Hiking around Tokyo: Daibosatsu, Yamanashi

Yamanashi Prefecture borders the west side of Tokyo and is home to Mt. Fuji. That being said, there are plenty of hikes which offer stunning views of the picturesque mountain and landscapes surrounding it. One great place is called Daibosatsu which is located off of the Chuo Line, which originates in Tokyo.

The hike itself is somewhat difficult, especially if you are like me, and don't believe in buying "hiking gear" like all other Japanese people do. That being said, the circular hike can be done in running shoes, jeans, and a jumper with out too much trouble in about 4 or 5 hours.

Here is the course that we did:
From Enzan Station, our group was big enough to justify taking a taxi up to the car park located on the map. It was 5,300yen, which is pretty good for Japan considering the distance involved. If you are in a smaller group, there is a public bus to the yellow バス mark for 300yen, and then shuttle taxis up to the car park for 600yen per person.

From here there are two directions on the trail, take the left side and you'll eventually come to a hut which is at number 2 on the map.

From here you will have two directions you can take. I suggest the left path up the mountain towards number 3. Eventually you will reach a clearing at the very top with a stunning view of Mt. Fuji which looks like this:

This is a great place to set up lunch for the day, you'll see lots of other people doing the same thing. After this, head along the trail away from Mt. Fuji towards number 4. This is Daibosatsu, the highest point on this hike. From there continue until the next junction which is located at the number "1697" on the map.
At this junction, head to the left which will take you down the mountain, eventually back to the original bus stop. This part of the hike gets a bit more difficult, so take your time and be careful not to slip. From here you can catch the bus back to Enzan Station for another 300 yen. Its a great hike, with stunning views and can be done in one day if you wake up VERY early!

Getting there:
From Shinjuku you need to take the Chuo Line to Enzan Station. On a normal train this costs 1,890yen one way, takes around 2 hours, and usually requires one or two changes along the way. On a weekend or holiday, purchase the 2300yen "Holiday Kippu" ticket which is essentially a free day pass valid until Otsuki. When you arrive at Enzan you just need to pay an extra 480yen, and on the return trip purchase the cheapest platform ticket at Enzan and use the Holiday kippu when you exit in Tokyo.

Another option is the Limited Express Kaiji train from Shinjuku, which costs 3500 yen for a reserved seat and takes about 1.5 hours.

Enzan station will have maps and information about buses, taxis, and shuttles, so pick your transportation according to time and budget.

A Haikyo trip in Saitama

"Haikyo" is a Japanese word that essentially means abandoned or ruin. Since the economic bubble burst, the countryside of Japan has been littered with dozens of locations that have been abandoned and could be considered modern ruins. I'm talking about theme parks, old resorts, US military facilities, you name it.

There was one place that was mentioned that caught my eye: Nichitsu, Saitama. The town of Nichitsu was run by the company with the same name. It was a copper mining town which eventually shut down back in the late 1970s, and no one has bothered to clean it up. It makes for a very interesting take on tourism in Japan, in that the place is essentially one giant time capsule.




Its a bit dangerous walking around some of the buildings (read, unstable flooring) but the doctors office, employee apartments/family houses, and the school are not to be missed.





Getting there: The only way to do this is by car, so get yourself to Nissan and rent something cheap. From Tokyo, take the Kanetsu Expressway up to the Hanazono Interchange and follow National Road 140. From here you will get deeper into the northwestern corner of Saitama. You should set your sat-nav to a place called: "Chichibu kouzan" 秩父鉱山. When you hit the scary looking one lane tunnel, you know you've arrived. Don't worry, there's a google map of the journey below.


View Larger Map

Overall, it was a very worthwhile day-trip. Anyone who is interested in other places should check out this website which is full of other 'haikyo' places throughout Japan:
http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/ruins-gallery/

Hiking around Tokyo: Chichibu, Saitama 秩父, 埼玉県

Now that Autumn has finally come, its nice to get outside into the fresh air and see the leaves change colour. One of the easiest places to do this is in Chichibu, which is in the north western corner of Saitama prefecture, just above Tokyo.

Getting there: The easiest way by far is by taking the train on the Seibu Ikebukuro line from Ikebukuro station to Seibu-Chichibu station at the end of the line. Do yourself a favour and take the New Red Arrow limited express train. As the reserved seat ticket only costs about 700yen extra, its much more comfortable and a lot faster (70min) than the normal trains.


At seibu-chichibu, you have a few options. In the area there are a lot of small trails you can take around the area. However, we opted to jump on the Chichibu Railway line to Mitsumineguchi station. From here we grabbed a bus up to Chichibu Dam where we began our hike towards Mitsumine Shrine at the top of the mountain.


