Kiyomizu-dera

This article is based on a visit made on Friday, 18 November 2016.

Previously on Sekai Ichi, I made my way into Kyoto on a day-trip.  The first place I headed to was the Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺, lit. 'pure water temple') temple.  In fact, my grandmother and I had visited Kiyomizu-dera on our own on our first trip to Japan.  But since I didn't remember it all that well, and because the autumn colours on the premises were supposed to be beautiful, I gave it a second shot.

The approach to Kiyomizu-dera starts from the base of this uphill street.  On the way up, the old-style building shift in purpose from ordinary houses to cafes and souvenir stores, some of them more upscale than at, say, Senso-ji.

The front of the temple compound is marked by this massive gate.  Specifically, this is called a nio-mon (仁王門, Niō-mon, lit. 'two-king gate'), a common fixture of Buddhist temples.  Their name comes from a pair of guardian statues flanking the inside of the gate.  They are not clearly visible in this picture, but stand behind the green grates on either side.

The brilliant vermilion colour scheme of the nio-mon gate is echoed by other structures nearby, including this pagoda.  It is called a sanju-no-to (三重塔, sanju no tō, lit. 'three-storeyed tower').

The morning sun was kind of in my face in those other shots, but looking back in the other direction, the combination of the clear blue sky and the vivid paint on the pagoda and other buildings was absolutely sublime.

The main hall stands atop a scaffold platform 13 metres (40 feet) tall.  This view ranks among the most iconic sights in all of Japan.  It is so iconic, in fact, that it has given birth to an expression.  When a Japanese person wants to describe the act of jumping into something head-first, or "taking the plunge", they might call it "jumping off the stage at Kiyomizu".  Indeed, there has been a legend that jumping off the platform and surviving will grant a wish.  But it's still four storeys up, and this practise is technically banned, so don't get any ideas.

The main hall on 16 January 2018, during renovation work.
NMaia [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

I lucked out by timing my holiday when I did.  As I discovered after returning, the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera was to be covered in scaffolding, as part of renovations on its roof, starting from February 2017.  The cover was fully constructed by June, and should be removed sometime around March 2020.  Visitors are still able to walk through the main hall as normal.  In turn, some of the additional halls on the hillside, which were covered up when I visited, have since been renovated and unveiled again as of this article.  As such, I made sure to enjoy this view while I could, even if I couldn't quite get the balance of light and shadow just right.

The view from the main hall has its charms, too.  That pagoda in the distance looked quite mysterious, seemingly secluded among all the trees.  As it turns out, this pagoda isn't that far; actually, it's part of the Kiyomizu-dera complex.  Called the Koyasu Pagoda (子安塔, Koyasu no tō, lit. 'peaceful child tower'), it is a mini-temple where pregnant women pray for safe childbirth.  The sunbeams filtering over the hills gave this scene a mystical atmosphere... looking back at this picture, anyway.  It was hard to get lost in the moment in the real scene, when there were so many people passing by.  Despite the throngs of people, everything still moved along at a fair clip.

From the main hall, I also got a look down upon the Otowa Waterfall (音羽の滝, Otowa no taki, lit. 'feather-noise waterfall'), named after the mountain from where its water originates.  The water here pours out in three streams.  You go up behind them, fill up a ladle from one of the streams, and drink from it.  Each of the streams is said to grant wishes in a certain field: one for long life, one for love life, and one for successful studies.  However, drinking from two or all three is supposed to lessen the benefits you would earn, so don't be greedy!

I wound my way down the hill and got in line to receive the blessings of Otowa.  I had forgotten which stream was which, so I randomly chose the one on the right.  I hope it was a good one...

Speaking of blessings for your love life, Jishu Shrine, also on the premises, specialises in that.  It is dedicated to Okuninushi (大国主, Ōkuninushi), the Shinto god of farming, business, medicine, and matchmaking.  Okuninushi is also the resident god of Izumo Shrine in western Japan, one of the most sacred shrines in all of Shinto.

A popular feature of this shrine is this pair of rocks.  Spread 18m (59 ft) apart, if you can walk between them with your eyes closed, you are believed to receive a blessing in finding the love of your life.  And guess what, I did it!  Oh, and if you have someone help you make it across, you're going to need someone to help you in finding a match.

