Japan 2023 (The Plan)

Legend

Train
Bus
Hiking
Cable Car
Cycling
Electric vehicle
Ferry

Tokyo ‐ May 8, 2022

Going home 😥
Tokyo ‐ May 7, 2022
Tokyo ‐ May 6, 2022
Nikkō

Our last day to enjoy some Japanese nature and do some hiking. We go to Nikko. Nikko (日光, Nikkō) is a town at the entrance to Nikko Nat'l Park, famous for Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Nikko was a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship long before Toshogu was built in the 1600s, and Nikko Nat'l Park continues to offer landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking t [...]
rails.
Tokyo ‐ May 5, 2022
Tokyo ‐ May 4, 2022

Japan 2022
Kamakura ‐ May 3, 2022

Today we will go biking again and now in Kamakura. Kamakura (鎌倉) is a coastal town in Kanagawa Prefecture, less than an hour south of Tokyo. The town became the political center of Japan, when Minamoto Yoritomo chose it as the seat for his new military government in the late 12th century. The Kamakura government continued to rule Japan for over a century, first under the Minamoto shogun and then under the Hojo regents.

Biking in Kamakura
Kamakura ‐ May 2, 2022

Shop till you drop ! Today we will go to Gotemba Premium Outlets which are Japan's most popular outlet mall, located in Gotemba City at the base of Mount Fuji, not far from Hakone. The mall features around 300 stores and restaurants, a food court, a 50 meter high Ferris wheel, a hotel and a public hot spring bath. On our way back to Kamakura we will visit Odawara Castle.

Gotemba Premium Outlets
Kamakura ‐ May 1, 2022

Starting the last week of our journey, we will spend today in the Hakone area. Hakone (箱根) is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than one hundred kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, natural beauty and the view across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo. And of course we will sail the ship over Lake Ashi and ride the ropeway.

A day at Hakone
Yamanakako ‐ Apr 29, 2022

Lake Yamanakako (山中湖) is the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes and the second most developed lake behind Lake Kawaguchiko with small towns at its western and eastern ends and a few hotels, minshuku, camping grounds and restaurants in between. There are good views of Mount Fuji from around the lake. We will stay at the Hotel Mt. Fuji Hotel. Located at an elevation of 1,100 meters, this hotel was built specifically to provide excellent views of Mt. Fuji.
Matsumoto ‐ Apr 28, 2022

Matsumoto (松本) is the second largest city in Nagano Prefecture. It is most famous for Matsumotojo, one of Japan's most beautiful original castles.
Shirakawa-go

Located in a mountainous region that was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time, these villages with Gassho-style houses subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. The large houses with their steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only examples of their kind in Japan. Despite economic upheavals, Ogimachi, Ainokura and Suganuma are good examples of a traditional way of life perfectly adapted to the environment and people's circumstances.
Takayama

Heading to Takayama by bus. Takayama is an old merchant town with a traditional Japanese atmosphere and perfectly suited for a stroll. Located at the center of the castle town, the three main streets that make up the popular part of Takayama's Historical District served as a merchant town in times past. This area is referred to as Sanmachi-dori, and it has old architecture and shops that remain to this day. Tonight we will visit the old town. This afternoon we will visit Shirakawa-Go
Nagoya

Rise and Shine ! Taking the train to Nagoya at 7 today. From there we will take the bus through the Japanese Alps to Takayama.
Nakatsugawa ‐ Apr 27, 2022

After the hike we will stay in Nagatsukawa in Ryokan Nagataki (including diner and breakfast)
Magome

Magome is one of the popular restored Edo-period towns which nowadays attracts many visitors with its stone-walk, flora-lined streets and beautifully maintained historic infrastructure. Back in its early days, Magome served as a ‘post town’, which meant that it was primarily built to service and accommodate those traveling along major highways
Tsumago
Nagiso

Today we'll have a hike between 3 villages (Nagiso,Tsumago and Magome). Nagiso is just the starting place because that's where the train stops. There is a nice Ninja trail between Tsumago and Magome.

