Kinosaki Onsen: Mikiya

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

More beautiful views and things to do in Hyogo’s best onsen town!

For this trip, we stayed at Mikiya. With over 300 years of history, Mikiya is one of the oldest ryokan in all of Kinosaki.

Mikiya is also famous as the lodging that notable Taisho period novelist Shiga Naoya stayed at for months at a time. He even wrote a novel featuring the town called “Kinosaki ni te”. The room is preserved as it was during his stay.

Longtime readers won’t have to guess what dinner is at a Kinosaki ryokan – of course, a Japanese-style multicourse meal featuring crab and other delicacies from the Sea of Japan.

Many Kinosaki visitors go out for a stroll around town and another dip in the baths after dinner.

It’s fun to see everyone wandering around after dark in their yukata, and there are plenty little places to amuse oneself. Kinosaki is anachronistic in some ways, and one of the most fun things you can do at night is go to an arcade – not a video game arcade, but an old-fashioned arcade with manual (!) pinball, target shooting, and other entertainments from days gone by.

After a final dip in the baths, return to Mikiya to sleep in fluffy futons. In the morning, a hearty Japanese-style breakfast awaits you.

When the weather is nice, wandering around town is the perfect way to learn how to have a non-goal-oriented vacation (for once!).

You might encounter Onsenji, or “hot springs temple”, an entire Buddhist temple dedicated to hot springs.

Behind the temple is a ropeway that takes visitors up the mountains that surround the town.

Some beautiful mountain views await at the top.

There is also a hiking trail, so you could always decide to descend the mountain the old-fashioned way. (Or ascend, if you are particularly energetic.)

Exploring the rest of the town will reveal lots of interesting sights. So take it slow!

Mikiya
Hours: Check-in: 2 PM – 5 PM. Check-out: 10 AM.
Address: 487 Yushima Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka-shi, Hyogo 669-6101
Telephone: 0796-32-2031
E-mail: https://kinosaki-mikiya.sakura.ne.jp/contact/
Website: http://www.kinosaki-mikiya.jp/en/ (English)

How To Get There

Kinosaki Onsen
From Kobe Sannomiya, take the JR special express train “Hamakaze” to Kinosaki Onsen Station (2.5 hours). Three “Hamakaze” trains depart per day, so we recommend buying tickets ahead of time, especially during the busy winter season.
From the station, a free shuttle bus will take you to the ryokan.

Izushi

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

Izushi is a small castle town now part of the city of Toyooka in northern Hyogo. It’s famous for its old-Japan atmosphere and distinctive soba noodles.

Izushi is a destination for castle enthusiasts and other fans of Japanese history. It boasts not only Izushi Castle, but also Shinkoro Tower and an old theater playhouse called Eirakukan.

When you arrive in Izushi, your first stop will be the castle. Izushi Castle is small but fairly well-preserved and has a hilltop location that commands a view of the surrounding area.

The castle is connected to a Shinto shrine with a picturesque series of torii gates.

The whole town is visible once you’ve climbed up into the castle grounds.

Nearby is Shinkoro Tower, an imposing-looking clocktower. Apparently, this used to serve as a drum tower, where a drum would be struck every morning to summon the townspeople to work.

Now it’s a famed symbol of the town. It’s even featured on the Izushi manhole cover!

Next, a short walk through town leads you to Eirakukan, a wonderful old structure that is my favorite place in Izushi. This building used to serve as a venue for traveling theater troupes back in the old days. Theater was one of the main forms of entertainment in pre-modern Japan. Plays gave way to movies in the 20th century, and the building turned into a movie theater for the golden age of cinema. As the times changed again Eirakukan fell into disuse, until it was recently renovated and turned into a cultural landmark.

Now, it is used as a performance hall for all different kinds of traditional Japanese arts, and you can take a tour that shows you the secrets of the Japanese stage.

