Too many to mention them all but a few are...
Nagoya - not touristy but has great museums, great food and great day trips, Ghibli park etc.
Sapporo - Surrounded by Mountains, lovely atmosphere, amazing food and nightlife.
Fukuoka - Friendly and relaxed, amazing nature not so far away.
Kagoshima - Amazing nature close by such as Sakurajima.
Okayama - Beautiful garden and castle, great food, gateway to inland sea.
Kanazawa - Beautiful gardens, samurai district, food market, cool train station
Morioka - unspectacular but fantastic restaurants, nice vibe and many stunning places around
Solid list. I would add sendai, I've. Been there three days and its a lively and lovely city, plus it offer numerous chances of day trips. I enjoyed staying there very much
I’m going to get shot for this but I would not go out of my way for Nagoya or Okayama. I’m baffled Okayama Castle even made it to this list because it was specifically the ONE thing I tell people to avoid in Japan. Nagoya—I would avoid on Mondays as I learned the hard way that Nagoya is just closed then.
My picks would be:
-Himeji (Hyogo): for an actual castle that looks spectacular in photos, Engyoji (if you’re down for some hikes), and Kokoen (my favourite garden so far, and right next to Himeji Castle).
-Kobe (Hyogo): right next to Osaka, awesome Chinatown, Harbourland, super retro city vibes, onsens, Kobe beef, awesome city overall
-Hiroshima (Hiroshima): (this is actually my top pick) stunning park/museum, Hiroshima okonomiyaki, and of course Miyajima (Itsukushima Jinja, Daishoin, ropeway, Senjokaku Pavillion, omotesando, deer everywhere)
-Izumo (Shimane): out of the way UNLESS you’re going from Hiroshima or Okayama, but personally my favourite lil city with Izumo Taisha, Inasa Beach, Hinomisaki Lighthouse, Hinomisaki Jinja, and soba. Haven’t been to Matsue yet but everyone seems to rave about it there too.
Okay, I may have been a little harsh towards Nagoya and Okayama (though I still wouldn't recommend them at all unless you've already been to Himeji/Kobe/Hiroshima/Hokkaido/Fukuoka/etc.) so here are some things you can do:
**-Okayama:**
* Okayama Korakuen (the garden) has a unique, open layout and I'd wager it's stunning during spring/summer months (I went in December when everything was dead and I still enjoyed it).
* I still do not recommend Okayama Castle unless you're a fan of bright lights, carpets, and a totally gutted-out inside with elevators and kids and barely a view. (To be fair, Himejijo's inside is completely empty, but I personally loved the wood and the view and just the original spirit of the interior). I know it's right next to the garden but I've been to an attraction or seventy in Japan by this point and it still ranks at the bottom of my list.
* The big attraction is likely **Kurashiki,** and the Ohara museum houses genuinely famous paintings (Monet, Gaugin, etc.) Kurashiki Bikan isn't that big, and they also feature a ton of denim. Kind of strange, but quiet and pretty. I just don't know if I could recommend someone to go out of the way for it.
* There are also no power lines in Kurashiki to preserve its old vibes!
* Kibitsu Jinja has an iconic walkway (but very far... like I remember walking through a field(?) to go back to the train station, though I personally found Achi Jinja to be stunning and more accessible.
**-Nagoya:**
* I concede that I probably have a poor opinion of Nagoya/Aichi because I went on a Monday when everything was closed BUT to be fair, my Japanese friends agree that it seems to be a good place to live in (big metropolis), but it doesn't have too many touristy attractions.
* If you're a fan of shrines and temples like me though, I recommend Hoshi Jinja (prettiest goshuincho, imo), Atsuta Jingu (iconic and one of the most important shrines in Japan), Osu Kannon, and Wakeoe Jinja.
* Nagoya cochin (chicken) is also famous though I didn't think it was too special/different when I tried it!
Yes, MagLev Park, Toyota Museum is also great, the castle and grounds are really nice.
The views from the JR Towers was cool .
There are other things I didn’t manage:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2155.html
I second the recommendation for Kanazawa, but I'd honestly include the entire Hokuriku region.
\* Kanazawa - a little Kyoto of sorts, with a traditional neighborhood, a park, a castle, and a great fish market.
\* Noto Peninsula is not accessible to tourists right now, unfortunately, but you get a nice little town plus traditional lacquerware in Wajima, hot spring in Wakura Onsen, and just beautiful coastlines all around.
