We'll try to book Tatami (straw mat flooring) rooms for all 14 nights. This is not going to be a cheap backpacking trip, but we'll try to keep accommodations below 10,000 yen (CAD$100) per night. Is this realistic? Come back later and check our cost run-down!
As for the FOOD, you know we're not gonna cheap out. In our usual tradition we'll try to bring back photos of the local fare wherever we go. I've even made a list of them...
| DESTINATION | EAT | DO |
| Osaka | Kansai speciality snacks (takoyaki, okonomiyaki etc) | Can't find anything we're really interested in seeing ... walk around Shinsaibashi and Umeda maybe |
| Himeji | Anago (sea eel) is the local specialty | Himeji-jo, a 17th century castle and World Heritage Site |
| Kobe | Kobe beef! Can't wait to compare Matsuzaka beef to Kobe! | Kobe Harbour maybe ... not really interested in seeing the old foreigner district |
| Nara | Tofu? Kansai-style sushi? Mmm... | All the sights around Nara Park; Historical streets of Nara Machi |
| Uji | This is the Tea Capital of Japan. Tea, Tea Noodles, Tea Ice-Cream ... | Byodoin (the temple on the back of 10-yen coin), 500-year-old tea merchant stores |
| Kyoto | Elegant Kyoto-style sushi, then peasant fares like Tonkatsu and Oyakodon etc | Aoi Matsuri (May 15th, one of the three major festivals of Kyoto), one day in Higashiyama, one day in Saga Arashiyama |
| Kanazawa | Sashimi! Sushi! And everything from the Sea of Japan coast! | Kenroku-en (one of Japan's "Three Famous Gardens"), traditional streets in Higashi Chaya-gai, Gold-leaf merchants |
| Shirakawago and Gokayama | Whatever local cuisines the inn keepers serve | Two nights living under the giant thatched roofs of the 18th century farm houses |
| Hida Takayama | Hida Beef, not as famous as Kobe or Matsuzaka but rumoured to be as good, especially raw or cooked in Miso ... | Feudal townscape from 18th century, and the famous parade floats |
| Okuhida Onsengo | Okuhida means "inner Hida", so probably more Hida Beef | Open-air hotspring pools ... ahhh! |
| Kamikochi (if weather permits) | Doesn't matter ... it's a half-day trip in a National Park anyway | Supposed to be a beautifully pristine place ... we'll see |
| Matsumoto | Horse meat specialties, especially Basashi (horse sashimi) | Matsumoto-jo, the complete opposite of Himeji Castle and another one of the "Four National Treasure Castles" |
| Tsumago and Magome | Whatever our inn serves ... but river fishes are supposed to be the focus | Follow the footsteps of feudal-period travelers and walk the ancient mountain highway from Tsumago to Magome, spending two nights in the centuries-old wooden inns |
| Nagoya | Either Chubu-style eel on rice (hitsumabushi) or roasted chicken wings ... whatever we come across first | Nothing really interests us ... Atsuta Jingu maybe |
Well this is the current plan anyway. We're not sure if this is a realistic plan since that's a lot of places for half a month. Still three months to go so perhaps our plan will change. We'll keep you posted if we change our minds!
Budget? We're thinking roughly CAD$1800 per person, excluding airfare. That should include all food, accommodation, transportation and entrance fees to museums and temples. Though it's a little tight given our forever expanding food budget ...