Here’s a full view of the theater. Note that guests sit on cushions on tatami mats (of course). The pine tree backdrop is a traditional symbol of good fortune.

There are raised wooden walkways running through the seating that servers used to walk on as they offered guests food and drinks.

I can’t get enough of the old hand-painted ads for businesses that line the theater.

Or the movie posters. I bet a collector would be interested in these.

You also get a chance to learn a little bit about how the stage works. This is a trapdoor through which performers magically appear or disappear located on the “hanamichi” stage walkway.

The tour takes you under the stage, to this massive mechanism that workers would push around by hand to rotate a portion of the stage above.

There’s lots more to see, including performers’ dressing rooms and baths. Anyone who is interested in Japanese history or performing arts must give Eirakukan a visit. At the end of the tour, you receive this cute little flag.

The must-try local specialty during your stay is Izushi soba noodles. The town is absolutely packed with soba shops, and you can buy an awesome pouch of coins at the tourist center that entitles you to a serving of noodles at three different shops of your choice.

Here’s one soba restaurant.

A serving of soba is presented on three little plates, with a variety of different sauces and toppings to slurp up along with your noodles.

The idea is to try three different soba restaurants and compare the noodles to find your favorites. Apparently noodle softness/firmness and lightness/darkness are the main variables, along with the taste of the sauce.

So go explore! After finishing my noodles at one restaurant, I even received this awesome badge, which is now proudly displayed in my home.

How To Get There

Izushi

From Sannomiya, take the Hamakaze express train to Yoka (2 hours and 20 minutes). Then, take the Zentan Bus to Izushi (30 minutes).

From Toyooka, take the Zentan Bus to Izushi (30 minutes). Because of its proximity to Toyooka, this is a good side trip to combine with visiting other destinations in northern Hyogo.

Izushi is a small town, and all the sights listed in this article are a short stroll from the bus stop.

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Ten things to do on Awaji Island

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

Awaji is a large island off the Kobe coast that comprises one of Hyogo’s five main regions. It connects the Japanese mainland to the island of Shikoku via two suspension bridges, and is famous for its natural bounty, especially flowers, vegetables, beef, and seafood. Awaji has a unique atmosphere different from the mainland and a lot to offer the international traveler.

The best way to experience Awaji is by car. Rent a car in Kobe and drive across the bridge to the island. Spending the night there will give you an opportunity to explore the entire length of the island.

There are so many things to do on the island that I suggest picking and choosing. Here are ten of my favorites:

1. View the longest suspension bridge in the world at Matsuho Anchorage

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world, at 3991 meters. It was under construction during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995, but was mainly unaffected by the disaster. The bridge was finally completed in 1998 and now forms part of an important link from the Japanese mainland to Shikoku.

You can view the bridge at the Anchorage for free (Awaji side), or you can participate in a tour that lets you walk on the bridge or even ride the elevator to the top of one of the towers! (Kobe side)

Learn more here (English)

2. Try out a free tasting at Sennen-Ichi Shuzo Sake Brewery

Sennen-Ichi offers brewery tours with a personalized feel. This is a very small brewery, so you’re not seeing something that has been prepared for you behind a glass wall and explained by a chirpy woman in a bizarrely eighties-looking uniform, as is often the case in Japan (sigh). Instead, you get a chance to step right in to the actual brewery and see the brewers doing their work. Lots of gigantic vats and strange contraptions. Whoever is on duty at the time will gladly answer your questions. On the second floor of the brewery is a tasting room with a bar and a vintage feel. Here, your guide will encourage you to taste any or all of their sakes, including the high-grade Daiginjo. Of course, the assumption is that you will decide to buy a bottle of sake to take home – and I did!

Note: please drink responsibly. The designated driver should not participate in the tastings.

