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How to go From Kagoshima to Yakushima by ferry

There are three options to arrive in Yakushima by boat (there’s also the option to reach the island by plane):

  • Toppy & Rocket (High-speed boat)
    • One way: 9200 ¥
    • Return trip: 16600 ¥
    • Duration: 3h
    • Departure: Kagoshima High-speed boat Terminal (Kousokusen) located 700m north from the ferry terminal)
    • Arrives at Miyanoura or Anbo, depending on the schedule
    • There are 6 boats daily, each way. It’s a passenger boat.
  • Ferry Yakushima 2
    • One way: 6100 ¥
    • Return trip: 11000 ¥
    • Duration: 4h
    • Departure: Kagoshima Ferry Terminal (Minamifuto)
    • Arrives at Miyanoura Port
    • There is only one boat daily, each way.
  • Ferry Hibiscus (slow ferry)
    • One way: 3900 ¥
    • Return trip: 7800 ¥
    • Duration: 13h to Yakushima (overnight trip) but the return trip takes 6.5h (it departures from Yakushima in the morning)
    • Departure: Taniyama Port
    • Arrives at Miyanoura Port (Yakushima)
    • There is only one boat a day, each way.
    • It’s a cargo boat, very basic, no seats, with some room for passengers.
    • To Yakushima it’s an overnight trip and it stops at Tanegashima island for cargo operation);
    • During the stop at Tanegashima Island, the passengers to Yakushima can’t leave the boat… I mean, they can but can’t board again with the same ticket!!
Ferry Hibiscus

Ferry Hibiscus tickets… if you buy return ticket you must exchange the payment receipt at the Miyanoura Port before boarding into the boat

Ferry Hibiscus Schedule:

  • departure 18:00 from Kagoshima and arrives at Yakushima at 7:00
  • departure 7:00 from Yakushima and arrives at Kagoshima at 14:40

My choice was for the “super slow” Ferry Hibiscus, as it allow me to save one night in accommodation sleeping in the boat, at as it arrives early morning I could start to explore the island in the same day that I arrive, with time enough to drop my stuff at the guesthouse (I choose to stay in Miyanoura as it is more convenient in terms of accessibilities).

How to reach the Ferry Hibiscus harbor (Taniymakou):

But the Hibiscus ferry as one disadvantage as its departure from a harbor 13 km south from Kagoshima, and also far from the nearby trains line (Ibusukimakurazaki Line). But from Kagoshima-Chuo, there’s a direct bus to Taniyama Port:

  • The bus doesn’t have a number, and just make this route 3 times a day.
  • The most convenient time is the 15:48 (and also the last bus of the day), and it arrives at the harbor around 16:34… just on time for you to get the ticket and board in the ferry; the boarding start at 17:00.
  • This bus stop at the bus station nearby Kagoshima-Chuo, from the East side, at stop number 16 (East 16); it’s easy to identify the bus stop, but don’t expect to find information in western characters. When I took this bus it arrived 2 minutes later than scheduled and didn’t stop more than one minute, as there wasn’t another passenger to board.
  • The bus trip costs 380 ¥, one way; you pay on board at the end of the trip; the Taniyama Port is the last stop.
Bus stop at Kagoshima-Chuo Station
Bus stop at Taniyama Port
The bus that links Kagoshima-Chuo to Hibiscus Ferry harbor

The Hibiscus Ferry doesn’t have the usual passenger seats; instead, there are a few rooms, with a kind of carpeted platform where you can lay down. Blankets and pillows are provided. Maybe at first glance, it looks a bit basic, but the conditions are good enough for a good night of sleep… maybe disturbed by the cargo activity on the ship basement. The toilets are reasonably clean with toilet paper and soap. It’s a nice and easy trip!!!!

Passengers room at Hibiscus Ferry

Hibiscus ferry from Yakushima to Kagoshima:

  • The ferry arrives at Kagoshima at 14:40
  • The bus leaves Taniyama Port (aka Taniyamakou) at 15:16 and arrives at Kagoshima-Chuo at 16:02…. with a bit of delay due to the traffic.
Hibiscus ticket office at Taniyama Port
time table of the Bus from the harbour to Kagoshima-Chuo

At Kagoshima-Chuo (Shinkansen train station) there’s an information desk that can provide all the information and point the right way to find the bus to Taniyama Port. They can also give you pamphlets of the island with maps.

