Road Trip On Isumi Railway And Kominato Railway - Part 1

Our next two-day trip of enquiry and discovery takes place on the Isumi Line and Kominato Line in Chiba Prefecture. Both railways run across Boso Peninsula and there are 31 stations between Ohara Station and Goi Station. 

The Isumi railway line started operating in 1988, taking over the JR Kihara Line. We start from Isumi Line’s Ohara Station and buy a day pass before taking the 9.15am train to our first stop, Kazusa-Azuma Station. We reach the station in about 10 minutes. We drop by a store to get recommendations and are told about Tentokuji Temple. It was founded more than a thousand years ago. Ten years ago, it became the first temple in the Kanto region to start tree burials, something which was first introduced by a temple in Iwate. For such burials, trees are planted instead of placing tombstones. The cremated remains are wrapped in a bleached cotton cloth and buried in the ground. Families can choose from about 40 different trees to plant on top.

We return to Kazusa-Azuma Station and catch the 11.05am train to Kuniyoshi Station, two stops away. The journey takes 10 minutes. We want to have lunch and a resident we speak to mentions a buckwheat noodle shop called Nagomi-an. We head there, only to find out that it is closed. However, we manage to speak to the owner, who suggests we can check out a pork cutlet restaurant called Tawara. We walk for about 10 minutes before reaching the eatery. We order its speciality dish, pork cutlet with sliced garlic. Local fatty pork and garlic from Aomori Prefecture are used. 

After this, we board the 2.05pm train at Kuniyoshi Station and advance three stops to Otaki Station. We reach after a 15-minute ride. We want to visit Otaki Castle but it is closed. The white castle was the residence of Tadakatsu Honda, a vassal of Ieyasu Tokugawa. It was rebuilt in 1975 and the observation room on the top floor boasts a panoramic view of the town of Otaki.

We head back to Otaki Station and start asking about accommodation. A local tells us about a hot spring inn called Fukusui in Oikawa. It is near Kazusa-Nakano Station, the last station of the Isumi Railway. So we take the 4pm train from Otaki and arrive at Kazusa-Nakano, six stations away, after 20 minutes. A resident we meet offers to drive us to the inn. Its rooms offer a spectacular view of Yoro Valley, one of Chiba Prefecture’s most popular tourist attractions. After relaxing in our room, we soak in the inn’s outdoor black water hot spring bath. Our luxurious dinner at the inn includes pork shabu-shabu and sweetfish. 

The next morning, after a delicious Japanese-style breakfast, we take a bus bound for Otaki Garage from the Oikawa bus stop at 8.50am. It takes about 10 minutes to reach Kazusa-Nakano Station. On the second day, we are travelling on the Kominato Line.

Tips:

1)    Check out Fukusui inn’s black water hot spring 
2)    Otaki Castle and Yoro Valley are two popular attractions in Chiba Prefecture