One of my favourite trips in Japan so far has been a trip to Hyogo and the cities within the prefecture. Hyogo, for many, is well known for the city of Kobe (which is thus famous for beef and for the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake), and the neighbouring Osaka prefecture.
Kobe itself is a beautiful city. The Harbour (Harbourland, Mosaic, Kobe Port) area is easy to drive around and there is plenty of parking on offer. In addition, driving through the centre of Kobe couldn’t be easier. The roads are designed in a typical American standard (blocks) and thus are well organised and less busy. The most famous part of Kobe city is probably Sannomiya, this area is generally where you’ll find most restaurants, bars and general entertainment.
Kobe
On my trip to Kobe, I decided to venture from around the Kobe-shi area and head to the famous Himeji Castle, before heading back along the coast to view the world’s longest suspension bridge, Akashi Kaikyo.
The first option you can take is the Sanyo Expressway. This road is generally quiet, expensive and there is little to see in the way of scenery. That will set you back more than 2,500 yen but is a sure fire way to avoid the traffic.
Once you arrive in Himeji, the most famous sight, of course, is the castle. This is Japan’s biggest and most famous castle and was actually closed for renovation at the time of writing. Still, it was stunning and worth the visit.
Himeji Castle
From there, it was decided to visit the stunning suspension bridge, the Akashi Kaikyo. This connects Hyogo with Awajishima island, which in turn connects to Shikoku prefecture. As you’ll see from the pictures, this bridge absolutely blows the San Francisco Golden Gate bridge out of the water, it is that stunning. The journey along the coastline back to Kobe (and through the suspension bridge area), takes you through countryside areas and there is again not much in the way of scenery, but it is worth it once you get to the bridge. From the bridge, a swift 20-30 minute journey should put you back in Kobe.
Akashi Kaikyo bridge
All in all, if you have time to visit Hyogo, I would indeed recommend Himeji. I would also recommend finding time to visit another prefecture to make the most of your trip.
For the second part of our island trip exploring Shikoku, we decided to take a journey from Kochi into Ehime. There are several routes that are possible to take, with the most beautiful one (yet the longest) taking the coastal route around the edge of Kochi into Ehime. This will take you into some famous spots such as Cape Ashizuri. The decision on whether or not to take this route can only be made by looking at your watch and deciding if you have time.
Kochi to Ehime
For us, it was decided to head north and then east into Matsuyama (on the Matsuyama Expressway) which is the major city in Ehime prefecture.
To start out the day, it is recommended to go visit Katsurahama on Kochi’s coast to see some of the beautiful sea and beaches that the prefecture has to offer.
Katsurahama
The Matsuyama expressway is a nice drive. There are some beautiful views of the villages to be seen but most importantly, there is usually no traffic and you will normally be able to enjoy at least three lanes on which to drive.
Matsuyama Expressway
When in Matsuyama, you can see many things in the largest city in Shikoku. For example, visiting the oldest onsen still running in Japan, at Dogo Onsen. After that, take a nice pleasant walk through the shopping district, stop and have some world famous orange juice and then head on to some excellent restaurants that this city has to offer.
If time permits, it is well worth taking a side trip to Uchiko, which is about 40km away from Matsuyama in Ehime. This is famous for wax and paper production.
Shikoku is a beautiful island located in the South of Japan. Not to be confused, as the Japanese call this the “West of Japan”, but on a typical map to most you would say that the island is located in the South.
There are four prefectures in Shikoku. To the far west, you have Tokushima; its major city has the same name. Tokushima is most famous for Awa Odori, which is celebrated during the Odon holiday season in Japan. North of Tokushima is Japan’s smallest prefecture, Kagawa. The capital of this prefecture is Takamatsu. Heading further south will bring you to Kochi, which is the largest prefecture on Shikoku’s island. Then, to the west, you have Ehime prefecture.
Planning a trip around Shikoku can be difficult, primarily because of the size of the island and the need to fit in as much as possible in a few days. Even a three day trip around this island can prove quite tricky to arrange everything that you would like to see. Despite that, traveling around most of Shikoku by car can be a wonderful drive, partially because of the mix of excellent highways and in some areas, some steep, winding country roads. It is a fun journey and exciting to explore indeed.