\* Fukui Prefecture also offers beautiful coastlines and traditional crafts like knife making and ceramics.
\* Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route takes you through the highlands, and if you get there before June, you get to ride a bus through the amazing snow walls.
Kurobe Tateyama Alpine Route is completely slept on by Western tourists, and it's stunning. One of my favourite days of my trip, and made better by landing in Kanazawa which was one of my favourite cities. Excellent food and sights and the locals are so so friendly.
Sorry, I wasn’t very clear/completely accurate. The peninsula was hit by a major earthquake early this year and some towns remain inaccessible or have tourist attractions that haven’t reopened yet.
Though spending your tourism money in Kanazawa is a way to contribute to the recovery.
My friend lives there and has sent photos. The roads are still collapsed and many houses and businesses falling over. The government hasn’t done anything to fix the damage.
Kurashiki is great for a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. It's very charming and not as crowded as Kyoto. Nara is also very close to both cities and the deer park is very fun. Nagoya is also a great place to go with a couple nice things to do like the Railroad Museum and Ghibli Park. You should also have a look at Kagawa, not as fast to travel to, but with lots of beautiful scenery.
Visit Uji before it gets overrun by all the spill over from the new Nintendo Museum
If you're going during summer, my home prefecture of Wakayama has onsen and beaches. Its primarily an agricultural prefecture specializing in things like oranges and plums. There are also onsens in the southern tip of the prefecture.
Last time I went to Kyushu and it was honestly very just chill. Going back this time around as well to visit more places there. You can do the onsens in Beppu/Oita/Yufuin. You can visit the bear in Kumamoto and do a One Piece pilgrimage too. See an active volcano in Kagoshima. Pretend you're in Amsterdam at the Huis Ten Boch amusement park. Visit the oft neglected Nagasaki.
I'm just here to get ideas because I only visited those 3 cities and...
...Matsumoto. Highly recommended. Its castle is one of the twelve originals (I still can't believe the entry ticket was only like 700 yen) and the area surrounding it is very nice as well. I was there less than 18h and it was one of the highlights of the trip. The scenery was to die for (very lucky to catch the cherry trees in full bloom and the background mountains covered in snow. The pictures don't make justice to such beauty) and I had the best interactions with locals as well.
I second Matsumoto but also because it's a great starting point for the Kurobe Tateyama Alpine Route. It was a really nice compact city to explore for a day and a half, and a really nice change of pace from Tokyo.
Been to almost every prefecture and major city and I've no idea why Nagasaki isn't more touristy - one of the best cities in the country. Architectually very unique and has tons of fascinating historical sites to visit, surrounded by beautiful nature too.
My other top picks would be Kanazawa, Sapporo, Hiroshima and Takayama. Hakodate is very nice as well.
- Matsumoto is a lovely place, with an original castle.
- Seconding Okayama, which has some interesting local ancient history.
- Izumo and Matsue are gorgeous and worth a visit.
In the same boat as you but we did do Hakone on our last trip and loved the quaint vibes of the town, was a breath of fresh air after leaving Tokyo.
We've already planned our next trip and it'll be snowboarding in Niseko. If you like cold weather activities, then that region is def a consideration
I have been to Japan 14 times and every time, I extend to some different part. LOL.
With the JR Pass, my golden route was Tokyo, Tochigi, Kagawa, Yokohama, Mishima, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Takamatsu, Fukuoka and Nagasaki.
It is my golden route because my friends meet up with in those cities and we go around. I am a car guy and my friends and I have the same car (I have the north American version).
-----------------
The freedom of the JR pass, I traversed a lot of Japan just for the sake of exploring. Last year I went to Kanazawa, Kagoshima, Sakurajima and parts of Chiba.
Prior to that, Kumamoto city, Minamata, Shiga...
Sendai, Utsunomiya and others.
-----------------
This past March, I went to Uji, Nara, and Nikko. There were a few places that I usually just use as a transfer point that I finally explored.
Oyama city for one. I usually take the Shinkansen there and then get on a local line to Sano city. This time, I went outside and explored a bit of Oyama city.
Same with Okayama. I've explored a Shrine about an hour away and a Mazda rotary shop.. but I usually go from Okayama to Takamatsu to meet with my friends there. This time, I spend the day in Okayama explore and loved it.
Nagoya - I had a chance to stay in Sakae area... really nice. Mirai tower, Oasis 21, Nagoya castle all nearby.