Magome - Tsumago Trail
Shinano-Omachi ‐ Apr 26, 2022

We will stay at Raumu San-so (a ryukan) where we will be served diner (and breakfast tomorrow)
Ōgizawa Station

Ogizawa Station – 1,433 m The last transfer ! There is not really much at this station other than bathrooms, a gift shop and a cafe. Last chance for souvenirs :D Next Transportation: Local Bus to Shinano-Omachi Station
Kurobe Dam Observation deck

We can take the Kurobe lake cruise on Japan’s highest altitude cruise ship. Follow the signs before crossing over the dam. The boat ride takes 30 minutes and is 1,080 yen per person. Next Transportation: Kanden Electric Tunnel Bus
Kurobe Cable Car

Kurobe Dam – 1,470 m This is the highest dam in Japan at 181 meters and was quite difficult to build due to its location. From the start, it takes about 15 minutes to walk across the dam and all the viewing platforms are on the east (far) side.
Tateyama Ropeway

Kurobedaira – 1,828 m This station is simply a connection from the Tateyama Ropeway to the Kurobe Cable Car that takes us down to the Kurobe Dam. Next Transportation: Kurobe Cable Car
Daikanbo Terminal

Daikanbo – 2,316 m Once we emerge out of the mountain on the trolley bus, hop outside and get a view of the valley below. We can see the lake that was formed by the Kurobe Dam. Next Transportation: Tateyama Ropeway
Murodo Terminal ‐ Apr 25, 2022

Murodo – 2,450 m The Murodo Terminal is the main destination for all travelers on the route. We’ll get off the bus at the terminal which is also the home to Hotel Tateyama, Japan’s highest hotel. We will stay the night here at Murodo and enjoy the views by night. Next Transportation: Tateyama Tunnel Trolley Bus
Bijodaira Station

Bijodaira – 977 m At Bijodaira Station we can decide if we want to take a hike or not. There are 3 walking loops at various lengths: 2 km, 2.5 km, and 4 km. Next Transportation: Tateyama Highland Bus
Tateyama Station

Tateyama Station – 475 meters The Tateyama Station is quite small and basically is used as a transfer point from the train to the cable car. Next Transportation: Tateyama Cable Car
Dentetsu-Toyama

Dentetsu-Toyama is the starting Station for the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. It is a mountain traverse where we take 8 different modes of transportation. We will walk next to a 7-meter snow wall, visit Japan’s highest dam, and travel through mountains on an electric bus. Next Transportation: Toyama Chico Railroad

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Toyama ‐ Apr 24, 2022

Leaving Kyōto today and heading to the Japanese Alps. We are going to Toyama. The train will need nearly 3 hours to span the 285 kilometers.
Kyōto ‐ Apr 24, 2023
- Yanaba, Japan ‐ Apr 23, 2023
  
  Ōmihachiman
  - Omachi, Japan ‐ Apr 23, 2023
    
    Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
    
    Hikone
    
    Dentetsu-Toyama, Japan ‐ Apr 23, 2023
Toyama ‐ Apr 22, 2023

Osaka
Takao

Tōdai-ji

Nara
Omihachiman ‐ Apr 21, 2023

Arashiyama and Sagano

Kyōto
Nara ‐ Apr 20, 2023

Today Nara and tonight Osaka

Kyoto
Kyōto ‐ Apr 19, 2022

This morning we can use to have a long sleep if we wish. It's bike-day Kyoto. A 40 km route in which we will see some beautiful temples and shrines.

Miyajima
Okayama ‐ Apr 18, 2023

After the Himeji Castle we will continue our journey and move on to Okayama. Of course there is a Castle to visit: Okayama Castle also known as "crow castle" due to its black exterior. It was built in 1597 in the style of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. The original castle was destroyed in the last year of World War 2, but a reconstruction was made in 1966. The castle is located on the Asahi River, which was used as a moat. On the other side of the river we will find Korakuen Garden, a beautiful lan [...]
dscape garden. On our way back to Kyoto we will stop at Kobe to have diner (with Kobe beef of course).
Himeji

Today we will go to Himeji Castle, also known as White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white appearance. It is widely considered Japan's most spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and its well preserved, complex castle grounds.

Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden
Kurashiki ‐ Apr 17, 2023

After visiting the peace park back to the station and to Kurashiki which is a historical village with canals. Then we go to Kyoto where we will stay in the Hotel Vischio Kyoto by GRANVIA for 5 night and from where we will do some daytrips.
Hiroshima

Train will leave at 9 and heading to Hiroshima. We will visit the Hiroshima Peace park and the Genbuku Dome (peace memorial).
Miyajima ‐ Apr 16, 2023

On our way to Miyajima. On our way we will make a small detour for visiting the Kintai Bridge and Iwakuni Castle. Around 12 we will arrive at Miyajimaguchi from where we will take the ferry to the island Miyajima, famous for it's Itsukushima Floating Torii gate. We will stay till 5 at the island and then go back by ferry to Miyajimaguchi where our hotel is. Our diner will be okonomiyaki at Konomi.

Kumamoto Castle
Fukuoka ‐ Apr 15, 2023

Today we can sleep as long as we want :) We will rent a bike and tour around in Fukuoka and surrounding areas
Huis Ten Bosch ‐ Apr 14, 2023

After visiting Nagasaki we will visit Huis Ten Bosch. Huis Ten Bosch (ハウステンボス, Hausu Ten Bosu) is a theme park in Nagasaki Prefecture which recreates a Dutch town. It is named after one of the residences of the Dutch Royal Family. The spacious resort is suffused with a European atmosphere with its picturesque canals, iconic windmills, beautiful gardens and architecture. In the evening we will visit a baseball game : Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS vs Chiba Lotte MARINES,

Huis Ten Bosch
Nagasaki

This morning we will visit Nagasaki and the Nagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. And we will visit Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown (長崎新地中華街, Nagasaki Shinchi Chūkagai) which is the oldest Chinatown in Japan. The district in downtown Nagasaki stretches over approximately one city block dissected by intersecting lanes We take a train at 7:22 from Fukuoka (getting up early... again)

Nagasaki Peace Park
Fukuoka ‐ Apr 13, 2023

At 8:50 we will take the train to Kumamoto Castle. A ride that will take 2 and half hour. And after that to our next destination: Fukuoka. This is where we will stay couple of days and fromwhere we will do some day trips. We don't need to hurry, we take a train around 2 pm (or later if we wish) to Hakata Station. We will stay at AMA Hotels en Resorts Platinum Hakata Gion, which is located near Hakata Station. Our luggage from Tokyo has been forwarded (and will have arrived) to the hotel so check [...]
in will be easy peasy and once checked in we can go to Canal City, a large shopping and entertainment complex, calling itself a "city within the city". Attractions include about 250 shops, cafes and restaurants, a theater, game center, cinemas, two hotels and a canal running through the complex.

Fukuoka
Beppu, Japan ‐ Apr 12, 2023

Once in Beppu we can try a hot sand bath or tour (part of) The Hell Circuit (visit the eight (onsen) hell areas which all have different themes). We will have the afternoon and next day the morning (until 2 pm) in Beppu, so we don't need to rush things in a couple of hours (sort of). We stay in GRAND BASE Beppu Ekimae, which is an aparthotel with a kitchen, so we can decide if we go out for diner or make ourselves diner for a change.

Beppu
Yawatahama

Rise at 6:30 as we have to take the train from 8:10 to Yawatahama (breakfast in the hotel). From Yawatahama we take the ferry to Usuki that leaves at 9:40. We have a 2 km walk from Yawatahama Station to Yawatahama Port (arriving at the station at 9:00). Once in Usuki, we take the train to Beppu (city of the 8 Onsen from Hell).
Tokushima ‐ Apr 11, 2023

We will have 45 minutes to spend before we board the Ferry that will bring us to Tokushima. The ferry trip will take 2 hours and 15 minutes and we will arrive in Tokushima at 12:50 PM. There we have 45 minutes to get to the JR station and hop on the bullit train to Matsuyama, arriving at 6.30 PM. In Matsuyamam we will stay in a hotal at the JR station (so no long search for that). We will have diner at TonTon, which serves (according to Tripadvisor) a very, very good tonkatsu (Japanese schnitze [...]
l)
Wakayama, Japan