We arrived by plane at Takamatsu late on Friday evening for the three day weekend, touching down from Tokyo at approximately 9pm. When arriving at the airport, there is an excellent bus transfer service that takes you right into the city. This is highly recommended and only costs about 500 yen. In Takamatsu there is also a variety of places to hire a car, but avoid the airport if you take the late flight; as this closes at approximately 7pm.
Takamatsu is a very friendly city. The locals are very accommodating and there are a variety of excellent restaurants. Udon is the most famous food here and it is not hard to find. A word of advice, keep a look out for the places where the locals eat. Or, even better, ask locals where the best place to eat is.
Here was our rough itinerary for the first day. Starting off in Takamatsu and driving into Kotohira, then the Iya Valley and finally into Kochi for the evening.
Takamatsu is famous for the two islands north, Megijima and Ogijima. You can arrange a day trip here with your vehicle, taking the ferry. By car, you should take a trip to the stunning Yashima. It is about 10km east of the main city and a lovely drive up to the top. From there you will see the most magnificent of views.
As you can see, we were really lucky with the weather. It is OK to drive your car all the way to the top, so use the time well once you’re up there.
After grabbing some famous Sanuki Udon, we then headed to the stunning Ritsurin Koen. Word of warning here, this is a BIG park and you will need at the very least one hour to navigate the entire area. You can park very close to the entrance, so drive as close as you can before you are ushered into a car park, which is likely to be a bit more expensive.
If you have time, take a detour to Kotohira Station, a good place to stop off for a snack.
From Takamatsu city centre, it’s around a 2 hour journey into the Iya Valley. Somewhat famous for the house ‘Chiiori’, the home of Alex Kerr who wrote the book Lost Japan, this area is better known for its stunning views across the valley and the stunning Hotel Iya Onsen. Recommended for a quick dip with a stunning view down below you.
It’s also famous for this cheeky chappy:
From there, it is well worth visiting Iya Kazurabashi Bridge. A bridge made for transporting goods between two sides of the valley, for 500 yen you will also receive the privilege of walking across. This is incredibly scary! Make sure you wear some good shoes before taking the trip.
From the Iya Valley we then headed into Kochi. If you have time, visit Mount Godaisan, it’s a beautiful stop for a view of a very famous pagoda built in an ancient temple. This closes at 5pm, so be mindful of time.
Mount Godaisan
When arriving into the city center, it was time to find something delicious to eat. Katsuo no Tataki is most famous in Kochi city. This is basically bonito fish, lightly cooked/seared on the edges. It is absolutely magnificent and comes in a variety of ways, with salt, ginger, soy sauce.. the list is endless. Ask the locals the best place to find this delicious fish. Otherwise, here are a couple of suggestions sourced from TripAdvisor: Chibikara Honpo Hirome Ichiba, Warayakitataki Myojimmaru.
Here’s a pic of the bonito that we had below.
Katsuo no Tataki
As we fancied a quick drive around the town before heading to bed, we then set off for Kochi Castle. In the evening time this stunning castle is lit up and can be seen from across the region. It is worth a visit by day as well, and that’s what we did on our second morning.
The trip from Takamatsu to Kochi should take about four hours, but that depends on the speed you are traveling and how often you stop. There is plenty to see on the way.
Shikoku has a brilliant highway that stretches from east to west across the island, but south of that and located in the centre of the island is an area where you do have to be careful. There are several kilometres of dangerous, curved and small streets, be sure to use the mirrors to watch for oncoming traffic and keep your wits about you.
If you are renting your vehicle, we recommend full insurance just in case!
Please stay tuned for our article on the second part of our trip; our journey from Kochi to Matsuyama.
One of the best journeys out of Tokyo and to the surrounding prefectures is a two day tour of Shizuoka. The prefecture hosts much natural beauty, including the stunning Izu region. A little bit farther than Izu is some of Japan’s most rural countryside and one weekend we enjoyed a lovely drive into Tamagawa.
The drive out of Shizuoka can be a beautiful journey, traveling through Tokyo’s rainbow bridge and through the central areas of the region; before heading onto the Shizuoka Prefectural Road 64 all the way into the countryside.