This hike was more difficult than I would have preferred, but the trees were beautiful, as were the views from the top. It was about 4km from Chichibu Dam to the shrine, but it was very very steep. I wish I had brought better shoes.

One of the nice things about hiking in Japan is that everyone brings bento boxes for picnics along the trails. Its also not uncommon to see people relaxing with a beer or two midway through the day on top of the mountain, or in some cases halfway.

At the top of the mountain we reached Mitsumine Shrine, and caught the last bus (at 17:30!) back to Seibu Chichibu Station where we caught the next New Red Arrow train back to Ikebukuro.

Our trip was thrown together very randomly. I suggest to make the most of Chichibu National Park you get yourself a good hiking map (usually you can get free ones from the station information offices in either Ikebukuro or Chichibu).

Ikebukuro to Seibu Chichibu: 1380yen
Seibu Chichibu to Mitsumineguchi: 430yen
Mitsumineguchi express bus to Seibu Chichibu: 900yen

Shimokita Hanto, Aomori 下北半島、青森県

Aomori is the most northern prefecture on the main island of Honshu. It's typically well known for Hirosake Castle amongst the cherry blossoms, apples, dreary weather, and the place where the Tohoku Shinkansen stops.

However, there is one very overlooked jewel at the most northern part of the right-hand peninsula, Shimo-kita Hanto: Osorezan aka Fear Mountain.

According to tradition, Osorezan is the place where dead spirits travel to in order to pass on into the next life. By the looks of things, I'm not surprised:

Throughout the temple site atop the crater, you're surrounded by sulfuric rocks, a dead lake which supports no life, and perhaps saddest of all, the colourful pinwheels which symbolize children who either died prematurely, or very early in life.

The depressing bits aside, this is a truly beautiful place. The colours, views and sounds (or lack thereof) can't really be experienced anywhere else in Japan.

Getting there:
From Tokyo, take the Tohoku Shinkansen as far as it will go until you reach Hachinohe Station. From here you can transfer to a Hakucho or Super Hakucho for about 30 min. until you reach Noheji station.

At this point, I would recommend renting a car to get up the peninsula. There are bus services, but they are very limited, and the local train will only take you as far as Mutsu, a small city near the base of the mountain.

While you're there:
I recommend making the journey to the far eastern end of the peninsula to Hotokegaura. This is a beautiful bit of coastline with sheer cliffs that are said to remind one of Buddha.

Shimokita Peninsula is one of Japan's hidden, albeit remote, gems. It certainly won't be included on your package tour.

Matsushima 松島

Simply put, one of the 3 most beautiful places in Japan.

Japan has 3 places which are considered the "most beautiful" in the nation. We have Miyajima near Hiroshima, Amanohashidate in Kyoto, and finally Matsushima. Matsushima is one of those places that isn't exactly publicized a whole lot towards foreign tourists — but if you are up for some good Japanese domestic tourism, this is a great place to start. The town itself is located in the North eastern part of Miyagi Prefecture about 40 min. by local train from Sendai. Here you will find about 260 minuscule islands dotting the bay covered in pine trees. Upon arrival, its very easy to see why it is considered so beautiful.

Getting There:
Most travelers arrive via the JR Senseki Line which takes between 25 and 40 min. depending on whether it's an Express or a Local train. The best station to get off at is Matsushima-Kaigan, as it is located directly next to the bay. There is a 100 yen bus that frequently serves Matsushima-Kaigan Station to get around to popular sites and hotels, but walking isn't a problem if you're up for it.

From Tokyo, the easiest way to get there is via the Tohoku Shinkansen to Sendai Station, and then to connect to the JR Senseki Line. The Shinkansen charge is 10,900 yen for a reserved seat, and takes about 2 3/4 hours in total to Matsushima Kaigan. Of course if you have the Japan Rail Pass, there will be no charge.

Getting around:
All of the famous sites that are around the bay are easily accessible on foot, though there is a 100 yen bus available in the area which makes frequent stops from Matsushima Kaigan Station and in the surrounding area.

What to do:
I suggest by starting with the Matsushima Bay Cruise as it is the best way to view all of the interesting islands that dot your surroundings. The main pier is located about a 10 min. walk from Matsushima Kaigan Station, and from there you can choose the length and time of your sightseeing cruise. I chose the "Short Course" which was about 50 min. and circled the main part of the bay. It cost 1400 yen, and was quite exciting, especially since the seagulls will actually follow your cruise ship and try and snatch snacks out of your hand — all of which can be bought on board. Trust me, it makes for some interesting pictures later on. Eventually, you leave the seagulls behind and can enjoy the views of the peaceful islands as you comfortably float by.