Today we have a Train/Ferry/Train day. First we take the train from Kii-Katsuura to Wakayama and from Wakayama we will take the ferry to Tokushima. Train is a 3 hour ride for 185 kilometers starting at 8:45. In Wakayama we will have 1 hour and 40 minutes before we have to board the ferry.
Nachikatsuura ‐ Apr 10, 2023

From the Nachi Falls we will take the bus to Nachikatsuuro (or we can walk some more). We will stay at the Hotel Urashima (an hotel that offers 4 public hot-spring baths and 2 smaller hot-spring baths) close to the Kii-Katsuura Station where we will catch the train tomorrow.
Nachi Falls

14 km

Today's for part 2 of our hike: Ogumotori-goe from Koguchi to Kumano Nachi Taisha, where we will find the Nachi Falls. It is about 14 kilometers. The first section of the trail gains 800 meters of elevation in about 5 kilometers. From ancient times, it was called “Dogiri-zaka,” (“Body-breaking Slope”) We will have to take our time and watch our step. We will pass Waroda-ishi which means “round shaped cushion rock” with Sanskrit characters carved into it, and where people meet and chat over tea.

Ogumotori-goe
Koguchi ‐ Apr 9, 2023

16 km

Today we will hike our first part of the Kumano Kodo (a series of ancient Japanese Pilgrimage trails). We will do the Kogumotori-goe trail, which will lead us from Ukegawa (Hongu) to Koguchi. It's about 16 kilometers. The trail sometimes passes through stands of cedar and cypress, other times native forest on lovely ridges. It is a gradual climb to Hyakken-gura, where pilgrims have stopped and observed the Kii Mountain peaks for over 1,000 years.

Kogumotori-goe
Yunomine Onsen ‐ Apr 8, 2023

From Kii-Tanabe we have to take the bus which will bring us in 1 hour and 45 minutes to Yukomine Onsen. We will stay one night in a Ryokan where we can enjoy our first Onsen (Kawakyu Onsen Fujiya), a traditional Japanese Inn with hot springs and bathing facilities. We will have an original Japanese meal in the ryokan and we will get a good breakfast before we leave.

Yunomine Onsen

Yukomine Onsen
Kii-Tanabe

Today is our first travel day in Japan. We have to rise early because the train is leaving at 7:02. It will take us in 5 and half hours to Kii-Tanabe (725 kilometers) and from there we take a bus to Yunomine Onsen. Because we are going to hike the coming days, we have forwarded our lugage from the hotel in Tokyo to our next big stop in Fukuoka. We keep our backpacks and we need to take clean underwear and some clothes for 5 days.
Tokyo, Japan ‐ Apr 7, 2023

Today we will rent bikes and do a Tokyo Bike Tour. We will start with visiting Ameyoko Market (opens at 10) and then some shrines and temples (eg Gotokuji Temple = Lucky Cat (Maneki Neko) Temple). We will have lunch somewhere, somewhat during our tour and did we have sushi yesterday, today we will have another famous Japanese dish; Ramen !
Tokyo ‐ Apr 6, 2023

We will stay ay the Karaksa Hotel Tokyo Station and it is just 200m from Tokyo Station. We will drop our lugage at the hotel and take the subway to Kinshicho Station and from there we will walk to Hotel Sara Kinshicho to have couple of hours to rest. After that we will return to Tokyo Station, grap something to eat, pick up our JR passes and check in at the hotel. We can pick up the Mifi Router at the hotel as it has been been delivered there. Diner on our first night in Japan will (of course) [...]
be Sushi and after that we will be fighting jetlag.

Tokyo
Tokyo International Airport, Japan ‐ Apr 6, 2023

Arrival at 06:45 at vliegveld Haneda. At the airport we will arrange for some things like metro tickets for Tokyo and loading the PASMO Card. Then heading for the train to Tokyo Station. We will need to take the monorail from Terminal 1 to Hamamatsucho Station (23 min.) and then take the JR train to Tokyo Station.

Japan 2022 (The Plan).mp4