Plans for future Japan Travel

Kyushuu

• Kagoshima & Sakurajima Weekend
  • Sengan en park with tea serving, LP 732
  • Sakurajima, LP 738
    • spectacular active volcano
    • can be done by bicycle as day trip
• Greenland Amusement Park near Kumamoto
• Kuma-Mura Village in 熊本県
• Kurokawa Onsen
  • Kurokawa Onsen, considered one of the best onsen villages in Japan, e.g. cave baths and riverside rotemburo, LP 726
• Miyazaki-ken
  • Kaeda Gorge, LP 745
• Iou-jima, Tiny bamboo-covered island with a souldering volcano and two brilliant seaside onsen, LP 767

Kansai

• Kobe, LP 408
• Nara, LP 417
• Kii-Hantou, LP 432

Western Honshu

• Inland Sea
  • Manabe-shima, LP 476
• Hiking Daisen, LP 501

Northern Honshu

• Kitakata, LP 518
• Bandai Plateau, LP 519
• Dewa Sanzan, LP 560

Hokkaido

• Hiking Niseko Area
• Rishiri Rebun Sarobetsu National Park, LP 618
• Furano, LP 623
• Daisetsusan National Park, LP 625
• Akan National Park, LP 632

Tokyo and Around

Tokyo Day Trips

• Around Nikko
  • EDO Wonderland, LP 204, www.edowonderland.net
  • Yashio-no-yu Onsen, LP 204
  • Chuuzenji-ko, LP 204
  • Yumoto Onsen Hike, LP 205
• Oedo Onsen Monogatari, LP 158
• cafe-athome.com
• Meguro Parasithogical Museum LP 156
• Toyota Mega Web LP 158, www.megaweb.gr.jp
• Tokyo Walking Tour LP 160
• Shin-yokohama Ramen Hakubutsukan, LP 232

Tokyo Kagurazaka Station Walk

• Overview: A spontaneous walk through the former-day athmospheric Kaguraza Station area
• Tour around Kagurazaka Station, as described in Lonely Planet page 160
  Google Maps

Shikoku

4d+ Shikoku Trip from Kyushu

• This will include the Ishizuchi-san 石鎚山　2-day Hike
  • Source: LPH p.302
  • Hiking the highest peak in Western Japan, including three sets of steep chains
  • Staffed Mountain Huts available for staying overnight
  • Nearest JR Station: Saijou 西条
• Matsuyama and Dougo Onsen (道後温泉), Shiukoku
  Argued to be the oldest Onsen in Japan, and played model for Miyazaki's Spirited Away
• Seto-Uchi Shimanami Kaido, 70km Bridge which can be conquered by bicycle, LP 476
  • links Onomichi (Hiroshima-ken) and Imabari (Shikoku)
• Inno-shima, with pirate castle, LP 476
  • lies on the Bridge-Way
• Transport research
  • Bus to 石鎚山
    • http://www.ishizuchi.com/access/ , http://www.setouchibus.co.jp/
    • JR伊予西条駅→石鎚ロープウェイ前, 970円
      • Going: 07:43-08:37, 10:23-11:17
      • Return: 09:12-10:06, 12:02-12:56, 15:17-16:11, 17:22-18:16
  • Going to Shikoku from Kumamoto
    1. Start: 22.09, Afternoon
    2. Coming to Beppu:
       • Train: 14:37 -17:39, 4,830, LTD.EXP KYUSHU ODAN EXPRESS 6
       • Kumamoto Bus Terminal-Beppu-ekimae, 3,850yen, Reservation required, 14:50-19:40, last one
       • 熊本〜大分, 2,700円, some before, hourly, e.g. 14:00-17:31, Last one: 18:30-22:00, http://www.kyusanko.co.jp/sankobus/toshikan/yamabiko/table/yamabiko_tt.php
       • Train Oita-Beppu: 270円, 13min, every 20min
    3. Two options ferry to Shikoku
       • Beppu-Matsuyama 松山, 18:35-22:20, 3,300円, http://www.ferry-sunflower.co.jp/time/index.html
       • Beppu-Yawatahama overnight: 23:50 - 05:30, 3020/5500 (2/1 class) http://www.uwajimaunyu.co.jp
    4. Train to Iyosaijo JR Station (伊予西条駅), next day
       • From Matsuyama: Only with LtdEx: 06:14 - 07:11, 2,730Yen
       • From Yawatahama: Not possible to arrive for first bus
         First normal train: 05:42-09:39, 2,660円
  • Returning from Shikoku
    • Last train IMABARI->Matsuyama: 19:49-20:57, 920円
    • Train Matsuyama-YAWATAHAMA, ¥1,240 09:12-11:15
    • Train Imabari-YAWATAHAMA: last, 17:23-21:21, ¥2,030
    • Ferry Yawatahama-Beppu: 3020/5500 (2/1 Klasse), http://www.uwajimaunyu.co.jp, 13:00 - 15:50, 17:25-20:15, ..., 0:20-3:15 (night trip, can stay until 5am on board)
    • Bus from Oita
      • Last bus from Oita: 16:55-20:34, 18:25-22:04, 2,700円, Timetable