As described above, the renovation of the main hall may put a damper on the experience, but the temple complex will remain open to visitors throughout the procedure.  Besides, there is so much more to be seen here!  But when it's time to move on, the adjacent neighbourhood of Higashiyama is a natural choice for a walk-through.  Indeed that's what I did, and you'll see it too, next time on Sekai Ichi!

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Hours: Open 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.  Closes at 6:30 PM on weekends and holidays from April to July.  No regular closing days.

Costs: ¥400.  The paid area starts at the entrance to the main hall.

Address: 294-1 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 〒605-0862

Access: From Kyoto Station, take bus #86 (stand D2), #100 (D1), #110 (D1), or #206 (D2), and get off at either the Gojo-zaka or Kiyomizu-michi stops (15 minutes, ¥230).  From either stop, climb uphill for about 10 minutes to reach the temple's front entrance.

Kiyomizu-dera can also be reached on foot in 20 minutes from Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, on the Keihan Main line (KH).

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Kyoto Station

This article is based on a visit made on Friday, 18 November 2016.

Edit 7 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax.

Photo by 663highland [GFDL, CC BY-SA 4.0 or FAL]

Previously on Sekai Ichi, I introduced you to the city of Kyoto.  For most travellers, myself included, the city greets its guests by way of Kyoto Station (京都駅, Kyōto-eki), the largest train station in the city.  It is a major stop on the Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed line, and also serves numerous other conventional lines.  And thanks to a somewhat recent redesign, the station has become an attraction in and of itself.

Kyoto Station has existed in various incarnations since the late 19th century.  In 1997, the city celebrated its 1,200th anniversary with the opening of the new station building, with a futurist design from architect Hiroshi Hara (原 広司, Hara Hiroshi, b. 1936), who also designed the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka.  The total floor space of Kyoto Station is 238,000 square metres (58.8 acres), making it the second-largest train station in Japan behind Nagoya.  Since Kyoto is more known for its older buildings, some of which are even part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there was some controversy about the construction of such a large, futurist building.  But, for my tastes anyway, I find this station quite interesting.

A latticed mesh grid wraps around underneath the ceiling.  A walkway, called the Skywalk, spans across both ends of the station, and is free to traverse.  I think I've read this ceiling structure being compared to the grid-like layout of Kyoto's streets, but I can't remember where I found that comparison.  Or maybe I just came up with it on my own, because when you've spent so much time struggling to pinpoint addresses in more chaotic cities like Tokyo, the more orderly arrangement of Kyoto is a breath of fresh air.

Art installations are scattered here and there throughout the station.  This clock lights up in different colours for different times of the day.  I took this picture in the morning, so therefore, the lights were a golden yellow.

Speaking of lights, when I came back in the evening, I walked off the bus to witness a little water and light show, on the top of this building in front of the station.

There were even more lights to be had back inside the station, where all manner of Christmas decorations were set up and shining brightly.  It was the middle of November, which apparently is close enough to Christmas for the Japanese.  (Not that we Americans are any more patient in that regard.)

People were watching this light show from this broad staircase, which also runs a light show of its own.  The ends of both this staircase and the one on the other side of the station are open to the outside air.  I wonder how they would handle more extreme weather conditions...

Just across from the station stands Kyoto Tower (京都タワー, Kyōto Tāwā).  It opened in December 1964, to commemorate the Olympics in Tokyo and the debut of the Tokaido Shinkansen, both taking place earlier that year.  Like the station itself would be three decades later, the erection of Kyoto Tower was also controversial for clashing with the historical focus of the surrounding city.  I'll let you readers be the judge in that regard, but I like it.  I didn't actually go up it though; some other time, perhaps.

And here it is lit up at night.  The tower was designed to look like a candle, and indeed the base does look like a bowl for the candle.  The building below it is the aptly-named Kyoto Tower Hotel.  In April 2017, after my visit, a new marketplace called "Kyoto Tower Sando" opened on its lower floors.

So those were two views of Kyoto Station: one from the morning, and one from night.  Find out what I did in between, next time on Sekai Ichi!

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Kyoto Station

Address: Higashi Shiokōji-chō, Shimogyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 〒600-8216

Access: Kyoto Station is served by the Tokaido Shinkansen (Kodama ⬛, Hikari ⬛, and Nozomi ⬛), the JR Biwako / Kyoto (A), Nara (D), Sagano (E), Kintetsu Kyoto (B), and subway Karasuma (K) lines.  Many buses also serve this station, primarily in front of the north entrance.