One of my favourite parts of this journey is the countryside roads off of the highways. The journey is often littered with small hamlets built around winding, thin streets; thus as we noticed we did not see or hit a convenience store for at least 10km at times.
Once in Tamakawa, we stayed at the excellent camping centre owned by the prefectural government. This is approximately 40 minutes away by car from the Shizuoka central area.
The journey will take at least 2 and a half hours from Tokyo, traveling 180km of beautiful countryside along the way.
The journey from Tokyo to Chiba can be a nice and quick one, over the famous Tokyo Aqualine; or for those who feel like being a bit more adventurous, travellers can travel around the whole Tokyo Bay before reaching Chiba.
Tokyo Aqualine
One Saturday in the summer, we decided to head off for the Tateyama area, using the Tokyo Aqualine to get there. The Aqualine is a wonder of modern engineering. The first part of the Aqualine sees you go up a small bridge, before heading down into the sea for a 10km tunnel, which is straight and is indeed a lot of fun. It’s also incredibly convenient. Once you come out at the other end, you’ve the option of stopping off at the outlet store in Kisarazu, which is a popular one for the ladies looking to do a bit of shopping.
Route
As you’ll see from the route above, there are multiple ways to get to Tateyama. The shortest route can be achieved in 1 hour and 35 minutes, whilst the long route around the bay can take about 2 hours and 5 minutes. All depends if you want to go scenic and country, whilst also being a little easier on the pocket with less tolls; or if you want to go for the big boy route over the Aqualine.
Once in Tateyama, there is plenty to see. Being at the very southern tip of Chiba, there is an excellent array of beaches and the weather has a very humid tropical climate, which means the summer can be incredibly hot.
For those who just want a nice day trip out of Tokyo, this is a great way to experience some good driving and good sights. The fish in Chiba is also highly recommended, with some delicious sushi at numerous service areas along the way.
Having enjoyed a memorable stay in Kumamoto, it was time to head on to the next prefecture to the East and arguably my favourite prefecture in all of Kyushu; Nagasaki.
Driving around from Kumamoto to Nagasaki is possible; and there is a route through Saga. However one of the nicest ways to travel between these two prefectures is to make use of the ferry between both. There are multiple points at which to take the journey across and we chose to use the Ariake Ferry (telephone: 096-311-4100) which would take us right into Unzen of Nagasaki.
The drive up to Ariake Ferry is beautiful as well, particularly if you take the route through the mountains and come down on the other side – a stunning view of Nagasaki across the bay and Unzen can be seen before reaching the ferry port.
The ferry is quick and good fun – only taking 20 minutes approximately – and you can take your car on board.
Unzen is a beautiful small town located on Mount Unzen, known historically for being very volcanically activate. These days the volcano is deemed safe, but visitors still enjoy the onsen in the surrounding area.
Driving through Unzen is an experience in itself. There is “Unsen Jigoku hell”, which sends off smoke due to the incredibly hot ground on which the area rests.
If you have a chance, be sure to stay at a ryokan for a night. Some of these are old or expensive, but you can find the occasional bargain if you look hard enough.
The drive from Unzen to Nagasaki’s central areas takes about an hour and a half. Once in the city, the first port of call and arguably the most symbolic should be the A-Bomb Museum (telephone: 095-844-1231).
Kumamoto to Nagasaki
From there, you can walk quickly to the Nagasaki Peace Park, which has the world famous statue in the park.
Nagasaki Peace Memorial
One other famous place to visit along the way is the Megane Bridge, which is a very common spot for tourists to check out on their visit through the city. The Megane Bridge is also about 10 minutes drive from Dejima, which is famous for being the only place where foreigners were originally allowed to visit in Japan.
Dejima
Whilst in the Dejima area, see if you can find a nice Chinese restaurant for lunch – we found a great spot for Xiao Long Bao and then headed to our next port of call – Gunkanjima. Being an island, taking the car is not possible and you will need to take a passenger only ferry from Ohato.