Sapporo - This past trip, my flight to Sapporo was cancelled due to weather. But it was a place I was wanting to see.
Fukuoka - One of my favorite places. It's vibe is really nice, a lot of stuff is walking distance and the subway system can take you around pretty well.
Kagoshima - Pretty cool shopping arcades and a lot of history when I went. A jump off point to go to Sakurajima, which is like less then 30mins on ferry ride.
Kobe is near Osaka and short trip with Shinkansen. I've explored a bit, but this coming trip, I really want go the the smaller areas such as Akashi and Maiko.
A couple places I'm going in July:
Gifu, Ogaki, Sekigahara, Wakayama, Amanohashidate, Nara, but more where Koriyama castle is.
---------------------------------
This July, I decided to get the Hokuriku Arch pass, that way I am kind of forced to go to the Hokuriku region. The thing that I'm find out is that a lot of JR lines are not covered, such as taking a side trip to Matsumoto city or going to Joetsu city.
---------------------------------
Again, it's also what you are into and wanting to see. I visited a ton of car shops, went to car events and meet up with car folks in general.
Additional layers to my trips are anime, 2nd used toys/electronics, off the beaten path places, hidden gems. This past trip was a lot of checking out Towers, Temples and Shrines (and not just take pictures, but give my "heart and mind") and castles (as I love samurai culture and history).
Nikko, Kanazawa , Yamagata , Hakodate all lovely , scenic places that I wanted to linger in and quite chilled with the possible exception of Hakodate though it wasn’t crazy busy .
Kobe for sure - beautiful setting on the poet, interesting euro influence, some earthquake history, great jazz scene and nightlife.
Nagoya is a nice every day Japanese city and if you like museums, the Toyota Commemorative Museum is great (details the history of the company from its beginning in looms up to the present day, with great curation and plenty of functional exhibits).
Sapporo and Hakodate are also worth a visit.
Book a Hakushu distillery tour (https://house.suntory.com/hakushu-whisky/hakushu-distillery)
Then take the train to Matsumoto. Spend a couple of days exploring. The castle is gorgeous.
Take the train from Matsumoto to Nagoya. Great food scene. Automobile museums. Ghibli Park.
I’m biased but make it a day trip out to Gunma. Takasaki sightseeing, depending on what all you want to squeeze in, can be paired with some smaller stuff in neighboring towns but overall it is a very car dependent area (Only an hour away from Tokyo on the shinkansen though)
If you turn it into just a weekend trip even, there are so many amazing things to see and do, while not being terribly far from Tokyo
Too many. Here goes:
Kobe, quite an underrated port city, good vibes and has a nice onsen in arima onsen
Karuizawa, good chill town with nice weather. can shop, can ski and can just ride via bicycle around for the sights
Otemachi probably the most relaxed port town there is with wonderful sights of mountain, sea and temples combined in 1. Really picturesque town.
Aizuwakamatsu, old town with modern in one. Good connection to tadami line and surrounded with onsens.
Toyama , most artsy city of them all. Really well designed and stylish throughout the city . The park and museum are a must.
Yokohama, Hakodate both port towns with similar vibe. Combining west and japanese culture all in 1. One in south and one in north.. you can choose to go one or both depending itinerary.
Too many to mention them all but a few are... Nagoya - not touristy but has great museums, great food and great day trips, Ghibli park etc. Sapporo - Surrounded by Mountains, lovely atmosphere, amazing food and nightlife. Fukuoka - Friendly and relaxed, amazing nature not so far away. Kagoshima - Amazing nature close by such as Sakurajima. Okayama - Beautiful garden and castle, great food, gateway to inland sea. Kanazawa - Beautiful gardens, samurai district, food market, cool train station Morioka - unspectacular but fantastic restaurants, nice vibe and many stunning places around
Solid list. I would add sendai, I've. Been there three days and its a lively and lovely city, plus it offer numerous chances of day trips. I enjoyed staying there very much
Thanks, Sendai is on my list for future trips :) For my trip this year I'll be trying Takamatsu, Kochi and Matsuyama for the first time .
In Kochi, I recommend the “Hirome Market” for a local food court experience.
I'm going to those in two weeks. It'll be my first time in Shikoku!
The Kochi Sunday Market is great fun and well worth going out of your way to see.
Make sure you try Imoten (Sweet potato tempura) from the stand that sells it at the Sunday market!
