Tag Archives: onsen

From Kyoto to Hyogo

August 8, 2020 admin

Kyoto is arguably one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations and is particularly popular for Japanese tourists, for its stunning scenery, ancient history and relative convenience for travel for any visitor in Japan. In my time in Japan, I have explored and seen much of Kyoto several times but I hadn’t previously explored north of the prefecture, up towards the coast of the Sea of Japan. After reading about some of the small townships in this area including Ine and Amanohashidate, I was particularly excited at the prospect of driving around the area. It should be noted that whilst Kyoto is very easy to reach by bullet train, going towards the further north of the city is indeed a rarity for international tourists as it is rather tricky to reach this area without a vehicle.

We visited Kyoto during the coronavirus crisis of 2020, and the city was indeed very quiet in comparison to normal and we felt that we could enjoy the more famous temples and sights without the hustle and bustle of tourists bumping in to us. It was a particularly pleasant way to start the trip and we visited our favourite temple, Kiyomizudera, before settling in for the night for our long drive north.

What is most interesting about our little trip, is the journey up towards our first stop, Amanohashidate, has very little along the way other than a few interesting places to eat a quick bite. I was rather surprised that the roads are nowhere near as comfortable or modern to drive in comparison to other cities in Japan. Of course the roads are still fantastic for the average European traveler, but these were noticeably less well looked after than other parts of the country.

The journey from Kyoto towards Amanohashidate takes at least two hours, and from there we spotted a stunning sandbar that sprawls out across the bay. There is a cable car from which you can visit the top of a small mountain and overlook a wonderful view down to the sea and spot the impressive sand bar. It’s worth noting that this stop can be achieved in less than an hour, as there’s plenty more to see elsewhere.

Our destination was to be Kinosaki Onsen, one of Japan’s most famous hot spring resorts, and this is still quite some way away from Amanohashidate, so time is short.

One of my most favourite things to do when driving in Japan, is to take the scenic coastal route and the view over the ocean here is beautiful, with several beautiful spots to stop along the way.

Kinosaki Onsen

Kinosaki Onsen, a beautiful hot spring resort surrounded by sea and the mountains, is a 1300 year old village with dozens of public baths that each has a certain superstitious meaning, for example, hot springs for successful business and safe pregnancy can be found on your travels here. One of the most charming things about Kinosaki is that it is not uncommon to see people roaming the streets from bath to bath wearing a yukata (a light cotton kimono that is very comfortable in hot weather) as they reach their next hot spring.

There are several affordable accommodation options here, which often include food, but if you are to venture out to the city at night you can also pick a great value dining option.

Hyogo

In my previous visits to Hyogo, I had only really been away of Himeji and Kobe, so my knowledge of the prefecture was rather limited to the south. I was particularly excited to view some cities in the centre of the prefecture including the stunning town Izushi, famous for its clock house. I planned to take in the famous Takeda Castle – surely an inspiration for several anime films – and this was all achievable on the route down to Kobe for where we were to spend our evening.

This is a highly recommended route to take as it gives ample opportunity from morning to evening to stop off, rest, see some interesting sights and still reach Kobe by evening to enjoy the world famous cuisine in a lively, modern city.

The journey south takes 3 and a half hours, so it’s certainly not a short drive but the roads are noticeably better than the other side towards the north in the Kyoto prefecture.

Izushi is a quaint little town to stop and have some soba noodles, explore the local castle and chat with friendly locals. The clocktower is particularly famous and the locals are very proud of it.

Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata

Tohoku – Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata

July 19, 2019 admin

Tohoku, in the North of Japan, is one of the country’s most rural countryside areas. As with much of Japan, the roads here are well-surfaced and easy to navigate, with plenty of highway options so that you can drive from A to B quickly.

On this particular trip, we decided to begin our journey in the Iwate prefecture, in the Hanamaki area, which is famous for onsen baths as well as acre upon acre of rice fields. The plan for this trip was to travel from Hanamaki in to Yamagata – visiting numerous onsen areas along the way, bordering the Miyagi prefecture – before wrapping up the journey in Sendai and the shinkansen back to Tokyo.

Leaving Iwate towards Yamagata will see you drive through numerous small villages; through these always pay attention to the roads and keep your speed well down as the local villagers tend to conduct most of their daily activity near the vehicles streaming by.

The first port of call for this trip was a visit to Oyasukyo Daifunto. The drive there is relatively easy, but the climb down to the site certainly isn’t. It takes approximately 15-20 minutes to reach the bottom, from where you can see a brilliant view of the bridge overhead amongst the clouds of sulphur-full smoke puff from the ground in this highly volcanic area. It’s a well recommended trip as you head south towards Yamagata.