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Kyoto Tower

Hours: Open from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM.  Admission ends 20 minutes before closing time.  Closed between 29 December and 1 January.

Costs: ¥800.  A coupon available from their website (Japanese) reduces entry to ¥700.

Address: 721-1 Higashi Shiokōji-chō, Shimogyō-ku, Kyōto-shi, Kyōto-fu 〒600-8216

Directions: From the Central Exit of Kyoto Station, simply cross the parking lot and street.

Website: (English) (Japanese)

Introduction to: Kyoto

This article is based on a visit made on Tuesday, 15 May 2018.

Edit 4 April 2018: Updated prices on the bus and subway passes.
Edit 15 June 2018: Added excursions.
Edit 26 September 2018: Replaced pictures for #2, 8, 9, and 14.
Edit 7 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax.

Kyoto (京都, Kyōto, lit. 'capital city') is the ninth-largest city in Japan by population, and the former Imperial capital of Japan for over a thousand years, from AD 794 to 1868.  It possesses a wealth of shrines, temples, and other historic and cultural treasures, so much so that the city was awarded the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.  Many of its historic buildings have lasted to this day because the city was not made a target by air raids during WWII, even being removed from the list of targets for the atomic bomb.  Today, Kyoto features on many tourists' itineraries, and with good reason, as there is so much to see and do!  So much, in fact, that I've listed a whopping 14 attractions below, and even then there are some things I've left out!  But no matter, let's get to it.

Main Attractions

The central concourse of Kyoto Station.
Taken on Friday, 18 November 2016.

1) Kyoto Station: A modern railway station rebuilt in 1997, with multiple shopping malls attached.

A lineup of trains in the Kyoto Railway Museum's main hall.
Taken on Monday, 14 May 2018.

2) Kyoto Railway Museum: A newly-opened train museum with a steam locomotive roundabout on site.

A section of the "Senbon-torii" trails behind Fushimi-Inari Shrine.
Taken on Friday, 18 November 2016.

3) Fushimi-Inari Shrine: A Shinto shrine with long, torii-lined trails behind it.

Sanjusangen-do, the main hall of Rengeo-in temple.
Taken on Friday, 18 November 2016.

4) Sanjusangen-do: A long wooden temple building housing a thousand statues of the Buddhist goddess Kannon.

The main hall of Kiyomizu-dera, before the start of renovation works in 2017.
Taken on Friday, 18 November 2016.

5) Kiyomizu Temple: A Buddhist temple built atop a large wooden platform.

The Sannen-zaka stairway in Higashiyama.
Taken on Friday, 18 November 2016.

6) Higashiyama: A charming historic neighbourhood in the east of the city.

A restaurant along Hanamikoji-dori.
Taken on Friday, 18 November 2016.

7) Gion District: A district with high-end restaurants and teahouses in preserved buildings, and a centre for geisha.

Cherry trees along both sides of the canal.
By Reggaeman (Own work) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or FAL], via Wikimedia Commons

8) Philosopher's Walk: A long walkway along a canal, lined with cherry trees and a handful of temples.

The Shishin-den, or Hall of State Ceremonies.
By Saigen Jiro [CC0], from Wikimedia Commons

9) Kyoto Imperial Palace: The former home of the Imperial family, nestled within a large public park.

The courtyard of Kyoto International Manga Museum.
Taken on Friday, 18 November 2016.

10) Kyoto International Manga Museum: A museum all about Japanese comic books.

The Ninomaru palace of Nijo Castle
Taken in May 2010.

11) Nijo Castle: A castle formerly inhabited by the Tokugawa shogun family.

Kinkaku-ji, the golden pavilion of Rokuon-ji temple.
Taken in May 2010.

12) Kinkaku-ji Temple: A Zen Buddhist temple with a gold-coated main hall.

The rock garden of Ryoan-ji.
Didier Moïse [CC BY-SA 4.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons

13) Ryoan-ji Temple: A Zen Buddhist temple with a famous rock garden.

The Togetsu-kyo bridge in Arashiyama.
Taken on Monday, 14 May 2018.

14) Arashiyama: A district in the west with unique sights, such as a famous bridge, various temples, a bamboo grove, and a monkey park.

Orientation

Kyoto's streets are arranged in a grid layout, and unlike in most Japanese cities, most roads are named, and east-west streets are numbered; for example, "Shijo-dori" means "4th Avenue".  The main station, Kyoto Station, lies in the south-centre of the city.  It serves the Tokaido Shinkansen and other JR lines, the Karasuma (K) subway line, and the Kintetsu Kyoto (B) line.