There’s no need to reserve a ticket for the Hibiscus ferry (neither for the Yakushima 2), as there are less than a dozen passengers on each trip… once I did the trip alone from Yakushima to Tanegashima!!!

Food:

Be prepared with food for the trip. Inside the boat, there only machines selling instant noodles and drinks. At Taniyama Port you fins more or less the same options.

So it’s better to buy food in Kagoshima before taking the bus. There’s a FamilyMart just outside the train station (East side) and another one crossing the road.

At Kagoshima-Chuo station there are a few restaurants for several budgets.

Money:

It’s also good to get cash before the trip, as in Yakushima the only ATMs are in the post office spread along the island, but they charge 220 ¥ commission for each withdraws.

Things to know when you arrive at Yakushima:

  • The tourist information in Miyanoura, that you gonna find on the right side of the road when you leave from the harbor, has the door closed with a sign “closed today”; go around the building (along the left side), as the main door is the opposite side; the Information office is open from 9 am until 5 pm, everyday. Here you can get the maps of the trails, the bus schedule as also the Kotsu Bus Pass.
  • Kotsu Bus Pass: the bus is the only way to move around Yakushima, but this service é scarce, with several places having only two buses a day. Apart from that, the bus is expensive, as a trip around the island (from Okonotaki to Miyanoura) costs 1900 ¥. So it’s better to get the bus Kotsu Pass, that allows an unlimited number of trip, with several options:
    • 1 day: 2000 ¥
    • 3 day: 3000 ¥
    • 4 day: 4000 ¥
  • You can get the Kotsu Bus Pass at the Information office of Miyanoura, Ambo Port and the Airport; at Miyanoura, the Yakushima Visitor Center (a kind of souvenir shop located on the left side of the main road, about 100m further from the Information Center, but this shop opens earlier, at 8 am) and also at the Youth Hostel.
  • There are two big supermarkets at Miyanoura, and they are open from 9 am until 10 pm; there you can find ready-made meals for taking away.

Where to sleep in Yakushima:

I choose to stay at Miyanoura. It’s not a charming place but it very close to the harbor, which reveals convenient when arriving and departures as you don’t need to de dependent on the buses. Miyanoura, wherever you stay, it’s a walking distance from the harbor.

I stayed at Sudomari Minshuku Friend, It’s a local guesthouse, with traditional Japanese shared rooms, some with beds others with tatamis. Quiet and homy place. Laundry is for free and you can use the kitchen. The manager is very friendly but doesn’t speak much English, so you can’t count much on him to get help with how to move around. It’s continentally located just in front of one Kotsu bus stops and it’s about 1.2km from the Hibiscus Ferry port. 3300 ¥ a night.

Hiroshima… more than memories from the war

Hiroshima wasn’t in the initial plan of this trip, as usually I avoid war related places in my travels. But I realize that I need to make a stopover somewhere to break the long trip from Fuji until Kagoshima, in the south of Japan main land. So Hiroshima pop up in the map as a good place to spend one day and also a good opportunity to feel a bit more the urban vibe after a long time focusing in nature and landscapes.

And it end up being a good choice, as the city offer a more warm weather, with a relax atmosphere and laidback people, almost making us forget that we are in a city with more than one million of inhabitants.

Atomic Bomb Dome

We can say that the city is strongly connected with the atomic bomb drop in 1945, with many sites and memorials evoking this sad event. Nowadays the life runs as usual in a modern Japanese city but still the memorial to the bomb victims is visited daily not only by tourist as also by locals that come here to pay there respects.

And in fact, the Atomic Bomb Dome, a kind of iconic image of Hiroshima and a subject impossible to overcome, produce a certain impact and it’s difficult to be affected by the energy of the place, that despite being surrounded by a beautiful park nearby a rive, still carry a negative memory.

Not far from this memorial, we can reach the Hiroshima Castle, a replica of the one destroyed during the war.

