Hello -
My husband and I will be going to Osaka at the beginning of July where he has a conference. For various reasons, I am just starting to plan this trip. We will be in Osaka for a few days, then will have a week or so to travel.

We have been to Japan before, spent some time in Kyoto and other, smaller, places, have not been to Toyko. I understand we can expect hot humid weather. Neither of us do very well in heat, so I was searching for cooler places we might visit. Any suggestions?

I have not yet purchased our airplane tickets. We will be flying business class and I am considering Northwest Airlines or United as we can get USAir mileage. Does anyone have any experience with business class to Japan on these airlines? Depending on our travel plans, I may book an open jaw, flying into Osaka, out of Toyko. On our last visit to Japan, we purchased railpasses, which we had a great time using, and may do so for this trip.

Suggestions as to destinations and hotels, helpful comments, and shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. I should add that we are fond of natural beauty and prefer modest (good value for money) accommodations. We might be up for a splurge if it involved an outstanding Japanese experience. Thanks to all.

Take a look up north, around the Tazawa-ko region west of Morioka. I stayed a night at the JR hotel at the Kakunodate station. From a station one or two stops to the east, I took a bus that went up into the mountains. I visited an onsen there and returned, but also noticed that there were several nice ryokan there. It looked like it would be a great getaway for a couple.

Morioka is only 2.5 hours from Tokyo via the shinkansen. It's another 1.5 hours to Akita (or up into the lake region). It's 3 hours from Osaka to Tokyo.

An open jaw ticket is a good idea. With that fare, you can probably make a stopover. Take a look at the JAL and ANA websites (www.japanair.com and www.fly-ana.com) for special discount fares for foreigners on domestic Japan flights.

You ought to visit Hakone to take the tour of the Fuji-san area just south of Tokyo.

In July, there will be a sumo tournament in Nagoya.

Flown Northwest Business Class a few time - excellent experience. But the best has been British Air and their 447's 400 series. In busines class the seats are lounges and form a full bed so that you may sleep flat. Really nice.

The first half of July is rainy season in mainland Japan. So, it's better to be flexible if you plan to go outdoor during this period.