Brompton Anywhere to Go: January 2017

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Amazing Places

Have you ever been to Japan, a mystic but modern country with its long history and unique culture. Thanks to its perfect public transportation network, you can go to any place where you are interested in with your Brompton.

I would like my dear Bromptoneers to visit those amazing places when you have a chance to visit Japan with your Brompton. I selected 10 wonderful destinations to go. Click the title or photo in order to go to the article.

1. Kamuiwakka Hot Waterfall (Shiretoko peninsular, Hokkaido)

Kamuiwakka Hot Waterfall is a hot spring river coming out from Iwo Mountain located in the mid of Shiretoko Peninslar. Shiretoko is UNESCO's World Heritage site because of its rich and beautiful nature. Meet a wild bear and fox there! (but please be careful.)

2. Kamikochi - You can watch the Best Autumn Tints Ever (Nagano)

Karasawa is getting to be known as a place of wonderful autumn tints of blazing yellow and red backdropped by high mountains with their ridges and moraine. Please enlarge the above photo!

3. Shimanami, a heavenly road over the sea (Ehime and Hiroshima)

If you want to go to the best road for cycling, I recommend you to go to SHIMANAMI KAIDO. The road has a cycling lane all the way from Onomichi to Imabari of about 70km. Each wonderful bridge has a bikeway. You might want to participate the great cycling event "CYCLING SHIMANAMI 2016" held at Japan's most beautiful cycling route over the sea.

4. The best Island hot springs ever in the world (Tokyo)

The setting of this onsen couldn’t be more dramatic: it’s located in a rocky cleft in the seashore of the tiny island Shikine-jima, an island only a few hours’ ride of high-speed jet ferry Seven Islands from Tokyo. The hot spring pools are formed by the seaside rocks. It’s one of those onsen that only works when the tide is right.

5.Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route and Onsen (Toyama and Nagano)

Tateyama-Kurobe is one of the most scenic areas surrounded by dozen of 3000 meters-and-up mountains. Very popular among foreign travelers. I recommend you to start from Shinano-oomachi Station and get through a long tunnel which was originally built for hydro-electric power plant and dam construction. Shinano-oomachi Station is, by Azusa Express Train, about 3 and half hours away from Shinjuku Station

6. Ubayu Hot Spring - An ultimate onsen

Ubayu is a hot spring located in 250 km north of Tokyo. It is hidden by a deep mountain valley with an elevation of 1,250 meters. Ubayu was found 500 years ago by Lord Endo who started Masugata-ya, an only Onsen lodge there. Masugata-ya has been succeeded by Lord Endo's offsprings for seventeen generations since then.

7. Norikura Skyline Highway - a road to the skyline

Norikura Mount Skyline highway is famous for the highest point of the paved vehicle road in Japan. The road has an interesting history. It was completed in 1942. There was a hidden military facility for research and development of warplane engines. The place was thought to be the best place for jet engine experiment because of its high elevation with thin air.

8. Yari Onsen, the best hot spring above the clouds.

Yari Onsen is a hot spring above the clouds. Its hot spring, gushing out from the earth more than 700 litters per minute, is famous for its curing effect, wild location and incomparable panorama from the bath. The mountain path led to Yari Onsen never accepts any bike due to its rocky trail and dangerous snow ravines still existing in summer.

9. Jigokudani Onsen (Wild monkeys bathe.)

Do you know snow monkeys? A gourp of monkeys in Jigokudani Onsen Wild Monkey Park enjoys a hot spring in winter. If you have Brompton, you can easily go out for a day trip to the place from Tokyo with the combination of super express railways and Brompton.

10.Tsukiji Fish Market