Many Japanese travel abroad or within the country during the Golden Week period, to take advantage of the several national holidays during this time. Several special events take place during this holiday season, with various tourist spots and places in Japan offering discounts, special privileges and even free treats. So this week, we will explore several sightseeing routes and discover the various perks offered during Golden Week, such as dining privileges, discounted packages at inns and other special activities.
For our first adventure, we travel to Nara from Tokyo through Kyoto. Get off at Nara Station and explore this ancient capital which has 1300 years of history. Visit the Gangoji temple and the Naramachi district, with its nostalgic atmosphere. As you roam the streets, you will see migawarizaru or lucky charms, which used to be popular among people at the end the Nara period. Next, visit a relatively new attraction, Yume-shirube Kaze-shirube. The dining and shopping complex beside Todaiji Temple features 12 nostalgic shops which showcase the traditional culture of Nara. Drop by Kurokawa, a Japanese dessert shop which opened in 1615. It is famous for Yoshino kudzu, a seasonal Western-style dessert made from a Japanese ingredient kudzu. Kudzu is added to mugwort-flavoured crepe paste to make this popular dish. There is also a shop which sells fresh Yamato vegetables, including the seasonal Yamato mana, an ancient vegetable. You can try these delicious Yamato vegetables at a restaurant here. The restaurant serves dishes using fresh vegetables from an exclusive farm. Order the set lunch - yasai-biyori - which includes crunchy boiled Yamato mana, ancient rice and spring cabbage. Dessert is warabimochi, and coffee is free of charge during the Golden Week.
After lunch, head to a spa which offers many perks to guests during Golden Week. Take the Kitetsu Osaka Line to Akameguchi. A hotel pick-up car will take you to an inn which is 10 minutes away. The secret spa, Akame onsen in Mie, is a quiet inn in the mountains, surrounded by natural scenery. After checking out your tasteful Japanese-style room, visit the various waterfalls nearby. Go to Akame 48 Waterfalls, a 4km-route of waterfalls and beautiful ravine views. Visit the famous waterfall, Fudotaki which is 15m high and 7m wide. Other special waterfalls here include Nunobikitaki and Ninaitaki. After this, head back to the inn to enjoy an excellent open-air bath. Local cedar trees have been used to build this bath, which has a high content of radon. For dinner, tuck into a feast of seasonal food, such as moro miso and Japanese beef stewed with soy milk. During Golden Week, you can even enjoy Iga beef toro sushi for free!
The next day, travel by the Kintetsu Osaka Line to a famous ninja village in the castle town of Iga. Alight at Igakanbe Station. During the Iga Ueno Ninja Festa, you can see ninja dolls at the station. In addition, you will notice many people dressed up as ninjas, from children and staff to even some officials! Furthermore, during this ninja-themed festival, if you dress up as a ninja, you can ride on the ninja train for free. Head to a clothing shop in a park nearby where you can change into ninja gear. The shop is full of items related to ninjas. After donning your ninja costume, go to Kayamachi Station, from where you can travel for free onboard the ninja train to Ueno-shi Station, the centre of Iga's tourism. Visit the Ninja Museum of Igaryu, where you can learn the history and art of ninja. Hop aboard the ninja train again and alight at Nishiote Station. Explore the various nostalgic shops in the area. Drop by an old-fashioned tea shop, Murai-bankoen, and enjoy some tea which is served free of charge during Ninja Festa. Plus, if you order makibishi ice cream, you can get a makibishi for free. End your trip on a high note by going to the Iga Ueno Castle, from where you can get a superb view of the whole city.
For our next trip, travel by Shinkansen on the Tokaido Main Line to Numazu of Shizuoka, the gateway to Nishi-Izu. First, get on a bus from Numazu Station and go to Numazu Port. One of the new attractions near the port is a shopping mall, Minato Shinsenkan, which features 13 shops, comprising souvenir shops and restaurants. For lunch, go to a restaurant outside Numazu Port, which serves Hawaiian-style fish dishes. Try the Hawaiian donburi, where fresh horse mackerel is mixed with tomato and onion and seasoned with soy sauce. During Golden Week, you can eat pickled horse mackerel for 800 yen (S$12.22).
