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    Sakura and Snow: Spring Rail Travel in Japan
    Sakura and Snow: Spring Rail Travel in Japan
    Sakura and Snow: Spring Rail Travel in Japan
    Ebook136 pages54 minutes

    Sakura and Snow: Spring Rail Travel in Japan

    By Allan Wilson

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Pushing the limits of the JR Pass (26th April – 10th May 2015). Through 14-days on the JR Pass, our travels would probably be best described as ‘extreme sightseeing’ where each day we would travel ridiculous distances to photograph stuff, only to travel ridiculous distances back again. Our first day is an early example, when we travelled 1,200 km from Tokyo to the northern parts of Japan, to photograph sakura blooms, only to return back to Tokyo again. And while we did have initial reservations in our extensive itinerary and time in transit, the journey proved to be a harmonious mix of both local culture and far-flung sightseeing on Japan’s nifty railway lines.

    Destinations include Tokyo, Morioka, Matsushima, Kyoto, the ‘Snow Wall’ at Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Shirakawa-go UNESCO village, Sendai, Osaka, the 8 Hells of Beppu in Kyushu, the Wisteria Tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Garden, a ryokan with views at Lake Kawaguchiko, and The Fuji Shibazakura Festival.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAllan Wilson
    Release dateDec 20, 2020
    ISBN9781005163068
    Sakura and Snow: Spring Rail Travel in Japan
    Author

    Allan Wilson

    Travel and food writer at Live Less Ordinary. Blogging on boutique travel, design hotels and gastro-tourism in Asia and Europe. Based in Bangkok when not in Northeast Thailand (Isaan).

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      Book preview

      Sakura and Snow - Allan Wilson

      Our 1st adventures on the rails in Japan came in late April in 2015, when we travelled on a 14-day pass on an itinerary which would be best described as ‘extreme sightseeing’. As each day we would travel ridiculous distances to photograph stuff, only to travel ridiculous distances back. The first day is an early example when we travelled 1,200 km from Tokyo, to photograph northern parts of Japan, only to return to Tokyo again. All by rail, as train travel is just ridiculously fast and efficient in Japan.

      I should also point out that the credit for this itinerary is100% Fanfan’s (Mrs Wilson), from start to finish, where I more or less joined along to eat, drink and indulge in the weirdness of Japan along the way. Admittedly I was slightly concerned by the extensive travel and time in transit each day, and so I set my own 10 point tick-list of things to do in Japan to accomplish along the way.

      1. Chase through bamboo forests

      2. Get drunk under sakura blooms

      3. Slurp ramen loudly

      4. Frolic in Japanese snow

      5. Get naked in an onsen

      6. Rub shoulders with salarymen on Shibuya crossing

      7. Giggle with Geisha

      8. Party with robots

      9. Hug a Totoro

      10. Catch flies with Chopsticks

      I can say, in total, we completed 9 of these Japanese experiences, in what turned out to be a harmonious mix of local culture and far-flung sightseeing on Japan’s nifty railway lines.

      Travel on the JR Pass

      Arrive to Japan, without a JR Pass, and I would honestly say you’re doing it all wrong. At least for those far-flung itineraries, as the JR Pass is indispensable and unbeatable in value, where we paid around $380US per person for a 2 week JR Pass.

      On this, we travelled almost 10,000 km, which is the equivalent to a quarter of the world’s circumference, including 1,200km on the first day alone. Although we did try to push the pass to its limits, as it may be best weighing up your travel plans with the cost per ticket.

      So for two weeks, we’d hop from train to train, from destination to destination, from hotel to hotel, following the JR rail networks. We’d nip between major cities on the Shinkansen bullet trains, and then, for shorter stretches, we’d use the local JR lines to get around.

      In all, we found very few limitations in travel on the JR Pass, and on the occasions where the JR lines don’t cover local journeys, we’d pay the extra for local trains, metros, buses, and the occasional taxi, which I will outline throughout this post. Also, a great website to bring to together itineraries and to check for connecting train schedules is Hyperdia route planner.

      Japanese Business Hotels

      For two weeks we would stay in Japanese business hotels, which are smart, compact, and convenient to almost every transit route, making them a favourite with Japan’s so-called salarymen. They are also in many ways identical, with a double bed, Japanese toilet facilities, and just enough space to get to-and-from the door. If you’re not messy and can travel fairly light, they’re perfect.

      Starting with the bathroom, every facility will be fitted with electronic toilets (washlets) which have water sprays to take care of ‘anal and genital cleansing’, and occasionally heated toilet seats (warmlets) and maybe some running water music to help you on your way.

      The bathtubs are a bit like one-person plunge baths, tall and square, with all the essential and non-essential toiletries next to them, such as shampoos, disposable toothbrushes and the lend of some pyjamas and slippers. Water from the tap is good for consumption, and the kettle in the room is perfect for some late-night instant ramen.

      Rooms will also often include keycard access, air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs with video on demand, humidifiers, which I guess humidify. So I would spend each night slurping instant ramen and watching cooking shows oishi, oishiii!

      On average we would spend around $60/per night (on average), which is fantastic value for money, and while we do mix it up on occasions with hostelling and a night in pods, the business hotels were no more expensive. I’m guessing this is because there’s no real demand for backpacking hostels, whereas salarymen are travelling non-stop along these lines. And Japanese people have both money and high standards.

      Check-in is often as late as 3:00 PM, and check-out would normally be 10:00 AM, but this was something we barely noticed given our busy travel itineraries, where we would wake and travel early, and there are lockers at near every train station, if needed, to store our bags during

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