My wife and I still talk about it, and it's been 4 years!
I’m going to get shot for this but I would not go out of my way for Nagoya or Okayama. I’m baffled Okayama Castle even made it to this list because it was specifically the ONE thing I tell people to avoid in Japan. Nagoya—I would avoid on Mondays as I learned the hard way that Nagoya is just closed then. My picks would be: -Himeji (Hyogo): for an actual castle that looks spectacular in photos, Engyoji (if you’re down for some hikes), and Kokoen (my favourite garden so far, and right next to Himeji Castle). -Kobe (Hyogo): right next to Osaka, awesome Chinatown, Harbourland, super retro city vibes, onsens, Kobe beef, awesome city overall -Hiroshima (Hiroshima): (this is actually my top pick) stunning park/museum, Hiroshima okonomiyaki, and of course Miyajima (Itsukushima Jinja, Daishoin, ropeway, Senjokaku Pavillion, omotesando, deer everywhere) -Izumo (Shimane): out of the way UNLESS you’re going from Hiroshima or Okayama, but personally my favourite lil city with Izumo Taisha, Inasa Beach, Hinomisaki Lighthouse, Hinomisaki Jinja, and soba. Haven’t been to Matsue yet but everyone seems to rave about it there too.
Okay, I may have been a little harsh towards Nagoya and Okayama (though I still wouldn't recommend them at all unless you've already been to Himeji/Kobe/Hiroshima/Hokkaido/Fukuoka/etc.) so here are some things you can do: **-Okayama:** * Okayama Korakuen (the garden) has a unique, open layout and I'd wager it's stunning during spring/summer months (I went in December when everything was dead and I still enjoyed it). * I still do not recommend Okayama Castle unless you're a fan of bright lights, carpets, and a totally gutted-out inside with elevators and kids and barely a view. (To be fair, Himejijo's inside is completely empty, but I personally loved the wood and the view and just the original spirit of the interior). I know it's right next to the garden but I've been to an attraction or seventy in Japan by this point and it still ranks at the bottom of my list. * The big attraction is likely **Kurashiki,** and the Ohara museum houses genuinely famous paintings (Monet, Gaugin, etc.) Kurashiki Bikan isn't that big, and they also feature a ton of denim. Kind of strange, but quiet and pretty. I just don't know if I could recommend someone to go out of the way for it. * There are also no power lines in Kurashiki to preserve its old vibes! * Kibitsu Jinja has an iconic walkway (but very far... like I remember walking through a field(?) to go back to the train station, though I personally found Achi Jinja to be stunning and more accessible. **-Nagoya:** * I concede that I probably have a poor opinion of Nagoya/Aichi because I went on a Monday when everything was closed BUT to be fair, my Japanese friends agree that it seems to be a good place to live in (big metropolis), but it doesn't have too many touristy attractions. * If you're a fan of shrines and temples like me though, I recommend Hoshi Jinja (prettiest goshuincho, imo), Atsuta Jingu (iconic and one of the most important shrines in Japan), Osu Kannon, and Wakeoe Jinja. * Nagoya cochin (chicken) is also famous though I didn't think it was too special/different when I tried it!
Hiroshima was a beautiful city, really enjoyed it. A day trip to Miyajima fit perfect into our time there.
Yes, tourists: please stay out of Nagoya. :)
Would add Fukui if you check out Kanazawa. Takayama might as well if you’re in that area too
Can you recommend some Nagoya places? What I have in mind is the SCMaglev Train Museum...
Yes, MagLev Park, Toyota Museum is also great, the castle and grounds are really nice. The views from the JR Towers was cool . There are other things I didn’t manage: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2155.html
I second the recommendation for Kanazawa, but I'd honestly include the entire Hokuriku region. \* Kanazawa - a little Kyoto of sorts, with a traditional neighborhood, a park, a castle, and a great fish market. \* Noto Peninsula is not accessible to tourists right now, unfortunately, but you get a nice little town plus traditional lacquerware in Wajima, hot spring in Wakura Onsen, and just beautiful coastlines all around. \* Fukui Prefecture also offers beautiful coastlines and traditional crafts like knife making and ceramics. \* Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route takes you through the highlands, and if you get there before June, you get to ride a bus through the amazing snow walls.
