Monday 30th June 2025
We woke up this morning after a good sleep at the Inakadate Roadside Station. Our first stop for this morning is to go to two different Rice Paddy Art in Inakadate. We are a little early in the season as the best viewing time is the end of July. We were greeted at the door by an attendant and told that it won’t be as good as at the end of July and would we still want to go upstairs to view the art. Based on the pictures she showed us it was still worth looking at. We paid our 300Y each and proceeded up the lift. Here we viewed the art of a popular movie series, it features the lead actor in the movie, Hayato Ichihara, along with school lunches unique to Aomori and Iwate Prefectures. At this viewpoint the is also pebble art of Shiko Munakata, an artist. It was very detailed, colourful and still looked very good considering we are a month early. On the stairwell on the way down we were able to view large photos of previous years rice paddy art. They were amazing. Whilst here we met a couple of Hokkaido residents who we enjoyed a reasonable chat with in regards to our previous travel and then our future travel to their home. They were excited for us, I was able to ask about hiking with big brown bears and she said she always wears a bear bell. Her advice if we come across a Siberian bear is to back away very slowly whilst glaring into the eyes of the bear. A total contradiction to what we were told for the Asiatic Black bear. Oh well, we will find out more once we arrive.
Then we go to the 2nd viewing point. This one was viewed from an elaborate building, quite castle-like. Once again the artwork was amazing. The left side depicts two scenes from a movie and the right side depicts a village office modelled after Inakadate Castle and ‘Ichihime’, inspired by ‘Oichi’, the wife of Senton kamon Masatake, the last and fifth lord of Inakadate Castle. We spent more time here examining the detail of the colour and were amazed at how clever it is. They also had a gallery where you could view each years art since its inception. They were all very clever. On heading back down we walked along the road between the art and could see how elongated the head was to ensure the viewing from the top was realistic. It was quite interesting and as a lay person it was good to see what is required to keep the artwork in perspective.
Next stop the Hirosaki Castle where we walked around for a couple of hours, enjoying the beautiful, if not fully manicured grounds, an inspection of the three tier Main Keep and a walk through the Castle’s Botanical Garden. Here a wide variety of flowers, orchids, roses and many others were displayed. Also many or the garden beds were empty awaiting planting for springtime bloom.
Whilst at the castle, Mt Iwaki which is considered to be the Mt Fuji of this area, came to life out of the clouds. To climb or not to climb?
Mt Iwaki . A decision over lunch was made to at least drive up the road with 69 switchbacks to the 8th station and make a decision there whether to go further. Unfortunately the road closes at 5pm, it is already 2.30pm and we have an hour drive to get to the 8th station, plus a 2000Y cost to drive up the switchbacks. The chairlift stops taking people up the mountain to the 9th station at 2.45pm to ensure people are back by the last lift down at 4.20pm. So our choice is to walk all the way from 1247m to 1624m over 1.2km which apparently takes 1.5 hours to reach the summit of Mt Iwaki. We arrive at the 8th station at about 3.30pm but after yesterday’s walk at the ponds (not swamps, I had their name wrong) at bear o’clock and the warnings about the bears by the chair lift attendant today, we decided against the walk this afternoon. We are allowed to stay here at the 8th station overnight in the carpark and have been given access to the inside toilets for the night which is great. The chairlift man was very helpful, took emergency contact phone numbers from us in case he needed to contact someone and gave us the lift company’s phone number in case of emergency for us, as the gate at the bottom of the switchback road is locked at 5pm.
So this afternoon we have a forced rest time, had we known we would have squeezed one more attraction in before we made the drive up here. It has also delayed our departure tomorrow morning for Hokkaido. Hopefully, I don’t regret this decision and also that Mt Iwaki graces us with her presence tomorrow, as tonight before dark she was shrouded in clouds and you could barely see the chairlift at the end of the carpark.

