How to holiday for less than the published price ? Here are some ways.

First stop, an inn with a unique discount plan. Take a 1 1/2 hour train ride from Tokyo by Shinkansen to Hamamatsu Station, Shizuoka. Destination: the Kanzanji onsen which has a shuttle bus running free of charge for guests. Lake Hamana greets you on the ride to the Onsen which means visitors can enjoy eating fres eel. Try the shop called Shibuki,an eel specialty shop which uses a sauce which has been used for over 50 years to serve aromatic and tasty eel. Have a taste of Toku-unaju which includes kabayaki and tender shiroyaki eel, the Hitsumabushi or pour tea to make Eel Chazuke. Also take a visit to apark located in Kanzanji-cho where 3000 types of plants and 100,000 flowers bloom throughout the whole year. Those who enjoy blooms will also appreciate a trip to a gerbera farm. Hamamatsu abounds with gerberas and at this farm there’re around 8000 to 10000 flowers in bloom.

Visitors can pick gerberas in various shades as well as two-coloured blooms that can’t be bred artificially. It costs 500 yen (S$ 7) per person plus 300 yen (S$ 4) for flowers picked. Visitors can also make a trip to Benten Island to gather shellfish at low tide such as natural Manila clams. Use a rake or your hands to dig for the clams which are plentiful, you can get a 2kg haul in just a few minutes for a tasty snack.

The resort on Lake Hamana was founded 50 years ago is called Kikusui-tei. Like the lake it sits by, the hotel is large. It is also fun. The unique plan of this hotel is that can enjoy a discount by playing darts. Guests usually try to hit the larger numbers on the dart board or the jackpot, which is a free stay for one person. The hotel will also decide at random what some other numbers can add up to, such as a free chartered open-air bath or the booby prize of buying a souvenir from Lake Hamana. The rooms are large Japanese style ones with a view of Lake Hamana. Meals at the resort include beef from Hamamatsu as well as seafood such as tuna, golden eye bream and Lake Hamana catches such as kuruma prawn and thread-sail filefish. There's also natural pike eel from Enshunada and of course, Manila clam soup ! You can also take the taste of Lake Hamana back home with treats such as Tiger puffer rice crackers and dumpling rice crackers.

Fortune is the word on this next trip by Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo. Take the one hour ride to Takasaki Station and from there go to Ikaho which has an inn with a special discounted plan. Stop on the way to walk along a mountain trail which leads to an impressive waterfall and many udon shops too. Mizusawa is one of the three biggest udon- producing towns and there is even one which has special discounts. There's a discounted menu and if you order the Gozen set, the specialty of the shop,you can have a free refill of cold udon which will pile up as you eat more dishes.There's also 'Udon Grabbing' at 1200 yen (S$ 18) where you can bring home 200 yen (S$ 3) udon packs for free, according to the number of balls you grab. Catch the bus from the town for a 15 minute ride to the Shusuien inn. To win a discount stay here, you must have the right name for the month. The

Discounted plan for Specific Name is for one night with 2 meals at 10000 yen (S$ 146) and includes many privileges, such as an original cuisine, the free loan of Japanese housecoats and clogs and gifts ranging from a money pouch, trinkets and skincare products. The view from the hotel is wonderful and changes in different seasons. Guests can take an open-air bath in the hotel which has beautiful stained glass artwork or try their hand at ceramic creating which is free of charge if the name is right. If not it costs 3000 yen (S$ 44) for the pottery which will be sentto your home later. Visitors can take nature walks or take a ride on an automatic rickshaw. Don't miss a stop at the symbol of Ikaho, Ishidan-gai (stone steps). There are 360 steps made of stone that has stoood for over 400 years. Take the 300m climb and be rewarded with shops along the way offering games such as archery, food from Shogetsudo - a handmade manju (steam bun) shop founded in the Meiji era. Its specialty, yu no hana manju, can be found all over Japan but the source is this one warm and delicious smelling shop. The hotel’s dinner includes Gunma’s specialty such as raw ginhikari, a local breed of rainbow trout and buttery Joshu beef which is served free if your name is the chosen month name. The menu also includes White maitake, a Akagi specialty that is used to make tempura, dishes with mulberry leaf, Char meuniere and maitake rice. All this is for 10000 yen (S$ 146) with the special name discount, a saving of 3000 yen (S$ 44). Special guests also get to take home speically prepared local vegetables as a gift.

Another unusual holiday is in Kyushu. Head from Kumamoto Airport to Kurokawa onsen which is one hour and 40 minutes by bus. Kurokawa onsen is located on North Mt.Aso with an altitude of 700m. Look for smoke between the trees and glimpses of black roof tiles to discover  a hidden village of old Japan and a hotel for the night. The hotel founded 250 years ago was loved by Hosokawa clan of Higo who had called it Onkyakuya as officers and warriors of the clan used to stay here. There were originally four Onkyakuya but only one now continues to use this name. It’s the best hotel in the Kurokawa onsen area and offers relaxing rooms with views of nature. Make sure you visit the area before visiting the hotel as the right answers to questions means privileges during the stay. What's better is that there are great spots to visit, like the 24 open-air baths where you can snack on steamed eggs, pick up seals, climb Igozaka which is in the center of Kurokawa onsen, visit a pickled food shop, for a free taste set of vegetables that are pickled immediately after they are harvested.