Learn more here (Japanese)

3. Enjoy an ocean view hot springs and stargazing at Kyukamura Minami Awaji

Kyukamura is a series of government-run lodgings situated in national parks throughout Japan. They offer a comfortable stay for very reasonable prices compared to private ryokan. At Kyukamura, you will stay in a traditional Japanese-style room, and dinner is a high-quality buffet of local seafood and produce. The Kyukamura on Awaji also has two special features: an outdoor hot springs with a beautiful ocean view, and a planetarium with nightly stargazing lectures. When I visited, I got a chance to view Jupiter, Sirius, and the Pleiades through the gigantic telescope. Recommended!

Learn more here (English)

4. See ocean whirlpools right up close on the Uzushio Cruise

Under the Naruto Ohashi Bridge on the southern side of Japan is the strait where the Seto Inland Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. This collision produces some pretty fantastic whirlpools when the tide is right. You can see them from right up close on the Uzushio Cruise tour that departs from Fukura port.

Learn more here (English)

5. View Japanese traditional puppet plays designated as an Intangible Folk Asset at Awaji Ningo-za

Viewing an Awaji Ningyo Joruri puppet play is a fascinating way to experience Awaji’s cultural heritage. These puppet plays have been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years here on the island. A brand new theater has just been constructed specifically for the plays, and performances are held every day. At 45 minutes, they’re a lot easier for the non-Japanese tourist to digest than other art forms such as Bunraku or Kabuki. Before the play begins there is an explanation of how the puppets are manipulated (three puppeteers to one puppet), and afterwards you even get a chance to “meet” one of the puppets! The theater is accustomed to receiving foreign visitors.

Learn more here.

6. Taste the prizewinning Awaji Beef Burger at Tozaki

Tozaki is a nice little spot in southern Awaji where you can get a good view of the Naruto Ohashi Bridge that connects Awaji with Shikoku. There is also a restaurant there that serves the famous Awaji Burger, which won a prize in a national burger contest. (Who knew there was such a thing?) I can’t say whether it’s the best burger in Japan, but the rich taste of the Awaji beef combined with the crunchy deep-fried Awaji sweet onion is pretty delicious. I felt like ordering another burger as soon as I was finished with the first one.

Learn more here.

7. Learn about the mythical origin of Japan at Izanagi Shrine

Awaji Island happens to be the very first part of Japan that was created by the gods Izanagi and Izanami in Japanese legend. This magnificent Shinto shrine commemorates that story. As a shrine associated with the imperial line of Japan, it’s much larger than a typical shrine and contains several interesting sights, including a Japanese garden, a gigantic horse statue, and two entwined camphor trees that symbolize romantic love. This historical landmark is worth visiting.

Learn more here (English)

8. Indulge in a world of scents at Parchez

Parchez is a facility completely dedicated to herbs and scents. If (like me) this is your thing, you’ll be in paradise. The main attraction is a hot spring where you can take a selection of different herbal baths including bay laurel, chamomile, lemon balm, sage, lavender, and lemongrass. That sounds like the ultimate in relaxation to me! The other highlight is the museum of scents where you can sample exotic scents such as kyara (agarwood), one of the most prized incense materials in Asia.

There is also a large greenhouse, and you can purchase potted plants and flowers. After picking up a pot of mint for my room, I loaded up on bath salts and other herb products in the gift shop and enjoyed a lavender ice cream! Lovely.

Learn more here (Japanese)

9. Learn about the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake at the Hokudan Earthquake Memorial Park

This spot may be a little different than the others because it’s educational and sobering rather than fun and entertaining, but it’s very much worth a visit, especially for those from non-earthquake-prone regions. At the Hokudan Earthquake Memorial Park, a gigantic fault that ripped through the farmlands is preserved as-is, showing visitors the destructive power of nature. There is also a room where you can experience simulated tremors at the level of those that caused the earthquake. I’ve been in several earthquakes, but I’ve never experienced anything like this. Not for the faint of heart.