After lunch, take a 15-minute high speed boat ride to Toi, Nishi-Izu. There used to be a famous gold mine in Toi. You can try your hand at gold panning, and even take home the fruits of your labour home as a souvenir! During Golden Week, besides getting discounts, you can participate in a lottery, if you can find the Toi Kinzan’s mascot. Next, take a bus to Naka-Izu and get off at Amagi Yugashima, where you can visit the beautiful Joren no Taki waterfall. On the way back from the waterfall, stop at a gelato shop and savour some delicious wasabi-flavoured ice cream. You can choose between the beginner, intermediate and very hot varieties. During Golden Week, you can try two flavours at the same price. Board the bus again and stop by a rest station, where you can buy boar buns, a speciality of the area. These delicious miso-flavoured buns are filled with boar meat and mushrooms. If you buy a boar bun after 3pm, it is 50 yen cheaper, and you can participate in a lottery too. After this, travel from Naka-Izu to Higashi-Izu and get off at Kawatsu, a famous flower town. You can see several carnations in bloom here, owing to the high quality of Shizuoka soil. You can buy some carnations as a souvenir from a direct sales store, which also offers home delivery service. Each flower costs 100 yen ($S1.53), compared to 300 yen (S$4.59) each in the city. Furthermore, if you buy a carnation, clearance flowers are offered free of charge.
From here, head to an inn where you can stay the night. Located in Ito onsen, Hotel Donkoen has 120 years of history. It boasts 120 guest rooms which offer a nice view of the mountains and the sea. The inn’s open-air bath is also cosy and refreshing. After relaxing in the spa, head to the restaurant for a luxurious dinner comprising lobster and other seasonal delicacies of Izu such as spicy soy milk pot with collagen in it. It normally costs 15700 yen (S$240.87) for staying overnight with two meals. However, during Golden Week, the package is 12000 yen (S$184.19). After dinner, explore the area and visit a bowling centre which is run by the hotel. Hotel guests enjoy a 50 yen (S$0.77) discount on each game. During Golden Week, in Shizuoka, if you play three games, you get a chance to participate in a lottery.
The next day, visit a morning market in Ito, from where you can buy seafood, cheap seasonal vegetables and fruits. One interesting activity here is Ito Pranpo, where you will be given stamp cards. Go to the various dessert shops here and collect stamps with your purchases. Once you’ve collected three stamps, you can participate in a lottery. You can buy delicious treats such as yuzu-monaka, dumplings and manju from the shops. At some shops, visitors using Pranpo can also get a 10% discount. After getting three stamps, make your way to the tourist office for a lucky draw. Many vie for the special prize - lodging coupons of Ito onsen. After this unique activity, head to southern Izu Peninsula and get off at Inatori. Take a 15-minute bus ride to a popular sightseeing spot among families, Izu Bio Park. It houses 54 kinds of animals, totalling 510. Hop onboard a safari bus to see ostriches, rhinoceroses, elephants and armadillos, among others. You can even feed some of the animals and touch some of the smaller ones. Next, travel to Shimoda in southern Izu Peninsula and go to Shimoda Ropeway, located near the station. Take the ropeway to the peak of Mt. Nesugata, whose shape resembles a woman sleeping. It takes 3.5 minutes to the peak by ropeway. The view from the peak is scenic and superb. Roam around the area and visit a photo memorial hall, where you can wear a military uniform or dress and get your photograph taken. During Golden Week, if parents and children take their photographs together, it is free for children under the age of 11.
For our next trip, travel for an hour by Keihin Kyuko from Shinakawa to the Misakiguchi terminal. Go around Tokyo Bay and explore its Edo atmosphere. Visit a bustling morning market in Misaki. However do note that it is open on Sundays only. You can buy lots of fresh but cheap fish here. Misaki is famous for tuna, so do try its special tuna cuisine - tuna bukkake donburi. During Golden Week, you can get a discount of 100 yen (S$1.53). Next, head for Kurihama Port and take the Tokyo Bay Ferry, which plies between Kurihama, Miura and Kanaya, Boso. As you cross the Tokyo Bay by boat, look out for dolphins. Alight at Kanaya Port and proceed to the Nokogiriyama Ropeway, which gives you a panoramic view of Mt. Fuji. Go to the peak of Mt. Nokogiri by ropeway, from where you can admire the gorgeous view of Tokyo Bay.
