日本 on a Budget
Japan beyond Tokyo, and on the cheap
Flying In
Trains and the Japan Rail Pass
Cars and Car Rental
Aomori and Hirosaki
Tazawako and Nyuto Onsen
Sendai, Yamadera and Matsushima
Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima
Hiroshima and Miyajima
Cycling the Shimanami Kaidō
Shimabara
Kagoshima and Sakurajima
Aso San (via Beppu)
Toyako Onsen
Biei
The Iya Valley
Cape Ashizuri and Oki Beach
Matsuyama and Dōgo Onsen
The Iya Valley, made famous by the book "Lost Japan", is a beautiful, ragged region in the heart of Shikoku where clear blue rivers cut down steep, wooded gorges, and homes perch up on the hillsides, linked only by winding switchback roads.
About half way between Hakodate and Sapporo you'll find an almost circular lake with a handful of islands in the middle, and on the southern shore of that lake the resort town of Toyako Onsen. Lonely Planet describes it as "faded", which is a pretty fair description, but if you're a fan of either onsen or hiking (or, ideally, both) it's well worth a stop.
Aoshima is a tiny island just off the west coast of Kyushu, south of the city of Miyazaki – and one of the loveliest places I've visited in all of Japan. Getting there is a bit of a pain, but if you're visiting Kagoshima or Beppu, I'd recommend making a detour here.
Area Guides, Kyushu
Like Hiroshima, everybody knows of Nagasaki for one reason. And, also like Hiroshima, it's the home to both an excellent museum documenting the nuclear attack and some moving memorials to the victims. But, away to the South, there's much more to see besides – if you're in Kyushu, it's a city I wouldn't want to miss.
Nara, the capital of Japan before even Kyoto, is all about the parkland, temples and slightly hazardous deer (see also Miyajima). If you're interested in Japan's history or fascinated by beautiful temples – or even if you just want to see the world's biggest bronze buddha, it's well worth a trip.
Ryokan are traditional Japanese inns; the key difference from a hotel (which in Japanese are ホテル - "hoteru") being that ryokan will…
I'm now the wrong side of 30 years old, and the prospect of staying in a super-cheap dormitory in order…
Where the USA and UK have motels, Japan has the Business Hotel - and they're far nicer. In just about…
If you want to visit multiple places in Japan, and do it on a budget, then the trains should be…
Trains will get you a very, very long way, and to most of the country – but sometimes there's more to…
Most international flights to Japan serve Tokyo and Osaka, so if you're heading to Hokkaido or Kyushu (Hokkaido in particular)…
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