1 to 2 night trip outside of Tokyo

I%26#39;ll be in Tokyo for a little over a week at the end of this month. Hotel is booked for the whole stay, however I%26#39;m looking to get out of the city too.

I read Kyoto is the place to go, however I%26#39;m having trouble finding reasonably priced accomodations there at this late in the game. Is Kyoto really the place to go for exposure to the country side and older cultural and religious traditions? Or are there other, less traveled to places that are tourist friendly?

I don%26#39;t mind going somewhere where it%26#39;s a little harder to find someone that speaks english, or where I have to stay in a ryokan.

I%26#39;m still doing my research so this will help in doing that. I%26#39;ve yet to look into a trip closer to Mt. Fuji, is there anything anyone can suggest there?

Thanks for any input you can give!

1 to 2 night trip outside of Tokyo

Kyoto is the gem of traditional Japan. If you can do at least an overnight stay, it%26#39;s very much worth the trip. Around cherry blossom times, many of the already first-rate attractions become spectacular.

If you are having problems finding hotels at Kyoto, consider staying at Osaka. Osaka is just 30 minutes by train to Kyoto and the city has plenty of dining and nightlife.

1 to 2 night trip outside of Tokyo

Kyoto (even staying in Osaka) is THE place to go...otherwise think about Hakone or Nikko.

Not having read all of your other posts, but noticing the difficulty you%26#39;re having finding accommodations in Kyoto.... I%26#39;m wondering....Have you considered a day trip from Tokyo to Kamakura? It has a long history and there is a lot to see there. Of course the Daibutsu, but there are other temples/shrines. Hase-dera is worth a visit. Kamakura will not replace seeing Kyoto, but it does have a similar sense of history and culture.

You might also enjoy carrying on from Kamakura to Enoshima. Funky, but a lovely walk over the island.

What I just did for an overnight trip:

Fly from Haneda to Hiroshima. The flight takes 1 1/2 hours. I don%26#39;t know what it will cost when you go.

Then, take the city limousine bus for 1900 yen to the Hiroshima Bus Center. This takes 55 minutes and takes you to the center of town, right next to the baseball stadium, and 3-4 blocks away from the A-bomb dome %26amp; Peace Park. Take a couple of hours to wander, go through the museum, then take a ferry directly to Miyajima Island. This trip costs 1300 yen - I think - and takes you directly to Miyajima from the Peace Park. It takes about 45 minutes. Not terribly scenic but very efficient.

Then, wander around Miyajima for a bit. Eat dinner at your ryokan. Wander around at night, enjoying the complete silence (at least, in March, on a Sunday night, it is silent).

Get up the next morning and do it in reverse.

You won%26#39;t need luggage because you%26#39;ll wear a yukata in the ryokan. There will be toothpaste and shampoo and soap. You%26#39;ll just need a change of underwear and you%26#39;ll need to wear clothes you%26#39;re comfortable in for two days in a row.

My pictures from Sunday:

www.flickr.com/photos/kellywarrick, set marked %26#39;2009 Miyajima%26#39;.