The following railway companies operate in the Kyoto area:

• JR Central operates the high-speed Tokaido Shinkansen.  All services (Kodama, Hikari, and Nozomi) stop here.
• JR West operates local lines in the area, including the Biwako / Kyoto (A) lines to the east and west of Kyoto Station, the Nara (D) line to the south, and the Sagano (E) line to the northwest.
• Two subway lines operate in Kyoto.  The Karasuma (K) line runs north-to-south, along Karasuma-dori street, and stops at Kyoto Station.  The Tozai (T) line runs east-to-west and intersects with the Karasuma line.
• Kintetsu operates a dense network of lines throughout the Kansai region.  Their Kyoto (B) line runs southwards from Kyoto Station to Nara.
• Hankyu operates a set of lines connecting major cities in the Kansai region, including Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe.  Their Kyoto (HK) line runs east-to-west through the centre of Kyoto.  The Arashiyama branch line serves the western part of Kyoto.
• Keihan operates another line connecting Osaka and Kyoto.  Their main line (KH) runs north-to-south along the east side of the city.
• The Keifuku Electric Railway, or Randen, is a pair of tram lines serving the western suburbs.  It consists of the Arashiyama (A) main line and the Kitano (B) branch line.
• The Eizan (E) lines start where the Keihan line ends, and provide access to northeastern areas such as Mount Hiei and Kurama.

The Japan Rail Pass is valid all JR lines, including the Tokaido Shinkansen (except for Nozomi trains).  JR West also offers a variety of regional passes covering their network, but they do not cover the Tokaido Shinkansen, which is owned by JR Central.  Conversely, all non-JR lines in the area, in addition to buses in Kyoto, are covered by the Kansai Thru Pass.  More information: (English)

The various rail lines across Kyoto are not always close to tourist attractions, or each other, so to fill in the gaps, the city has a dense network of bus routes.  Bus fare is a flat rate of ¥230 per ride within most of the city.  A one-day pass for unlimited bus rides is available for ¥600, and can be purchased from vending machines at certain stops, or if supplies last, on board the buses themselves.  More information: (English)  There is also a one-day pass for the two subway lines (¥600), as well as the Kyoto Sightseeing Card, which covers both buses and subways, and costs ¥900 for one day or ¥1,700 for two days.  More information: (English)  However, buses can be subject to traffic delays, so if you are able to take a train or subway to your destination, it may be faster.  Other options for getting around include hiring taxis (starting at ¥650 for 2 kilometres) or renting bicycles (usually ¥1,000-1,500 per day).

Access

The fastest way to get to Kyoto from other cities in Japan is by the Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed train.  All three Tokaido services stop at Kyoto Station.  Travel times and fares from major cities on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen are as follows:

City	Time (Kodama)	Time (Hikari/Sakura)	Time (Nozomi)	Fare (Reserved)
Tokyo	220 minutes	160 minutes	135 minutes	¥13,600
Nagoya	50 minutes	35-50 minutes	35 minutes	¥5,700
Osaka (Shin-Osaka)	15 minutes	15 minutes	15 minutes	¥2,860
Hiroshima	195 minutes*	110 minutes*	95 minutes	¥11,300
Fukuoka (Hakata)	255 minutes*	180 minutes*	165 minutes	¥15,930

*Selected trains require a transfer at Shin-Osaka Station.
Times and fares are based on October 2019 schedules and are subject to change.

If you are coming in from other cities in the Kansai region and do not wish to spend extra on Shinkansen fare, there are a variety of regular train services you can take instead.  Of JR West's services, Special Rapid trains are both the fastest and cheapest, but this often means they get more crowded.  If you have one of the JR West area passes (which cover normal and express trains between Kansai's cities, but not the Tokaido Shinkansen), you may want to consider taking one of the many limited express trains that cover this route, including the Haruka, Thunderbird, and so on.  They take roughly the same amount of time as Special Rapid trains, but because of their price, they should be less crowded.

From Osaka, the Hankyu and Keihan lines are slower than their JR alternatives, but also cheaper.  They do not stop at Kyoto Station, instead passing through other parts of the city, but this may be an advantage depending on where in Kyoto you are going to.  From Nara, meanwhile, the Kintetsu line is often cheaper and faster than the JR alternative.  On top of that, Kintetsu's station in Nara is closer to most of the city's main attractions.  However, some services require a brief transfer at Yamato-Saidaiji Station, just two stops away from Kintetsu-Nara.