Upon returning to the pier, you can easily access Fukkura-jima Island which is connected to the mainland via a long red bridge. You have to pay 200 yen to go across the bridge, but it was worth it. We spent about an hour exploring the paths, forests and beaches on a Monday, and it was practically deserted. There are some great private places on the backside of the island that face out to the rest of the bay as well.




Back in Matsushima Town, you can find plenty of random touristy shops and restaurants. If that's not your thing, feel free to check out some of the liquor stores along the way - you can easily sample some of the locally brewed sake.

What to Eat:
Japan is famous for being famous for local food, however in Matsushima there didn't seem to be anything that was very well known. Since the town is so close to Sendai, it does have restaurants entirely devoted to Cow Tongue. Since you are here, you might as well try it either in Matsushima, or back in Sendai Station. You can easily buy a meal for the train (Eki-ben) and enjoy it on the ride home.

Advice for Foreign Residents:
Seeing as how we cannot obtain the Japan Rail Pass, I highly suggest booking a package deal for 2 days and 1 night through the View Plaza offices in major JR stations. My package included round trip reserved Shinkansen tickets, local train tickets, and full access to Hotel Taikanso, which included dinner, breakfast, onsen, and a room with a panoramic view of the bay. The prices vary depending on the day, and how many people are in your group.

My group of 4 shared a large western/Japanese style room on a Sunday night for 26,000 yen per person. Considering the Shinkansen tickets to Sendai would have cost about 20,000 yen on their own, this is incredibly good value for money!

Overall Impression:


Matsushima is a fantastic and beautiful place to spend 2 days, and I would gladly go back to experience it again. If you only have one day, it is still worth taking the comfortable trains up to Sendai to see it. You won't be disappointed.

Shinkansen Deals!

For those of you who are residents, this may come in handy as we also aren't allowed to use the JR tourist pass. Don't fret as there are a few ways to save some money along the Tokaido line at least between Tokyo and Osaka.

1) The cheapest option is called the "Puratto Kodama Economy Plan". Basically your ticket from Tokyo to Osaka is only 10,000yen one way which is a pretty good deal. The only drawback is that you have to take the slowest Shinkansen, the Kodama, which takes over 4 hours to reach Osaka. However, you do get a free can of beer or another drink as a free bonus, and you only have to purchase the ticket one day in advance.

2) The other option is the "Hikari Hayatoku Kippu" and only costs 12,000yen one way from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka station. You must use a reserved seat on the Hikari Shinkansen, and it has to be bought at least one week in advance.

The other thing to consider is the fact that the frequency of these trains is limited compared to the faster, more expensive Nozomi, so booking ahead is highly recommended, especially around weekends and holidays. Keep in mind that normal reserved tickets on a nozomi train from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka can run about 14,000 yen one way, so if you're looking to save some money, and travel in style, these options are your best bet.

Koyo in Autumn

The Autumn season is best known in Japan for Koyo, which essentially means "trees changing colour". Most areas in Japan during the months of October, November, and December transform themselves from hot humid places into dry beautiful picturesque landscapes.

Last year I went to two areas that I highly recommend: Myoko Kogen in Niigata, and Shiga Kogen in Nagano.

Getting there by car is the easiest way to take advantage of the beautiful mountains, as there aren't really any trains and buses are limited at best.

From Tokyo: Take the Kan-etsu Expressway towards Niigata, followed by the Joshin-etsu Expressway which leads towards Nagano. The Myokokogen Exit is the one you are looking for.

View Larger Map

The other area is called Shiga-Kogen, which lies on the border between Nagano and Gunma Prefectures. Its a really nice long drive in the mountains if you want to make your way slowly back to Tokyo. Here is my recommended route:

View Larger Map

From the Shinshu-Nakano IC, you can make your way up into the mountains and drive on the highest road in Japan on 292. Following this, you can make your way down the mountain into Gunma and eventually the Takasaki IC which will take you back to Tokyo directly.

Here's an example of what's waiting for you:


Happy Travels!

Which rental company should I use?

The service industry in Japan is such that you won't ever get really "bad" service compared to back home (wherever that may be). That being said, I have noticed a few differences in terms of rental agencies that I've used over here from time to time.

Nissan Rent-a-car

This is the company I have used the most, as they have the best hours (many with 24 hour locations), usually the best prices, as well as a good variety of cars. The services they provide are very basic and speedy, and also allow you to drop off the car free of charge if its within 50km of the original outlet. Most of the outlets are in really great locations as well, being either near major train stations or just about any airport in Japan.

I have only had one seriously bad incident with this company. I rented a car in Kyushu near the Oita ferry terminal, and they gave me an older Nissan March because it had English speaking satnav. It was nice of them to do so, but I would have rather had a newer car with the newer Japanese satnav. I took the car anyway, and on the last day of the trip we noticed a tire was really low. We got it checked at a service station, the inside of the rim was actually bent from the previous renter (we hadn't had a single misstep on our trip!). They put the spare on, and we took it back to Oita where they tried to charge us 20,000JPY for the broken tire. At this point we argued with them for about 30 minutes, and explained that it was Nissan's responsibility to check under the car, and mine was to check for cosmetic damage at the time of rental. Eventually we won the argument and they let us go free of charge.

