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.