r/ExploreLocalJapan

Firstly I of course have done research and googled, but I would like opinions from actual people as the amount of information is quite overwhelming!

I am bringing my partner on a trip for his 30th birthday to Japan and I wanted to get some advice on where the best places for us to travel to based on our interests and the timing. I know a lot of places are closed for a few days around New Years, so maybe there are some cities / activites best done around that time then others? A couple of details below:

- His birthday is New Year's Eve, so I would ideally like to do something special that evening and night. Maybe something traditional but even just a night out. We both really like house music.

- Ideally would like to go for between 2-3 weeks but will have to look at what we are doing/budget

- We love spa's, so visiting an onsen spa or staying in a hotel with one would be great

- Food is a big part of travelling for us, so would love to know the regions with the best food!

- We want to see some different places, but don't want to do a massive amount of travelling around, we are more slow travellers

- We would love to visit at least one, small, very traditional japanese town

- A mix of some nature and cities would be ideal

I hope some kind people might be able to help and point me in the right direction! Very happy to do my own research of course but a bit of a personal reccomendation or direction would be amazing :)

EDIT: for example, if there isn't much going on in terms of major festivities, I heard that some people suggest a nice ryokan with onsen for new years eve, is there any really outstanding ones that have amazing views, onsen and food that would be appropriate for the occasion? I just want the night to be special so I don't mind spending a little extra!

Hey everyone!
I'm coming to Okayama for a month and was wondering is the website Okayama Weekly is safe?
I'm only looking for a one-month-long stay, and I'm worried about any scammers. Anyone who has experience, could you let me know?

Hi everyone,

I'm a high school student in Tokyo researching family travel experiences in Japan.

For those who have visited Japan with children around ages 3–8, I'd love to hear about your experience.

Some questions I'm curious about:

• What was the most stressful part of your trip?
• What activities did your kids enjoy the most?
• Were there any attractions or experiences that ended up disappointing them?
• Did you ever struggle to find activities suitable for both younger and older siblings?
• What do you wish existed for families traveling in Japan?

I'm especially interested in experiences outside of Disney, Universal Studios, and major theme parks.

Any stories, advice, or lessons learned would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!