Hiroshima Castle

And walking a bit more we reach the Shukkeien Garden, a traditional Japanese garden constructed in XVII century, and rebuild after the war. The design of the garden allow you to observe different perspective while you walk around the pond, which is the center of this type of Japanese gardens, where the trees are placed and were chosen according a tradition the miniaturized natural landscapes.

It’s a very calm place where you can easily spend one hour walking along the narrow paths and go up and down the small artificial hills, where small shrines can be spotted in the middle of the vegetation.

Shukkeien Garden

The Hondori-Dori is the center of the commercial life in Hiroshima, and a good place for a first approach to this city to feel the local vibe. Along this street and also the nearby alley you have a wide choice of restaurants, where is possible to find good udon with a reasonable price, at Chikara restaurant, for example.

Hondori-Dori

There’s not much to see in Hiroshima in terms of sightseeing, but the city offer a chill vibe, very relax and with the highest concentration of bicycles that I saw until now in this country… and people here cycle fast, crossing streets and sidewalks, away from the usual formal Japanese style!!!

Where to sleep in Hiroshima:

As far I am concerned, when I plan to stay in a place for a short period (like one or two nights) I prefer to stay close by the train station, as like that I don’t need to walk much with the backpack. Then, after drop my luggage I can easily move around by walking or taking local public transportation.

So my choice was to Hiroshima Hana Hostel. It’s located 600 meters from the Hiroshima train station. From here you can in 205minutes reach the Hondori-Dori, the main commercial street. The Hiroshima Hana Hostel is simple, not very modern but has a very good atmosphere and a super friendly and helpful staff.

Nikko… time to enjoy the mountains

Despite being not very far way north from Tokyo, Nikko village is considerably colder as it’s located almost 1300 meters above the sea level. But on the other hand, it’s the ideal place to find the autumn colors that densely cover the steep slopes of the surrounding mountains.

The main reason why Nikko receives so many visitors due to a relatively close location fro Tokyo that allows a day trip to visit the impressive Tosho-gu Temple surrounded by an impressive cedar forest. And that is already a good reason to come, but Nikko has more to offer if you move away from the village area, offering a big diversity of landscapes, with lakes, waterfalls, Natural Parks with several hiking trails… and onsens, that with the winter days are a good treat to warm up the cold evenings.

It’s winter, and in Japan, the sunset is around 4:30pm, so it’s better to wake up early to enjoy the short winter days. And nature rewards anyone who dares to get up early facing the cold mornings with amazing landscapes, where we can see the steam coming off the still lake surface, heated by the nearby hot spring waters. It’s a magical moment where time seems to stop to offer this natural scenery where around there has been nothing but the silence that surrounds the dawn.

And Lake Yunoko was one of the magic places visited around Nikko, where the boiling smelly water from the nearby hot spring offers a kind of apocalyptic vision, with the dense steam almost hiding the surrounding trees and the soil cover with yellowish colours left by the sulfur waters rich in mineral and with therapeutic properties. Nearby, the Okunikko Yumoto Onsen offers the chance to bath in these waters in an old fashion but comfortable place open to the public… and without restriction to tattooed people!

Okunikko Yumoto Onsen

Senjogahara is part of the Nikko National Park it’s a flat area located 1400m above the sea level, where the lake located in this plateau is slowly being naturally drained and transform in wetlands, rich in wildlife, where it’s easy to spot monkeys. In November you’ll find here a typical winter landscape where the yellow birch leaves cover the ground leaving exposed the white tree trunks. It’s a kind of meditative experience, walking along these trails, where we feel that nature is preparing to face the cold winter temperatures, that here bring snow.

Senjogahara

Senjogahara
Senjogahara

Around Nikko:

For this is better to get a car, but many of the places listed below can be reached by bus, starting from the Nikko bus terminal.

  • Nikkowanoshiro Onsen Yashio (can be reached by public bus from Tobu-Nikko), with sulfur water, offering also sauna (400¥).
  • A scenic road that winds up the mountains from Kiotaki to Lake Chusenji
  • Kegon falls nearby Lake Chusenji… many visitor but still a great landscape and an impressive waterfall
  • Senjogahara-moor hiking trails… different options according to length, but all in almost flat areas.
  • Okunikko Yumoto Onsen (about 30km north from Tobu-Nikko) located nearby a Lake Yunoko, with very strong sulfur water (500¥)
  • Kirifuri Plateau from where you can climb the steps that take you from the 1345m to 1450m, to reach a high point that according to the local information you can even see and Tokyo Tower in clear days!!
Lake Chusenji

Where to sleep in Nikko:

Tora Nikko Guest House… located very close to the train station, in a traditional wooden house with basic rooms and dorms. Very homey and with a super friendly owner, that also runs the cafe in front. The door isn’t easy to finds and there isn’t a clear sign with the name of the guesthouse, but is just next-door of Nikko Guest House Sumica.

How to reach Nikko:

The easiest way to reach Nikko village is by train, and there’s a direct line from Tokyo, but if you are traveling by Shinkansen train you need to change trains in Utsunomia Station to catch the Tobu-Nikko Line (the JP rail pass is also valid here).

Just watch out that Nikko has two train stations… the last one is Tobu-Nikko, and it’s the one close by the hostels and the Toshu-gu temple.

Mount Fuji… perfect from any perspective

Sitting in a cafe at Shimoyoshida train station (yes, Japan’s train stations can offer very cozy and pleasant places) watch the movement of the station as visitors head for Arakuratama Sengen Park, one of the best high spots to observe Mount Fuji.

Mount Fuji is undoubtedly an unquestionable point of Japan’s iconography and has been present for centuries in literature and painting, receiving thousands of tourists, both foreign and local, the latter most during the weekends.

But there are many places to see from Mount Fuji, even on clear days you can see it from Tokyo. But to observe this still active volcano there are many chances, being the region called Fuji five Lakes the best base point to explore and observe this almost perfect volcanic cone.

From the Fuji Five Lakes, I chose Kawaguchiko Lake, which is the easiest to reach by train, being the Fujiyuko Line railway station, which is accessible from Tokyo. Although not the most important settlement in the area, Kawaguchiko is prepared to receive the huge influx of tourism, and for the first time in Japan, I found myself in a place where most things are tourist orientated… but nothing wrong with that!!!

Kawaguchiko is still a nice and calm place if you move away from the train/bus station area, and it’s not easy to spot a small garden with radish or cabbage next to the houses, which in this town are all of the small and with uniform size and style.

If you want to stay away from the crowds you really must climb up the lot, reach the Goten, on the top of the Arakurayama Mountain … watch out, as bears were spotted nearby, so bring a bell or something to keep them away.

Kawaguchiko it’s also a good base point from where you can reach on foot Kawaguchiko Tenjozan Park (the top of the ropeway) and Arakuratama Sengen Park, that’s a bit far but doable.

Despite the tourism Kawaguchiko town offer nice spots to relax, like plenty of coffee shops, cool and stylish hostels (with a wide range of budgets) and very good restaurants … and you don’t even need to make any effort to see the Mount Fuji, as it dominates the town and you can easily spot in just wandering along Kawaguchiko streets.

In alternative you have Shimoyoshida and Gekkouji, but in my opinion these are too much “sleepy towns” but if you want to be away from the crowds and look for a more local experience these are good places to stay with train connection with Kawaguchiko and the Fujiyuko Line Note that the Fujiyuko Line is private, so if you have the JP Rail pass it’s not valid here and for all the trip from Otsuki Station you pay 1170¥ for the ticket (local train) plus an extra 200¥ if you choose the express train.

Where to stay in Kawaguchiko:

Kagelow Mt. Fuji Hostel was mu choice, with a nice common area (which is also a café and restaurant) where you can chill if the Mount Fuji is in “his” cloudy days !!! … you can even see Fuji from the hostel terrace, and it’s an easy walk from the Kawaguchiko train station.

Where to stay in Gekkouji:

I stay in Mt Fuji Hostel Michael… It’s simple and quiet but most of all it is conveniently located at a walking distance from the train station.

Where to eat in Kawaguchiko:

Hotou Fudo… an just in front of the train station, serving the Hotou, a traditional local soup (vegetarian) in iron pans… delicious food and here you can’t go wrong whatever you choose; it close around 7 pm.

Tempura Restaurante Nija… an informal restaurant with tempura sets, with options for vegetarians.

