Destination Suggestion

[Harvey]

ISHIGAKEJIMA in Okinawa
ASAHIKAWA ZOO in Hokkaido
YAKUSHIMA in Kagoshima
BEPPU ONSEN in Nagasaki

Guys, I'm thinking of going to the following places, has anyone visited any of them before? Any recommendations?

I have never been to either and have already been in Japan for a long time now.

Any info appreciated!

[craftsman]

YAKUSHIMA in Kagoshima


http://yakushima.cocolog-nifty.com/shimalog/images/060718.jpg

Harvey, all are nice places but there's no place quite like Yakushima! 5-6000 wild monkeys, 6000 wild deer, trees up to 7000 years old, the tallest mountains in southern Japan, sea onsen, giant turtles etc etc ....and me!

[Dutch Baka]

Harvey, all are nice places but there's no place quite like Yakushima! 5-6000 wild monkeys, 6000 wild deer, trees up to 7000 years old, the tallest mountains in southern Japan, sea onsen, giant turtles etc etc ....and me!

I don't know if the last one is so great about this place :blush:.

I have not been to any of these places so I can't help you out harvey, but have fun...

*useless post, sorry:p*

[Harvey]

craftsman, are you telling me that you live on Yakushima??

[craftsman]

craftsman, are you telling me that you live on Yakushima??
Do I live here? I'm the King of the Yaku macaques and we're making our way over to Kobe to do some monkey business on Dutch Baka...........
I don't know if the last one is so great about this place.
So that's a yes by the way, I do live on the island. Here's some English information links for Yakushima:

http://www.japancorner.com/yakushima.asp (http://www.japancorner.com/yakushima.asp)

www.synapse.ne.jp/~update/travel/islands-e.html#

www.jnto.go.jp (http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/featuredarticles/worldheritage/c_12_yakushima.html) (download the PDF file)

www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter (http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/japan_guide_18.html)

www3.synapse.ne.jp/yaku/for_english/nagata.htm

www.sizenken.biodic.go.jp/pc/isan_en/y012.htm

And a good Japanese site:

http://www.realwave-corp.com/ (http://www.realwave-corp.com/)

[misa.j]

Yakushima looks like a tropical resort from the pictures! I've never traveled to the southern part of Japan, but it always seemed a nice destination for vacation.

craftsman, I didn't even know that Yakushima was one of the world herritage sites of Japan; does it seem protected or developed to attract tourists?

[Harvey]

Hey, I'm interested in Ishigaki in Okinawa now too...

I heard that an area called TAKETOMI was awesome... Also it's small, so I should be able to enjoy it during my super short trip. Maybe I should save the great Yakushima for a time when I can take a longer vacation?

I'm still waffling, but...

[craftsman]

So Harvey - what about Asahikawa zoo and Beppu onsen? Are they ditched? Do you mean Beppu in Oita (not Nagasaki)? I've been through Asahikawa but in Feb I'd guess you'd have to like snow. Beppu is wonderful - the mecca of onsen and I think would be just the job for winter.

I didn't even know that Yakushima was one of the world herritage sites of Japan; does it seem protected or developed to attract tourists?

Yes, the island is protected by its status as a World Heritage Site and as a National Park. But the sheer number of tourists are beginning to damage parts of the island and there is an ongoing plan to protect it further. Having said that you couldn't call Yakushima developed in any way - it's about as far as you can get from Japan but still be in Japan. For me, it's a strange mixture of Thailand and Japan.

[thistle]

What did you think of Ashahikawa zoo, craftsman?
I once saw a drama/documentary on it and it looked really nice, especially
after living on an island with one of the worst, uncreative zoo's in the world.
A few of the enclosures were slightly improved only after some pressure by
a few people here. In fact, I once stood outside the zoo, with a man and his wife in a wolf suit, to bring attention to the state of the wolf and his enclosure. (oops- going off topic here:relief: )

[Harvey]

Hey guys,

I haven't totally forgotten about the other destinations, but now that I remember the coldness of Hokkaido in Feb, maybe I'll put the Zoo lower down on my list.

I think I'll pick between Beppu (Oitaか！ Thanks, I was mistaken)

Today I tried calling freakin NorthWest Japan like 20 times, so that I could use my frequent flier miles to make a reservation. EVERY SINGLE TIME I got "the phone is crowded, please call back later" message! What is going on??

I hate NWA.

On top of that, for some reason when I tried to search NW online reservation system to get flights from ITM (ITAMI) to ISHIGAKI (ISG), every single time it told me that no flights existed. Even though I have the flight number I want right in front of me... (I went to JTB and had them look stuff up for me today).

Mouuuuuu.

Anyway. Tomorrow I'll hit the phones again and see which tickets I can get.

I guess that will be the deciding factor in where I go! Where ever I can get a flight!

[thistle]

I have been to Ishigaki Island, but we stayed at the 'Club Med' there and
didn't explore much of the rest of the Island. Taketomi Island is only 10 mins
ferry ride away so good for a day trip. If you are interested in seeing the
old ryukyu style houses and lifestyle it is a good place to visit, but in February
it will still be a little cool for water sports, and I don't know what else there is to do there, once you have seen the Island and that can be done in a day.
Sorry, I live in Okinawa, so it wasn't that 'different' for me!

