I would love to see more of Japan (have been to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo, visited lake Toya, Hakone, Himeji castle), but unsure where to go / what to see next. Any ideas?
- Kusatsu Onsen (basically an onsen with the hot-watersource in the centre of the town)
- Hiroshima, I cannot stress how nice this city is.
- Arima Onsen (another onsen resort, the oldest of Japan)
- Nikko (the most lavishly decorated temples combined with mountains, touge, a beautiful lake and one of the highest waterfalls in the country)
Nikko is my absolute favorite place in all of Japan. I highly recommend it.
I just got back from a Japan tour so it was my first time in the country, but Kanazawa was one of my favorite parts of the trip that I wasn't expecting! The city has a nice blend of history as well as a decent downtown area. I think it is an authentic destination and seems like more of a spot for Japanese tourists than for the usual gaijin. All of the schoolchildren I saw tried to speak English with me and said "hello" which would never happen in the big cities! I also saw the smallest bars and restaurants I have ever seen in my life, with room for 4 people, in the back streets of the downtown area.
There were many good things to see in the city. The Kenroku-en Garden was a huge and beautiful park that you can meander about, that's on top of a small mountain. It is also connected to Kanazawa Castle which had the largest lawn I ever sat on. I also enjoyed the Museum of Contemporary art. The fish market is also famous, as is the Higashi Chaya District.
I can't recommend Kanazawa enough! Anthony Bourdain also visits Kanazawa in the beginning of the episode "Japan with Masa" on Netflix if you want a glimpse of the city.
I also second Jack's recommendation of Nikko. It was one of my favorite places I visited. Lake Chūzenji was beautiful in the spring when I went.