From Oyasukyo Daifunto, we opted to take the scenic route through Miyagi to Naruko Onsen. This is the first time in all of my years in Japan that the satellite navigation decided to take the car through a gravel only road for approximately 6-7 kilometers. It was certainly unexpected and not exactly welcomed from the other passengers, but I have to say the journey over the rocky road added to the excitement of the day.

Next up on our visit was a trip to the stunning Ginzan Onsen. If you are able to, I would highly recommend staying at a hotel in this area but unfortunately this onsen region is very difficult to book into a ryokan. If you are not able to, a short walk through the area is beautiful; and a great place to grab a watermelon juice and a snack. The area was founded on an old silver mine in Yamagata, and caters for those who wish prefer to stay in an old-style themed area of Japan during their stay.

We decided to then head to Zao Onsen, a famous ski resort just south of Yamagata city. A couple of hours further of a drive, taking us right through Yamagata City brought us through the winding roads of Zao and a stop over for the night in Zao, famous for the local baths. This area is highly recommended during the winter, but equally beautiful in the summer and certainly less busy.

Yamagata is famous for it’s cherries, so the next day we decided to go pick “sakuranbo”. In Tohoku you will often find places where you can pay a flat fee and spend 30 minutes pulling fruit from the tree and eating an unlimited amount. Certainly worth trying at least once.

We found a spot just outside of Zao Onsen, which was a very convenient stop over for our trip in to Yamagata City, where there are a few famous buildings worth driving through as well as a small yet vibrant city area packed full of restaurants.

The next must stop is a visit to Yamadera (Risshakuji). This is a cluster of stunning shinto temples clumped together on a mountain, which is no easy feat to climb in itself. Expect to spend at least 2-3 hours here as you’ll see some of the most incredible views in all of Japan.

The final leg of our journey took us to Sendai station, with the remaining stretch of the trip completed by highway.

Tohoku is a beautiful place where you can enjoy the scenery during any season of the year. The winter provides brilliant ski and deep snow, autumn leaves are particularly famous and summer and spring are gorgeous for nature. A must visit if you have long enough during a trip to Japan.

Gunma

Tokyo to Gunma

November 2, 2015 admin

Gunma, one of Japan’s central prefectures, can be reached quickly from multiple cities in Japan; including Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, in just a few hours by car. If traveling from Tokyo, the Kan-etsu freeway links from the capital to the prefecture directly in just under two hours.

One of the highlights of a trip to Gunma is a visit to the multiple Onsen towns. Some of Gunma’s best known hot spring towns include Kusatsu Onsen, Minakami Onsen, Isobe Onsen and Ikaho Onsen. Each town has its own distinct onsen feature, but Manza, Kusatsu and Minakami are the most popular visits for tourists.

En route to one of the northern Onsen towns, a trip along the highway will give visitors plenty of options as they travel through central Japan; with the city of Takasaki the first option. After that, a visit into Shibukawa and Ikaho is highly recommended.

As you head into Ikaho area, Ikaho Green Farm will be the first port of call. Fun for both adults and visitors, and famous for it’s Moumou Ice Cream; the farm has a vast array of animals and restaurants to enjoy. A trip along the highway will give visitors plenty of options as they travel through central Japan; with the city of Takasaki the first option. After that, a visit into Shibukawa and Ikaho is highly recommended. A trip to Ikaho would not be complete without a stop off at Mizusawaji temple (ring the bell if you can!) and then stop off at Mizusawaji’s Udon Street for a bite to eat afterwards. The Udon Street is just a minute or two away from the temple.

After that, enjoy the opportunity to experience some hot springs in your choice of town for your stay. With some of Japan’s most beautiful ryokan’s and excellent hot springs, no trip to this part of the country is complete without enjoying the real overnight ryokan experience.

If you decide to visit Takasaki, a visit to the Haruna Shrine is highly recommended. Known in Japan for being a “power temple”, Haruna-jinja has some of the most stunning nature and is most popular in the Autumn months. Word of advice, parking is short around this temple. Prepare and go there early if possible, otherwise face a lengthy hour wait in the mountains.

Another sight to look out for is to take a trip to one of Gunma’s many ropeways, to really enjoy the views over the mountains.

Miyazaki, Oita

Takachiho to Oita, Beppu Hot Springs

July 9, 2014 admin

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.

From there, a trip to Amano Iwato Shrine (882-1621; telephone: 0982-74-8239) takes approximately 15 minutes.

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.

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.

Shizuoka

A side trip to the Izu Peninsula

April 3, 2014 admin

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.

Directions can be found on Google Maps.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Driving in Japan – explore the land of the rising sun