Elisa's Travel Diary

Hida Takayama 飛騨高山 Takayama is a beautiful getaway choice when you want to visit Shirakawa-go. Getting to Takayama from Shirakawago: After spent around 3 hours in Shirakawa-go, I traveled to Takayama with Nohi Bus. Travel between Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go, and Takayama can be accessed with Nohi bus. Online reservation is required for most of the nohi routes. The Nohi Bus to Takayama is in front the Shirakawago Bus Terminal. It took around 40 minutes to arrived Takayama from Shirakawago. As I mentioned in my previous post, my main purpose of this trip was to visit Shirakawa go. So before heading back  to Tokyo, I planned to spend around 4 hours in Takayama. I didn’t bring any luggage, so it is easy for me to walk around the city. Even if you have luggage with you, you can put your luggage in the coin locker at the bus terminal next to the train station. Getting around Takayama: Takayama is a small city and easy to go around by foot. There are plenty of guesthouse a...

Shirakawa-go – Gifu Prefecture This post is continuation from my previous blog at Kanazawa. Please click here if you want to read my blog in Kanazawa. Getting to Shirakawa-go from Kanazawa: Travel to Shirakawa-go can be accessed with Nohi bus. Online reservation is required for most of the nohi routes. Nohi bus station in Kanazawa is located at Kanazawa Station bus stop #2 in the east gate. It took around 1 and half hour to arrived at Shirakawa Ogimachi village. Time Spent at Shirakawa-go I reserved the 8.10 am bus and arrived Shirakawa-go Ogimachi Village at around 9.30 pm. I spent approximately 3 hours in this village, and then heading to Takayama by Nohi bus. I bought the bus ticket online at japanonlinebus website before I arrived Japan. Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal There is a tourist information desk, toilet, coin locker in the Shirakawago station. If you bring luggage, do not worry as you can put it in the coin locker with around JPY 500. I didn’t bring...

Kanazawa - Ishikawa Prefecture My highlight of this trip was to visit Shirakawa-go. However, there is no direct JR Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shirakawa-go,  so I took the chance to visit Kanazawa before Shirakawa- go and Takayama after Shirakawa-go. Getting to Kanazawa from Tokyo: The Hokuriku Shinkansen serves the direct route from Tokyo to Kanazawa with only 3 hours. Please reserve the seat at the JR ticket office in any station in Japan before took the train. Getting around Kanazawa: For JR Pass holder, can take the JR bus for free around the Kanazawa city. The bus’s schedule can be asked in the tourist information desk in Kanazawa station.  Non JR Pass holder can also take the JR bus, but need to pay. Things to do in Kanazawa: Kenroku-en garden Konrokuen is considered as one of the 3 great garden in Japan. It is more beautiful during snow as the whole garden turns white. Below is the picture I took from google, as I arrived too late and the garde...