This year, I couldn’t go back home to Romania for the winter holidays, and as I had a 12-day long holiday from work, I decided to make a winter trip to the Tohoku region of Japan. I used the JR East Welcome Rail Pass 2020, launched in autumn 2020, to promote tourism to this area and available for foreign tourists and foreigners living in Japan for a limited period.
*Keep in mind that Japan is currently closed to foreign tourists, so it is better not to plan a trip to Japan at the moment. According to the latest information, they might open in April 2021, but as things change every moment, make sure to check the latest news before arranging anything.
This pass is such a good deal, 12,000 yen for unlimited 3-day travel on all shinkansen trains and JR local trains in the region. For comparison, when I went to Yamagata at the beginning of 2020, I paid 23,000 yen for the roundtrip shinkansen tickets, and there was only one stop. This time, I traveled to many locations and had so many train stops, all within 12,000 yen. I first used the pass in November for an autumn trip, and this time for a winter trip. I was hoping to have one more winter trip with it before it expires on February 26, 2021, but we’ll see because the coronavirus situation in Japan does not look too good at the moment…
2020 for me in terms of Japan travel was pretty much about discovering Tohoku; I started the year with a trip to the most magical onsen town in Yamagata Prefecture. In November, I got the chance to visit Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures. On this trip, I went to Iwate and Akita prefectures, having only one prefecture left in this region: Aomori (I have been to the train station but didn’t explore anything around, so I guess it doesn’t count…). Three days is not enough to explore all the prefectures in this region, and one option would be to buy two passes and do it in six days.
One thing I can say from the beginning, Tohoku is underrated. There are so many beautiful places to discover here every season. The food is amazingly delicious, people are so friendly, friendlier than other regions of Japan, if I may say. My favorite season to explore Tohoku has to be winter because I love snow, and in this region, there is plenty of it, especially this year, there is a lot of snow in Japan. And with this final trip of 2020, I am only 17 prefectures away from my goal to visit all of the 47 prefectures in Japan! Akita Prefecture is now my 30th prefecture visited in Japan.
The initial plan for this trip looked a bit different, and I had some places I wanted to see in Aomori (Hirosaki Castle, Hotokegaura) as well, but depending on accommodation reservations, here is how the final plan looked like:
Day 1 Tokyo Station ➝ Ichinoseki Station ➝ Geibikei (Iwate Prefecture) ➝ Ichinoseki Station ➝ Morioka Station ➝ Tazawako Station ➝ Tsuru no Yu Onsen
Day 2 Tsuru no Yu Onsen ➝ Tae no Yu Onsen
Day 3 Tae no Yu Onsen ➝ Tazawako Station ➝ Morioka Station ➝ Shin-Aomori Station
We went somewhere special from Shin-Aomori station, but more about that in a future blog post!
How to get there?
As I said, I used the JR East Welcome Rail Pass 2020, more info about it here; it is available only until February 26, 2021. I wish they would extend this period because I would have liked to visit Tohoku during the sakura season. You can purchase the pass by presenting your passport at one of the sales points here; I got mine from Shinjuku (although Google Maps says it is open until 6 PM, the schedule showed on their website is the correct one, and it closes at 4:30 PM).
When buying the pass, you have to tell them the dates when you want to use it, and you can also reserve seats on the trains you will take if you already researched your route in advance. Many shinkansen in Tohoku require a seat reservation, and with this pass, you can make a seat reservation at no extra cost from the sales points or ticket machines. I used Google Maps and this website (in Japanese) to research the routes and times I needed to get to the places I wanted to visit. Researching everything did take a bit of time, considering that some areas in Tohoku are quite hard to reach, and many trains have to be changed, or train + bus/car.
Accommodation
We spent the first night, Christmas Eve’s night, at this traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) with a rustic atmosphere, maintained since old times, with a history of over 300 years (some rooms dating back to the Edo Period, 1603-1867).
When foreign tourists were here, I’ve heard that sometimes you needed to make a reservation up to 6 months in advance to make sure you can book a room. There are not many rooms at this ryokan and reservations can be made only by phone. All the information is also written in English on their website, so check it out here if you want to pay a visit. I was fortunate to reserve a room during one of the busiest times, Christmas time; I think it is thanks to someone who canceled just before me. I booked a simple room, but there is also the option of having a room with an irori (sunken fireplace), and they will cook your dinner there, in front of you, on the irori. I would have wanted to experience this, but unfortunately, all the rooms of this type were booked out at my reservation time.
Since it is a very old building, I’ve heard the rooms will be shabby, and it will be cold, but it was not like that at all! There is an extra 1,100 yen fee for heating, but the room will be super warm. The room was simple but had everything needed; you get the essentials, such as towels, yukata pajamas, toothbrushes, etc. The only disadvantage was that the room was not equipped with a bathroom facility, and it was shared, but I am not sure if all rooms are like that. However, that is a usual characteristic for minshuku (pension) stays. I loved the traditional atmosphere and the modern details, such as a little Christmas tree made of origami decorating our table and receiving a Christmas cake as dessert for dinner. Also, the omotenashi (hospitality) of the staff there, trying their best to make you feel at home and answer all the requests you might have.
