The countryside “onsen” getaway full of adventure, learning, and leisure.
Most associate a “leisure trip” in Japan with nice soaks in the hot spring, and good food. You’ll often hear Hakone, Karuizawa, and maybe the coastal resort town Atami thrown around when people discuss their trip ideas. There are however dozens of well-developed destinations scattered about that have various hotel options ranging from simple and cheap to luxurious and all-inclusive, not to mention fun ways to pass the daylight hours until you’re back in the bath.
Nasu Kogen (Nasu Highlands) really brings the elements for a leisure trip together in a nice way, and has not been washed over with the same touristy tropes you see in some other places. It still keeps its original colors as a high-set mountain resort town, if at times it does show its aging colors a bit. It has the dense nature and charm you might find in the Pacific Northwest in America, but the accessibility and logically arranged shops and services Japan is known for.
