Must sees?

[DaSkinny]

Hi, my friends and I are planning to make a trip to Japan at the end of this school year. And we aren't sure of how to spend the ~1 month there around April/May. Does anyone have suggestions for places we should visit? Some night club recommendations would be nice too. We are also not limiting our visit to any one area.

 

[Mandylion]

Kyoto, Kyoto, and Kyoto. Kyoto has taken a beating on this forum (and rightfully so at times) but it still has a warm place in my heart. Not as gritty as Osaka, and not as NY City as Tokyo, you have enough temples, museums and historic districts to balance out all the pop culture and clubbing you will be exposed too. You are a day trip away from both Himeji Castle and Nara (both must sees). Since everyone else will give you all the info you need on clubs in Tokyo and living the big life in Osaka, I will say Kyoto once again - Kyoto.

Unless you want to start going far afield of the well traveled routes (and the nightlife) Kyoto has enough to keep you entertained. Kyoto even has a few night spots. It is a major city afterall. Close to Osaka, and convenient to the rest of Shinkansen-serviced parts of Japan.

Others can fill in the rest.

Oh, be ready for Golden Week the first week of May if you come then (prices much higher, everything very crowded). I think it is May 2-5.

 

[budd]

throw Nara in there too? It's conceivably where Japan's history began? its what i was told anyway? close by too...
nature park huuuu

 

[Mandylion]

Watch out for the deer in Nara's park. Cunning devils they are.

 

[budd]

hahahahaha

 

[DaSkinny]

Interesting, I'll add it to the list of places. Are there any good hot-springs/serene resorts around that area?

 

[Mandylion]

Yes, but I am not up to date on them. Nara is very country-fied. Are you all planning on a night in a ryokan (Japanese inn)? Depending on how much you want to spend, Kyoto has some amazing places.

 

[noyhauser]

Im putting my vote in for Kyoto as well. I don't think it deserves the beating it got (it still is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and nowhere is perfect even if it has some urban sprawl) and it most certainly is the most beautiful city in Japan. I warn first time travellers away from Tokyo because I think the city is a bit too westernized, but Kyoto is the heart and soul of what is japanese. There aren''t many spas around though, But if you have the money, and want to see another beautiful part of japan, you can go to osaka then take a train to Wakayama Preficture (its pretty well the penninsula jutting out of osaka), which has several gorgeous spas. In particular you should check out Shirahama, which features several top notch resorts and real hotspring spas for pittance (my family lives in that area and the baths there are amazing)
hope that helps

 

[magpies]

Miyajima, Matsushima and Amano Hashidate
These three places are traditionally acclaimed as 窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅｽOﾅ段
(three must sees)

If you go to Kyoto in the middle of May, you may be able to see the "AOI festival" which has over 1200 years history.
Hakata Dontaku festival in Fukuoka may be another major festival in May....

 

[budd]

just saying thanks for the op for the suggestions!
in case they don't come back

 

[DaSkinny]

Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. Now I'll have to look around for info about night life. BTW, wouldn't one visiting for the first time want to visit Tokyo so they'll be making a gradual transition from "Westernized" to "Japanese"?

 

[budd]

not necessarily, depends on the individual
2 links i use
one
two
also check out the "clubbing" thread
cyberjapan (google) also
edit: i mean kyoto is plenty "city" -- i thought kyoto station was really nice -- but then again, i'm pretty "country-fied" myself