Kansai-Hokuriku Area Pass
Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, has long
been a crowd-pleaser with its beautiful
shrines, gardens, tea houses and geisha
flitting in the shadows. Any visit should
include marvelling at the orange torii gates
of the Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, the
sparkling Kinkaku-ji temple and the hilltop
Kiyomizu-dera temple. Later, lose yourself
in the cobbled streets of Gion, where artisans
sell hand-made lacquerware, copper chazutsu
tea caddies, pottery and delicate washi paper.
Kyoto is also awash with top-notch dining,
from super soba noodle spots to Michelin-
starred restaurants serving traditional
multi-course kaiseki. There are also cool
cafes, sushi joints, craft beer bars and hidden
speakeasies. Don’t leave without sampling at
least one steaming bowlful of tonkotsu pork
broth ramen, a local favourite.
Next is Nara, just 45 minutes on the
Miyakoji Rapid service from Kyoto. This is
another wonderfully preserved ancient city,
with no fewer than eight UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, including the sprawling
Horyuji Temple, one of the world’s oldest
surviving wooden buildings. Nara is also
home to more than 1,200 wild sika deer.
Considered to be messengers of the gods in
the Shinto religion, the animals are allowed
to wander freely around Nara Park and will
happily eat from visitors’ hands. Lovers
of the great outdoors should board the
scenic Limited Express Thunderbird train
and head north towards Kanazawa, a city
backed by mountains and fronted by the Sea
of Japan. Once there, purchase a one-day
pass from Hokuriku Railroad and hop on
the Kanazawa Loop Bus and Kenrokuen
Shuttle bus, making stops at the Kenroku-
en gardens, the Nomura Samurai House
and the teahouse district of Higashi Chaya.
Alternatively, there’s the Hanayome Noren
tourist train, which makes two round-trips
a day through some of Japan’s most striking
mountain scenery, travelling from Kanazawa
Station to the hot springs resort of Wakura
Onsen. The train’s design was inspired by
the area’s traditional arts, with a shiny red
livery and pretty interiors incorporating
Wajima-nuri lacquerware, Kaga Yuzen dyed
fabric and Kanazawa gold leaf.
Toyama is well worth a visit. Alongside
history, art and temples, the area is known
for its 9,000ft-high peaks, part of the
Japanese Alps. The best way to absorb
majesty of these is on a train journey along
the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.Getting there: British Airways
flies non-stop from Heathrow
to Osaka Kansai on Mondays,
Wednesdays, Fridays and
Sundays. ba.com
Getting around: JR-WEST has an
intricate network of train and bus
routes criss-crossing West Japan,
providing an efficient way of
getting around. Before you travel,
order a JR-West Pass, offering
unlimited travel on JR-West
trains. westjr.co.jpEssentialsTo find out more, visit westjr.co.jpPARTNER CONTENT FOR WEST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY