This week, we embark on an interesting yet profitable adventure. We will travel to inns by bus under package deals. For a reasonable price, these round trip special buses take you to the doorstep of the inns where you can stay overnight, with meals provided. The bus will pick you up at the end of your stay. You will also get to savour delicious cuisines at the inns and enjoy various activities.
The first round trip bus journey takes us to Atagawa, Izu. From Ueno Station, hop onboard the 7.30am Yukemuri bus heading to Atagawa. The round trip, costing 7,800 yen (S$122), includes the bus fare, overnight accommodation at an inn by the sea and two meals. In addition, if a group of four sign up, it costs just 5,800 yen (S$91). The deal is worth it, since the cost of a round trip express train to Atagawa – excluding meals and accommodation - is 9,760 yen (S$153.50). This round trip bus package is so popular – especially among families - that some people make a booking six months in advance. You can enjoy the view of the sea during the four-hour scenic bus ride to the tasteful spa town of Atagawa. The bus makes a stop at two rest stations along the way. It drops you at the Atagawa Seaside Hotel, a resort with southern scenery. Its spacious rooms boast a splendid view of the Pacific Ocean.
For lunch, head to the town. Try some local fish at Yoshikawa, an old sushi shop near Atagawa Station. Run by a father and son, its popular cuisine is fresh local fish sushi. There is also Jizakana nigiri, golden eye bream, amberjack, horse mackerel, kinpo-don and donburi – which costs only 1,500 yen (S$24). After this satisfying lunch, visit a famous sightseeing spot, the Atagawa Banana Wani Park (Tropical & Alligator Garden). Here, you can see alligators close up from different angles. Plus, there are over 30 cute red pandas at the tropical garden. Next, return to the hotel to enjoy a cosy open-air bath. For dinner, guests are served a buffet featuring over 30 kinds of cuisine. Feast on sashimi, tuna, squid, shellfish and the hotel’s speciality – aromatic crab soup, which is made by boiling chunks of crab for half a day.
The next morning, before breakfast, you may wish to walk along the seashore. Enjoy your buffet breakfast while admiring the sea view. Sometimes the hotel organises a morning fair at the first floor entrance. You can get many specialities of Izu such as dried food, mikan and a speciality of the hotel - sweet potatoes which have been boiled in fresh spring water for two hours. The hotel’s check-out time is 9.30am but the bus only arrives at noon to pick you up. Make use of the time to go strawberry picking. You can leave your luggage at the hotel. Ota Farm has a pick-up service and it is a 10-minute ride to the farm. Strawberries grown in this farm’s greenhouses are huge and are grown at a level which does not require visitors to squat down. This makes them easier to pick, something the elderly will appreciate. You will also get to taste some of the soft and juicy strawberries. Make sure you return to the hotel in time to catch the noon bus.
The next trip takes place in Hakone during winter. Start from Tokyo Station, from where you take the Hakone Kowakien non-stop bus. Under the Hakone bus plan offered in winter, the bus fare, plus a night’s stay at an inn, costs 12,500 yen (S$197). If you were to take the Shinkansen, the fare alone costs 9,000 yen (S$142). Board one of three non-stop buses to Hakone Kowakien at the Kajibashi parking lot, which is a five-minute walk from the Yaesu Entrance. The buses leave Tokyo at 10.30am and will arrive at the hotel at noon. During the scenic bus ride, you can even catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji. The bus passes by Yumoto Station, the gateway to Hakone, before arriving at Hakone Hotel Kowakien. The resort, spanning 12,000 tsubos, features 220 rooms. As the check-in time is 2pm, you can leave your luggage at the hotel and visit some interesting spots first. The resort area in Kowakidani, Hakone has many recreation facilities, and hotel guests get a discount if they visit the spa theme park. Next to this is a soba restaurant called Hakone Saryo, Chinzanso. It offers discounts to bus passengers. Its soba is made from Hokkaido buckwheat flour and Hakone’s high-quality water. Tenzaru soba costs 1,900 yen (S$30). You can also have some warm soba in chicken soup.