Learn more here (English)

10. Tiptoe through the tulips at Awaji Hanasajiki

Finish your trip with a stroll through the endless fields of flowers at Awaji Hanasajiki. When I visited in March, most of the flowers weren’t blooming yet, but the nanohana (field mustard) flowers were brilliantly yellow. Other flowers should reach their peak in April and May.

Learn more here (English)

For more to do on Awaji, be sure to check out past posts in our Awaji category!

Ako hot springs – Ginpaso

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

We’ve already featured the great little town of Ako in a previous post: A weekend in Ako

But there’s so much to do in Ako that we just had to go back for more!

This time, my big goal was to stay at Ginpaso, a seaside ryokan with a legendary hot spring. We arrived at the ryokan in the late afternoon and checked into our beautiful Japanese-style room.

Here’s the view from our window.

Okay, just teasing. Here’s the real view from our window. Pretty impressive.

As soon as we were settled, we started getting ready to take a dip in the hot springs before dinner. Why before dinner?

To see this.

The hot springs provides a panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea, and what’s more, it’s an outdoor hot springs with an infinity pool. As you sink into the pool, your eyes can’t distinguish the boundary between the hot springs and the ocean. It’s magnificent.

We dragged ourselves out of the hot springs reluctantly when it was time for dinner.

Dinner is, of course, exquisite Japanese cuisine served in your room.

Fish from the Seto Inland Sea is prominently featured.

The beef shabu-shabu is also delicious.

After one more relaxing dip in the hot springs, we were all ready for bed, and futons had been conveniently laid out for us on the tatami floor.

The next morning, we woke up for a healthy Japanese-style breakfast consisting of various egg, fish, tofu, and vegetable dishes… and of course, rice and miso soup.

Another dip in the hot springs provided a view of the inscrutable morning sea.

After breakfast and bath, we sadly said farewell to Ginpaso and headed to our first destination: The Ako Marine Science Museum. This is a museum dedicated to sea salt, one of Ako’s regional specialties.

Here you can see an authentic old-fashioned Japanese salt-processing facility and salt fields.

The facility is still in use, and salt is being produced there every day! Seawater is pumped in through canals and spread out across the salt fields, where the water evaporates and the salt crystallizes. This is rinsed with successive infusions of seawater, gradually increasing the salt concentration of the water until the extremely salty water is drained out and boiled in the buildings nearby.

After a tour of the facilities, we got to give salt-making a try ourselves! I was especially excited about this because I’ve been using sea salt a lot in my cooking recently, and I’ve turned into a bit of a sea salt nut.

The process was simple but very time- and effort-intensive. After boiling the water, you need to use a series of different techniques to grind constantly until the salt becomes a fine powder.

I was thrilled to be able to take home my very own homemade sea salt at the end! It was a very fine powder – completely unlike table salt, but similar to the powder that is sometimes served with tempura in Japan. It also contains a variety of trace minerals from the sea not found in ordinary table salt, so it has a deeper, richer flavor.

Later in the day, we also visited Ako Castle and Oishi Shrine – read more about these landmarks in my previous post, A weekend in Ako

Ginpaso
Hours:
Check-in: 3 PM (be sure to arrive in time to see the sunset!)
Check-out: 10 AM
Address: 2-8 Misaki, Ako-shi, Hyogo 678-0215
Telephone: 0791-45-3355
E-mail: http://www.ginpaso.co.jp/mail.html
Website: http://www.ginpaso.co.jp/index.html (Japanese/English)

Ako Marine Science Museum (Ako Shiritsu Kaiyou Kagakukan Shio no Kuni)
Hours: 9 AM – 4:30 PM
Address: 1891-468 Misaki, Ako-shi, Hyogo 678-0215
Telephone: 0791-43-4192
E-mail: ako-kaiyo@memenet.or.jp
Website: http://www2.memenet.or.jp/~akoharm/marine/ (Japanese)

How To Get There

Ginpaso
From Sannomiya: Take the westbound JR line to Banshu Ako Station (74 minutes). A shuttle bus can pick you up from the station. (Be sure to call in advance.)

