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Great Scenery! Budget-Friendly Transit Passes for Tottori and Shimane
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Tottori and Shimane boast a great number of scenic places such as Mt. Daisen, Uradome Beach, Adachi Museum of Art, and Shinji Lake. To tour the area, use the budget-friendly Kansai WIDE Area Pass and San'in-Okayama Area Pass offered by JR-West.
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Explore Western Japan With Kansai WIDE Area Pass and San'in-Okayama Area Pass
Picture courtesy of Chizu Express
If you're traveling from Kansai Airport or Osaka, you can use the Kansai WIDE Area Pass to take a limited express train to Tottori, or ride the Shinkansen to Okayama! From Okayama, the San'in-Okayama Area Pass is a great way to travel to Tottori and Shimane. These two budget-friendly passes from JR-West offer unlimited train rides, so travelers will be able to enjoy all the scenic destinations in Tottori and Shimane, known together as the San'in Region!
In this article, we'll take a look at these convenient travel passes, and some of the fantastic destinations they cover.
Kansai WIDE Area Pass
This is one of several JR-West Rail Passes that offer unlimited train rides. It allows the user to tour major cities in the Kansai Region, or visit areas such as Amanohashidate, Kinosaki Onsen, Wakayama, Tottori, and Okayama.
Valid Transportation: Shinkansen (between Shin-Osaka and Okayama), special rapid Service, rapid service, local trains, and JR buses
Valid for: Five consecutive days
Seating: Reserved Seats (up to six seats) and Non-reserved Seats.
Prices*: adults 10,000 yen and up, children 5,000 yen and up
* Please note that prices vary according to the place of purchase. For details, please check the official site.
San'in-Okayama Area Pass
This budget-friendly JR-West Rail Pass is perfect for travelers visiting cities in the San'in Region such as Tottori, Matsue, and Hagi. It covers trains from Okayama, buses in Tottori and Matsue, and more!
The Sanyo-San'in Area Pass also allows users to ride the Yakumo Limited Express and visit popular sightseeing spots such as Kurashiki and Okayama. It's great for traveling to Hiroshima and Yamaguchi from Okayama, too.
Valid Transportation: express, special rapid Service, rapid service, local trains, Loop Kirinjishi Bus, and Matsue Circular Lakeline Bus
Valid for: Four consecutive days
Seating: Non-reserved Seats (Seat reservations can be purchased separately.)
Prices*: adults 4,580 yen and up, children 2,290 yen and up
* Please note that prices vary according to the place of purchase. For details, please check the official site.
While you're traveling in Japan, try using Travel Support by JR-West. This convenient web app provides instant translation of medical conditions and dietary restrictions, as well as information on natural disasters.
Mt. Daisen in Tottori: Magnificent Scenery in Every Season
Photo by Pixta
Mt. Daisen is considered one of the three most beautiful mountains in Japan. It is the highest mountain in the Chugoku Region, and a symbol of Tottori Prefecture.
With fresh green leaves in spring and summer, golden autumnal foliage, and winter snowfall, Daisen offers attractive scenery throughout the year. It's an ideal spot for a photograph of the magnificent landscape of Tottori!
Photo by Pixta
Tottori Prefecture is also known as the "stargazing prefecture," thanks to the large number of spots where you can enjoy the picturesque night sky. Mt. Daisen is one of these, as there are is almost no light pollution nearby.
In the summer, the Milky Way stretches across the sky, brightening the mood of the travelers.
Those looking to enjoy all Mt. Daisen has to offer should take the half-day sightseeing taxi, which departs from Yonago Station. For further information on sightseeing taxis, contact miyabi_fitosaka@nta.co.jp (Nippon Travel Agency).
Accessto Daisen: A fifty minute ride on a local bus from JR Yonago Station.
Uradome Beach: A Glorious Panorama
Photo by Pixta
Tottori also offers great ocean views! At Uradome Beach, visitors can enjoy the unique topography of the area, formed by erosion from the waves. Don't forget to snap a photo, as this scenery leaves quite an impression.
Photo by Pixta
You can also enjoy a boat ride to Shirawara Beach and Sengan Matsushima, both of which are surrounded by spectacular natural scenery.
In the spring and summer seasons, smaller boats, which can enter narrow caves, take visitors up to cliffs that are seventy meters in height!
A half-day sightseeing taxi that tours Uradome Beach and Tottori Sand Dunes departs from Tottori Station. For further information on this convenient taxi, send an inquiry to miyabi_fitosaka@nta.co.jp (Nippon Travel Agency).
