🌄 Japan Off-the-Beaten-Path Route | 🚄

Starting from Kyoto, use the Hokuriku Arch Pass to travel all the way to Nagoya. For convenience, hotels are booked near the stations. Throughout the journey, I experienced the comfort of fewer people, beautiful scenery, and cleanliness, confirming that phrase again: Japan's countryside is the essence! 📅 DAY1️⃣ · Kyoto to Kanazawa 🚶 Tea House Street - Gold Leaf Cultural Hall - Kenrokuen - Omi-cho Market 🏨 Kanazawa (VIA INN) Kanazawa is a historic small town, and I really like #Kanazawa Castle Park and #Kenrokuen Garden. The natural environment is beautiful, and life is very laid-back. 📅 DAY2️⃣ · Kanazawa to Ushio-jinja to Takaoka 🚶 Ushio-jinja Coast - Toyama City 🏨 Takaoka (Toyoko Inn) #Ushio-jinja Coast is not crowded along the way, and on November 1st, there's a little bit of snow on the mountaintops. 🔸 Tips: The Hokuriku Arch Pass does not include the Hikawa Line (Takaoka = Ushio-jinja). After using the pass to enter the station, you need to buy a ticket when exiting. ❗️ Takaoka-Shin and Takaoka are two different stations. To go to Ushio-jinja, depart from Takaoka. 📅 DAY3️⃣ · Takaoka-Shin to Toyama to Shirakawa-go to Hida-Takayama 🚶 Shirakawa-go - Eat Hida Beef 🏨 Takayama (Washington Hotel) #Hida Beef The most popular Marumitsu and Mizutani Tengoku have long queues, so it's best to go before meal times; they might stop the line if you're late. 🔸 Tips: #Kanazawa, #Takaoka-Shin, and #Toyama all have buses to #Shirakawa-go. In the off-season, you can buy tickets on-site, but most of the time, reservations are needed. I missed the bus from Takaoka-Shin and had to wait a long time, so I went directly to Toyama Station to take the Nohi Bus. 📅 DAY4️⃣ · Hida-Takayama to Gero 🚶 Miya River Morning Market - Sanmachi Old Town - Takayama Jinya - Hie Shrine 🏨 Gero (Mochikawa-kan) 🔸 Tips: There's a hotel shuttle bus right outside Gero Station. The onsen has both indoor and outdoor public baths, and you can also book private baths for family use. 📅 DAY5️⃣ · Gero to Nagoya 🚶 #Nagoya Castle - Shopping 🔸 Tips: JR train intervals are quite long, so it's recommended to book seats in advance. The non-reserved seats might be full if you board without a reservation. 🎫 Takayama Hokuriku Arch Pass · 5 consecutive days · JR regular route non-reserved and 4 reserved seats · Buses can be reserved online at secure.j-bus.co.jp or by phone. Remember your reservation number. ✅ JR Limited Express, Express, Rapid, and Local trains in the ordinary car non-reserved seats ✅ Nohi Bus, Toyama Metro Bus, Hokuriku Bus, Meitetsu Bus: Takayama Nohi Bus Center - Shirakawa-go - Kanazawa/Toyama (excluding some stops), reservations required in advance ✅ Kagetsu Nō Bus: Shirakawa-go - Takaoka-Shin World Heritage Bus 🙅 Additional fees required: Kyoto Station - Shin-Osaka Station section of the Tokaido Shinkansen; Toyama Station - Kanazawa Station section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen reserved seats #OffTheBeatenPath #JapanFreeTravel #HiddenGems #JapaneseOnsen #HokurikuTravel #MySecretTravelRoute