Toyama

This trip utilized a 7-day Kansai and Hokuriku pass to explore the cities and attractions of the Hokuriku region, with day trips to Kyoto or two-day, one-night stays. Saving considerable transportation costs, it was incredibly cost-effective for foreign tourists visiting Japan. The itinerary included enjoying the Hokuriku scenery, the ancient capital and culture of Kanazawa, the Tateyama-Kurobe Alps and the Kurobe Gorge railway, and savoring delicious seafood. The Kyoto round trip was via the Okayama-Himeji-Kurashiki-Sanyo Shinkansen, while the Hokuriku round trip included Tsuruga, Kaga Onsen, Kanazawa, (Noto Peninsula: Wakura Onsen, Nanao City to Noto-Karakuri train), Tomizan, Unazuki Onsen-Hokuriku Shinkansen, and the Tomizan Local Railway to the Unazuki Onsen area. The Shinkansen included the Tsuruga, Hakutaka, and Koki Shinkansen, with reserved and unreserved seats, allowing for multiple stops and starts between cities, making for a fulfilling itinerary. The estimated savings for two people in transportation costs were tens of thousands of yen.

The overall journey was quite long. It took about 3.5 hours from Nagoya to Kamikochi, about 3.5 hours from Kamikochi to the hotel, about an hour and a half from the hotel to Kurobe Alpine Route the next day, and finally about 4-5 hours to return from Kurobe Alpine Route to Nagoya. Basically, any journey longer than an hour would include a rest stop for a short break. The Kamikochi section included about 4 hours of free time, where you could choose to walk from Taisho Pond to Kappa Bridge, or from Kappa Bridge to Myojin Pond. The bus would drop you off at either Taisho Pond or Kappa Bridge, and the final meeting point was at the bus stop next to Kappa Bridge. Mountain weather is unpredictable and sudden rain is common, so it's highly recommended to bring an umbrella; a lightweight raincoat would be even more convenient. I personally took the Kappa Bridge to Myojin Pond route, walking along the right bank on the way there, which took about 1.5 hours because I was enjoying the scenery. On the way back, I walked along the left bank, which took about 40 minutes because I was worried about missing the meeting point. Myojin Pond requires an additional 500 yen entrance fee, but I highly recommend going in; it's incredibly beautiful, with a quiet and sacred atmosphere. For the Kurobe Alpine leg, we had breakfast at a restaurant at 6:30 AM the following morning, and then departed at 7:20 AM. In October, Kurobe Alpine doesn't have snow walls; the main attraction is the autumn leaves, but it's difficult to catch the peak of autumn foliage. The journey through Kurobe Alpine involves using many different modes of transportation, mostly following the guide's pre-arranged schedule. We stopped at Murodo for about 1.5 hours, and other transfer points mostly for 10-20 minutes, which was actually quite enough time. There's also a simple post office at the summit of Tateyama near Murodo where you can send postcards with limited-edition postmarks. Overall, the itinerary was perfect for someone like me who doesn't want to plan their own transportation, and it was very relaxing for solo travelers. Our guide, Tao Jing, took many photos for us; I'm truly grateful.