Don't let this discourage you. If they try to rent you an old model, ask politely for a new one and check the outside of the car thoroughly.

Nippon rent-a-car

I've only used them once and I wouldn't do it again. Their prices are higher than Nissan, and they gave us a Prius with over 100,000km on the clock that was pretty beat up inside and outside by Japanese standards. The worst bit was the brakes which really felt as if they needed to be serviced or inspected.

That being said, they will rent you an ETC card for 300 yen a day which can lead to serious savings on the highway on weekends and holidays. Something to think about then.

JR Rent-a-car

I've only used JR's car rental once as part of a Shinkansen/hotel package up in Aomori Prefecture. It was really well run and they had us off the train and in the car within 15 minutes of arrival. We were also given what looked to be like a brand new Honda Fit with only 1700km on the clock. JR car rental outlets are usually located at major JR stations, so they can be really convenient if you're coming off of a Shinkansen or Limited Express train in a rural area especially.

When NOT to drive

As a lot of people know, the expressways in Japan are some of the most expensive in the world. That changed about a year and a half ago if you have an ETC credit card in your car which deducts the tolls automatically at the gates. The government introduced a sort of "all you can drive" plan on weekends and national holidays for only 1000yen, point A to B. Its a good deal, but the increase in traffic has been frustrating to say the least.

In my experience I have found that the Chuo Expressway seems to get backed up the most, probably due to its lack of a third lane and because it leads to the Fujiyama area. My advice would be to plan ahead, and leave very early if planning to drive on the weekends. If you have an iphone, download the app "Highways AOBO" and you can check traffic conditions on any expressway in the country (hint: red means the traffic is barely moving!).

If you are in a rural area, you need not worry about bad traffic as there just aren't as many people driving around, especially in the Tohoku region north of Kanto.

On major holidays (Golden Week, Obon, and Lunar New Year) its best to avoid driving altogether and reserve train tickets in advance. Expressways typically look like this the photo above.

I hate paying money to just sit in traffic, so if you're planning to drive at a typical weekend, escape Kanto early!

I can rent and so can you

The majority of foreign tourists who decide to visit Japan hit two places: Tokyo and Kyoto. They have the JR pass, they see a few crowded sights and then go home. Then how about for the rest of us? The backpackers, the long term travelers, the residents and teachers who live at least 20km from a station. The simple fact is, if you want to see the most interesting places in Japan, and not spend a lot of money then you should drive!

"But I can't speak the language and I can't read the signs!" Well, the fact is, there are resources out there that will let you rent a car with as little Japanese as possible, and the road signs (gasp) are also written in English (for the most part).

When I first came to Japan I used a third party website called "ToCoo! Travel" which arranges discounted car rentals of all kinds from all of Japan's major outlets. I still use them to this day. My personal favourite and recommendation is to use Nissan Rent-a-car, as they have very good service, cars that are usually less than 1 or 2 years old, and have a vast array of 24 hour locations within Kanto and Kansai.

The process is simple.
1) In your home country, get an international driver's license.

2) Contact ToCoo! Travel's website, and send them an inquiry in either English, Chinese or Korean and they'll get back to you within 24 hours, usually with your reservation as you requested.

3) When you pick up the car at the outlet, give them your passport, int'l license, and some cash. They'll ask you to write your address in Japan, and a contact number.

4) This is where it gets a bit tricky if you don't speak the language: They'll tell you about the insurance which states that if the car has an accident, and is drivable, then you are charged JPY20,000 upon return. If it is immobile after the accident, its JPY50,000 and no replacement car will be given. If you're a bad driver, upgrade your insurance coverage for about JPY5000.
Also, don't park illegally, as its a rather large fine. If you have an accident call the Police and just attempt to get a translator (or just shout English until you're understood).

5) Once this is complete, you and an attendant circle the car to look for any damage. I'm always a bit anal about this and point out every nick as I don't like to be charged. Sign the agreement and drive away!

BUT WAIT! You have a really good Sat Nav system and don't know how to use it?? Have your destination addresses written down in advance, and have the Nissan people enter them for you. They'll ask if you want "Kokudo" National Roads (Free but slow), or "Kosoku doro" Expressways which are tolled (Expensive but usually the best way to get somewhere fast).

Renting is a really good way to see some of the country that others never do (even native Japanese). Do yourself a favour and go ahead and try it!

http://www2.tocoo.jp/?file=rentcar_inbound/main