Ako Marine Science Museum
The museum is a 10-minute taxi ride from Ginpaso or the train station. It’s also an interesting walk if the weather is good.

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Oysters in Aioi

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

Well, winter is finally drawing to a close here in Hyogo – and we’re all very thankful!

But before winter is over, I thought I should let you know about one must-eat winter delicacy that you need to try while it’s still around: Aioi oysters.

Now, I wasn’t a big oyster fan before, but this restaurant made me a believer.

The restaurant is called Ensui, and it’s located in the city of Aioi (famous for oysters) right by the train station. It should be very easy to find.

We visited for lunch and were offered a full-course oyster menu. This is a very affordable option compared with dinner – and I’m sure we ate about 30 oysters each!

The oysters come in courses based on cooking method, from lightest to heaviest. First were the raw oysters.

I was quite hesitant to try raw oysters at first, but as I said, this experience made me a believer. It was incredible how rich and sweet they tasted.

Next were grilled and steamed oysters. These were great too.

My palate was grateful for a break with these oysters flavored for Western cuisine.

The fried oysters. My Japanese companion claimed that these were a relief for him because they were the only kind of oysters he had ever been accustomed to eat before!

In Japan, you always know that the meal is winding down when you’re presented with a hotpot dish and rice.

Altogether the meal took about two and a half hours, and we were all ready to collapse by the end. I actually took a small nap on the tatami mat floor before we left.

It was overwhelming – but amazingly delicious. I know I’ll have to go back next year.

Ensui
Hours:
Lunch: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Dinner: 5:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Address: 2-21 Sakaemachi, Aioi-shi, Hyogo 678-0008
Telephone: 0791-23-7274

Note: Oysters are served from November to March.

How To Get There

Ensui
From Sannomiya: Take the JR line west to Aioi Station (1 hour). From the station, walk down the main road and take a right at the first main crossing.

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Genbudo: a second visit

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

I was lucky enough to get back to Genbudo, the awesomest cave in Hyogo, the other day.

(View my previous post on Genbudo here: Genbudo Park)

There was a lot of snow on the ground for my last visit, but this time the weather was much warmer.

First, a little bit on location. Genbudo Station is located right between Toyooka and Kinosaki Onsen, so it’s an easy stop if you’re visiting anywhere in northern Hyogo.

So you’d think that once you arrive at the station, it’d be an easy stroll to the cave, right?

Wrong! The cave and the train station are actually located on opposite sides of the formidable Maruyama River!

Once you arrive at the station, you need to call for a ferry to come and pick you up. The ferry is run by the Genbudo Museum located right by the cave, so this service is available during museum hours (9-5).

Just give them a call, and in a few moments, the tiniest little boat and the awesomest museum employee ever will come pick you up for a three-minute ride across the river!

Genbudo is acutally a series of caves composed of really unusual hexagonal rock columns – at a massive scale.

While we were visiting, a tour group happened to be there as well, and the tour guide told us some fun stories about the origin and discovery of the cave, as well as showing us this dragon statue which was apparently constructed impromptu by tourists.

Visitors throw coins and try to land them on the dragon for good luck. We gave it a try, but didn’t have much success. We’ll just have to come back!

Next, I’m hoping for a chance to visit Genbudo in mid-summer. I’d love to see the caves covered with greenery in the bright summer sun.

Bonus: if you visit at certain times, you’ll get to meet Gen-san, the most hilarious and awesome local mascot in all of Japan, in my humble opinion. Here are three reasons why Gen-san is better than any other regional character:

1. He’s made of hexagonal slabs of granite.
2. He is dressed like an “oyaji” (middle-aged Japanese man).
3. He is always either angry or drunk.

I mean, seriously, could you come up with a better character to represent your region?

Note that many unique Gen-san items, such as sake and underwear (?!) are for sale at the Genbudo Museum.

