Tips on a winter trip to Japan

MY PARTNER,15-YEAR-OLD SON AND I ARE HOLIDAYING IN JAPAN IN EITHER DECEMBER OR EARLY JANUARY. WE ARE TRAVELLING TO TOKYO, HAKONE, TAKAYAMA, KANAZAWA, KYOTO AND YUDANAKA TO SEE THE SNOW MONKEYS. EARLY DECEMBER WOULD BE MUCH CHEAPER FOR AIRFARES BUT MY PARTNER THINKS THAT THE SNOW WOULD NOT BE THICK ENOUGH TO ENJOY THE WINTER SCENERY. ANY ADVICE ON TRAVEL IN DECEMBER RATHER THAN JANUARY AND TIPS ON ACCOMMODATION FOR THREE? WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO START BOOKING HOTELS AND FLIGHTS?

M. KENT, LISMORE

January is colder than December throughout Japan but even so, December is plenty cold enough to have a high probability of snow. If you want to be assured of Japan under a blanket of snow, your itinerary should include the northern island of Hokkaido, which gets heavy winter snowfalls. If airfares are substantially cheaper in December, I'd be inclined to go then rather than in January.

The crucial choice is whether to stay in Western or Japanese-style accommodation. Japanese is better value but it does take you into slightly unfamiliar territory, especially at breakfast time. However coping with these differences and sleeping on a futon does offer a much greater feeling of cultural immersion. Check accommodation reviews on Tripadvisor (tripadvisor.com.au) to see what might work best for you.

The time to book airfares and accommodation is now. Closer to departure time, the cheaper seats will be the first to fill. If you book direct with hotels in Japan rather than through an online travel agent, the hotel will often accept your reservation without requiring an upfront payment or credit card details, just one of the touches that makes travelling in Japan a pleasure.