Line	Service	Start Station	End Station	Time	Fare
From Osaka
JR Kyoto (A)	Limited Express	Osaka	Kyoto	30 minutes	¥1,760*
	Special Rapid				¥570
Hankyu Kyoto (HK)	Limited Express	Umeda	Karasuma	45 minutes	¥400
Keihan Main (KH)	Limited Express	Yodoyabashi	Sanjo	50 minutes	¥420
From Kobe
JR Kobe (A)	Limited Express	Sannomiya	Kyoto	50 minutes	¥2,620*
	Special Rapid				¥1,100
From Nara
JR Nara (D)	Miyakoji Rapid	Nara	Kyoto	45 minutes	¥720
	Local			60 minutes
Kintetsu Kyoto (B)	Limited Express	Kintetsu-Nara	Kyoto	35 minutes**	¥1,160*
	Rapid Express			45 minutes**	¥640

*Fare for reserved seating.
**Most trains require a transfer at Yamato-Saidaiji Station.
Times and fares are based on June 2018 schedules and are subject to change.

Excursions

1) Osaka: Japan's "second city", the commercial and culinary centre of the Kansai region.
Access: See above tables.

2) Nara: Another of Japan's former capitals, with even more historic shrines and temples, including Todai-ji and its giant Buddha statue.
Access: See above tables.

3) Uji: A town famous for tea cultivation and the "Phoenix Hall" Buddhist temple.
Access: JR Uji line from Kyoto to Uji Station (20-30 minutes, ¥240, JR Pass OK).

4) Iga-Ueno: One of the historic home bases of the ninja, along with Koka.
Access: JR Nara line from Kyoto to Kizu Station (40 minutes), then the JR Kansai line to Iga-Ueno (50 minutes w/ 1 transfer, total ¥1,170, JR Pass OK), then the Iga Railway to Ueno-shi (7 minutes, ¥260).

5) Koka: One of the historic home bases of the ninja, along with Iga-Ueno.
Access: JR Biwako line from Kyoto to Kusatsu Station (20 minutes), then the JR Kusatsu line to Konan (30 minutes, total ¥860, JR Pass OK).

6) Hikone: A lakeside town with one of Japan's twelve original castles.
Access: JR Biwako line from Kyoto to Hikone Station (50 minutes, ¥1,170, JR Pass OK).

7) Amanohashidate: A huge, pine-covered sandbar that is considered one of Japan's three most scenic sites.
Access: JR Hashidate limited express from Kyoto to Amanohashidate Station (130 minutes, ¥4,790 reserved, JR Pass OK*).
*Since the Hashidate train uses non-JR tracks, JR Pass holders must pay an extra ¥1,750 (reserved) to use this train.

Know Your Trains: Shinano and Hida

Previously on Sekai Ichi, I visited Nagoya, the biggest city in the central Chubu region of Japan.  Not only does the city have plenty of attractions of its own, but it can also serve as a base for exploring the Chubu region.  The terrain of Chubu is largely mountainous, in particular dominated by the Japan Alps, and has many options for rural getaways.  Most of these places can be accessed by limited-express trains running along JR Central's Chuo, Takayama, and other lines.

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A 383-series "Shinano" train.
By Tsuginosuke (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Name	Start Station	End Station(s)	Time*	Max. Frequency**
Shinano	Nagoya	Nagano	3 hours	1 per hour

*Approximate time between start and end stations.
**Departures are based on May 2016 schedules and are subject to change.

The "Shinano" service runs between Nagoya and Nagano, on the Chuo Main Line (to Shiojiri) and the Shinonoi Line (to Nagano).  Along the way, it stops at a few stations in the Kiso Valley, a region with several well-preserved post towns (lodgings for travellers during the Edo period), and at the castle town of Matsumoto.

Num.	Name (English)	Name (Japanese)	Line	Shinano
CF00	Nagoya	名古屋	JR Chuo (CF)	X
CF01	Kanayama	金山		O
CF03	Chikusa	千種		X
CF12	Tajimi	多治見		X
CF17	Ena	恵那		O
CF19	Nakatsugawa	中津川		X
CF23	Nagiso	南木曽		O
CF29	Agematsu	上松		O
CF30	Kiso-Fukushima	木曽福島		X
	Shiojiri	塩尻		X
			JR Shinonoi ⬛
	Matsumoto	松本		X
	Akashina	明科		O
	Hijiri-Kogen	聖高原		O
	Shinonoi	篠ノ井		X
			JR Shin'etsu ⬛
	Nagano	長野		X

Legend:
X: All trains stop at this station.
O: Some trains stop at this station.
I: No trains stop at this station.