Misc Shikoku

• Youkaichi, candle manufactury , LP 667
• Kotohira, Japans oldest kabuki theather where you can wander through the backstage and trap doors, LP 676
• Iya Valley, LP 652
  • Great hiking, valleys and vine bridges over rivers
  • Access: Oboke station, or Awa Ikeda Station
  • JNTO, Miyoshinavi
• Uwajima, _interesting_ museum, LP 664

Dedicated Hiking Trips

Hiking Japanese Alps

• Night Bus Access to LPH 125 Hike, 2d, Tateyama&Tsurugi-Dake
• Then Relax/Visit Matsumoto or Nagano
• 1d Shirahone Onsen LP 283
• Getting to Matsumoto From Tokyo/Shinjuku
  • Express Train: 6,200¥, 168 min
  • Local Train: 3,890 ¥, 270min
  • Bus:One-Way 3400¥, Round Trip 5950¥ , 190min
    http://www.alpico.co.jp/access/express/matsumoto_shinjuku/info_e.html
• Getting to Murodo 室堂 from Matsumoto
  • Matsumoto - Shinano-Omachi
    • Normal train, about 55min
    • Time 06:32 MATSUMOTO - 7:39 SHINANOOMACHI
    • Price: 650¥
  • Shinano-Omachi (Buy Tickets here) - Murodo
    • www.alpen-route.com
    • Price 1way: 7030
    • Round trip: 11200
    • Timetable: http://www.alpen-route.com/english/Access/index4.html
    • Good time: 8:00 - 11:25
• Maybe better stay in Shinano-Omachi for the night to have a normal time start
• On the 2d trip stay in the Kenzansou 山小屋 (Mountain Hut)
  • http://www.net3-tv.net/~kenzansou/
  • 8500¥ with Meals
• Direct access from Shinjuku by night bus
  • http://sawayaka.alpico.co.jp/tateyama/
  • 22:30 - 7:15 (Night Bus)
  • 13,000円
  • Starts only July/16
• Return to Matsumoto the other Way
  • Last return: 16:30 (please confirm!)
• Notes Matsumoto: Free bike rental available
  • http://welcome.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/contents02+index.htm
  • Tourist Information: Inside Station, open until 5:45pm
• Either then move to Shirahone 白骨温泉 for one night, or make it a day trip because of expensive accomodation
  • Bus Timetable: http://www.alpico.co.jp/access/route_k/norikura/index_e.html
    Fare: 3400¥ (Round Trip)
  • Or maybe just rent a car (is access possible by car?)

Takama-ga-hara Onsen

• LP p. 105
• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?messageID=17127920&#17127920
• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1661981
• http://www.geocities.co.jp/Outdoors-Mountain/3939/taka/takamagahara.html
• Mountain-Onsen, only reachable by 1-2d hike

Hike Tanzawa Traverse as 1day Trip

• Weather forcast of nearby cities
  • Forecast Kanagawa
  • Hadano
  • Hadano
• 17km, 8 hours from Oukura 大倉 to 蓑外
• Access on Sunday
  1. Shin-Nakano Start: 07:17 (better to take the train some minutes ago)
     • Change 07:31 at Shinjuku to Odakyu Odawara Line Exp. (meet at head of the train, before first train door)
     • Previous Odakyu Odawara Line Exp. to catch: 07:21
     • Train to Shibusawa
     • 810¥, 650¥
  2. Bus from 渋沢駅北口　to 大倉
     • 系統番号：渋02
     • Take the 8:55 Bus
     • Board at Station No. 2
     • 200¥, 10 Minutes
     • Saturday Timetable
     • Sunday Timetable
  3. Hike Starts at 大倉
• Return from Minoge 蓑毛
  • Take bus to station 秦野駅 (Hadano Eki)
  • Saturday Timetable
  • Sunday Timetable
  • To save some tim it's possible to board at ヤビツ峠 (Yabitsu Toge)
    • Saturday Timetable
    • Sunday Timetable
    • Last busses: 14:51, 15:51, 16:16, 17:41 (Sunday)
  • Last Bus: 22:01 (pm)
  • 260¥, 20 Minutes
  • Then just take the train as described above back
• More Information
  • Source: LHP 87, From Start to Alternative Finish
  • Open Street Maps of Environment
  • Google Maps of Environment

Information

Abbreviations

• LP: Loney Planet Japan Guidebook
• LPH: Lonely Planet Hiking in Japan Guidebook

Travel Discounts

Seishun 18 Kippu

• http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2362.html

Northern Tohoku Welcome Card

• Print out: http://www.northern-tohoku.gr.jp/welcome/english/index.html
• The Welcome Card may be used by foreign tourists and visitors whose duration of stay does not exceed one year, and by foreign students based in the Northern Tohoku area
• Discounts at participating places

Holidays in Japan 2010

• 19.07. Tag der Marine
• 20.09. Tag des Respekts vor Älteren
• 23.09. Herbstäquinoktium
• 11.10. Tag der Fitness
• 03.11. Tag der Kultur
• 23.11. Tag der Danksagung für geleistete Arbeit
• 23.12. Geburtstag des Kaisers
• 01.01. Neujahrstag
• 10.01. Coming of Age Day