Onsen in Fuji area:Onsen in Fuji area:

There are a few onsen (hot springs) in the Mount Fuji area, but some of them are associated with hotels and charge high entrance fees or are far way from the any train station.

But not far from Shimoyoshida Station, maybe 15 minutes walking, there a small onsen, a bit away from everything, located in a traditional wooden house, surrounded by a small garden. The Yoshinoike Onsen, charge 600¥ for 2 hours, that is more than enough to stay there, and offer in the end tea and radish pickles. You must bring your own towel (if not they sell one for 270¥) but the soap is available. Doen’s have a Fuji view or a outdoor pool but you can seen the trees by the window and enjoy an almost empty pool with very hot water!!!

Yoshinoike Onsen

Yoshinoike Onsen

How to reach Kawaguchiko by train:

The Fujikyuko Line links Ōtsuki to Kawaguchiko with a regular and frequente service.

But watch out that this is a private line, so if you are traveling with a JR Pass, it’s not valid in this line and at Ōtsuki you need to get a ticket.

The Fujikyuko Line has two types of service; the slower one (Local) and the fast one (Express) that for extra 600¥, saves you 11 minutes… yes, just eleven minutes!!!

Kamakura and the temples

It’s time to leave the autumn colors of the Hokkaido region behind, and move to more mild temperatures. Kamakura is located a little south of Tokyo, is famous for the big concentration of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

I choose to stay a few days, to have time to enjoy the place, starting early in the morning to avoid the crowds and spend the rest of the day wandering through the commercial streets of Kamakura, enjoying the cozy cafes and delighting with hand-made noodles.

Located by the sea, nearby a wide bay of dark sand where some surfers try their change in the small waves. But the visitors don’t come to Kamakura looking for waves but the focus is directed towards the hills where a dense forest nestles temples and shrines. The Daibutsu, the country’s second-largest bronze Buddha is undoubtedly Kamakura’s most famous site, but it is far from being the most interesting.

In fact, it’s difficult to say which are the “best” temples or shrines to visit, as for the Buddhist followers some of these places have great importance and meaning, but for a “foreigner” maybe a hidden temple in the forest in a less busy place may result in a memorable experience than a huge construction full of stressed visitors.

And from what I saw in Kamakura, the Kotoku-in (with the Daibutsu) and the Hokoku-ji (famous for the bamboo forest) weren’t the most significant temples… but Sugimoto-dera (located a bit far from the Kamakura train station, but reachable by bus) was the temple that caused a stronger impression on me, maybe because of the location, on the top of a small steep slope, surrounded by big cedar trees or maybe because of the quietness due to the almost absence of visitors.

Kotoku-in
Hokoku-ji

The Sugimoto-dera is one of the oldest temples in Kamakura, and it’s allowed to go inside close to the altar. Being in such a special place, where the senses focus on the smell of cedarwood mixed with the smoke of incense that has been lit by pilgrims for centuries left in me a strong and pleasant memory. As the eyes become accustomed to the dimness, various Buddha statues show up, where the golden tones with which they were once covered give way to the dark tones of the wood. In Sugimoto-dera we can feel the sacred air impregnated with religiosity and devotion of the many pilgrims who come here.

Sugimoto-dera

The Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine has the peculiarity of being accessible by a tunnel dug in the rock, which ends in an area surrounded by mountains and forests. There are surrounded by rocky cliffs with small shrines hidden in caves where pilgrims say their prayers and perform the Shinto rituals. The dense smoke of the burning incense creates a thin mist and a mystic atmosphere.

Zeniarai Benzaiten Shrine

Last but not least… Kencho-ji is a famous temple connected with the Zen meditation, comprising various impressive wood buildings, vast and at the same time graceful and elegant. Despite a large number of visitors, Kencho-ji can still offer a relaxing atmosphere, if you go early in the morning before the arrival of the crowds, especially on the weekends.

Kencho-ji

Hasedera Temple

The Hasedera Temple was the last temple visited in Kamakura and I was a bit surprised with its hillside gardens, traversed by small streams where artificial ponds with colorful koi swim. In one of the buildings, the Kyozo, there is a gigantic prayer well that I hadn’t found yet in the Buddhist temples of Japan.

