. It's huge and I loved walking around it. I didn't buy much, though. Here are pics http://www.kaveyeats.com/2014/10/ima...ket-kyoto.html

Hi there,
considering your many interests I want to stress on Nara, where Matt spent some time while travelling Japan last year. Nara was definitely a highlight for him. There are many different things to be explored, be it temples or how to make sake. He described everything, including the guesthouse, where he stayed, here: http://konniandmatt.blogspot.com/201...2013-nara.html
Happy Travels!
Cheers, Konni, www.konniandmatt.blogspot.com

we stayed at Eko -in in Koyasan a few years ago and really enjoyed our time there. Some more detail and photos on our blog @

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...ai/1/tpod.html entry no 28