Gunkanjima itself is one of the best places to visit in Japan. A very old island that was originally the largest coal mine in the country, eventually coal became less popular as more economically suitable and safer variants were used in Japan. Visiting this island is a real experience and well worth the expense – about $50
After returning to Gunkanjima, and if you have enough time, try and take a look at Kufukuji or Sofukuji; both beautiful temples in the prefecture. From there, you can then walk on to Chinatown.
Gunkanjima
To wrap up your trip, head to Mount Inasa and see the wonderful night view – it is a stunning way to finish your trip in this stunning prefecture.
One of the most beautiful journeys through Japan’s countryside is the trip between Oita prefecture and Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu.
Kyushu has four very distinct seasons, much like most of Japan, but the trip through Kumamoto is arguably at its most beautiful in the summer months as opposed to the winter season, as we discovered on our tricky journeys through Kyushu. The winter can be bitterly cold and with much snow, so be well prepared – and that means if you are to drive through the prefectures, bring chains for your tires and/or request from the hire company that your car will come equipped with them.
The first stop of our trip took us through the south of Kyushu, traveling from Kagoshima into Miyazaki, up north into Oita and visiting Beppu and the other famous onsen of Yufuin.
Another excellent trip that we strongly recommend is our trip from Oita, through the centre of Kyushu into Kumamoto. This takes you a excellent tour through Daikanbo, a giant caldera that sits just outside of Kumamoto city; and through some of the most beautiful Japanese towns in the country, including Kurokawa Onsen, famous for its hot springs as well. Kyushu is famous for its baths, so a trip to any prefecture here should also have visit to onsen on your itinerary.
Starting off from Beppu, one recommended trip on the itinerary is a stop off at Yunohira Hot Spring resort. Yunohira sits on a mountain and amongst its stone pavements includes much history and onsen baths to be enjoyed. One recommended stop is the Nurukawa-onsen ryokan, which contains just 8 rooms but does have excellent onsen water which is said to be famous for healing damaged skin. This famous villeage has several hot springs which can be enjoyed for 200 yen.
From there, a trip to Kokonoe Yume Otsurihashi is well worth a visit.
Yume Footbridge
Yume, which means dream in Japanese, is a stunning footbridge right in the middle of Kyushu. One of the longest foot bridges in the world, your view here will depend much on the weather at the time, so prepare the time of your visit well. In the early morning you are likely to see more. This suspension bridge is 777 metres long and costs 500 yen for a visit, but you will really enjoy the view of the forest underneath as you head over. Whilst here, make sure you eat the Kokonoe Yume burger, famous to the locals. (Telephone: 0973-73-3800; Address: 879-4911)
As you move swiftly on, consider a visit to the Kongoho-ji temple, a truly magnificent place to stop off on the way into our next stop, one of our favourite places in the whole of Japan.
40 minutes away, the stunning Kurokawa Onsen (Telephone: 0967-44-0036), sits centrally in Kyushu and is a magnificent village full of small shops, restaurants, classy onsens and small roads. A truly magicial tourist show piece of Japan, it is worthwhile to visit here for at least two hours to enjoy everything on offer.
Kurokawa Onsen
There are two onsens that we highly recommend here, the first is the famous Yamamizuki, located on one of the small roads just outside the village (be careful here, roads are small); and secondly Hozantei. This is again quite far away from the centre, nearly 3km to be exact, but the water is smooth and the surroundings are magical.
A 40 minute drive will then take you far and high into the mountains (be really careful, you can easily get caught out if your GPRS isn’t up to date and end up driving through the middle of nowhere) and eventually reaching Daikanbo. Our view was heavily restricted due to the snow, but what awaits you at the top of the mountain at Daikanbo Lookout (869-2313, Kumamoto) is one of the stunning views in all of Japan.
It can get cold here…
From Aso-san, make sure you have a chance to visit the stunning shrine. This is well worth an hour and is a great example of a beautiful temple.
Aso Shrine
A trip of approximately 30 minutes will take you to Komezuka (869-2313, Kumamoto) a 954 volcanic hill in the middle of the caldera. Again, during the summer months, this is best viewed.
From Komezuka, it’s time to head into Kumamoto city, on the west side of Kumamoto-ken. Whilst heading in, stop off at Suizenji Koen. This takes an hour from Komezuka, so leave enough time. In Japan it is important to at least visit one garden, such is the extravagence and delight of these parks. Suizenji is a great example of a very well kept garden and lies just a short walk away from Shin-Suizenji station.