Benten-Kutsu Cave

But what stands up above all in the Hasedera Temple is the Benten-Kutsu Cave, an artificial cave with Buddha statues carved in the rock. You can breathe the cold and humid air here, but the heavy silence makes this place special. Walking through the cave are several rooms were on the floor and on the walls devotees place small statues of Benten-Kutsu with prayers and wishes left by pilgrims and visitors… anyone can ask for a wish, write on the statue and place it under Benten-Kutsu’s protection!!!

Benten-Kutsu Cave

Notes:

  • The Daibutsu Trail and the Ten-en Hiking Course were closed as a result of the last typhoon.
  • You need to pay for almost the temples listed above… something between 200¥ and 500¥.
  • The temples open at 8 am and it’s the best time to visit them; around 10 o’clock the most popular places are already crowded.

Where to sleep in Kamakura:

The WeBase Kamakura Hostel is located a bit far from the train station, but very close to the beach as also from the Hasedera Temple and Kotoku-in Temple.

The conditions are amazing and it even has a common bath (a kind of hot spring but with normal water tap); it’s a bit pricy and it lacks in atmosphere and character. It´s more like a hotel but with dorms, not at all a backpacker place!

Hokoku-ji

Ainu… people from the north!

Hokkaido is also home to one of Japan’s small ethnic groups, the Ainu, descendants of Caucasian peoples from Russia. There are some cultural centers and museums with information about Ainu culture and people, but in Hakodate I found it as easily as possible at the Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples.

It is a small collection but it focuses on various topics of Ainu culture, located in a lugubrious building that was once a bank.

Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples

Places to find more about the Ainu people:

In April 2020, a large museum dedicated exclusively to Ainu culture is expected to open in Hokkaidō. //www.ainu-upopoy.jp/en/

Hakodate… surrounded by the sea

The smell of the sea is always present in this peninsula-nested town where fishing and selling seafood products are the main activity, with squid, the crab and the seaweeds standing out in both restaurants and seafood shops.

But Hakodate, despite being the gateway to the Hokkaido prefecture (now less important since the Shinkansen train has now made the connection to this island by removing ferry money), lives in a monotonous calm where the boulevards wide, lattice-like designs never fill with cars, where the tram runs almost empty and where the broad sidewalks look almost deserted.

Hakodate
Motomachi
Motomachi
Motomachi
Motomachi

In the mornings, daily the highlight of Hakodate’s commercial life is the Asa-ich market, which extends into the adjacent streets, dedicated to selling fish and other marine products, but where the highlight is the giant crabs.

Asa-ich market

At the end of this peninsula rises abruptly a hill whose autumn vegetation is dotted with brown and yellow with dark reds here and there. At the foot of this elevation lies the most interesting part of the city, the Motomachi district; a concentration of houses and churches built in the ninth century, arranged in a perfect lattice that climbs the steep hill. Most of the houses, made of wood and painted in soft pastel colors, feature European architecture and the presence of British-style Christian churches creates a stark contrast to the rest of the city and does not even seem to belong to this country.

But for me, the best part of my stay in Hokadote is the proximity of Onuma National Park, from what is left of Koma-ga-take volcano, the highest in the region. From a 30,000-year-old eruption dammed up depressions at the base of the mountain thus creating Lake Onuma, where several small islands appear, most of them near the village of Onumakoen (where the train station is located). Connecting these small islands, full of dense trees, there are small bridges that allow you to enjoy a pleasant walk where in the quieter waters you can see ducks and where birds of prey quietly fly over the trees. Some of these trails offer very good views of the Koma-ga-take volcano.

Lake Onuma
Lake Onuma
Lake Onuma

How to reach Onuma Quasi National Park:

The park is located about 30 km north of Hakodate, about 30 minutes by train (Super-Hokuto) to Onumakoen, the nearby station. Outside the station you’ll find a board with the trail maps.

It’s possible to rent a bicycle to visit the park, but the trails near the village of Onumakoen are closed to bicycles, and these are only worth renting if you want to go around the lake.

There are accommodations also at Onumakoen, but found them more expensive and to visit the park, half day is more than enough.