Gen-san appears on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM, so be sure to time your visit to meet him!

Genbudo Museum
Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
Address: 1362 Akaishi, Toyooka-shi, Hyogo 668-0801
Telephone: 0796-23-3821
Fax: 0796-24-0913
E-mail: genbudo1@viola.ocn.ne.jp
Website: http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~genbudo/ (Japanese only)

How To Get There

Genbudo
From Sannomiya: Take a limited express “Hamakaze” train to Toyooka or Kinosaki Onsen (2.5 hours), then switch to the local train and travel one stop to Genbudo Station.
At the station, call the Genbudo Museum to be picked up by ferry.
(For those who don’t want to bother with the ferry, I recommend taking a short taxi ride from Kinosaki or Toyooka instead.)

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Amarube Bridge

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

Here at Hyogo: The Heart of Japan we like to feature areas of Hyogo that are little-known but unique. Amarube Bridge in Kami-cho is one such spot.

The original bridge was a red steel structure that was completed in 1912 and was in service for almost one hundred years before being replaced by a concrete bridge.

It was the largest trestle railway bridge in all of Japan, and its picturesque red color made it a draw for railway enthusiasts and photographers.

The bridge also has a sad history: in 1986, an out-of-service train was blown off the bridge by strong winds and fell to the ground below, killing six. Following the accident, rules on canceling train service during strong wind were implemented.

The construction of a modern concrete bridge to replace the steel structure finally began in 2007, and is complete as of 2010. The new bridge is faster and safer, but some are sad to see the picturesque old bridge go. A few of the old steel supports will be left in place as a monument.

Let’s go ahead and take a tour.

Congratulations, you’ve arrived at Amarube Station! There goes your train. The next one isn’t coming for more than an hour, so you have an ideal opportunity to explore.

Hiking up the short distance to a mountain viewpoint behind the station gives you this view of the bridge, town, and Sea of Japan.

Going down a little further, you have a chance to view the bridge in cross-section.

Here, you can clearly see the remains of the old bridge and the new bridge side-by-side.

The trail leads you down to the valley level, where you get a chance to view the bridge from below.

The brand-new concrete bridge is surrounded by the old-fashioned homes and shops of the town of Amarube.

In this next photo, can you tell that the bridge has a subtle S-shaped curve? The bridge was built this way in order that construction could proceed while train service continued on the old bridge. The new bridge was built while the old bridge was still in use, and then at the very last moment the old bridge was moved aside and the new bridge was ever-so-carefully rotated into place. You can watch a video of how they accomplished this at the “Michi-no-Eki” roadside station. It’s definitely worth taking a look at.

Finally, this is a statue of Kannon (Guan Yin) memorializing those who lost their lives in the 1986 accident.

Bonus: two classic views of the San’in coastline as viewed from the train. I love this part of Japan. It has a kind of austere beauty to it.

How To Get There

Amarube Bridge
Amarube Bridge is located at Amarube Station on the San’in Line that runs between Kinosaki Onsen and Tottori. This is an easy side trip from Kasumi, Hamasaka, or other locations on the northern coast of Hyogo.

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Hiking in Hyogo: Takeda Castle

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

It’s what you’ve all been waiting for… another installment in our popular Hiking in Hyogo series!

This time, our destination is Takeda Castle, an absolutely stunning castle ruin located on the top of a mountain in central Hyogo.

Takeda Castle　has become a popular destination for nature photographers, castle junkies, and even couples planning unique weddings in recent years.

There are two ways to enjoy Takeda Castle – you can go up the opposing mountain range and view the castle from afar, or you can hike right up to the castle and stand among the ruins yourself. This time, I’ll show you how to hike up to the castle ruins.

After you exit Takeda Station, you’ll need to turn around and go back under the tracks to reach the other side.

There are plentiful signposts to show you the way. If you need extra help, you can get a map at the information center by the train station. (They’ll even loan you a walking stick!)