Notable stops

• Nakatsugawa: Access to the post town of Magome.
• Nagiso: Access to the post town of Tsumago.
• Kiso-Fukushima/Shiojiri: Access to the post town of Narai, via local trains to Narai Station.
• Shiojiri: Junction of the Chuo and Shinonoi lines.
• Matsumoto: City with a long-standing castle.
• Nagano: Site of the 1998 Winter Olympics.

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A KiHa 85-series "Wide View Hida" train at Toyama Station.
Taken on Friday, 18 May 2018.

Name	Start Station	End Station(s)	Time*	Max. Frequency**
Hida	Nagoya	Takayama	2 hours 30 minutes	1 per hour
		Toyama	3 hours 50 minutes	1 per 2 hours, 4 per day
	Osaka	Takayama	4 hours 25 minutes	1 per day

*Approximate time between start and end stations.
**Departures are based on May 2016 schedules and are subject to change.

The "Hida" runs between Nagoya and Takayama, primarily along the Takayama Main Line (from Gifu).  Along the way, it stops at Gero, a hot spring resort town, and Takayama, a well-preserved old town with a famous twice-annual festival.  Some Hida trains go beyond to Toyama, on the Sea of Japan coast, while one other service per day starts from Osaka, bypassing Nagoya and connecting with another set at Gifu.

Num.	Name (English)	Name (Japanese)	Line	Hida (Nagoya)	Hida (Osaka)
A47	Osaka	大阪	JR Kyoto (A)	I	X
A46	Shin-Osaka	新大阪		I	X
A31	Kyoto	京都		I	X
			JR Biwako (A)
A24	Kusatsu	草津		I	X
A12	Maibara	米原		I	X
			JR Tokaido (CA)
CA77	Ogaki	大垣		I	X
CA68	Nagoya	名古屋		X	I
CA72	Owari Ichinomiya	尾張一宮		O	I
CA74	Gifu	岐阜		X	X
			JR Takayama (CG)
CG05	Unuma	鵜沼		O	X
CG07	Mino-Ota	美濃太田		X	X
	Shirakawaguchi	白川口		O	X
	Hida-Kanayama	飛騨金山		O	X
CG16	Gero	下呂		X	X
	Hida-Hagiwara	飛騨萩原		O	X
	Hida-Osaka	飛騨小坂		O	X
	Kuguno	久々野		O	X
CG25	Takayama	高山		X	X
CG28	Hida-Furukawa	飛騨古川		O	I
	Inotani	猪谷		O	I
	Etchu-Yatsuo	越中八尾		O	I
	Hayahoshi	速星		O	I
	Toyama	富山		O	I

Legend:
X: All trains stop at this station.
O: Some trains stop at this station.
I: No trains stop at this station.

Notable stops:

• Gifu: Junction of the Tokaido and Takayama lines.
• Gero: An urbanised yet popular onsen town.
• Takayama: A city with a well-preserved old district.
• Hida-Furukawa: A small town with a historic crafts industry.
• Inotani: Where JR Central's coverage ends and JR West's begins.
• Toyama: A transportation hub on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

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The interior of a KiHa 85-series train, looking out from the wraparound window.
Taken on Friday, 18 May 2018.

Both the Shinano and the Hida are branded with the "Wide View" name, meaning their train sets have wide windows for excellent views.  If you get a seat in the front car, you can even look out the wrap-around front window!  On Hida trains between Nagoya and Toyama, only cars #8-10 travel the full length.  Cars #1-4 are only used between Nagoya and Takayama, at which point the two sets split up or join together.

Service	Total Cars	Non-Reserved Cars	Reserved Cars	Green Cars
Shinano	6	2 (Cars #5-6)	3 (Cars #2-4)	1 (Car #1)
Hida	7	2 (Cars #3, 9)	3½ (Cars #1-2, 4, 8)	1½ (Cars #2, 10)
	6	2 (Cars #3, 9)	3 (Cars #1, 3, 8)	1 (Car #10)

Tips:

• If you're going from Osaka to Takayama, you may want to take the Tokaido Shinkansen (Nozomi ⬛ or Hikari ⬛) to Nagoya, and transfer to a Hida train there.  This method is more expensive (at least ¥10,000) unless you have a Japan Rail Pass, but is slightly faster (about 4 hours, depending on connections) and far more frequent.