Rice Paddy Art – Inakadate Village – Rice paddy art, or Tanbo Art, is the creation of pictures and letters made by planting different color types of rice. Inakadate Village was the first place to create rice paddy art and currently, there are two locations in the village dedicated for that purpose. It originally began as a way of promoting the local Tsugaru Otome rice brand. It started in 1993 when the staff at the village office came up with the idea that it would be interesting not only to experience rice cultivation, such as rice planting and rice harvesting but also to create pictures with three types of rice of different colors.
In the beginning, they used three different types of rice having three different colors. Today, however, they use 13 types of rice, having 7 different colors (green, purple, yellow, dark-green, white, red and orange, which create a more realistic representation of people, their expressions, their clothes, and other things.
The design changes every year with the art teacher in the village school lending a hand. It is drawn in perspective so that the picture is not distorted when viewed from an observation deck. Once a design has been decided, the varieties of rice to be planted are selected and a blueprint is made. The positions that will serve as marks for planting the seedlings are determined and then marked by stakes following the completed blueprint. Once that is done, the planting of the seedlings begins. Once the rice plants have matured the rice paddy art is completed. What is amazing is that all of this work is done manually by the villagers.
Anyone can participate in the harvest of the rice if they make a reservation in advance. The rice planting event is held every year from early to mid-May and the harvesting of it takes place from early to mid-September. The art is created by multiple generations including seniors and children working together to create art.
“Rice Paddy Artt made by hand is our pride as Inakadate villagers”
Hirosaki Castle – A fine far northern fortress known for major festivals and cherry blossoms.
The castle is widely considered to be one of Japan’s most beautiful castles. Constructed in the Hirayama style, the main tower was built on top of a hill for easier defense and surrounded by defensive walls, moats, and yagura towers. The park surrounding the castle is filled with cherry trees, making spring here a major event. Don’t miss the castle grounds—the moats, gates, and turrets, as well as about 2,600 cherry trees.
One of Japan’s iconic castles – The castle was originally built in 1611 by Nobuhira, lord of the Tsugaru clan. Lord Tsugaru sided with the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the Battle of Odawara that reunited Japan and with Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Sekigahara, which ushered in Japan’s longest samurai government. The Hirosaki Castle “keep” was originally a five-story tower. In 1627, it was struck by lightning and burned down. The current structure was rebuilt in 1811 as a three-story tower.
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival – With around 2,600 cherry trees, petal-filled moats, rowboats for rent, picnic areas, night lighting and thousands of revelers, as well as Hirosaki Castle as the backdrop, it’s easy to see why Hirosaki Park is considered one of Japan’s best cherry blossom spots.”
“Mount Iwaki is a compound volcano located in the southwest portion of the Tsugaru Plain. The mountain has a conical shape with three peaks. Standing 1,625 metres high, it is the highest mountain in the prefecture.
In 1975, it was designated as the 50th national park. Sometime in June or July, a variety of primrose (known as Michinoku or Iwaki) that only grows on Mt. Iwaki comes to full bloom at around the 9th station.
The summit offers a panoramic view stretching as far as Matsumaezaki in Hokkaido. It overlooks the Hakkoda mountains, Gongenzaki and Jusanko of Tsugaru Peninsula, the gentle arc of Shichirinagahama, Ajigasawa and Oodose. Located at the foot of beautiful Mt. Iwaki is “The World’s Longest Cherry Blossom-Lined Road.” There, about 6,500 cherry trees line a 20 km stretch of road and are in full bloom from late April to early May.

Sunday 29th June 2025
Good morning! Well it is my turn to take the reins on today’s activity as David was comatosed last night with exhaustion. I don’t handle this role very well and suffer a little angst on the day. I don’t know why I am so agitated but I worry about failure and it being a dud day, or getting the wrong bus, or one of a million other things. Wish me luck! Due to these anxieties I was awake at 5am, stressing about making the bus as there were only 3 before lunch today, 8.15, 9.15 and 10.15am and we still had an hour to drive to the bus stop. David was also exhausted and it felt like he was on a go slow morning for which we didn’t have time.
We finally got on our way about 7.45am, stopped to buy some lunch and arrived at the Nenokuchi parking lot at about 8.45am in time for the 9.15am bus. An hour later than I had hoped but still ok all the same.
The drive to Nenokuchi was beautiful but today we realised that we have been desensitised to beauty. We have been travelling Japan for almost four weeks and seen so many beautiful places and things that we do not even recognise their beauty on a moment by moment basis. We have started taking it all for granted. So it is time to take stock and smell the roses so to speak.
We are catching the bus to Yakeyama, which came with its own little drama. Once establishing the correct bus stop and helping a Japanese couple get on the right bus hehehe. We boarded the bus for a 30 min trip and used our IC Card for the first time since we got the camper. Unfortunately, David’s didn’t have enough credit for the bus trip, so we typed a message into google translate to show the bus driver so he could pay in cash for the trip. The beauty of modern day living in a foreign country when you have minimal language skills.
Once we alighted at Yakeyama, I thought I had given us a poor start to the day and gone 3 stops too far on the bus, even though the literature I read said to alight at the Oirase Field Museum. With a little help from my buddy (I was on my way to ask a question in the Visitor Centre But DB had worked it out).
We are walking 14 km from Yakeyama via the Oirase Gorge trail back to the car at Nenokuchi. A beautiful walk along the Oirase River through an amazing forest with beautiful trees, flowers and the occasional bird. It was an easy path, albeit a long one which took us about 4.5 hours. It was the first time we had seen any non-Japanese tourists for at least a week or two. A couple of buses from cruise boats around Japan came here for a day trip. Once again we were feeling a little desensitised to the beauty with the many other gorges, forests and lakes we had seen already, we had to remind ourselves that it was beautiful and not just an everyday experience. I would have to say, it wasn’t an extra special highlight but it was still a beautiful walk along a beautiful river.
We arrived back at the car at about 2.30pm a little weary and ready for an ice cream and a rest. We spent the next hour deciding where we were going tonight. I thought straight to our new home after an hour or two drive but I should know better.
We were off to some rice field art via the Tsuta Seven Swamps. I thought it was just a short walk to a viewing spot to look at a marshland but it turned out to be a 3.7 km, 1 hour 25 min walk at just after 4pm (bear o’clock). So with bear bells on, we head for what turned out to be a little underwhelming stroll. Unfortunately, the sun was in the wrong direction for any decent photos. We walked, clapping our hands and jingling along the trail for safety. Back in the car aat 5.30pm and the next 44km spectacular drive took 1 hr 15 mins to Inakadate to our roadside stop for the night. Unfortunately, too late for the rice field art, but we will put that on tomorrow’s agenda.
A quick trip to a little ramen house for a beautiful dinner, way too big but I ate it all as it is an insult to leave it. We enjoyed a chat of sorts with the minimal English of the owner and our minimal Japanese, but as always enjoy a laugh along the way. I was asleep by 8.30 from exhaustion. Awake again at 11.30pm to share my day with you.

