The day pass is worthwhile since it’s available for travel even on weekends and holidays. The only catch is, the SL train runs only once a day on weekends from Kumagaya, so be prepared to wait or buy another ticket and catch the SL train at another station further out of the city, such as Takekawa Station.

Catch a train ride to Hirose Yachonomori (Hirose wild birds) station to get there. This station with its log cabin structure was built 4 years ago, and is the newest on the Chichibu Line. It serves a new residential area and even though the scenery comprises mainly of homes, there are some hidden surprises, such as an ice-cream factory which sells its delicious treats to walk-in customers.

Gelato Marino has been in business for 20 years and is a supplier of Italian gelato to 5-star hotels in Tokyo. You can pick up your choice of gelato at the door or pre-order directly for collection. The popular picks are fresh fruit and vegetable sorbets, especially the tomato sorbet made with locally grown Kumagaya tomatoes.

Hop back on the train and head for Takekawa Station where you can catch the SL train and discover the Chichibu Region which is marked by lush greenery. The SL Pareo Express trains began running in 1988 for the Saitama Expo. So its 20th anniversary is as good a time as any to take a ride on the popular steam locomotive and take in all the sounds of a nostalgic train journey. The ride to Yorii Station and everywhere else on the line is a trip for families and railway fanatics. And don’t be surprised that you too become a train fan after this journey. At Yorii Station where the train stops for 12 minutes, you can take as many photos as you like and also watch the train and its crew in action.

After Yorii Station, nature spreads itself out and soon the train hugs the Arakawa River with exceptional views from the window. Look out for the view from the 20 meters high Arakawa Bridge. Apart from being the longest bridge along the Chichibu Railway, it also offers a gorgeous view of the river and mountains.

Apart from savouring the view, don’t forget to savour the bento boxes served on board. There is the famous Chichibu miso marinated pork (Misoton) or the SL train lunch box which is popular among children with seaweed shaped like a train. The vote goes to the traditional pork dish from the Chichibu Region which tastes as good as it looks, packed with tender morsels that hide the rice that comes with it.

Chichibu, which is up the Arakawa River, used to be a cement town. Now it’s known for its surrounding nature and traditional culture. Since the Edo era, Chichibu has also been a spiritual centre. Visitors often conduct the Chichibu Pilgrimage visiting 34 temples in the area. If you want to rent or buy to wear clothes for the pilgrimage, make the first stop a trip to the market which is next to the station where local goods are sold. It costs 800 yen per day to rent the clothes which includes a straw hat and cane. There are no strict pilgrimage rules but locals will have a map with a recommended route which visitors can follow by catching a train or bus ride.

So if you catch the train to Kagemori Station and which is the stop for the Daien Temple simply look out for the numbers indicated on the map and follow them to your destination. The Daien Temple, which houses a giant statue of the Goddess of Mercy, stands on a hill with a beautiful but steep pathway to the temple hall.

Apart from offering prayers and admiring the elegant statue which has been standing since 1936 with a sword made from an old wheel from the Chichibu Railway, take in the commanding views. Head for the next closest temple, the Hashidatedo, which sits on an opposite end of the nature spectrum - under a cliff – or take a break.

It’s hard to miss along the way a magnificent, traditional looking house which contrastingly, bears the name ‘Champ de Fieur’. It is a newly-opened restaurant serving French cuisine created by its owner, Chef Ito, who honed his skills at a top restaurant in Tokyo. Since his wife is from Chichibu, they decided to set up shop in the area, serving meals such the restaurant’s signature dish, baked chicken stuffed with pilaf. But it’s best to look out for the chef’s recommended daily special which can include creamed corn soup, salad with saury and smoked duck and a main course of three different types of seafood which show off the chef’s excellent presentation skills, and skills with the skillet. The baked chicken is worth its long cooking time and some who have savoured the slowly roasted chicken have found it worth a few return trips all the way from Tokyo just for a meal. It also helps that the trip to Chichibu is delightful.

Another day trip when the weather is fine and cool, is a visit to Shinshu with its beautiful flower gardens and delicious food.The journey starts at Karuizawa Station, where you catch the Shinano and Ueda Railway.

To catch the Shinano Railway which connects Karuizawa and Nagano city, you first need to travel 40 kilometers to Ueda Station to catch the transfer.  Along the way, greet Mt. Asama. When the train draws in at Tanaka Station, stop off and visit Unnojuku which is home to the Chikuma River, called the mother of all rivers which flows to Niigata Prefecture. In the Edo era Unnojuku flourished as a major stop for travelers on the Hokkoku Road going between Shinshuu and Hokuriku and the area still retains much of its quaint atmosphere in many places, such as its buildings. In fact the history museum is a 200 year old structure that was once an inn and later, a factory where silkworms were reared.

Another gem is the food, or more precisely, Nagano’s famous walnut buckwheat noodles made from Shinshu walnuts which are ground up and mixed with homemade miso paste. The fresh buckwheat noodles have a wonderful texture and flavour which are best savoured at the Soba Kajiya restaurant, where the noodles are cut a thick. Eating it is also an experience since the table will have walnut miso paste as dipping sauce and hot water to boil the noodles for a warm and rich meal. Digest the meal during a ride on the Shinano Railway to the Oya station which is a cute wooden structure.

From the station, take a taxi to the rice fields of Inagura Tanada some 20 minutes away. It may seem crowded but all the ‘people’ are, on closer inspection, scarecrows! The town holds an annual scarecrow festival is to pray for a good harvest with handmade scarecrows created by locals. Even without the scarecrow festival, the visit is worthwhile for the beautiful staggered rice fields. The patchwork of rice fields run all the way to the mountains and are one of Japan’s top 100 tourist sites. Finally, get to Ueda Station and transfer from the Shinano Railway to another local train that runs on the Ueda Railway Bessho Line.

If you’re lucky, during your train ride you’ll get to meet the Stationmaster who is not only handsome but also talented. Stationmaster Shugahara likes to leave travelers with good memories of the Bessho Line and often drops by to sing some songs with train passengers, complete with lyric sheets and music from a harmonica. The Stationmaster who has played the harmonica for 15 years has even had a small recital, on the train, no less. All this, to keep the local train running and to give passengers an unforgettable trip.

Get off at Shimonogo Station and head off to Higashiyama Agricultural Park. Here, you can experience picking Shinshu apples that you can pick and eat, in 30 minutes. The price is 400 yen.
You can, of course, take the apples home with you as well. Along the way, 30,000 magnificent and colorful cosmoses greet you. They bloom in the large garden nearby and are not just for viewing but also for taking home.

Return to the station to catch the Bessho Line where you might met another unusual fellow train rider – an old lady who breeds crickets and carries them in a large on the train so they can relax passengers who hear them sing.

The last station of Bessho Onsen is a retro-looking building. Stop there and be greeted by the stationmaster who is a woman who makes the effort to dress from the Taisho-Showa era which is when the building was created.  Make your way to the Bessho Hot Spring and a historical town nicknamed Shinshu’s Kamakura.

The spring water there is drinkable, but for beautiful skin, visitors must
pour hot water on a three times and pray. There is also a very popular foot bath. The water is quite hot but it feels good once you step in.

After some time rejuvenating, head off to Joyama Gardens with Matsutake mushrooms! Just about 10 minutes from the hot springs is Mt. Matsutake and Joyamaen, where customers can pick and eat fresh Matsutake mushrooms. After walking around the mountains and building up an appetite, tuck into a set meal of Matsutake mushrooms that have been freshly picked. There’s hot pot, whole mushroom grilled and many more. The Matsutake set meal comes with five different dishes and costs (S$ 76) 5,500 yen.