How about a trip to Japan North Honshu

A region of Japan famed for its biblical snow in winter and year-round hot springs (Onsen), but also well worth a mention for their regional food, lakes, forests, and ski resorts, with some of the best conditions on earth! Niigata is the main city here on the west coast and Sendai on the east coast. Despite being the other side of Japan from Tokyo, and across significant mountain ranges, the sensational (fast, punctual, comfortable, clean, safe etc. etc.) Shinkansen (Bullet Train) connects the cities of Tokyo and Niigata in under 3 hours. A large rice-growing and sake-drinking region, this is probably what most westerners would expect to see of Japan, with temples and ornate building vying for space with modern architecture and compact residential areas.
This is a city and region for all seasons, be it the snows and skiing in winter, blossoms and colours of spring, or the coast and sea breezes with beaches and laid back way of life in summer.
The eastern coastal region of Honshu was brought to the fore of the worlds attention in 2011 when a huge offshore earthquake caused some of the largest and most destructive tsunami ever recorded, let alone captured on video, to devastate the area. As a result, many coastal regions have yet to rebuild back to where they once were, although inland very little has changed.
Along this coast are countless little coves and small inlets which harbour some beautiful views and scenery, some of the best in Japan, and unsurprisingly, some fantastic seafood, caught locally and prepared as only the Japanese can.
Mountains, valleys and rivers, with forests galore dominate this region and it’s not the easiest to traverse without a car, but, given they drive on the left and the standard of driving is superb, this is a highly recommended option to get out and about and see a lesser-visited region of Japan