Oirase Gorge is a river valley that stretches 14 kilometers from Nenokuchi on Lake Towada to the hot spring village of Yakeyama. Millennia of volcanic activity in this region shaped the area’s inspiring landscape, forming Lake Towada, a large caldera lake. The ever-changing flow of water from the lake, the source of Oirase Stream, winds through the deep, natural woods of the Oirase Gorge. A gentle forested trail runs parallel to the crystal clear Oirase Stream, with opportunities to take photographs and relax in the leafy surroundings. The area can be explored on foot, rental bike or via a bus service along the road parallel to the trail.
A meandering forest stream – The beautiful stream that winds through the forest is Oirase’s standout attraction. The sounds of wild birds and the burbling stream add an extra dimension of enjoyment to the walk. Along the way, enjoy views of waterfalls and rapids. The flow of the stream is particularly impressive at the Samidare-no-Nagare and Ashura-no-Nagare currents, which form attractive rapids.
A cool and refreshing path and tunnel of greenery – You will find many types of trees along Oirase Gorge, including Japanese beech, Japanese oak, katsura, Japanese horse chestnut and other broad-leaved species. The fresh, vivid greenery of spring and the multicolored foliage of autumn are particularly attractive, and ideal for forest bathing. In summer, the path resembles an alluring green tunnel. The various plants and flowers reflect the changing seasons and create a rewarding sensory experience year-round.

The Tsuta nana numa consist of Tsuta-numa, Kagami-numa, Tsuki-numa, Naga-numa, Hyotan-numa, Suga-numa, and Aka-numa, all swamps that were formed by volcanic eruptions.
A promenade connecting the swamps called Numa-meguri no Komichi (about 2.9 km, required time is about 1 hour) has been constructed, and you can walk around the primeval forest of beech trees in the area. The Asian skunk cabbage during the time of new greenery as well as the richly-coloured foliage in autumn are particularly splendid.
*Aka-numa swamp is a little further from the other swamps, at a distance of about 2 km to the northwest.
The swamps are also optimal for birdwatching because they are rich with wild birds. Bird fans should try walking on the Yacho no Komichi (Wild Bird Lane, about 2.1 km).
After your walk, you can go to the Tsuta Onsen hot springs nearby. It’s fine to use the hot springs as a day trip. Enjoy the secret hot spring where the water source gushes below you.

Saturday 28th June 2025
This morning we woke to a beautiful fine day on the spectacular Lake Tazawa in the Akita Prefecture in the car park of Goza no Ishi Shrine. It was an amazing view of the lake with total symmetry reflected in the water. It was so beautiful I didn’t know where to take a photo, so I just took them all. We packed up early and started to drive around the lake, which presented a few more opportunities to click, click, and click some more. We then drove up to Katamaeyama Forest Park to an observatory where we had breakfast. Another spectacular outlook of Lake Tazawa. We had a chat with the worker at the top who has a daughter who lives in Cairns. His wife told me that there are many bears in the National Park here but that they don’t eat man.

We then continued our trip around the lake and headed out for our next adventure of the today. We are hiking from Mt Akita-Komagatake’s 8th Station to the peak and doing the loop trail. Today is meant to be more sun than cloud but unfortunately at 1300m it was all cloud and mist. It was a very slow hike with many, many Japanese on the trail. It was very difficult for David to walk so slow, lucky for me there were lots of alpine flowers to photograph because the view was non-existent. We followed the congo line up the mountain at  a slower than slow pace. The whole walk took 3.5 hours for only 6.6 km with only 345 ascent and descent. We only walked to Amida-ike Pond which came in and out of view in the mist and to the summit of Mt Odake (1623m I think). The flowers were beautiful but there was no view to be seen today which was ashame as you can see down to Lake Tazawa on a clear day. We decided not to climb Mt Onamedake as there would be nothing to see and we had a big drive ahead of us when we finished the hike. So we hot footed it, at a snail’s pace back down to the 8th station and caught the return bus back to the car (1500Y return each). The road up was continuous switch backs on a road only wide enough for one way traffic with a few little laybys for the oncoming buses to wait to allow the other direction bus to pass. We reached the 8th station at about 3.15pm and decided to watch a video of the walk so we could see what we should have seen along the way today. It was disappointing to see the views on the TV but at least we saw them.

So on our way north, we have an 85 km drive which will take 2 hrs 25 mins without stops. It os such slow driving anywhere in Japan. The scenery was spectacular as we drove through forests, rice paddies and passed a volcano. You could smell the sulphur as we drove passed it. After a few stops for an ice cream, dinner and a few groceries, we reached our Michi-no-eki at Oya about 8pm. Another big day out in nature in Japan. We are seeing such a variety of places here and spending time in the environment with the locals. Chatting with them is always fun and they are always amazed how long we are staying and that we are Australian.

Lake Tazawa – A pretty and very deep caldera lake
Located just south of Towada-Hachimantai National Park, Lake Tazawa (田沢湖, Tazawako) is a scenic caldera lake that has not been overly developed and retains a natural and rustic atmosphere. The lake is often visited in conjunction with nearby sites like Mount Akita-Komagatake, which also offer rustic scenes that are typical of the Tohoku Region. Lake Tazawa is Japan’s deepest lake with a depth of 423 metres offering beautiful scenery and water related activities like pleasure boat rides.
At the northern end of the lake stands the Goza no Ishi Shrine on a site where the local lords used to come to admire the water in the feudal past. At the western end of the lake there is a famous golden statue of a woman named Tatsuko that has become a local symbol. According to legend, Tatsuko was a beautiful girl who prayed to retain her beauty forever but was instead cursed and turned into a dragon and eventually sunk to the bottom of Lake Tazawa. The majority of the lake’s waterside remains undeveloped.