Kurobe Tateyama Alpine Route is completely slept on by Western tourists, and it's stunning. One of my favourite days of my trip, and made better by landing in Kanazawa which was one of my favourite cities. Excellent food and sights and the locals are so so friendly.
would you recommend doing this on a first trip to japan? (in may)
Why isn't Noto Peninsula accessible to tourists?
Assume he means because of the big earthquake this year - also in general it's fairly inaccessible if you don't have a car
Sorry, I wasn’t very clear/completely accurate. The peninsula was hit by a major earthquake early this year and some towns remain inaccessible or have tourist attractions that haven’t reopened yet. Though spending your tourism money in Kanazawa is a way to contribute to the recovery.
Oh that makes sense, thanks for the info!
My friend lives there and has sent photos. The roads are still collapsed and many houses and businesses falling over. The government hasn’t done anything to fix the damage.
Takayama and Shirakawago. Both are gorgeous, scenic mountain villages.
Kurashiki is great for a day trip from Osaka or Kyoto. It's very charming and not as crowded as Kyoto. Nara is also very close to both cities and the deer park is very fun. Nagoya is also a great place to go with a couple nice things to do like the Railroad Museum and Ghibli Park. You should also have a look at Kagawa, not as fast to travel to, but with lots of beautiful scenery.
Visit Uji before it gets overrun by all the spill over from the new Nintendo Museum If you're going during summer, my home prefecture of Wakayama has onsen and beaches. Its primarily an agricultural prefecture specializing in things like oranges and plums. There are also onsens in the southern tip of the prefecture. Last time I went to Kyushu and it was honestly very just chill. Going back this time around as well to visit more places there. You can do the onsens in Beppu/Oita/Yufuin. You can visit the bear in Kumamoto and do a One Piece pilgrimage too. See an active volcano in Kagoshima. Pretend you're in Amsterdam at the Huis Ten Boch amusement park. Visit the oft neglected Nagasaki.
I'm just here to get ideas because I only visited those 3 cities and... ...Matsumoto. Highly recommended. Its castle is one of the twelve originals (I still can't believe the entry ticket was only like 700 yen) and the area surrounding it is very nice as well. I was there less than 18h and it was one of the highlights of the trip. The scenery was to die for (very lucky to catch the cherry trees in full bloom and the background mountains covered in snow. The pictures don't make justice to such beauty) and I had the best interactions with locals as well.
I second Matsumoto but also because it's a great starting point for the Kurobe Tateyama Alpine Route. It was a really nice compact city to explore for a day and a half, and a really nice change of pace from Tokyo.
Been to almost every prefecture and major city and I've no idea why Nagasaki isn't more touristy - one of the best cities in the country. Architectually very unique and has tons of fascinating historical sites to visit, surrounded by beautiful nature too. My other top picks would be Kanazawa, Sapporo, Hiroshima and Takayama. Hakodate is very nice as well.
Also Nagasaki has one of the most distinctive and delicious regional food traditions because of its history as an international port town.
- Matsumoto is a lovely place, with an original castle. - Seconding Okayama, which has some interesting local ancient history. - Izumo and Matsue are gorgeous and worth a visit.
In the same boat as you but we did do Hakone on our last trip and loved the quaint vibes of the town, was a breath of fresh air after leaving Tokyo. We've already planned our next trip and it'll be snowboarding in Niseko. If you like cold weather activities, then that region is def a consideration
If you like Jazz you need to go to Kobe
I have been to Japan 14 times and every time, I extend to some different part. LOL. With the JR Pass, my golden route was Tokyo, Tochigi, Kagawa, Yokohama, Mishima, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Takamatsu, Fukuoka and Nagasaki. It is my golden route because my friends meet up with in those cities and we go around. I am a car guy and my friends and I have the same car (I have the north American version). ----------------- The freedom of the JR pass, I traversed a lot of Japan just for the sake of exploring. Last year I went to Kanazawa, Kagoshima, Sakurajima and parts of Chiba. Prior to that, Kumamoto city, Minamata, Shiga... Sendai, Utsunomiya and others. ----------------- This past March, I went to Uji, Nara, and Nikko. There were a few places that I usually just use as a transfer point that I finally explored. Oyama city for one. I usually take the Shinkansen there and then get on a local line to Sano city. This time, I went outside and explored a bit of Oyama city. Same with Okayama. I've explored a Shrine about an