A five minute drive will then take you to the famous Kumamoto Castle, from where you will be able to see one of the most beautiful Japanese castles.
Kumamoto Castle
Be sure to look out for Kumamon, he is a hero in Japan…
Kumamon
We then went on to drive into Nagasaki, so please viewour next blog post for more information about that; but we were so happy with our stay in these two prefectures we recommend a visit to everybody at some point.
Kyushu, as mentioned in our previous article, is one of the most beautiful prefectures in Japan. With hundreds of miles of rolling hills and glorious green countryside; having a visit to this prefecture on your Japan visit itinerary is very worthwhile.
Japan has some of the most safe and modern roads in the world. The roads in Kyushu are amongst some of the most fun to drive. One such journey to take is a trip from Takachiho, in the Miyazaki prefecture, to the North East of Kyushu; Oita-ken. The Oita prefecture is famous for its onsens. Japan is a very seismically active country and Kyushu is particularly volcanic, this therefore makes for some of the most glorious hot springs in the country.
In Takachiho, one of the spots well worth visiting is the Takachiho Shrine. There are not many hotels in the local area, but from the central town to the shrine takes only five minutes and the roads in the area are quiet and fun to navigate. A short walk will also take you to the Takachiho Gorge, which is amongst the most beautiful spots to visit in the entire country. Not often visited by tourists because of the location, with a car this is achievable. The Gorge has an area where you will be able to hire a boat and sail alongside the river and has some of the most excellent photo opportunities.
Takachiho Gorge
From there, a trip to Amano Iwato Shrine (882-1621; telephone: 0982-74-8239) takes approximately 15 minutes.
Amano Iwato Shrine
From Takachiho, you can visit Oita in approximately three hours. The roads – despite not being highways – are a joy to drive. Once you drive into Oita, the first port of call would be visiting The Hells (874-000); a selection of hot springs in different shapes, colours and varieties. Beppu itself is a city, so expect the roads to be busy and be on the look out for road signs, if you get lost and off the main streets in the city centre, expect a tricky trip to where you need to be.
Hells Jigoku Beppu
One trip worth taking is just outside of Beppu, in another hot spring resort called Yufuin. Yufuin is less touristy, so the hotels are a little cheaper and better quality. A trip from Beppu to Yufuin only takes 10 minutes. With a car this is highly recommended.
At Yufuin, enjoy driving up and down the main street in the town. This is a traditional Japanese village and the shops and architecture are designed in a style of that era. Finally, take a quick stop off at Kinrinko. The lake is famous for its morning mist, but this can only be seen prior to 11am.
Kyushu is arguably one of Japan’s most underrated prefectures. Full of culture, history, tradition, good food and excellent roads; a trip around this beautiful part of the country is best spent at the wheel of a vehicle.
There are many flights from all over Japan into Kagoshima Airport, including a nice early 06:35 flight from Tokyo Haneda into Kagoshima. The flight takes approximately 2 hours and there is a very conveniently placed car rental store just outside the airport.
The airport itself, whilst located relatively close to the centre of Kagoshima, is not best positioned for exploring the local area. In your car you can drive (or take a boat, like we did) onto the famous Sakurajima volcano. This is a very active volcano, with eruptions almost weekly; so be careful when you decide to visit here. The most beautiful thing about Sakurajima is the fact that you can drive allt the way around it. There are beautifully crafted winding roads all the way around the mountain. Whilst you can not approach the volcano at a close distance – for very good reason – you can enjoy the scenary of the area and the beautiful lake from your car.
Sakurajima
A short drive from Sakurajima should see you end up at Shiroyama Park, a very interesting tourist spot located in Kagoshima city (899-4316; telephone: 0995-46-1561). With good car parking and excellent facilities, make a morning/afternoon of it here. They have a delicious Tonkotsu Ramen shop here – delightful! There are also some interesting Japanese gardens and vegetable plants here, whilst the trees of fruit are particularly pretty.