Mount Akita-Komagatake (秋田駒ヶ岳) is, at 1637 meters, one of the highest mountains in Akita Prefecture and the second highest mountain in Towada-Hachimantai National Park. It is an active volcano that last erupted in 1970-71. The mountain has multiple peaks and a network of relatively easy trails with attractive views that make for a rewarding few hours of hiking. The main trailhead for hiking Akita-Komagatake is located at the mountain’s 8th Station (about 80% up the mountainside) at an elevation of 1305 metres. Because of the limited capacity of the parking lot there, the access road is closed to private cars and a shuttle bus is in operation.

There are a couple of trails that lead from the 8th Station up the mountain. The most popular is about 2.4 kilometres long and winds around the western side of the mountain to the centrally located Amida-ike Pond, from where different trails lead to the different peaks. It should take under an hour to reach the pond along an easy trail with nice views down into the valley. The highest of Mount Akita-Komagatake’s peaks is Onamedake (男女岳), with an easily accessible round summit 100 metres above Amida Pond to the north. The second highest of the peaks is Odake (男岳) south of the pond. The trail leading there is considerably steeper and rougher, but comes with more rewarding views into the mountain’s main crater and the lightly smoking Medake (女岳) on one side and down onto Lake Tazawa on the other side. Akita-Komagatake is well known for its variety of alpine flowers from June to August. During the winter the mountain is for the most part inaccessible.

Friday 27th June 2025
This morning we changed the program a little. We moved on from our overnight park in the michi-no-eki just south of Nikaho to a carpark for breakfast. David has a walk organised for after breakfast along the Mototaki River to the Mototaki Waterfall. This was a beautiful walk through the forest, with moss covered trees and rocks and the rippling water down the river. It was like a scene from ‘Lord of the Rings’ with the mist  hanging low over the water. It was a beautiful start to the day, bear signs and all.

We then headed on a long day of driving, the weather was quite inclement and wasn’t meant to improve all day, so let’s see how far we get today.

Our next stop was at the Yokote Castle which was originally built by the Onodera clan in the 16th century. This was a pleasant walk to the castle and around its beautiful grounds and lake. We then continued driving for a while and arrived at the Dakigaeri Valley as the rain started falling a bit heavier. It had drizzled on and off all day except when we walked around the castle. We set off on a walk along the Tama River to the lake/pond which was about a 90 min walk but we were foiled by a closed track sign about 10 mins down the trail. Oh well, we missed out on that one. Although we did get to see the small Dakigaeri along the way and to cross a long suspension bridge.. We could have driven 25 mins to the lake and started there but the waterfall was along the closed track section, so we decided to move on.

Our next stop is Lake Tazawa. This is a beautiful serene lake especially at twilight. We are camping at the shrine tonight with bear signs a plenty. I won’t be walking outside in the dark tonight. We managed a little progress today. 173 km but not quite all north, so we still have 328 km and 5 hours travel by tollways to get to Oma ferry terminal. Maybe we will make it by Sunday.

“Mototaki Falls is a waterfall located in an atmospheric mossy ravine of the Mount Chokai Geopark in the Tohoku region of Japan. A waterfall where water gracefully falls from moss-covered rocks. The Mototaki Fukuryusui Underflow features the beautiful contrast between the green moss and white water spray. About five tons of water bursts abundantly from the 30 metre-long rock area each day, keeping the moss vibrant throughout the year with plenty of water. This sightseeing spot makes you feel its refreshing, mysterious beauty when it is enveloped in white fog from the water spray. “

The Allure of the Dakigaeri Valley – Approximately 10 kilometres of forest encompass the Dakigaeri Valley, stretching from Jindai Dam to Dakigaeri Shrine. The area boasts numerous waterfalls cascading into the sometimes turquoise, sometimes green Tamagawa River.
The river valley’s majestic scenery stretching downstream from the dam draws nature lovers from across Japan to revel in its seasonal transformations, from summer’s vivid green foliage to autumn’s rich show of color.
The steep banks of the valley account for its unusual name. In the past the trails were so narrow and steep that if two people met going in opposite directions, in order to pass, they would have to “dakigaeri,” meaning embrace and turn around.

Kami-no-iwahashi, or the “Rock Bridge of the Gods,” was completed in 1926, making it the oldest suspension bridge in Akita Prefecture. Located just past Dakigaeri Shrine at the trailhead of the Dakigaeri Valley hiking trail, the 80-metre-long suspension bridge with striking vermillion balustrades was once part of a forest railway. Now, the bridge serves as the gateway to the lush valley.

The bridge gives a perfect bird’s-eye view of the Dakigaeri Valley. Natural primary forests cover the V-shaped valley and grow thickly across the hills along both sides of the trail, while the blue Tamagawa River wends its way through the valley from the Jindai Dam and Jindai Reservoir located upstream.

Mikaeri-no-taki Waterfall, one of the area’s most famous scenic spots, is a 30-metre cascade over a cliffside of the Dakigaeri Valley. Some say they can see the graceful shape of a woman wearing a kimono in the water against the rocks but I can see her face.