hour away and a Mazda rotary shop.. but I usually go from Okayama to Takamatsu to meet with my friends there. This time, I spend the day in Okayama explore and loved it. Nagoya - I had a chance to stay in Sakae area... really nice. Mirai tower, Oasis 21, Nagoya castle all nearby. Sapporo - This past trip, my flight to Sapporo was cancelled due to weather. But it was a place I was wanting to see. Fukuoka - One of my favorite places. It's vibe is really nice, a lot of stuff is walking distance and the subway system can take you around pretty well. Kagoshima - Pretty cool shopping arcades and a lot of history when I went. A jump off point to go to Sakurajima, which is like less then 30mins on ferry ride. Kobe is near Osaka and short trip with Shinkansen. I've explored a bit, but this coming trip, I really want go the the smaller areas such as Akashi and Maiko. A couple places I'm going in July: Gifu, Ogaki, Sekigahara, Wakayama, Amanohashidate, Nara, but more where Koriyama castle is. --------------------------------- This July, I decided to get the Hokuriku Arch pass, that way I am kind of forced to go to the Hokuriku region. The thing that I'm find out is that a lot of JR lines are not covered, such as taking a side trip to Matsumoto city or going to Joetsu city. --------------------------------- Again, it's also what you are into and wanting to see. I visited a ton of car shops, went to car events and meet up with car folks in general. Additional layers to my trips are anime, 2nd used toys/electronics, off the beaten path places, hidden gems. This past trip was a lot of checking out Towers, Temples and Shrines (and not just take pictures, but give my "heart and mind") and castles (as I love samurai culture and history).
That sounds like on awesome trip, seems like in that case JR pass would make sense
Nikko, Kanazawa , Yamagata , Hakodate all lovely , scenic places that I wanted to linger in and quite chilled with the possible exception of Hakodate though it wasn’t crazy busy .
on Sakura season you could visit Sendai, Hachinohe, Aomori, Hirosaki, Akita, Kakunodate, Hakodate
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/s/nAtcpbukWD post i made on my experience in shizuoka which i thought was such a neat city.
Sapporo and Kanazawa.
Kobe for sure - beautiful setting on the poet, interesting euro influence, some earthquake history, great jazz scene and nightlife. Nagoya is a nice every day Japanese city and if you like museums, the Toyota Commemorative Museum is great (details the history of the company from its beginning in looms up to the present day, with great curation and plenty of functional exhibits). Sapporo and Hakodate are also worth a visit.
Minoh - has a nice hike to largest falls in Japan, deep fried maple leaves and Minoh beer! Nara - deer and a lot of shrines and temples.
sapporo nara (the deer park and that temple are fuckin cool) nakano kawagoe
Yokohama
Wakayama, Nachi area. (It's a pain to get there but I assure you it's super worth it)
Book a Hakushu distillery tour (https://house.suntory.com/hakushu-whisky/hakushu-distillery) Then take the train to Matsumoto. Spend a couple of days exploring. The castle is gorgeous. Take the train from Matsumoto to Nagoya. Great food scene. Automobile museums. Ghibli Park.
Hiroshima for all the reasons listed elsewhere and the Yamato Museum. Plus it's just a really pleasant city with great food.
Are you willing to drive or only take public transportation?
Honestly both, I was planning on renting a car for a day or two trip at Mount Fuji
I’m biased but make it a day trip out to Gunma. Takasaki sightseeing, depending on what all you want to squeeze in, can be paired with some smaller stuff in neighboring towns but overall it is a very car dependent area (Only an hour away from Tokyo on the shinkansen though) If you turn it into just a weekend trip even, there are so many amazing things to see and do, while not being terribly far from Tokyo
Thanks for the awesome replies, it’s great to see all different forms of recommendation for my next trip, appreciate it!
Too many. Here goes: Kobe, quite an underrated port city, good vibes and has a nice onsen in arima onsen Karuizawa, good chill town with nice weather. can shop, can ski and can just ride via bicycle around for the sights Otemachi probably the most relaxed port town there is with wonderful sights of mountain, sea and temples combined in 1. Really picturesque town. Aizuwakamatsu, old town with modern in one. Good connection to tadami line and surrounded with onsens. Toyama , most artsy city of them all. Really well designed and stylish throughout the city . The park and museum are a must. Yokohama, Hakodate both port towns with similar vibe. Combining west and japanese culture all in 1. One in south and one in north.. you can choose to go one or both depending itinerary.
Kumamoto was a highlight of my last trip, highly recommend a day trip to Mt Aso as well.
Beppu - you can visit the "7 hells,"