Lake Onuma

How to visit Motomachi:

This neighborhood is easily reached on foot from Hakodate downtown.

Where to sleep in Hakodate:

Motomachi Guest House Cocoa

Address: 040-0064 Hokkaido, Hakodate, Otemachi, 6-4; Phone: 0138-83-6605

It’s a new hostel only with dorms (male and female) with very good conditions, attractive price and about 10 minutes from Hakodate trains station. The breakfast in included but is very basic. Tea and coffee are for free. There are bicycles available.

Ainu People:

Hokkaido is also home to one of Japan’s small ethnic groups, the Ainu, descendants of Caucasian peoples from Russia. There are some cultural centers and museums with information about Ainu culture and people, but in Hakodate I found it as easily as possible at the Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples.

Noboribetsu… finally the onsen experience!

Noboribetsu was the first stop in Hokkaido prefecture and is famous for its sulphorous water springs, which in addition to its medicinal properties create fascinating landscapes of bare green slopes from where water vapor rises in dense clouds and lakes of murky whitish waters.

The small village is not very appealing, being no more than two parallel streets, dominated by massive concrete buildings associated with the hot springs and some shops and restaurants aimed at visitors, mainly Japanese.

But a little farther north is Jigokudani, known as Hell Valley, given its lush, green and mottled landscape and yellows and whites through the sweltering waters that emerge at various points of the ground, filling the air with sulphurous gauze and unpleasant smells.

Around Jigokudani there are several trails, which can be easily reached in less than 2 hours, which lead to viewpoints and Oyunuma Pond, a lake of murky, bubbling waters from which dense and sulphurous steam gives off.

Oyunuma Pond
Jigokudani
Jigokudani
Oyunuma Pond

In Japanese Buddhist temples is common people place small wood boards asking for wishes; the paper are a kind of fortune teller, that when don’t have a good luck text can be left hanging in proper places inside the temples… the good luck papers can be kept!
Onsen is an unavoidable word from a trip around Japan, and refers to hot springs, which are located all over the country, and are associated with communal bath houses. The visit to the onsen is part of the life of the japanese and it's a very relaxing experience. It worthwhile to try onsen in various regions with different types of waters, many for therapeutic purposes.
Noboribetsu… a kind of gost town
Noboribetsu

How to reach Noboribetsu Onsen from Noboribetsu:

The cheapest option is to stay in the village of Noboribetsu, close to the train station, and visit the Onsen area in a day trip.

There are buses leaving from the train station regularly during all the day. The round trip costs 340yen and you can buy the ticket in a machine, inside the train station. The trip takes about 30 minutes.

Where to experience the onsen in Noboribetsu:

The cheapest option in town is the public onsen (Yumoto Sagiriyu), but people with tattoos are not allowed.

So my choice was the small Kashoutei Hanaya that has 1 outdoor bath and 1 indoor bath; it cost 1000 yen, and you don’t need to bring anything (shampoo, shower soap, conditioner and towel are always free at onsen) and you can stay the time you want; tea and coffee are available for free. It’s located a bit away from the Noboribetsu Onsen but not more than 5 minutes walking south.

For more information about onsen in Noboribetsu check this link: //good-hokkaido.info/en/noboribetsuonsen/

Outside poo Noboribetsu onsen with milky soulful waters… it’s a small pool but perfect as I was alone

From this experience was the wonderful feeling of being immersed in an outdoor pool surrounded by trees, feeling the steam of the water that is over 45 degrees while blowing an icy breeze. A mixture of indescribable sensations … and an experience to repeat!!!

Where to sleep in Noboribetsu:

In fact there’s not much to se or do in Noboribetsu village, but here you can get budget accommodation is Noboribetsu Guesthouse AKA &AO (//aka-ao.jp/en/).

Where to eat in Noboribetsu:

Yakitori Izakaya (ask at AKA &AO Guesthouse)… the only restaurant open in town for dinner. Delicious food with many vegetarian options in a cosy countryside atmosphere. Yummy!!!

… otherwise you have the convenience stores and supermarkets with ready made food.

Noboribetsu village map… here is the location of the Guesthouse AKA &AO as also theYakitori Izakaya restaurant