My first and only visit to Japan was 20 years ago and I’ve been dying to get back ever since. Now I am! After 3 nights in Tokyo, I have another 3 nights/4 days (November 1-4) where I’d like to venture north of Tokyo up into southern Tohoku. I’d love some feedback on a quick itinerary.
I don’t speak Japanese but I’m comfortable traveling alone and throwing myself on the mercy of strangers. I’m trying to minimize travel time and keep costs under $200/day. I like history and the outdoors, and I’d rather scrimp on hotels than food or experiences.
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Right now the plan is:
Day 1:
Travel Tokyo -> Sendai
\* Matsushima Islands
\* Arahama Elementary School Tsunami Ruins
Hotel: Sendai
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Day 2
\* Yamadera (Rissyakuji, Omoshiroyama Gorge)
\* Miyagikyu distillery
Hotel: Sendai
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Day 3
Travel Sendai -> Aizuwakamatsu
\* Ouchi-juku old street
\* Tadami Bridge
Hotel: Aizuwakamatsu
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Day 4
\* Goshikinuma ponds
Return to Tokyo
Questions:
1. Does this look like a good itinerary, and most importantly is it feasible by public transportation (which seems simpler and cheaper, albeit slower)? If so, is a rail pass worth it for just these few train trips? Or should I just bite the bullet and rent a car?
2. Could I fit Sanriku Fuku Park and/or Ichinoseki (Hiraizumi+Chuson-ji) in either Day 2 or 3?
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Thanks!
4 comments
Day 3: Tadami bridge is really far out of the way IMO. Seeing Tsuruga castle or the other in-city destinations might be a better use of the time you have.
FYI if you’re taking the train from Sendai to Koriyama to transfer to a train to Aizu, that train is only every hour. There’s a highway bus option as well but getting from Sendai to Aizu would take the better part of the morning.
Day 4: Getting to and hiking around Goshikinuma would take probably over half a day so you’d likely then head back Tokyo that evening. Seems reasonable.
I used to live in Aizu and it was a bit of a pain taking trains and buses because they are infrequent. Far more time was needed to transit places so you’ll want to factor that into your planning. My trips to the stuff outside of the city were mostly in a car, which helped a lot.
Day 3 isn’t realistic. Going from Sendai to Aizu will in itself take time (they are not connected by bullet train), and then the infrequent train + bus to Ouchijuku, return to Aizu-Wakamatsu, the infrequent train to Tadami Line, hike up to the viewpoint… If you had a car it would be different, but by public transport it isn’t doable at all. You can do Aizu-Wakamatsu city in a day (without Ouchijuku or Tadami Line), and choose between Ouchijuku / Tadami Line / Goshikinuma the following day.
You can’t include Hiraizumi in those four days either. It’s in the opposite direction as the rest of these sites. Note that these are rural areas, check the train timetables. In some cases there’s a train every hour, often less. If you go to Omoshiroyama gorge without checking the times, you might have to wait around at the station a couple hours for the next train (that’s what happened to me…).
Day 1 is doable (albeit rushed) if you get up early and don’t mind potentially not getting to see everything in Matsushima.
Day 2 would be very difficult to fit given the travel time, infrequent trains, multiple hour long hike, and the fact that the distillery closes at 4PM.
Day 3 sounds nearly impossible without a car. Getting to Aizu from Sendai takes over two hours and then you are relying on an infrequent train to Yunokamionsen and an infrequent bus to Ouchi-juku. If you left early in the morning from Sendai you still probably wouldn’t reach Ouchi-juku until after noon and then you have to rely on the trains and buses again to get back to Aizu. That leaves no time at all for Tadami Bridge which is not quickly accessible.
Day 4 is reasonable and easy to do by public transportation if you check the bus/train schedules beforehand. I don’t see any room to fit the other activities you mentioned. You also don’t really leave any time to actually see the cities you are staying in like Aizu or Sendai, unless you’ve previously been to those places?
Thanks for the tips! It sounds like renting a car would make things more doable? Also thinking about a hotel in Koriyama instead of Aizu. Any better?