Trivia:

• The Shinano (しなの) and Hida (ひだ) are both named after old provinces of Japan.  After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Shinano Province became Nagano Prefecture, and Hida Province became part of Gifu Prefecture.
• Even though the train models used for the Shinano and Hida are similar, they are different models using different power sources.  The Shinano uses the electric 383-series, while the Hida uses the diesel-powered KiHa 85, since the Takayama Main Line it rides on is not electrified.
• There used to be occasional Shinano services that started from Osaka, just as there is now with the Hida.  Those were cancelled in 2016.

Remm Shin-Osaka

This article is based on a visit made on Sunday, 20 November 2016.

Previously on Sekai Ichi, I wrapped up my stopover in Nagoya and continued on to Osaka.  My next hotel, the Remm Shin-Osaka (レム新大阪, Remu Shin Ōsaka), was right on top of Shin-Osaka Station, the junction of the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.  Since I would be doing a few day-trips on both of those high-speed lines, it proved a convenient base for doing so.  The hotel entrance, shown above, lies just past the Shinkansen ticket gates; you don't even have to leave the building!

From the entrance on the 3rd floor of the station, an elevator takes you up to the hotel floors, starting with the front desk on the 12th floor.  My room was on the 13th floor (Again, what is it with me getting hotel rooms on unlucky floors?), and this thing stood in the middle of that floor's elevator lobby.  It looks like a rock, but it's actually a canvas-covered seat of some sort.

Windows from the lobby let me look out southwards, onto downtown Osaka.  My room, conversely, was located on the north side, which didn't have quite such a great view.  Apparently, most of the single rooms are on that side.

This hotel is part of the same chain as the Remm Akihabara I stayed in previously, so much of the decor and amenities are the same.  Like the other hotel, the rooms are also snug, measuring a mere 14.4 m² (155 ft²).

And as with the other Remm hotels, the bathrooms feature a ceiling-mounted "rain shower".  The bathroom has a wide window open to the room and, theoretically, outside, but a shade can be pulled down over it for privacy.

The safe is mounted in the room's coat closet, as opposed to the Remm Akihabara, where it was part of the desk.  Also located in this closet is a slot for you to put your keycard in, which turns on the lights.  I forgot to take my card out one time and locked myself out of the room, but the concierge was able to give me a replacement card.  So, tip of the hat to them!

Like I said, the north side of the building, which my room faced out upon, didn't have the best photo ops, but the sunrise the following morning did give a healthy glow to some of the buildings I looked out upon.

This is the corresponding morning view from the other side, taken the day after.

Breakfast is served at Cafe and Dining Kouji, a restaurant near the hotel entrance in Shin-Osaka Station.  It is served as a sort of semi-buffet; you can choose from one of four main dishes, plus additional items from the buffet.  Tickets for breakfast cost ¥1,300 for hotel guests, and are valid from 6:30 to 11:00 AM; last order time is 10:30 AM.

All things considered, my experience staying at the Remm Shin-Osaka was consistent with its sister hotel in Tokyo.  The rooms are small, which is honestly standard throughout urban Japan, but I adapted to them nicely.  The best part about this hotel would be its location.  Since I would be using both the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines throughout my stay, it was convenient that I didn't have to walk far to reach those platforms.  If you plan to do the same, or if staying closer to the more centrally-located Osaka and Umeda stations turns out to be too expensive, the Remm Shin-Osaka is an ideal alternative!

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Remm Shin-Osaka

Address: Shin-Osaka Station 12F, 1-1-1 Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 〒532-0003

Access: Remm Shin-Osaka is adjacent to Shin-Osaka Station (Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen, JR Kyoto (A), Takarazuka (G), and OsakaMetro Midosuji (M) lines).

Directions: From the Shinkansen Central ticket gates, turn right and right again to reach the hotel entrance.

From the East ticket gate (for regular JR lines), turn right, continue down the promenade, and turn right again when you pass the JR Central office.  Turn right again after passing the Shinkansen Central ticket gates, as above, to reach the hotel entrance.

From the subway Exit 1, simply climb up the escalators and the hotel entrance will be straight ahead.

Website: (English) (Japanese)