I wanna know how should we plan this trip

I am thinking about traveling to japan for the first time for roughly 2 weeks from (20-12-16 till 03-1-16) with my family.
I wanna know how should we plan this trip so that we can enjoy the most.

Where should we spend our Christmas ?
I am wondering is it worth going to Tōhoku region?
My dad likes to go skiing.

Would greatly appreciate experienced responses. Thank you

No.3 ベストアンサー 回答者： taki175 回答日時： 2016/10/06 10:03

It is quite difficult to answer your questions without knowing your interests much more.

It’s up to you and your family’s interest. I will introduce typical plans as follows;

1) In case you have interest in traditional culture and history, the following is my plan
(Busy plan);
a. Fly to Osaka first and stay in Kyoto and enjoy sight-seeing in Kyoto. (and/or in Nara too if you have time)
b. Then go to Tokyo to enjoy Christmas. You can enjoy many events in this area, such as musical show with dinner for adult and X’mas event in Sanrio Puroland, Desny Land for small kids. Off course, if you like to go to Church, you can find mass in this area with X’mas event.
c. Then, you fly to Hokkaido to enjoy powder snow sky there. ( Hokkaido is the best to do ski. But you have only two weeks, so I will recommend to go to Echigo-Yuzawa by train near Tokyo and stay in HATAGO, though this inn is a little far from ski ground but you can enjoy hot-spring and ski. )

2) If you do not have interest in traditional culture this time, the following is my plan;
a. Fly to Tokyo and enjoy sight-seeing in Tokyo and Kamakura.
b. Then fly to Hokkaido to enjoy powder snow sky there. Hokkaido is one of the best place to do ski. You can choose professional ski ground and family type too with Hot-Spring there.
c. Fly back to Tokyo to enjoy Christmas. You can enjoy many events in this area, such as musical show with dinner for adult and X’mas events such as in Sanrio Puroland, Desny Land for small kids. Off course, if you like to go to Church, you can find mass in this area with X’mas event.
d. Dec31 late night to Jan1, you can enjoy “Hatsumode” in Maiji Shrine in Harajuku,Tokyo or Tsuruoka Hachimannguu in Kamakura.
*Remark: As this season is quite busy time, I recommend to book accommodation in advance.

e. I will provide information in Tokyo for your reference.

City: Asakusa Area
1 Kaminarimon & Sensouji from Asakusa Station
2 Sumidagawa & Kototoi Bridge
3 Tokyo Sky Tree
4 Asakusabashi small shops
5 Nezu Area
6 Ueno park & many Art Museums

City : Shinjuku Area
1 Tokyo Metropolitan Government
2 Yoyogi Park from JR Yoyogi Station
3 Meiji Shirine from Harajuku Station next to Shinjuku Station.
4 Omote-Sando (Takeshita-doori)
5 Kaigakan (Seitoku Kinen Kaigakann) from JR Shinanomachi Station or
Oedosen, Kokuritu Kyougijo Station

City: Tokyo Area
Alt-1 Tsukiji
2 Hama Rikyu Park (Big park in down town. Entrance fee: Free )
3 Shiodome
4 Rainbow Bridge
5 Tokyo Gate Bridge
6 Odaiba
7 Kabukiza
8 Ginza

Alt-a Imperial House( Only from outside )
b Metropolitan Police Department( Only from outside )
c Kokkai Gijidou-mae from Marunouchi Line or Chiyoda Line Kokai
Gijidou-mae Station (Only from outside )
d The Supreme Court ( Only from outside )
e Geihinkan from JR Yotsuya Station( Only from outside )
f Kasumigaseki Area
g Tokyo Tower

As for restaurants, most of restaurants in big Hotels are quite good. The prices are quite expensive. Lunch time is about \3,000-\5,000 and \15,000-\20,000 at night time.

But if you go to restaurants in town, you can find many good restaurants with reasonable prices with many variety of foods from \600-\5,000 at lunch time and \2,500-\10,000 at dinner time including drinks. The restaurant “NINJA” in Akasaka is said quite interesting restaurant among foreigners.

Enjoy you stay in Japan !!

No.2 回答者： voyageur_etranger 回答日時： 2016/10/05 13:29

You may have some problem in the period because you are trying to stay

Japanese National Holidays. Most of us have holidays from about 29Dec to 03Jan.

In this period, especially for transportation, it is quite difficult to book.
31Dec is quite difficult to book accommodations whole Japan.
01Jan is very crowded around famous shrines and temples for "Hatsumode"
that is traditional habit for us.

Where do you plan to stay the first? Asking for Tohoku means you basically stay in Tokyo Metropolitan area?
It is not bad idea to go to Tohoku area for skying, and Nagano or Niigata are also well-known for skying.
JR (Ex Japan National Rail) has a station just for skying. You can easily go there by Shinkansen (Bullet Trains)
http://www.galaresort.jp/winter/english/

But avoid moving from the period above.

Add more, in Tokyo area, 24Dec is quite difficult to book hotels and famous restaurants.
Anyway, Tokyo or skying area are both good idea to stay.
(Off course the atmosphere is totally different between them.)

In December, there are many places to "Christmas illumination" in Tokyo area.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2303.html

No.1 回答者： oshiete_bitte 回答日時： 2016/10/05 13:25

In Japan we call December "Shiwasu",which literally means teachers or priests run.Everything is so busy at that moment especually around in the end of December to until in the beginning of January as new years days are more important for us than Xmas by returing their own hometowns for seeing their families.

You idea could be in the middle if this busy moment.....unfortunately.

Plus it gets more difficult to do skiing in December or January by the warmness.Sometimes there is no snow in north.The coldest reason can be in February in north where you can expect snow and skiing.