2025 Niigata-Tokyo

Has been about 5+ years since our last Japan trip. We arrived 2 nights earlier that the rest of the group so that I can check out my favourite haunts, pick-up some daifuku, prawn crackers and orientate ourselves before we start the trip proper.

From Tokyo, takes about 1+ hour by train to Takaosanguchi station. Mount Takao is a favourite hiking spot, but that's not the primary reason that we are here today. Our 2019 attempt to visit Ukai Toriyama was cancelled due to Typhoon 19. So glad we made it this time round.

Could not get the seats we wanted on the reserved and green cars. Woo hoo, that makes an extremely good reason to upgrade ourselves to the GranClass for the first time.

Got into Niigata mid morning. Too early to check-in, so deposited the luggages with the hotel and off we go to explore the city.

From Niigata station, about 1 hour away. Today's day trip is to the town of Murakami, famous for everything salmon and Murakami beef.

We left our big luggages in the hotel, went to Sado with just our hand luggages. Turned out to be a good idea as our rental car in Sado got downgraded to a smaller car.
Bus from Niigata station to Sado Kisen ferry terminal was a straight forward 15 mins ride. Booked the jetfoil ticket online, QR code via email got us on-board. The ride was uneventful and took a bit more than 1 hour.

Plan was to self-drive the island exploring the various attractions, momiji park, gold mine, tub-boat etc.
Weather was not really on our side, momiji was late this year. While it rained for majority of the time, we were very blessed to have small pockets of sunshine just at the right time when we were doing the tub-boat and at the Iwakubi Shoryu Rice Terrace.

Leaving Sado on the morning Jetfoil, bus ride back to Niigata Station to pickup the rental car.

Drive up to Murasugi Onsen (村杉温泉) in Agano city (阿賀野) for our stay at Fuga No Yado Chouseikan (風雅の宿 長生館).

Stopped by Lake Hyoko since we came at the right season where the swans from Siberia will migrate to this lake for their winter stay.

A quick visit to Tsukioka onsen town, back to swanlake brewery for lunch before dropping off the car in Niigata city.

Back to Niigata Art Hotel for the night, collected our big luggages, bought our train tickets for the next day. Shopping around the small malls near the station, a simple ramen dinner and back to the room to pack for an early departure tomorrow.

Booked an early train from Niigata station to Echigo Yuzawa station.
A 7km (10 mins) taxi ride from Echigo Yuzawa Station. Making this detour to try the award winning onigiri.

We had 2.5 hours layover in Echigo Yuzawa Station, waiting for our transport to pick us for Matsunoyama onsen.

Spent more time in Ponshukan and a simple soba lunch. No space for soft serve ice cream. From memory, the Ponshukan seems to be smaller compared to some years ago when we were here.

The plan was for 2 days of hiking through rice paddy fields, 2 days of sightseeing, Kiyotsukyo Gorge, Bijin Bayashi Forest (美人林) and of course to enjoy the waters of Matsunoyama Onsen (松之山温泉), known as the top 3 medicinal spring water in Japan.

Morning walk for one more look of the foggy paddy fields, before we leave Tokamachi.
Our pick-up from hotel to Echigo-Yuzawa station was late due to some mis-communications. Finally got there, pick-up the rental car to head north to Yahiko.
Brief lunch stop in Uonuma for curry rice lunch. Decided to proceed to Ojiya, and skip Saifukiji temple as that required us to back-track another 10km.

The drive to Yahiko passes the town of Ojiya. Birthplace of nishikigoi (colored carp) where the folks have been breeding carps for the past 200 years.

Known as one of Japan's power spot for love and good fortune. Just in time for the Yahiko Chrysanthemum Festival.

Back to Echigo-Yuzawa staion to drop off the rental car and hop on the shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Passing by Tsubame-sanjo (燕三条) for some shopping and a ramen lunch at Dano Dano.

Was nearing the end of the group travel as some will be flying off the next day.

We stayed on for the week so that I have time to hunt for vinyl and take casual day-trips using Shibuya as a base.

Thanks Eilin. You scored 150% for personal initiative. Agreed that 1 shio pan per pax is definitely not enough.

No one had any idea of what to expect of a coffee omakase. Was it worth it or just another fab ?

Watching the morning news, a sweet potato fair was happening in Tokyo this week. Let's go, Nakano Shiki no Mori Park 中野区立中野四季の森公園
Sampled the 3 types of roasted sweet potato (Moist vs sticky vs silky). Our fav was the beni tenshi which was sticky and had the best texture. Mont Blanc (purple vs yellow) with mochi and shoyu sauce, sweet potato chips and fried sweet potato.
Was quite potatoed-out🥔 after that.