Akiyoshido & Hagi / YAMAGUCHI

Date:        4-6 Aug 2011
Stay:        4 Aug - 1NT  Plaza Hotel KOTOBUKI at Yuda Onsen
                5 Aug - 1NT  Hagi-Honjin at Hagi
Access:   JR Sainin Honsen from Matsue station to Masuda station.
               From Masuda, I rented a car to travel over Yamaguchi prefecture.

I believe, JR Sainin Line provides one of the best coastal landscape among all JR lines in Japan. It took about 3 hours from Matsue to Masuda station and fare was about 3,000yen. (If you use Limited express, time will be an hour shorter but fare will be additional 2,500yen.)

From Masuda station, I used a rental car to visit sightseeing spots in Yamaguchi. Japanese local region like Yamaguchi doesn't have effective transportation system like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, so I recommend to use rental car for visiting sightseeing spots efficiently.

Pictures on top is Oumi-Jima. It's a small island located North side of Nagato city and designated as a Japanese national monument. It has various small island and beautiful coastal lines. I saw many divers enjoying their diving.

This night I stayed Yuda-Onsen which located 20min away from Yamaguchi station famous hotspring in Yamaguchi.

Next day, I visited Akiyoshido, is the largest limestone cavern in Japan. It took only 30min from Yuda-Onsen to Akiyoshido entrance. Akiyoshido is also designated as a Japanese national special monument, and located under the Akiyoshidai Plateau.

Inside of cave, temperature consistently stays 17℃ all season. Amazing to see each drop create all those impressive figures over million years.

On a same day, I headed to Hagi also known by the name of Choshu area. Choshu has produced many active Samurai who contributed Meiji Restoration. Hagi is very quiet and has traces of Edo-period. I visited The Hagi Museum, Hagi porcelain museum, Senryuzan Hagiyaki pottery and Shokason-jyuku and all located within 5km area, so easy to access each sightseeing spots.

Last day, I stayed over night at Hagi-Honjin Japanese Hot Spring Inn with very reasonable price like 6,000yen without meal. Room was located old side of their building, but enough space for myself and since no serving lady like other expensive Onsen Ryokan, it was very comfortable and  was able to enjoy the time by myself.

Izumo Taisha & Matsue / SHIMANE

Date:          3 Aug 2011
Stay:          Matsue New Urban Hotel

　　　           40-1, NISHICHA-MACHI, MATSUE-SHI, SHIMANE 

                  TEL: 852-23-0003

Access:      JR Sunrise Express(sleeper train) from Tokyo Station to Izumo.  
                  Use Ichibata Densya(one-day free pass) from Izumo to Izumo-Taisha and Izumo-   
                  taisha to Matsue.   

Sunrise Express is Japanese night train departs from Tokyo station to Izumo sation.  Japanese night train is quite expensive and many uses for special occasions like a anniversary and long vacation. One of the hard tickets to get. 

I booked B single compartment. All you can get are see in pictures below. Don't expect much, but bring six-pack and snacks will do. It takes 12hours from Tokyo to Izumo. Try to book left side upper compartment from Tokyo which runs pacific ocean side on Tokaido line. 


                       

This is Izumo-station. Izumo-station is not the final destination. Izumo-Taisha is. Two way to go to Izumo-Taisha from Izumo-station, one is using local bus, and other is using Ichibata-Densya. Both starts from Izumo-station. 

I got Izumo-Taisha with Ichibata-Densya, using Ichibata-Densya one day free-pass. Since my final destination was Matsue, this pass was very reasonable for me to enjoy Izumo-Matsue area.

              

Izumo Taisha is Japan's oldest shrine and considered second important shrine after Ise Jingu, and also known for holy place somebody who is looking for love and happiness in marriage. You see many singles pray desperate for hope. (I was one of them!)

This straw object is ritual article for Shinto called Shime-Nawa. Some people believe once you successfully stick coin into this Shime-nawa, all the wishs will come true.

Ichibata Izumo-Taisha station.
Very compact but nice atmosphere.

Kyonan Hota / CHIBA

Date:     14 Sep 2011
Stay:     BANYA Hota, Chiba (￥10,500～/per person)

　　　　　 99-5 Kichihama Kyonan Aki-gun, Chiba

          TEL: 0470-55-4844

Access: JR Bus called BOSO NANOHANA from Tokyo Station to Kazusaminato Ekimae.
             From Kazusaminato Ekimae, took JR UCHIBO LINE to HOTA station. From HOTA
             station, use Free shuttle to BANYA. (about￥2,000/one way)                

Main purpose for this trip was staying Banya. Famous for fresh fish Dinner and Breakfast served sashimi, tempura, grilled ..... like a fish fes on the table, impossible to eat up all of them. There are only 4 rooms at Banya. It is hard to make a reservation especially on the weekend. We made our reservations 4 weeks before our stay. There is also Onsen with bubble called carbonated spring in the property. People can also enjoy fresh fish dishes at the restaurant located next to accommodation facility without reservations.

Banya is located in the city of  Hota Kyonan in CHIBA Prefecture.  One and a half hour away from Tokyo Station. Nice place to feel Japanese countryside near to Tokyo, and also able to see Mt. Fuji and Miura peninsula off the distance on a clear day.

At Banya, we took an fixed-net fishing tour next morning. Woke up 3:30 am and got on a fishing boat with crews. Still dark outside but as we get close to the fishing bank, beautiful sunrise came up.

Fishes caught in the morning were served as breakfast as you see. If you are not big fan of sashimi, Banya might not place to go. 

But if you want to visit beautiful countryside and beautiful ocean near from Tokyo, Kyonan Hota might become one of your choice.  It'salso easy on a budget!  At kyonan, there are also famous hiking course call Nokogiri-yama and several beaches.