Thursday 26th June 2025
Today was the first morning we found that we had parked somewhere we shouldn’t have last night. Apparently, there was a sign indicating it wasn’t for overnight parking and we could go across the road and pay at the campground, which was the equivalent to a carpark with witches hats nominating the camping spaces. So when I woke up we moved on up the road for breakfast. This little move resulted in an unscheduled visit to the Yahiko Shrine. This was a beautiful property with a shrine a little bit different to others we have seen. Only the entry to prayer which had a sign board showing you how to participate. Which I did. We then walked around the grounds and through a lovely forest, the Yahiko Ropeway that takes you up to Mt Yahiko (634m). We gave this a miss as we were already behind today’s schedule. On the way out we saw a Cycling Velodrome and I had a chat with the attendant there, he managed a little English so we could sort of have a conversation. I also spoke a little Japanese. Then on our way again up the west coast along the winding coastal road. This travels alongside the sea most of the way. As we drove we passed a giant buddha along the way. We were disappointed it was a rainy day as the coastline would have looked spectacular in the sunshine. Oh well, maybe on the way back. We continued the scenic drive along the coast road until about 5pm when we decided to continue for another 90 mins, so we went onto the tollway as it was quicker. Arriving at our home for tonight, it was bigger than we expected but we will deal with it. We enjoyed a nice meal at a chain restaurant, always taking forever to order as deciphering what is on the menu takes a lot longer than making the decision. Once again, we had a robot waitress. The food was lovely. Hopefully, we will be okay with all these trucks here again tonight. We made some good progress, we are only 408km, 5 hrs 48 mins and 4670Y in tolls away from Oma where we hope tocatch the ferry to Hokkaido.

“Yahiko-jinja Shrine – Spectacular and sacred shrine with Shinto at its core
A sacred spot for centuries, Yahiko-jinja Shrine bears great legends of the Shinto religion. Even today, many festivals are held at the shrine and in the town of Yahiko in northern Niigata Prefecture. This shrine standing at the foot of a mountain is popularly and traditionally known as a power spot for love and good fortune.”

Yahiko Velodrome is a velodrome located in Yahiko, Niigata that conducts pari-mutuel Keirin racing – one of Japan’s four authorized “Public Sports” where gambling is permitted.

Wednesday 25th June 2025
Well, we got up early after a peaceful night’s sleep at a big michi-no-eki on the side of the road. We were on our way before 7am. Our activity for the day is a ride on the Kurobe Gorge Trolley Train. First stop is the Unazuki train straton. After arriving and buying tickets (2820Y each) for the outdoor car of the train, we were ready to go with about 10 mins to spare. As always, little things add time to every adventure. They may only be buying lunch, finding a bathroom, finding parking and deciphering if you can stay there, have to pay or its free. We need to allow at least 30 mins to each activity’s arrival time just to make sure we make it. We made today’s first train departure time of 8.17am. Yeehah!

On the train and off we go for the slow, rattling, noisy trip through the Kurobe gorge along the Kurobe River. We went over many rickety bridges and through even more tunnels. Some of these with little archway windows to enjoy the view. At the moment you can only go halfway along the railway due to the damage caused by the big earthquake last year. The gorge was beautiful for your everyday tourist, but unfortunately for us the scenery we see whilst walking sometimes tarnishes the excitement of a normal tourist activity. The gorge was quite beautiful and the highlights for us were, learning that they dismantled all the heavy machinery and brought it on the train to build the dam, therefore reassembling it when they got it there. A mammoth task, so to speak. The major highlight was alighting at Kuronagi Station on the return journey, enjoying a 1.5km hike through the forest on a thin trail with bear and snake signs at the start. These signs slowed our walk as at each turn David would stop, poke his head around the corner to make sure it was safe, and then proceed. David even put his bear bell on his belt as we were the only people to get off the train. The walk was a highlight but the best part was that it led to an open-air onsen which was fed from the hot springs in the river. It was in a beautiful location with the river flowing through the rocks below and the waterfall behind. Unfortunately no photos were allowed. We enjoyed a lovely spa together today, swimsuits allowed, in the most scenic location. The disappointing thing was that after such an amazing relaxing bath we had to get dressed and climb back out of the gorge and then back down to the station. It was only about 70m up and down in elevation on the way there and the way back, but it left us a bit hot and sweaty. We only missed the next train by 10 mins so we enjoyed our packed lunch whilst waiting the 30 mins for the next one. We enjoyed the rest of the train ride back and then walked the Yamabiko Promenade across the bridge to a viewing platform to watch a train come in and then through a tunnel to see the Kurobe Dam. The water was being discharged in a torrent, the volume of water incredible.

After a great morning we headed on our way to try and make some inroads north as David has indicated that was today’s main task. Although we still took the scenic toll-free coastal road where we enjoyed a few stops along the way. First stop was Oyashirazu – The Cliffs of Oyashirazu andf Oyashirazu Community Road to view the spectacular cliffs and enjoy a short walk along the community road. I started this on my own but was a little concerned about bears so headed back. We then followed the roadway which weaved around the cliffs and was spectacular.

Our next stop was the Oyashirazu Pier Park only a little way further down the road. This showcased some of the bridges we travelled on and the ocean. Vendors stalls selling huge crabs. We then drove on a bit further to a michi-no-eki where we enjoyed a little rest, an ice-cream and had it been a bit later than 5pm we would have stayed the night here. It was protected from the noise of the expressway and we would have had a view of the setting sun. David still wants to make more progress. So he drove another 1 hr 20 mins to Yoneyama Service area where we entertained the staff at the food court and enjoyed a lovely meal. We are both trying a more diverse range of food this time. David hates the food photos but I love them.

After dinner David procrastinated for about an hour on whether we would stay here the night as the parking area had many trucks and cars here. Just after 8.30pm we were on our way again, this time via the tollway (oops 1740Y later) we passed through 2 parking areas that were full before arriving at our car park for the night (65km and 1 hr 9 mins driving) for a more restful sleep at Kugami roadside station near Yahiko village.

