My girlfriend and I are going to Japan for 8 days at the end of August. We are planning on doing Tokyo and Kyoto, and are debating a trip to Takayama for 1 or 2 nights as well. Is it worth it, or is there another destination we should do instead? Would one night be enough considering we arrive midday?

If you only have 8 days I would spend 3 days in Tokyo and 5 days in Kyoto. Skip Takayama. Kyoto itself is worth two weeks but if you want to take a day trip from there you can go to Nara, Himeji or the Miho Musuem. takayama is very touristy -- fine if you're there for a month but not if you have just 8 days.

Depends on you...what do you want to see and what kind of traveller are you?

You could easily spend 8 days in Kyoto or Tokyo alone. Or you could add another place. Takayama is nice enough...a small city with a well preserved old district and lots of temples. Closer to Kyoto is Nara, which you might consider.

In August, it will be HOT. Plan on doing any outdoor sightseeing in the morning, and doing indoor things like shopping and museums in the afternoon. Take advantage of the vending machines and convenience stores you'll see everywhere and drink, drink, drink.

Example...yesterday's high in Kanazawa was 97 degrees F and so humid I could hardly breathe....and I'm used to it. Today will be hotter still.

Kim-

My girlfriend and I would really like to go somewhere in the mountains (especially considering the heat). We also considered Nagano. Is there somewhere else we're missing (close to Kyoto or Tokyo) where we can spend just one night? The thing that bothers us most about Takayama is that we keep reading how "touristy" it is? What does that mean exactly? Does that mean it's like Epcot? We appreciate your advice!

Touristy to me means, a town full of tourists, tour buses, shops selling similar junky stuff, restaurants that only open when the tour buses are in town. We really disliked Takayama. Why not stay in Gero, quiet little spa town on the Takayama rail line & go up for a day trip to Takayama. Gero has some great spa b&b's and the tourist office right near the station are very helpful. There are some nice walks and far less tourists! The cake shop in Gero is amazing and very cheap! Good luck.

Takayama is touristy in that busloads of tourists visti every day. Some stay the night, some don't. There are cheap souvenirs sold all over the place. There are a couple of rickshaws around...but only for photos...they are there just for the tourists. The main street of old buildings looks as it might have years ago...one or two story black wooden building. Most are souvenir shops now. Takayama is a small city...not a town in any way. It has the typical Japanese city look...drably colored multistory buildings, not as much greenery as we might like to see, traffic...the old town area is nice, though...but from what you say you want to see, I think you will likely be disappointed.

Nagano is a city, too...a big one. It is in Nagano prefecture, which is home to some lovely mountain villages. There are lots of ski areas, and it is "close" to Tokyo by shinkansen. The shinkansen doesn't stop at the small villages though...only local trains do...so you'd have to have the time and the planning to get there by train.

Perhaps a day in the Kiso Valley area would suit you. Or, another place that is hugely popular with the Japanese is Karuizawa...it's nice, cooler than the cities, easily accessible, and it has outlet shopping (not that outlet shopping is special, but it's famous for that). Or Koya-san...if you are interested in a night in a temple. It's a beautiful area.

I'm a bit torn as to what kind of advice to give you. On the one hand, seeing only 2 huge cities, Kyoto and Tokyo, would be a bit of shame as Japan is MUCH more than cities. On the other hand, you will be unable to see much in the short time you are here anyway.

Maybe what you should do is have 2 or 3 plans laid out, and see how you feel once you are in Japan. End of August isn't Obon time anymore...obon will be finished, so not having train or room reservations shouldn't be a problem. Yes...that's what I would do. Plan A, B and C.