Tonkotsu
From Kagoshima, it’s time to head into Miyazaki, the next prefecture to the East. Driving from prefecture to prefecture takes time, the best possible trip into Miyazaki takes around two hours from Kagoshima. Thankfully, the roads are comfortable and easy to drive.
Our first recommended spot on the roads is Udo-jingu (887-0101; telephone: 0987-29-1001), a gorgeous shrine located on the coast of Miyazaki.
Udojingu
This shrine is particularly famous for those who are not married, with many couples going here to pray for their future together. What is particularly nice is the beautiful scenery of the waves crashing against the rocks just next to the shrine.
Udojingu
A short drive up the coast will bring you to Aoshima in approximately 45 minutes. Aoshima is worth a visit. Despite being difficult to find a parking space – you might end up parking in a local’s garage if it’s busy, and paying 500 yen for the privilege – the walk across the sea to the island is stunning. With the traditional Japanese red gate (torii), this makes a good stop for a picture. On the island itself is an ornate shrine. From parking your car to reaching the island can take about 10 minutes – so leave enough time.
Aoshima
After you’ve finished at Aoshima; one option is to head into central Miyazaki. A short drive indeed, the city has a very nice shrine (Miyazaki jingu) and also many famous restaurants. The local cuisine here in Chicken Nanban, very similar to American fried chicken but much more healthy, one recommended spot for this food is “Ogura Honten”, the very first Nanban restaurant in the area (telephone: 0985-22-2296).
The Izu Peninsula is a popular side trip away from Tokyo for the day, or even for a weekend. A town full of beautiful onsens and ryokans, you are sure to find both enjoyment and a chance to relax amongst Japanese countryside. The area is well served by local train and direct from Tokyo, whilst driving there is also an excellent experience. A journey from Tokyo to Izu (part of the Shizuoka prefecture) will normally take over 2 hours. Depending on which part of Izu you are staying, this could take as long as 3 hours, however. The peninsula is a very large place.
There are numerous options for getting to Tokyo. The first, and perhaps the longest route, is to drive from Tokyo into Yokohama, and then follow the route around Sagami Bay. This will then show you some of the beautiful scenery from around this lovely bay overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This also goes through Odawara, a good spot to stop off and have a light snack before you head on into Izu peninsula. Alternatively, and perhaps the fastest route, sees you drive through the highways on an approximate journey of around 142 kilometres, passing through Gotenba. This town is famous for its unparalleled view of Mount Fuji from distance, as you drive through the Yamanashi Prefecture. Gotemba is also famous for being a hot spot for shopping, with Tokyoites taking a weekend trip to the Gotemba Premium Outlets.
Gotemba Premium Outlets
As the locals swarm to this area on a weekend, be sure to be well prepared for traffic. The road into Izu is sure to be busy and full of tourists and local Japanese people alike, looking for a quick break away from the city.
Izu
In Izu, there are numerous places to enjoy and to stop by. On the east coast, you have the beautiful Jogasaki. Overlooking Sagami Bay this truly offers some wonderful driving around the coastal lines.
Sagami Bay
At the southern tip of Izu you have the beautiful Irozaki. This is very close to Kawazu, which is beautiful during the months of March and April for cherry blossom. The sakura is not just the most famous thing from the area though, as you may have heard that Shimoda, just in between Kawazu and Irozaki, is where Commodore Perry’s black ships landed in 1854. Commodore Perry is of course famous for helping Japan break free from their period of isolation; a time when no foreigner was allowed into Japan or to engage with Japanese people.
Further around the west coast of Izu is the delightful Dogashima and Matsuzaki. This unique and scene coastline is famous for its stunning views of stone formations and cliffs. You can even venture into some of the caves along the coast. Driving around this area will give you a good general feel for the area, but the best way to approach this is via boat, which can be found nearby.
In central Izu, and finally, you have the main town of Shuzenji, most famous for its onsen. This resort is named after the local temple of the same name. Many say that Izu hosts Japan’s oldest hot spring.
Shuzenji Onsen
If you are planning a trip to Tokyo, do consider a trip around Izu. Nowadays, you can hire a car for around 5000 to 6000 yen, it is also worth shopping around using the excellent Tocoo website.
Travel ideas and itineraries in Japan using a motor vehicle.
