Category: Itinerary Ideas

September Itinerary Idea Day 7 (Hokkaido Day 2    PM)   Table of contents 1. Upopoy (National Ainu Museum) 2. Head to Sapporo 3. Dinner 4. JR Tower Observatory T38   We will return a little from Tomakomai to Hakodate, but first we will learn Ainu culture at Shiraoi’s “Upopoi”. After that, head to Sapporo. 1. Upopoy (National Ainu Museum) (11 minutes walk from Shiraoi Station) Departure JR Tomakomai Station 12:34 Route JR Muroran Main Line Arrival JR Shiraoi Station 12:57 Fare Yen 540 Closed from Tuesday, August 31st, reopening date undecided Business hours: Weekdays 9: 00-18: 00 Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 9: 00-20: 00 Closed days: Mondays (weekdays after the next day if it is a national holiday or a holiday) https://ainu-upopoy.jp/en/about/ “Upopoy” means “singing together in a large group” in the Ainu language. It is a facility for learning about the culture of the Ainu people, who are the indigenous people of Hokkaido. You can also enjoy Ainu songs, dances, and musical instrument performances. We plan to use NINJA KOTAN as our service name. Kotan means village by the Ainu language. We plan to use the Ainu language because we sympathize with the Ainu people as a symbolread moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 7 (Hokkaido Day 2 PM)

September Itinerary Idea Day 5 (Iwate Prefecture Day 3    PM)   Table of contents 1. Koiwai Farm 2. Return to Morioka Station 3. Dinner   In the afternoon, head to Koiwai Farm. 1. Koiwai Farm (3 minutes walk from Koiwai Farm Makibaen) Departure Morioka Station (Platform 10) 13:45 Route Koiwai Farm Line Bus (for Koiwai Farm) Arrival Koiwai Farm Makibaen 14:15 arrival Fare Yen710 Admission: Yen 800 for adults, Yen300 for children Business hours: Weekdays 9: 00-16: 00, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 9: 00-17: 00 Koiwai Farm was established in 1891 (Meiji 24). The buildings built on the premises of the Uemaru cowshed are designated as national important cultural properties. Koiwai’s name is taken from the surnames of its partner Yoshimasa Ono (advisor of Mitsubishi, vice president of Japan Railway Company), Yanosuke Iwasaki(second president of Mitsubishi, younger brother of Mitsubishi founder Yataro Iwasaki), and Masaru Inoue(the Secretary of the Railway Agency, Hirobumi Ito who smuggled to England during the turbulent period at the end of the Edo period, Kaoru Inoue and other five Choshu clan members, so-called Choshu Five members). Koiwai Farm is a facility that families can enjoy, such as horseback riding and feeding ponies. If you areread moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 5 (Iwate Day 3 PM)

September Itinerary Idea Day 5 (Iwate Prefecture Day 3    AM)   Table of contents Introduction 1. Morioka Castle Ruins Park 2. Sakurayama Shrine 3. Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building 4. Morioka Takuboku / Kenji Seishunkan (former 90th Bank Main Store Main Building) 5. Konyacho Banya and Iwate Prefecture Public Hall 6. Morioka Hachimangu 7. Kami no hashi (Kami no bridge) 8. Ishiwarizakura 9. Takuboku Newlyweds House 10. Morioka Station 11. Lunch   Introduction This day will be Morioka City and Koiwai Farm. We will visit three important cultural properties. In the morning, take the Morioka city center circulation bus “Dendenmushi” to go around sightseeing spots or rent a bicycle. “Dendenmushi” is a circulation type that takes 35 minutes to go around, and there are clockwise (red) and counterclockwise (green). It runs every 10-15 minutes. The clockwise operating time from Morioka Station is 9: 00-16: 45. The counterclockwise operation will be 5 minutes after the clockwise operation (9: 05-16: 50). The one-day free ticket is Yen350 for adults and Yen180 for children. This time we will introduce a counterclockwise route. I like walking in the morning, so I just want to go to Morioka Castle Site Park early inread moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 5 (Iwate Day 3 AM)

