Off-beat locations in Japan

[rachelmanija]

When I go to Japan for Worldcon with telophase, I am interested in visiting somewhere I have never been to before. I mean, in addition to Tokyo and Kyoto, where we are also going.

I have previously visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Kamakura, Nikko, Matsumoto, Kanazawa, Osaka, Kurashiki, Hiroshima, and Koya-san.

I am particularly curious about Kyushu, especially since it looks like the shinkansen has better penetration into it than the last time I checked. Has anyone been to Kagoshima? Fukuoka? Does Nagasaki still have any old-time atmosphere, or was it rebuilt in an entirely modern manner? (I have no interest in Beppu, which sounds like Hell's own tourist trap.)

Things in which I am interested: fun cities like Tokyo. Atmospheric places like Koya-san. Old (not reconstructed) buildings. Good food. Cool and unusual places.

Things which put me off: Extreme difficulty in getting there and long travel times. Tourist traps. Places with one point of interest and nothing else to do. (I was dismayed to find at Matsumoto that once I'd finished checking out the castle, the entire town shut down at 5:00 PM.) Cold weather. (I'll be there at the beginning of September.)

Comments

Unfortunately Sapporo is too far

[liquid-identity.livejournal.com]

Or I'd actually recommend it. (There's also the fact that the Snow Festival is in February.) The benefit is that most of the tourism is either in summer (there's a lot of lavender plants there and when they bloom it's spectacular) and winter (for the activities.) I don't think you'd run out of things to do there, but it might be too scattered for your tastes.