You should find yourself at this path entrance.

The hike itself is approximately 800 meters. I consider myself fairly healthy, though far from an experienced hiker, and I found the route somewhat strenuous. It only took me about half an hour to reach the peak, though, and it was all worth it to reach this castle entrance:

Walk the winding path…

And reach the top of the tower:

You’ll be rewarded with this view:

You also get panoramic views of the valley below:

Hey! I was just standing there!

The ruins are quite spacious, so you can do a bit of exploring.

Takeda is a beautiful hike at any time of year (I’ve climbed it in midwinter), but it’s most atmospheric on spring and autumn mornings, when the castle summit peaks out of a sea of mist into the warm sunlight. It’s also popular during cherry blossom season.

Takeda Castle
Address: Takeda, Wadayama-cho, Asago-shi, Hyogo 669-5252
Telephone: 079-674-2120 (Wadayama Tourism Center)
Website: http://www.city.asago.hyogo.jp/0000001275.html (Japanese)

How To Get There

Takeda Castle
From Sannomiya: take the Limited Express Hamakaze to Teramae Station (75 minutes). Then, transfer to the Bantan Line and disembark at Takeda Station (39 minutes).

If you need refreshment before embarking on your climb, there are several cafes and restaurants around the station. Also, definitely pay a visit to the helpful staff at the information center.

Crab-lover’s paradise in Kasumi

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Tabi-Boots

Some might not find winter a very welcome season in Japan. Especially on the northern side of the country, it is heralded by a bitter cold and seems to bring life to a halt, driving us all back into the comfort of our kotatsu.

But there are reasons to look forward to the Japanese winter – and even some that will bring us out of our houses!

Not surprisingly, the greatest of these are food-related. One that is especially esteemed in Hyogo is the crab caught off the Sea of Japan coast and brought to the port in Kasumi, in northern Hyogo.

Kasumi is famous nationwide for its crab catch, and a special train from Osaka is even scheduled during the winter months so that you can arrive, stuff yourself with crab, and return home all in a day trip. You’ll even be greeted at the station by this hilarious crab mascot.

Why Kasumi crab? Well, the king crabs caught off the Sea of Japan are especially sweet-tasting and large in size, and are called Matsuba crab to distinguish them from lower-quality crabs from faraway seas.

Kasumi is one of the major crab ports in this part of Japan, which means that if you visit Kasumi, you can eat the very freshest crab available.

The best way to do this is to stay in a minshuku, a traditional Japanese lodging more affordable than a ryokan. If you stay at a minshuku, you’ll be able to enjoy a full-course meal of crab dishes in the comfort of your own room.

And that’s what we did at Marusei, a delightful little minshuku with a low-key environment and a focus on the food.

The meal starts with deliciously sweet and cold crab sashimi.

Then, the delicately soft and fluffy steamed crab.

Western-style flavors make an appearance in this gratin-in-a-crabshell.

The meal concludes with a filling and nutritious crab hotpot.

The balanced Japanese-style breakfast includes grilled fish, sashimi, egg, and a variety of vegetables, as well as a crab-flavored miso soup.

You’ll leave Marusei feeling relaxed and rejuvenated… and very well-fed!

If you’re looking for an unusual experience, it’s worth your while to wake up early in the morning to witness the crab auction. At about 5:30 in the morning, fishing ships return to the port after about three days at sea.

It’s dark as night at the fishing port, but hundreds of boxes of crab on ice have been unloaded. There are even some boxes of live crab – these fetch premium prices.

Once all the crab has been unloaded, the auctioneer from Japan Fisheries Cooperatives arrives and the bidding begins!

This was honestly a completely bewildering event for me. The auctioneer began talking in a sing-song voice and walking slowly down the endless rows of crab. I couldn’t tell what he was saying, and my Japanese companion told me that he couldn’t understand a word either!