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Airline tickets from Itami to Ishigaki.
http://d-air.travel.jp/11/1/5/
The one that used Kansai Airport to go from Osaka to Ishigaki-jima Island is convenient.
http://www.clubapex.co.jp/osaka/ishigaki_price.htm
http://yaima.cool.ne.jp/go_ishigaki.shtml
Do you go to Ishigaki and Asahikawa?
Temperature of Ishigaki is 24 degrees Celsius.
Asahikawa is -4 degrees Celsius.:relief:
A temperature difference is intense.

I went to Beppu for New Year holidays.
http://www.beppu-navi.jp/lsb/english/index.htm
There is eight public ONSEN in Beppu.
A rate is 100 yen.
Takegawara ONSEN is wooden old ONSEN,
Please visit it by all means.
http://nekkoro.com/brog_img2006/1q/060228_1.jpg

A guest house of Beppu
BEPPU GUEST HOUSE
http://beppu-g-h.com/en/index.html
International MINSYUKU KOKAGE
http://ww6.tiki.ne.jp/~kokage/index.html

A deep-discount inn of Beppu
EKIMAE KOUTOU ONSEN
http://www.owl.ne.jp/beppusotoyu/kotoonsen/index.html
It stays in a hall,1,500 yen:relief:

[Harvey]

I finally got through to freakin NW Airlines (they SUCK), and their computers are broken so it's taking forever to get information.

Anyway...

With frequent flier miles I cannot fly to Yakushima island, I would have to stop in Kagoshima, and pay myself to Yakushima. LAME.

With miles, I cannot fly to Oita for Bebu Onesen! LAME.

With miles I cannot fly directly to Ishigaki shima, I would have to stop in Naha and again pay my way to Ishigaki. LAME.

From kansai, I cannot fly to Asahikawa without going through Handa, which costs double miles. LAME.

This is. So annoying!

[Harvey]

Umm.... Guys...
I'm going to Aomori.
Near the end of Feb.
:bluush:

So....

Who can tell me what's in Aomori?

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Because a road of mountains zone of Tohoku region of February is closed down the winter season,
There is need to check traffic with care.
Towada of Aomori does an event from February 2 to February 25.
http://www.towadako.or.jp/pdf/snowfestival2007.pdf
http://www.bes.or.jp/park/towada/now/index.htm

[Harvey]

Thanks for the information Hiroyuki!

A friend of mine says...

青森と言えば、
ねぶた祭、津軽三味線、郷土料理に津軽弁、りんごも。
十和田湖、おいらせ渓流、恐山（冬は閉山中）、温泉な どなど。

Also...

ちなみに温泉は酸ケ湯温泉がおすすめです。
千人風呂（せんにんぶろ）と呼ばれる
大きいお風呂が有名、ただし混浴。
湯気がすごかったので私は入った、おしりは見られたと 思う。
http://www.mountaintrad.co.jp/aomori/skyu/sukayu/data.html
※ちなみに女性専用時間もあります。


不老不死温泉っていうのも有名。遠いけど。
http://www.hikyou.jp/aomori/furoufusi/furoufusi.htm
冬は入れるかな〜？？？

I'll have to dig in deep later.

I hope I can find a old school minsyuku run by a family who speak Aomori-ben so think I won't be able to understand a word they are saying.

That would rock.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

There are Shirokami Mountains of a world heritage at a prefectural border of Akita and Aomori.
However, I think that February is snowy and cannot enter.
I have been to acid ヶ hot water ONSEN.
Shirakami-Sanchi
http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=663

[Harvey]

Oh also, remember I only have 3 days, so it's going to be 駆け足旅行、I won't have much time to travel long distances once getting into Aomori!

Sounds like an interesting place though!

[sanji]

So many ideas...

- Iriomote in Okinawa is a must
- Aomori-ken in winter is fantastic... if you like snow and want to be alone
- Hida-Takayama for the onsen
- Kurokaza Onsen in Kyushu for an upscale onsen town experience
- Oshima, an island close to Tokyo, is really attractive in late summer
- Kiso-ji (Magome, Tsumago) for old untouched japanese post towns
- West coast of Izu, for its scenary

check my signature for more ideas ;)

sanji

I have been to Ishigaki Island, but we stayed at the 'Club Med' there and didn't explore much of the rest of the Island. Taketomi Island is only 10 mins ferry ride away so good for a day trip.

While Ishigaki is nice, the real gem of Yaeyama is Iriomote, about 45 minutes by boat from Ishigaki. The island is covered with a tropical jungle forest, and offers great walks along wild rivers and waterfalls. The sea is the best you can find in Japan - and diving is really great there. Plus it is not very crowded (except some specific holidays), with only a small number of accomodations on the island...

sanji

[Elizabeth]

There are Shirokami Mountains of a world heritage at a prefectural border of Akita and Aomori.
However, I think that February is snowy and cannot enter.
I have been to acid ヶ hot water ONSEN.
Shirakami-Sanchi
http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=663
Adventure hiking through the great primeval forest ! :cool: In any season, there are only a few minor roads in to the range on either the Aomori or Akita flanks.

The train known as "Resort Shirakami" is good for roughly north of Hirosaki or Mt. Iwate. :p