Access to Uradome Beach: 25 minutes by train from JR Tottori Station to JR Iwami Station. From Iwami Station, 15 minutes on a local bus.
Kaike Onsen: Great Views of the Sea
Kaike Onsen is located in the northern area of Yonago City in Tottori. A fisherman discovered the hot spring in the ocean, and the area developed into a resort.
The spring waters here are rich in sodium and calcium chloride, which are said to help the metabolism keep your body warm. From the hot spring of a seaside hotel, guests can take in the splendid views of the Japan Sea and Mt. Daisen.
See the white sands, green pines, and the blue ocean from the seaside promenade! There's even a public foot bath for visitors who want to take a break.
Visitors flock to Kaike Onsen Jinja, a shrine by the sea, to pray for longevity and harmony.
Access to Kaike Onsen: A 20-minute ride on a local bus from JR Yonago Station. Please note that some hotels run complimentary shuttle buses.
Eshima Ohashi Bridge: Rising to the Heavens
Picture courtesy of Shimane Prefecture
Eshima Ohashi connects the cities of Matsue (Shimane Prefecture) and Sakaiminato (Tottori Prefecture). After a car manufacturer used the bridge as a backdrop in an advertisement, it became a popular travel destination.
The bridge, which has a length of about 1.5 kilometers, seems to be rising to the sky. As cars cruise across, it even resembles a roller coaster!
Photo by Pixta
The actual gradient is not nearly as steep as it looks, so there's nothing to be afraid of.
The Japan Sea and Mt. Daisen can be seen from the top of the bridge. If you want to take a photograph emphasizing the gradient, head to the Matsue side of the bridge.
Access to Eshima Ohashi: While the bridge can be crossed on a local bus, it will be difficult to take photographs. Consider taking a taxi, and crossing the bridge on foot!
Adachi Museum of Art: Artistic Japanese Gardens
Picture courtesy of Shimane Prefecture
The Adachi Museum of Art displays the collection of Adachi Zenko, a businessman born in Shimane. He believed that "a garden can be appreciated as a painting," so this picturesque Japanese garden can be viewed from the museum, with the window acting as a frame.
The building is designed primarily in black and white. The art collection consists of Japanese paintings and ceramic art spanning from the Meiji period to the modern times.
The garden, which can be seen from various spots in the museum, has repeatedly ranked number one in an international magazine dedicated to Japanese gardens. It's also rated as a three-star site, the highest rating, by Michelin Green Guide Japan.
The Japanese garden shows a different face each season. No utility poles or houses can be seen from the museum, and visitors will feel as if they have stepped into paradise.
This landscape is maintained by gardeners and the museum staff, who tend to the garden every day before the museum opens.
Access to the Adachi Museum of Art: A 20-minute ride on a free shuttle bus from JR Yasuki Station.
Matsue Shinjiko Onsen: An Exotic Sunset
Picture courtesy of Shimane Prefecture
Lake Shinjiko, located on the city border of Matsue and Izumo in Shimane Prefecture, is one of the largest Japanese lakes. It is known for its gorgeous sunset, which has been selected as one of the best one hundred sunset views in Japan.
Visitors can take a lakeside walk, or enjoy the scenery from a pleasure boat. The night view reflected on the surface of the lake is stunning, and you can also enjoy this scenery from the nearby hot springs.
Picture courtesy of Shimane Prefecture
The local spring waters are rich in sulfate and chloride, which helps to ease neuralgia and muscular pain. It also helps bathers who are sensitive to cold weather. There are several lakeside hotels and ryokan, so we recommend staying overnight.
Don't miss the free foot bath at Matsue Shinjiko-Onsen Station on the Ichibata Electric Railway.
Access to Matsue Shinjiko-Onsen: A 10-minute ride on the Lakeline Bus from JR Matsue Station to Shinjiko Onsen.
Enjoy the Scenery in Western Shimane
Picture courtesy of Shimane Prefecture
Those who are planning to travel to the western part of Shimane Prefecture by train should sit on the seaside seat, as this is a great opportunity to take in the views of the Japan Sea.
Visit the San'in Region with JR-West Rail Pass
The Kansai WIDE Area Pass and San'in-Okayama Area Pass allow budget-friendly trips from Kansai to San'in. Use this article as a reference and find a special spot of your own!
To learn about measures taken by JR-West to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections, please check their official site.
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Written by Chien
Sponsored by Tottori Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, and JR West.
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