Local Bus Trip In Chiba Prefecture - Part 1

Join us for another two-day bus transfer race - the “turf war” edition - in Chiba, Boso Peninsula. Team Tagawa and Team Kawai will race from Matsudo City to Iioka Lighthouse in Asahi City, which is about 100km away. Along the way, both teams will try to “stake” as much territory as possible, earning points for each territory they gain. There are 53 tourist spots they can stake as their territory. They can do so by visiting famous spots or trying specialities that are determined according to the municipality. These are listed in a guide which the teams can check once they have reached that area. So the teams have to transfer buses and visit as many municipalities as possible, while enjoying regional foods and special products unique to those places. The teams are also given 10,000 yen each to take taxis when necessary. The team which reaches the goal first by 6pm on the second day and has gained more territories wins the race. 

Both teams start from Matsudo Station. Team Tagawa wins the “rock, paper, scissors” game and gets to pick which city to go to first. They decide to head to Ichikawa. They go to the bus terminal to get information and are told there is an Ichikawa Station-bound bus at 8.20am. 

Team Kawai chooses to go towards Kashiwa City. They find out there is no direct bus to Kashiwa City and they must transfer buses at Minami-Nagareyama Station. From Kashiwa, they can head to Abiko. The bus to Minami-Nagareyama will leave Matsudo Station at 9am.

Team Tagawa reaches Ichikawa City and to “capture” the territory, they must try the cake made by a top-notch pastry chef at Montpellier. It is located near the South Exit of Ichikawa Station. 

Team Kawai boards their first bus and leaves Matsudo City at 9am. They enter Nagareyama City, where they must take a photo of Ryutetsu Nagareyama Line trains at Nagareyama Station. They head to Minami-Nagareyama Station, from where they must transfer buses to get to Nagareyama Station. 

Team Tagawa visits the famous Montpellier cake shop, which has been in business for 50 years. After this, Ichikawa City is now Team Tagawa's territory and they have scored their first point. 

Team Kawai arrives at Minami-Nagareyama Station and hears the news about Team Tagawa staking their first territory. It is now 9.30am and the bus to Nagareyama Station leaves at 9.55am. They decide to walk as the station is only 2km away from Minami-Nagareyama Station. 

Team Tagawa is at Ichikawa Station and they are trying to look for buses heading east. They are told to take a bus to the Medical Centre Entrance, which is near the border of two municipalities, Kamagaya City and Funabashi City. It is now 9.40am and the bus leaves in half an hour. 

Team Kawai reaches Nagareyama Station and takes photos of Ryutetsu Nagareyama Line trains. This train line was established during the Taisho period to transport local speciality products such as mirin. The retro trains are loved by railway enthusiasts. Nagareyama City is now Team Kawai's territory so both teams now have gained one territory each. Team Kawai then takes the 10.05am bus from Nagareyama City to Kashiwa City.

Team Tagawa is still at Ichikawa Station when they learn about the opponent team clinching their first territory. Team Tagawa takes the 10.10am bus to the medical centre, from where they can catch a bus going through Kamagaya City and Funabashi City. They speak to the bus driver, who suggests they take a bus to Nishi-Funabashi Station from the medical centre. They arrive at the Medical Centre Entrance bus stop at around 11am and then board the 11.10am bus bound for Nishi-Funabashi Station. They alight at a bus stop called Nakazawamichi. While waiting for the next bus, they check the guide and find out that in Funabashi, they must try the “Machi-gacha” game at a speciality store called Hirose Chokusendo to win a key chain designed after famous spots. It is located near Funabashi Station. After getting this information, they take the 11.40am bus to Kamagaya-Daibutsu Station. 

Team Kawai is on their way to Kashiwa City. At Kashiwa, they need to try the Shonan vegetable burger at the Chiyanogo Cafe at the Michi no Eki Shonan roadside station. It is near Abiko City and is about 10km away. They then board the 11am bus bound for Kashiwanoha Campus from Edogawadai Station. They reach at 11.25am and the Kashiwa Station-bound bus is at 11.50am. While waiting, they ask about getting to Michi no Eki Shonan from Kashiwa Station and are advised to take a bus bound for Onotsukadai and alight at the Okido bus top. They then can walk to the roadside station. 

Team Tagawa arrives at Kamagaya-Daibutsu Station. Since the city border of Shiroi is not too far from the station, they decide to check the timetable for the Shiroi City-bound bus in advance. It leaves at 1.10pm. So the team checks out the famous Kamagaya Great Buddha first. Built in 1776, it is 1.8m tall. After taking a photo of the statue, they claim Kamagaya City as their second territory. The team is now leading by one point.

Team Kawai takes the bus at 11.50am from Kashiwanoha Campus to Kashiwa Station. They reach after 25 minutes and then take the 12.40pm bus going towards Michi no Eki Shonan. They are then told that the other team has clinched Kamagaya. 

Team Tagawa, meanwhile, now plans to “conquer” Shiroi City. They take the 1.10pm bus bound for Shiroi City from Kamagaya. Once they reach the city, they check the guide and find out about a giant dorayaki called Odora, with a diameter of 20cm, at a shop called Satsumaya. They make enquiries and are told to take a bus and alight at Shiroi Hoikuen.

In the meantime, Team Kawai arrives at the roadside station. They order the Shonan vegetable burger, which has large pieces of locally produced turnips. Kashiwa City is one of the country's top producers of tender and sweet turnips. After trying this speciality, they claim Kashiwa City as their territory. Both teams are now even, with two points each. 

Team Tagawa is told the opponent team has taken Kashiwa City. Team Tagawa rides on the 1.40pm bus to a bus stop near Satsumaya in Shiroi City. They finally reach the Japanese confectionery shop which was founded in 1868. Its dorayaki is about seven times larger than normal ones and weighs 700g. After trying it, Team Tagawa successfully stakes Shiroi City as their territory and is now in the lead, with three points. 

Team Kawai hears the news about the other team capturing Shiroi City while they are walking to Abiko City. They reach Abiko, where they must take photos with three types of birds - Eurasian coot, Okinawa rail and diatryma - at the famous Museum of Birds. About 400 stuffed birds from all over the world are displayed here. After taking the pictures, Team Kawai declares Abiko City its territory. 

Team Kawai realises there are currently no buses to their next destination, Inzai City. They have no choice but to take a taxi. According to the guide, a speciality of the city is Kioroshi Senbei from Kawamura Shoten. The team alights at Kioroshi Station and the taxi fare comes up to 6,000 yen. They walk to Kawamura Shoten, which has been in business for more than 90 years. It is known for its handmade rice crackers. After tasting the Kioroshi Senbei, the team claims Inzai City as their territory. They are now in the lead, with four points. They next want to head to Narita City via Sakae Town. They are told to take a bus from Kioroshi Station to Koyabashi Station and then transfer buses to go to Sakae Town. It is currently 4.15pm and the bus bound for Koyabashi is at 5pm. 

Team Tagawa is told about the other team getting the cities of Abiko and Inzai. Team Tagawa travels from Kamagaya Daibutsu Station to Funabashi Station and then heads to Hirose Chokusendo, where Machi-gacha is located. Team Tagawa reaches Hirose Chokusendo, a Japanese confectionery store with a history of more than 300 years. The Machi-gacha is placed in front of the store. In it, there are key chains designed by illustrators who have ties to Funabashi City. The key chains were designed after the city’s famous landmarks and specialities. After completing the task, Funabashi City is now Team Tagawa’s territory. Both teams have four points each.

Tips:

1)    Railway fans should check out the retro trains of Ryutetsu Nagareyama Line
2)    Kashiwa City is known for its tender and sweet turnips