As the auctioneer walked, he indicated various rows of crab with a pole. The auctioneer’s assistant was scribbling furiously, but I couldn’t for the life of me tell from the mysterious gestures who had bought the crab or for what price.

Still, though, it was completely fascinating to witness, and we got to see some other exotic sea life on sale as well.

By the time the auction had finished, dawn was barely breaking over the town of Kasumi.

All-in-all, highly recommended. Be sure to call the fisheries cooperative to make sure that a fishing boat will return to port on the day you’re in town. Japan Fisheries Tajima: 0796-36-1331.

Marusei
Hours: Check-in: 3 PM. Check-out: 10 AM.
Address: 31-1 Kasumi Kasumi-ku Kami-cho Mikata-gun, Hyogo 669-6544
Telephone: 0796-36-0028
Fax: 0796-36-2018
Website: http://www.kaniyado-marusei.jp/index.htm (Japanese)

How To Get There

Marusei

From JR Sannomiya Station, take the Limited Express Hamakaze to Kasumi Station (2 hours and 50 minutes). A shuttle bus will pick you up from the station.

Three Hamakaze trains leave per day, and a reserved seat is recommended (available at the green ticket machines or Midori-no-Madoguchi windows at major JR stations).

Buy lunch and drinks to eat on the train while you relax and enjoy the Japanese countryside scenery! This is the best way to travel on the limited express.

Hiking in Hyogo: Tonomine Highlands

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Tabi-Boots

Finally, a return to the Hiking in Hyogo series! Our previous article has enjoyed a lot of popularity, so we thought it was high time for another post on hiking in Japan.

This time I’ll take you to Tonomine Highlands, a location in central Hyogo.

This plateau with gently rolling hills is geographically unusual within Japan. The area itself was formed by the movement of glaciers, but the characteristic rolling hills are man-made, having been scraped down by iron-sand harvesting in the Heian Era.

It is also notable for its fields of Susuki, or “Japanese silver grass”. This grass is now rare, but was widely used for roof-thatching in the old days of Japan.

This silver grass is the highlands’ claim to fame, and visitors flock here every autumn to see it in its full glory.

Tonomine Highlands has four faces corresponding to the four seasons: in winter the plateau is a white expanse of snow, in spring the fields have been burned black, in summer the new buds are blooming a bright green, and in autumn the grass glitters silver and gold.

Tonomine is also worth visiting for its night sky full of stars, as there is absolutely no light interference on the plateau. Various events are held in Tonomine throughout the year, including taiko performances and a moon-viewing party with gigantic bonfire.

This is a great spot for hikers of all skill levels. Families can take a short stroll around the level areas of the plateau, and the energetic can hike for kilometers on mountain trails.

To sum up, this is a rare place for those of us from more wide-open countries to experience what we call “real” nature in Japan, with no buildings or telephone wires in sight – nothing but wilderness as far as the eye can see.

Tonomine Highlands has enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years due to its use as a film location for the adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s world-famous novel Norwegian Wood. Several prominent scenes of the film were shot here, and it also served as a location for NHK’s year-long historical show, the Taiga Drama.

When you go, stop by first at the Tonomine Nature Center, a facility with maps and photos, as well as a restaurant and the ubiquitous omiyage shop. This is a good spot to get some information before you start out, or to relax and eat after your hike.

Tonomine Nature Center
Hours: 9 AM – 5 PM (closed in midwinter due to heavy snow)
Address: 801 Kamikawa, Kamikawa-cho, Kanzaki-gun, Hyogo 679-3103
Telephone: 0790-31-8100
Website: http://www.kamikawa-kankonavi.jp/archives/269/ (Japanese)

How To Get There

Tonomine Highlands
From Himeji, take the Bantan Line to Teramae (40 minutes). From there you’ll need to take a taxi (20 minutes), or you can reserve a direct shuttle bus during the peak season in autumn. Inquiries: Kamikawa Tourism Association 0790-34-1001.

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