At this type of accommodation in Japan, dinner and breakfast are usually included in the price, and you can expect a feast for dinner. At Tsuru no Yu, they served Akita and Tsuru no Yu specialties such as Yamanoimo (mountain yam) Nabe, grilled Iwana (char/trout), mountain vegetables, and pickled vegetables. Drinks are not included, but you can order a local beer or a bottle of local Japanese sake! We got a lovely Christmas cake and mikan for dessert. Dinner was served in the room, but breakfast in the large restaurant on the first floor.
But the main reason to stay at this ryokan is the onsen (of course!). It is the main outdoor bath that makes this place famous. Although it can be visited during certain times on a day trip, by staying the night there, it can be visited at any time as it is open 24 hours and it can be enjoyed with no one else around if you are lucky! The main outdoor bath is a konyoku type of bath, which means a mixed bath, and no, it cannot be entered with swimsuits or towels or anything. Luckily they made it easier for women to enter by having a tunnel that goes into the bath so that women can enter from the water (like crocodiles, haha). Changing rooms are separated by gender, and there is also a small bath inside. Besides the main outdoor bath, there are also a few other baths separated by gender and two private baths inside the ryokan that can be visited if they are empty (there is a sign on the door stating if it is empty or not).
Tsuru no Yu is the onsen I wanted to visit most in Akita Prefecture; it is a unique onsen mainly because of its milky white water found only at a few other onsens in Japan. Tsuru no Yu means “hot spring of cranes” in Japanese, and apparently, it got this name from a legend of an injured crane who was seen bathing in here. During the Edo era, it was a Honjin, which refers to a lodging officially designated for daimyos or high-ranking officials of the shogunate. It was not a place where commoners would stay. Nowadays, I am happy that a commoner like me can stay there, haha.
On the second night, since we were in Nyuto Onsen village, we stayed at Tae no Yu. At first, we couldn’t find any empty rooms at the famous Tsuru no Yu, so we only reserved Tae no Yu, hoping to go on a day trip to Tsuru no Yu. It was the first time for me to stay at a ryokan two nights in a row; it felt extraordinary and zeitaku (indulgence, extravagance) but only because it was Christmas time. Prices to stay at a ryokan were also discounted thanks to the Japanese government’s GoTo travel campaign!
Tae no Yu was established in 1952, during the Showa Period, and in 1967 it was designated as a National Health Hot Spring. It is especially popular among women, and its onsen waters are said to be effective against skin diseases, hardening of the arteries, digestive diseases. Since entering this ryokan, everything felt luxurious and modern, and there is an interesting mix between traditional Japanese details and decorations and European baroque-style details. However, the room was simple, Japanese-style, and shared bathroom. Both dinner and breakfast were served at the restaurant on the first floor of the ryokan. The presentation of the dishes was also luxurious, and everything was delicious! I loved their local wine with ice as well, so good!
As for onsen, at Tae no Yu, they have two types: gold and silver and many different baths, 7 in total including a konyoku (mixed bath) made available only for women from 5 PM to 6 PM (times may differ). What is special about the outdoor baths here is the nice view over the gorgeous nearby waterfall. There is also a private bath reserved at check-in time for one use during your stay. I chose to go there during sunrise, and it was wonderful.
What to see & do?
Nyuto Onsen (Tsuru no Yu, Tae no Yu) 乳頭温泉（鶴の湯、妙乃湯）
Tsuru no Yu onsen is the oldest and most popular onsen in the onsen village of Nyuto Onsen, a collection of seven such accommodations (ryokans) with an onsen each. Tsuru no Yu, Tae no Yu, Ganba, Ogama, Magoroku, Kuroyu, and Kyukamura. The onsen baths are available both for staying guests and day-trippers. A Yumeguricho pass will allow you to bathe at all the seven baths for only 1,800 yen. You can also collect a stamp from each 秘湯 hitou (secret hot spring) as they are known, and if you have visited all, you can get a free night at one ryokan there, which is such a fun way to explore and be rewarded for it too!
The hot springs at Nyuto Onsen contain calcium, magnesium, and sulfur in their waters. These minerals are said to help skin problems and aid digestion.
Geibikei (Geibi Gorge) 猊鼻渓
Besides soaking in an onsen and visiting these lovely old onsen towns, on the first day, we visited Geibi Gorge, in Iwate Prefecture. The spectacular gorge that makes you feel small compared to the greatness of nature can only be visited by taking a 90-minute ride on a flat-bottomed boat, navigated by a boatman with a pole. There will also be a guide explaining (in Japanese) about the history of the place, making jokes, and singing traditional songs for you!
In winter, the boats will have a huge kotatsu inside and will be covered to cope with Tohoku’s cold winters. The boat will make a stop at the headwaters, and you can try your luck throwing luck stones in the eye of the dragon. I tried four times but with no luck, unfortunately … I wished to see Geibikei in winter, but it is gorgeous in autumn for the autumn foliage, and in spring, it is famous for wisteria. If I have the chance, I hope to visit again during another season. Geibikei is also listed as one of the 100 Landscapes of Japan.
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Stay safe, and see you again soon!