After lunch, explore the town and take a 15-minute walk to the Chisuji no Taki waterfall. You can also try some spring water, which is surprisingly warm due to the terrestrial heat. Head back to the hotel to check in. The twin room offers a nice view of the mountains and the garden. If you wish, you can upgrade to a deluxe room for 3,000 yen (S$47). After relaxing in your room, go to the open-air bath, and indulge in the dreamy atmosphere of the cosy spa. Dinner is served at a buffet hall and features over 40 kinds of delicacies like sushi, steak and various desserts. Alternatively, you can choose to have a Japanese feast comprising 10 dishes such as sashimi, kozabuta (pork), winter yellowtail, harihari nabe (hot pot), deep fried pond smelt and mixed tempura with seasonal ingredients.
The next morning, you can opt for the buffet or a Japanese-style breakfast. The buffet boasts a huge variety of appetizing dishes, including Hakone's specialty - onsen eggs. The check-out time is 1.30pm. If you have some time to spare before the return bus picks you up, take a bus from the front of the hotel and visit Hakone’s various tourist spots. The hotel will keep your luggage for you while you go sightseeing. One popular site is Lake Ashino. A historical site near the lake is Hakone Sekisho, which used to serve as a checkpoint during the Edo era. During that time, travellers entering and leaving the area had to be inspected. From this site, you can get a superb view of the peaceful Lake Ashino and - if the weather permits - even Mt. Fuji. Head back to the hotel to catch the return bus to Tokyo. The Hakone bus plan is available during winter until the end of February.
The next bus trip takes us to Karuizawa in winter. The bus fare and hotel accommodation, including dinner, cost 13,000 yen (S$203). This plan is available during winter and lasts till the end of March. Take the Hotel Green Plaza Karuizawa’s bus from Shinjuku Center Building in Tokyo. It departs for Karuizawa at 9am. The first thing which catches your eye is the luxurious bus, which is made in Germany. The bus has fewer seats, allowing ample space between the seats. Free slippers are provided, plus you also have a choice of free tea of coffee. The bus even has a toilet for the convenience of passengers, especially children and the elderly. The bus conductor doubles up as a guide and will point out various interesting spots during the journey. The bus arrives at Oku-karuizawa after noon. The Hotel Green Plaza Karuizawa is a huge resort with 450 rooms. If you arrive by bus, the check-in time is 1pm. The rooms are spacious with high ceilings and have beds and tatami. From the room windows, you can get a magnificent view of Mt. Asama. After relaxing in your room, go to the open-air bath. Guests who opt for the bus plan will also get a special aroma oil treatment. For dinner, you can opt for either a buffet comprising over 90 kinds of cuisines; a Japanese feast; or even a half buffet. This buffet includes salad and pasta and one of five main dishes such as sirloin steak, and freshly-made special nigirizushi comprising Sagami Bay ingredients like white fish and chutoro (tuna). Dessert is also included.
The next morning, enjoy a mixed buffet breakfast of Japanese and Western items while admiring the view of the Mt. Asama. The return bus leaves from Karuizawa Station at 3pm so after checking out, you can do some sightseeing. The hotel staff will arrange for the luggage to be loaded on the bus for you. Take the hotel pick-up bus to Karuizawa Station and explore the snow-covered streets of the town, Kyu-karuizawa Ginza. There are many interesting places to see here, such as St Paul's Catholic Church, which was built in 1935. For lunch, you can drop by a French restaurant which serves certain dishes at reasonable prices during winter. Some of the items include grilled Nagano jidoro (local breed chicken) skin; chicken stewed with tomato sauce; cabbage roll stewed with pothos; and other stewed vegetables. Indulge in some retail therapy at a mall near the station. Shops here include Leonard’s, Norm and Richard Ginori. If you’re lucky, you can also pick up some items and local produce at a special price during promotions. Head back to the station and take the return bus which departs at 3pm.