David was asleep within 5 mins as he was totally exhausted from the big day and night time driving. Sorry for the information overload, just another day that expands as the day goes by on Broady’s Tours.

“The Kurobe Gorge (黒部峡谷, Kurobe Kyōkoku) is a beautiful, forested ravine in the rugged mountains of the Northern Japan Alps. Cut by the Kurobe River, it is one of the deepest gorges in Japan. Its steep cliffs, untouched virgin forests and outdoor hot springs make it a famous destination to see natural scenic beauty.

The main attraction of the gorge is the Kurobe Gorge Railway, a sightseeing train originally built to aid the construction of the Kurobe Dam. Today the small trains operate along a winding, 20 kilometer stretch between Unazuki and Keyakidaira stations. The exciting 80 minute journey leads across more than 20 bridges and through over 40 tunnels, and offers visitors panoramic views of the gorge below. The trains stop at a few stations along the way where visitors can get off and explore. ”

“The Kurobe Dam (黒部ダム) is Japan’s tallest dam at 186 metres. It was constructed over a seven year period and was completed in 1963. Many difficulties were encountered in the process, and over 170 people lost their lives to the project. The dam has since been supporting a hydropower plant in its supply of electricity to the Kansai Region. It is also a major attraction, especially when water gets discharged spectacularly through its gates daily from late June to mid October. Kurobe Dam spans across Kurobe Lake in an arc, at the eastern end of the dam there is a steep, long flight of stairs that leads up the concrete-covered mountain slope for an aerial view of the dam and its surroundings. It takes about 15 minutes to climb to the observation deck at the top.”

“Cliffs of Oyashirazu & Oyashirazu Community Road
‘Tenka no Ken’ – ‘The Most Dangerous Crossing Under Heaven’
The Cliffs of Oyashirazu were once known as the most dangerous crossing of the Hokuriku Road. In ancient times, crossing these cliffs meant taking your life into your own hands while inching between the rocky cliffs and the stormy sea. Over time, these perilous cliffs came to be known as ‘Tenka no Ken‘ which means ‘The Most Dangerous Crossing Under Heaven.’
In the late 19th century, the first modern road was carved along these cliffs. This narrow, winding road was the only way to get around the cliffs for many years, until it was replaced by the current National Route 8. Today, the old road has been made into a scenic walk and renamed the Oyashirazu Community Road.”

Tuesday 24th June 2025
Today we got an earlier start than yesterday. Our first stop was  to be the Toyama Castle  but on the way David saw this amazing bridge with the alps in the background, so he had to go find how to cross it. About an hour later, we were at the base of the bridge with an amazing view of the bridge structure and also a ship (the Kaiwomaru) in the harbour. You never really know where we will end up or how the day will unfold on Broady’s Tours. He then found the way across the bridge and this was quite extraordinary. A great drive and something he just happened upon.

Then it was time to find our way to the original destination which was the Toyama Castle. In his excitement about the bridge he forgot to organise where we would park in the city and it took about 30 mins to find somewhere to park. In the end we managed a spot only 250m from the Castle. We enjoyed a short walk around the Castle and then moved on..

We then headed to the Toyama Glass Art Museum. This was spectacular. The exhibits on Level 2 that we couldn’t photograph were of vases and smaller objects with glass blowing, painting and etching. When viewed from different angles you saw different things. They were amazing. The exhibition by Dale Chihuly was exceptional, the colours, the detail and everything about it was spectacular. I could have sat there for hours just looking at the details. It truly was an extravaganza.

Next stop, an electronics store to buy a bluetooth speaker and possibly a camera. We managed the speaker but after about 30 mins deliberating whether we would or wouldn’t and which one, we finally decided and the one we wanted was out of stock. Oh well, hopefully we don’t see too many animals in the distance we want to photograph. We will have music at night though which we really have missed.

We then decided to move forward via the coastline. This was probably a bad decision as we took almost 2 hours to do a 40 min expressway drive to Kurobe. Although we did get to see the ocean, the alps in the background all day and lots of rice paddies. You also get to see ordinary Japan. Just the locals in their daily life. I love this part of exploring. As always David is doing a great job driving, I don’t know how he keeps going some days. Researching all night, driving and exploring all day. He truly is an amazing tour guide. We may not get very far, but by golly gosh we sure see a lot.

Kaiwomaru also known as the Lady of the Sea was completed on the 14th of February 1930 it was originally used as a training ship for the Merchant Marine School along with a sister ship the Nippon Maru, currently berthed in Yokohama. While in service the Kaiwomaru supported the training of over 11,190 new sailors. Travelling more than 1,060,000 nautical miles a distance roughly equivalent to 50 laps around the globe.
The Kaiwomaru was retired and put on display to the public in this park on the 16th of September 1989. As its launch date was a Valentine’s day Kaiwomaru Park has become one of Toyama prefecture’s most popular dating spots. Leading it to be designated as a `sacred area for lovers’. A wishing bell for a happy marriage has also been installed on board.
The Kaiwomarua (in Japanese ruler of the sea) and the Nihonmaru (Japan`s ship) were both given their names as they were seen as ships worthy to rule the Japan sea. These two majestic ships with their white sails have been compared to two beautiful sisters. About 10 times each year between April and October volunteers unfurl and display all 29 of their sails.

