D08
D19
D210
D311
D412
D513
D614
D715
D816
D917
D1018
D1119
D1220
D1321
D1422Check in · Ryokan Wakamatsu Honten · 2 nights
D0Fri 8 Sept
Landing at Narita
The overnight flight via Incheon, landing at Narita before noon. Narita's Omotesando in the rain, the hanging Chiba Monorail out to Chiba Castle at dusk, and gyukatsu.
Fukuoka
8 – 23 Sep 2023Narita to Fukuoka by JR Pass
Year2023
Days16
Stops7
Stories32
- Flight
- Train
- Out & about
D1Sat 9 Sept
Sawara, Little Edo
The JR Pass starts. A slow train through the rice fields to Sawara, until a tree on the tracks left us stranded at a tiny station. Festival floats, a boat down the canal and the float museum, then a ¥9,200 cab back to Narita for Naritasan Shinshoji and unagi.
Check in · Tosei Hotel Cocone Kamakura · 2 nights
D2Sun 10 Sept
The Gundam and the ramen museum
Bags dropped in Kamakura, then up to Yokohama for sushi, the moving 18m Gundam at Yamashita Pier, a Rilakkuma pop-up, and dinner in 1958 at the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum.
D3Mon 11 Sept
Kamakura
The hanging Shonan Monorail and the Enoden to the Slam Dunk crossing, the Great Buddha and Hasedera, an hour with micro pigs, then Komachi-dori and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
Check in · Airbnb · 2 nights
D4Tue 12 Sept
Shinkansen to Kanazawa
Out at 5:30am for the Hokuriku Shinkansen. Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen, Oyama Shrine, the Nagamachi samurai lanes, Kazuemachi and Higashi Chaya, then wagyu at NOBU.
D5Wed 13 Sept
Maruoka Castle
Sushi breakfast at Omicho Market, then out to Fukui for Maruoka Castle, another of the 12 originals. Gold leaf soft serve, Nishi Chaya, the Ninja Temple and Kanazawa curry.
Check in · Royal Park Hotel Kurashiki · 1 night
D6Thu 14 Sept
Three trains to Kurashiki
The Thunderbird at dawn, the Shinkansen and a local train to Kurashiki by 10am. The Bikan canal by rickshaw, Achi Shrine, Ivy Square, wagyu yakiniku and the canal at night.
Check in · Dormy Inn Express Matsue · 1 night
D7Fri 15 Sept
Matsue and the No. 1 garden
The Yakumo across the mountains to Matsue Castle and another coin for the collection, then the Adachi Museum of Art's garden, the best in Japan. Shabu-shabu for dinner.
Check in · KOKO HOTEL Hiroshima Ekimae · 3 nights
D8Sat 16 Sept
Rabbit Island
Down to Hiroshima for gyoza, the Kure Line along the Inland Sea, the ferry to Okunoshima and its hundreds of rabbits, then Hiroshima okonomiyaki.
D9Sun 17 Sept
Miyajima
The JR ferry to Miyajima: the great torii at high tide, the ropeway and the hike up Mt Misen in the heat, then Itsukushima Shrine at low tide. Fried oysters back in Hiroshima.
D10Mon 18 Sept
Peace Park, castle and Mazda
The A-Bomb Dome and the Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima Castle and a bonus coin, ramen, then the rotaries and the Le Mans winner at the Mazda Museum.
Check in · Hakata Excel Hotel Tokyu · 4 nights
D11Tue 19 Sept
Into Kyushu
The Shinkansen to Hakata, then up to Kokura for Tanga Market, hamburg steak and the TOTO toilet museum. Back on the Hello Kitty Shinkansen, beef sushi and Nakasu at night.
D12Wed 20 Sept
Nagasaki and Gunkanjima
The Kamome Shinkansen to Nagasaki, the Atomic Bomb Museum and Sanno Shrine's one-legged torii, then a boat out to Gunkanjima and a landing on Battleship Island. Motsunabe in Hakata.
D13Thu 21 Sept
Yufuin
The green Yufuin no Mori to Yufuin, under Mt Yufu: snacks down the main street, Lake Kinrin, the Floral Village and its goats. Dinner at a yatai in Nakasu.
D14Fri 22 Sept
Hakata and the Two Stars
The last day of the JR Pass. Tochoji, Shofukuji and Kushida Shrine, Canal City, then the Two Stars 4047 along Omura Bay. Steak for the last dinner.
D15Sat 23 Sept
Flying home
The morning flight from Fukuoka back to Singapore.
Next flight
YuzawaComing soon · Japan