September Itinerary Idea Day 4 (Iwate Prefecture Day 2)   Table of contents 1. Takata Matsubara Memorial Park 2. Lunch 3. Head to Morioka 4. Dinner   On this day, we will mainly travel by train or bus. Iwate prefecture is very large, so it takes time to move. We would like to go to the Kesennuma fish market in the morning, but we are restricting the entry of the general public due to the infection control of the Covit-19. I would like to go once the restrictions are lifted.   1. Takata Matsubara Memorial Park (2 minutes walk from Kiseki No Ipponmatsu Station) From Kesennuma to Rikuszentakata Departure JR Kesennuma Station 7:29 Route JR Ofunato Line BRT (Bus Rapid Transit System) Arrival Kiseki no Ipponmatsu Station 8:02 Fare Yen420 The Takata Matsubara Memorial Park in Rikuzentakata City is also closed from 18:00 on August 13 (Friday) until Iwate Prefecture’s own state of emergency is lifted. If the park continues to close in September, you can go to Geibikei on the second day of Iwate prefecture, and on the first day of Iwate prefecture, you can go around Hiraizumi more slowly. Departure Kiseki no Ipponmatsu Station 12:42 Route JR Ofunatoread moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 4 (Iwate Day 2)

September Itinerary Idea Day 3 (Iwate Prefecture Day 1    PM)   Table of contents 1. Geibikei boat ride 2. Head to Kesennuma 3. Dinner     After lunch at Ichinoseki, head to Geibikei. Geibikei is one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan. 1. Geibikei boat ride (5-minute walk from JR Geibikei Station) From Ichinoseki to Geibikei Departure JR Ichinoseki Station 14:17 Route JR Ofunato Line Arrival JR Geibikei Station 14:46 Fare Yen 510   Boat ride 15: 00-16: 30 (90 minutes boarding) One ship goes into service every hour, the last shipping service from September 1st to November 15th departs at 16:00 Adults (junior high school students and above) Yen 1,800, elementary school students Yen 900, infants Yen 200 Geibikei is one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan. It is a national historical site scenic spot natural monument. We can hear “Geibi Oiwake” sung by the boatman on the boat. There are also barrier-free boats that can be used by wheelchair users. However, a reservation is required. 2. Head to Kesennuma Departure JR Geibikei Station 16:48 Route JR Ofunato Line Arrival JR Kesennuma Station 17:38 Fare Yen 770   3. Dinner We will stay and have dinner in Kesennuma.read moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 3 (Iwate Day 1 PM)

September Itinerary Idea Day 3 (Iwate Prefecture Day 1    AM)   Table of contents Introduction 1. Ruins of Muryokoin 2. Chusonji Temple (Konjikido (Golden Hall) , Main Hall) 3. Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center 4. Kinkeisan 5. Kanjizaiō-in ruins 6. Motsuji Temple 7. Takkoku no Iwaya 8. Genbikei 9. Hiraizumi Station 10. Head to Ichinoseki   Introduction We will visit the Chusonji Temple and Konjikido of Hiraizumi, which are both World Heritage Sites and National Treasures. I think it is more efficient to rent a bicycle around Hiraizumi Station. If we go to Takkoku no Iwaya (about 6km from Hiraizumi Station) or Genbikei (about 9km from Hiraizumi Station), there is a distance, so I think we should rent an electrically power assisted bicycle. The time required below is an approximate time for a rental cycle. After arriving at JR Hiraizumi Station, it will start around 9:00 AM. If we don’t go to Takkoku no Iwaya or Genbikei Gorge, we can go around sightseeing spots without a rental cycle by taking the patrol bus “Runrun” from Hiraizumi Station. The one-day ticket is Yen 450. However, from April 17th to November 7th, 2021, it operates only on weekends and holidays. https://hiraizumi.or.jp/en/index.html   1.read moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 3 (Iwate Day 1 AM)