The Shinminato Ohashi Bridge, located in Imizu, Toyama Prefecture, was recently opened in September 2012. The bridge is the largest cable-stayed bridge on the Sea of Japan side, with 72 diagonal cables supporting the bridge girders from the 127-metre-high towers. Including the approach section, Shinminato Ohashi Bridge Is approximately 3,600 metres long and at its height it is 47 metres above sea level. It had a total project cost of 48.5 billion yen (or 350 million US dollars). It is a two-story structure with vehicle access on top and a pedestrian walkway on the underneath. Elevators on both the east and west ends of the bridge can be used to access an open air stroll across the port entrance. On clear days the beautiful contrast of this magnificent bridge, amongst blue sky, the sea of Japan, Tateyama Mountain Range and the Noto Peninsula is breathtaking.

Toyama Castle Park (富山城址公園, Toyama Jōshi Kōen) covers the former grounds of Toyama Castle in central Toyama. The park contains a reconstructed castle keep, an art museum, a nice Japanese garden, spacious lawns and a statue of the former local lord. It is a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing usually around early to mid April.

Toyama Glass Art Museum was built in TOYAMA KIRARI, a composite facility, which is also occupied by the Toyama City Public Library Main Building. It showcases a large collection of contemporary glass art and sculptures from around the world, plus a permanent exhibition of Dale Chihuly’s works.

Monday 23rd June 2025
Well, I finally hit a brick wall last night. I was unable to keep my eyes open to cull photos, write my diary or even stay awake. I went to sleep 100 times not culling photos. So I turned the light out and went to sleep at 10pm. I slept pretty solid until 7.30am. A record for me. Unfortunately I woke with an extremely bad headache so I was very slow to get started. David was happy for me to have a rest morning, so I just rested, did some photo work and got rid of some more rubbish. Yeehah! David found our 2nd bin in two weeks. So I got rid of all our current rubbish. I have even got to the stage of buying my lunch based on the packaging, it is that difficult to find a bin.

So at about 11.30am we headed across the road to the Mitsui Outlet Park, a huge complex with very few customers. It had much the same stores as in Australia with a few local ones as well. We walked around, looked in some stores, bought a couple of things, had some lunch and were on our way again at about 2.30pm. A bit lat for the rest of the items on the tour guide’s list. Oops! We took a short detour to try to buy a camera but were unsuccessful in that effort.

We then headed on the tour loop. First stop was the Tonami Tulip Garden. You can see a glass tower lined with colourful blooms, as well as exhibits on tulip cultivation. It had some of the most beautiful coloured tulips I have ever seen and we learnt a little bit about tulips.

Next stop was Takoaoka Otogi-no -mori Park. Models of characters from the “Doraemon” comic and cartoon in a park with a viewing deck and flowerbeds. It was a lovely childrens playground and would be beautiful in cherry blossom season would be amazing. We walked around the park for some exercise and then moved on.

Then on to the Takaoka Great Buddha. This statue is made of bronze and stands over 15 metres tall, weighing an incredible 65 tons. It is known for its intricate details, exceptional craftsmanship, and remarkable preservation, making it a true masterpiece of Japanese art. It is also noteworthy that the famous poet Akiko Yosano visited Takaoka Daibutsu and referred to it as the ‘Handsome Buddha’. It was quite amazing, and lucky for us it didn’t have a closing time.

We then enjoyed a walk around the beautiful Takaoka Old Castle Park. The garden with a zoo  17th-century castle ruins, renowned for spring cherry blossoms and fall leaves. We didn’t make it to the zoo as we were runnig short of daylight.

By now it is about 6.30pm and it is time to drive to our michi no eki for tonight. David has chosen one by the ocean. Unfortunately for my expert planner, my slow start left half the itinerary unfinished. Hopefully we can see some more tomorrow.

Sunday 22nd June 2025

Today we headed in to the little village of Shirakawa.

Unfortunately, yet again, they have had enough of tourists. You can no longer drive through the town, you must park in the parking lot for 1,000Y (which is ok) and help employ no less than 10 traffic directors. Which I am sure is good for the people here. Then catch a free shuttle down to the village.

It was a beautiful little town with sharp pitched, thatched roofs to facilitate the huge falls of snow in the winter. The houses creaate an amazing scene especially in the winter time. we spent a couple of hours walking around the village. It was very cool.

About 1pm we left and started the drive to Oyabe, a ashort distance north. We didn’t get here until 4.30pn and the showers close at 5pm, so it was a quick trip for a shower, followed by some groceries, some washing and then dinner. This all takes so much longer in Jaqpan. We are still totally exhgaustedso we are on the go slow program at the moment.

The Gassho Style Houses of Shirakawa-go
Gassho style houses are residences built from wooden beams that support their characteric, steeply sloped, thatched roofs, that meet at a high peak, and are said to resemble hands meeting in prayer. They are a large form of the architectural style of thatched gabled roofs known as “sasu” structure.
While similar buildings are seen in other provinces, in Shirakawa-go this style of building known as “gabled gassho style”, with its triangular shaped eaves resembling an open book propped up on its covers, is ideally adapted to the natural conditions in Shirakawa-go, characterised by great weights of snow deposited during heavy snowfalls. One of Shirakawa-go’s key climate features is that its snowfall is some of Japan’s heaviest. Snow falls from December to March, depositing around 2 to 3 m over the area (record snowfall of 4.5 m).
Addtionally, the structures face to the north and south, taking Shirakawa-go’s predominent wind direction into account and minimizing wind resistance, while controlling the amount of sunlight hitting the roof, to provide cool summers and warmer winters.
One of the ways in which gassho style houses differ from other traditional Japanese houses is that the attics are employed as work spaces. From the Edo to the early-Showa era, sericulture (silk production) was the foundation industry supporting the people of the village. The large attic spaces under the eaves were usually divided into 2 to 4 layers and put to effective use in the rearing of silkworm.
Another characteristic feature is the design of the sasu-kozo style thatched, gabled, roofs. The roofs of Japan’s tradition thatched roofed house often employ a gambrel or hipped roof design (supported an internal wooden frame), but the gassho style design features gabled roofs with long, individual, beams defining and supporting roofline. This creates a large space through which light and the breeze can travel, producing ideal environment for the breeding of sillk-worms. You can feel the beauty of gassho style in the function of life guiding the form of the living space.”

