What are the best places to visit in Japan? -

Besides the obvious (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto) what are some really cool places to visit in Japan. I only have 3 months left here and want to do much exploring!

okinawa for the tropical beach experience... clear crystal waters... warm weather... hiroshima/nagasaki... for the history and ambience... the only places where atomic bombs were dropped... hakone... near fuji-san... try an onsen... or nikko, or kamakura... sapporo in hokkaido is wonderful during the winter with snow... and the baboons... have you skiied in nagano?

if you go to Kyoto Nara is close and it does have the great budda!!! Why not Okinawa its Japan but different. So is Hokkaido.

If you have time, difinitely go to Hokkaido. Beautiful. Also has very good food there. Try their locally made ice cream.

I really enjoyed Kamakura with its giant Buddha. It s cool to see landmarks in person after seeing so many photos. It s also cool to say that you ve been inside Buddha. My favorite place was Nikko with its temples, a lovely mountain lake and monkeys along the side of the road. There is a bus from the town up to the lake that sped through hairpin turns... resulting in my first experience with carsickness. There was a great Bamp;B, (not a Bamp;B, but I forgot the Japanese word for wonderful country inn that only Japanese people know about that prepares wonderful meals for their guests), but unfortunately it s been several years and I can t remember it. Happy travels!

if you want to see tradition, you had better visit Kyoto. but if you want to see Recent Japan, you had better visit Tokyo.