September Itinerary Idea Day 2 (Miyagi Prefecture Day 2    PM)   Table of contents 1. Matsushima Island Tour Boat 2. Stroll around Fukuurajima 3. Kanrantei 4. View of Matsushima Bay from a hill 5. Return to Sendai Station 6. Dinner   1. Matsushima Island Tour Boat (3 minutes walk from Godaido) Large regular pleasure boat “Nioh Maru Course” One service per hour for 50 minutes, such as 14: 00-14: 50 Adults (junior high school students and above) Yen 1,500, elementary school students Yen 750, free for children under elementary school age “New ship Niomaru service commemorative privilege” Adults Yen 1,500 will be discounted to Yen 1,000. If you make a reservation from the official website, it will be Yen 100 cheaper. The end date of the award is undecided. https://www.matsushima.or.jp/en/timesheet/ Matsushima Bay is a member of the “Club of the Most Beautiful Bay in the World”. In Japan, Toyama Bay, Suruga Bay, Kyoto Miyazu Bay / Ine Bay, and Kujukushima (Sasebo) are also members.   2. Stroll around Fukuurajima (15 minutes walk from Matsushimajima tour boat stop)   3. Kanrantei (17 minutes walk from Fukuura Island) Tokonoma and fusuma paintings are important cultural properties of the country.  https://www.town.miyagi-matsushima.lg.jp/index.cfm/8,3105,30,html  read moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 2 (Miyagi Day 2 PM)

September Itinerary Idea Day 2 (Miyagi Prefecture Day 2    AM)   Table of contents 1.Shiogama Shrine 2.Yotokuin tamaya 3.Zuiganji Temple 4.Entsuin 5.Godaido 6.Lunch   The second day is a route that goes around the national treasure Zuiganji Temple (main hall, priest’s quarter and corridor). There are many tourist attractions around Matsushima, so it’s easy to take a walk.   1. Shiogama Shrine (7 minutes walk from JR Hon-Shiogama Station) From Sendai to Shiogama Departure JR Sendai Station 9:14 Route JR Senboku Line Arrival JR Hon-Shiogama Station 9:43 Fare Yen 330 Shiogama Shrine has been revered as the Tohoku guardian, Mutsunokuni Ichinomiya. It is a national important cultural property. http://www.shiogamajinja.jp/index.html   2. Yotokuin tamaya (10 minutes walk from JR Matsushima Kaigan Station) From Shiogama to Matsushima Kaigan Departure JR Hon-Shiogama Station 10:55 Route JR Senzan Line Arrival JR Matsushima Kaigan Station 11:06 Fare Yen 200 It is a mausoleum of Date Masamune’s wife, Megohime (Yotokuin). It is a national important cultural property. https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/185497   3. Zuiganji Temple (3 minutes walk from Yotokuin Mausoleum) Zuiganji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple belonging to the Rinzai sect Myoshinji school. It is a national treasure because it is a valuable building of Momoyamaread moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 2 (Miyagi Day 2 AM)

September Itinerary Idea Day 1 (Miyagi Prefecture Day 1) Table of contents Introduction 1.Zuihoden 2.Sendai Castle Ruins 3.Osaki Hachimangu 4.Walk around Jozenjidori 5.Sendai Toshogu 6.Mutsu-Kokubunji Yakushido   Introduction There are three national treasures in Miyagi prefecture (Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, the main hall of Zuiganji Temple, the back of the warehouse, and the corridor). However, Miyagi Prefecture has no World Heritage Sites. The first day is a sightseeing route centered around Osaki Hachimangu, a national treasure. Start at noon Lunch First is lunch. We will eat local cuisine “Harako-meshi” (we can also Gyutan-yaki (grill beef tongue) of “local dishes loved by the nation”) and dessert “Zunda mochi”. Afternoon sightseeing From Sendai Station West Exit Bus Terminal No. 16, take the city circulation bus “Loople Sendai” for sightseeing. If we take “Loople Sendai”, we can efficiently visit most of the sightseeing spots in Sendai city, and the one-day pass is Yen 630, which is a bargain. The service is every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends and holidays. It takes about 70 minutes to go around in one direction. The sightseeing spots that we can visit in “Loople Sendai” are listed in order from Sendai Station. Please startread moreSeptember Itinerary Idea in Japan Day 1 (Miyagi Day 1)