Saturday 21st June 2025
We started out well this morning but it took us a bit to get organised. We have slowed down a little and when we finally drove in to Takayama for a Broady City Walk, parking was an issue. The first one was a “Free Park and Ride” parking station, the 2nd one was only for park users , the 4rd was a sportsground park, also for users, so we finally drove back to where we started and paid for parking (700Y for 24hrs) which is ok.

Our first sight was the Shinto Shrine – A small shrine near Nakabashi Bridge and a monument Hida Takumi Kanjiwa (He is said to be one of the  master carvers of Hida). The shrine is a few metres away from Takayama jinya and the Sanmachi Suji or the Takayama Old Town.

We then crossed the Nakabashi bridge, a vivid red landmark that spans the Miyagawa River and is known for its striking appearance and deep cultural roots.

We then walked through the Sanmachi Suji – quaint, Edo-period streets lined with traditional merchant houses, restaurants, shops and breweries.

Next we walked down the street of the Miyagawa Morning Markets -this is held near the river with stalls selling vegetables, fruits and other local farm products. Unfortunately, the time it took to find parking meant that the morning markets were closed before we got there.

We kept walking the streets of Takayama and walked passed two Traditional Houses but did not go in them today. Then we went through the big Torii gate of the Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine – which is a Circa-5th-century shrine in a serene, wooded locale, known for its festivals and colourful floats. We also saw the “Traditional Floats Museum” but didn’t go in to this today. 

We then headed in the general direction of the car and happened upon the Eihō-ji Temple with its amazing copper roof and the Takayama Betsuin Shorenji Temple – a splendid Jodo Shinshuu Otani sect temple. It has a large main gate in the front of a wide road approaching a temple. It was originally in Shirakawago Nakano, but moved to Takayama. These were both amazing temples as we continued along our way. We also passed some little statues on the Kaji-bashi Bridge  which refer to the Ashinaga-Tenaga statues, also known as “long arms and long legs” statues. They depict a mythical pair who work together to fish, symbolising teamwork and the idea that everyone has unique strengths. We finally arrived back at the car 4 hours after our tour commenced.

We thought we had seen all there was to see as we were on the road again, David noticed this enormous building in the distance. My tour guide doesn’t know why it didn’t come up in his research last night but the Sukyo Mahikari, World Headquarters looked amazing in the pictures online. Oh well, maybe if we come back to Takayama again, we will see it then.

We took the scenic route from Takayama towards Shirakawa avoiding the tolls and increasing our travel time from 50 mins to 1.5 hrs but it was more about the scenic drive than saving the money this time. We enjoyed a lovely drive beside the Shō River and Miboro Lake which were picturesque to say the least. It had the most incredible dam wall and cherry tree park called Miboro Dam Side Park. There was a couple of very old cherry trees as well as another fantastic view. wee then continued along to the Old Toyama Family Residence which has one of the thatched, very angled roofs which the village in this area is famous for. We had hoped to make it to this village in Shirakawa. Across the road from the Residence was an amazing little shrine. It had a lovely torii gate and then this incredibly steep, long staircase to the little shrine. I was huffing and puffing by the time I got to the top.

By the time this was all done, we were exhausted, it was after 5pm and we were not going to get to our destination. We found a michi no eki just a little biot further along the road with a lovely view, a restaurant and an onsen. First stop dinner then a bath. Yeehah! We enjoyed a lovely dinner, David had a standard ramen and a cheese croquette, and I had something new – a Kakiage Udon is a dish consisting of thick udon noodles in a hot broth topped with kakiage, a type of tempura made with a mixture of various chopped vegetables and seafood. It was very nice.

Then on to the Onsen. Boy am I looking forward to a good old soak. It has been a few days since we have had a reall shower. First things first, I have to overcome the nudity and ignorance of what goes on. A learning curve so to speak. We did go in one onsen last time but there was no-one in the womens so it didn’t matter what I did. Anyway, I copied some women already in there, showered on the stool in the open shower, then wrapped my head in a towel to prevent my hair going in the water. I enjoyed each of the four spas. A hot one, a massage jet one, and extra hot one and then the open air one. The best two were the massage jet one and the open air one. The open air just because I could get some fresh air whilst in the very hot bath. It was a great experience and I am looking forward to the next one.

A very full day and we are ready for a rest yet again. Not sure where we are headed tomorrow but I think we should hopefully make the west coast for a swim over the next couple of days.

Takayama – Preserves one of Japan’s nicest old towns.
Takayama (高山) is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. To differentiate it from other places named Takayama, the city is also commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama. Takayama retains a traditional touch like few other Japanese cities, especially in its beautifully preserved old town. It ranks as a prime candidate among travelers wishing to add a rural element into their itineraries.
Takayama gained importance as a source of high-quality timber and highly skilled carpenters during the feudal ages. For these important resources, the city was put under direct control of the shogun and enjoyed quite a bit of prosperity considering its remote mountain location. The Takayama Festival, held in spring and autumn, is considered one of Japan’s best festivals.