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Options for brief stopovers traveling by train in Japan?

Options for brief stopovers traveling by train in Japan?

Old Jul 13, 2016, 8:25 am
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Options for brief stopovers traveling by train in Japan?

I'll be returning to Japan in a few weeks. My itinerary includes train travel from Sendai to Tokyo, Tokyo to Nagoya, and Nagoya to Osaka.

Are there any recommended towns/places to hop off the train for a couple of hours along any of these routes?

I'll have the JR pass and be on bullet trains where possible if that matters but can take slower trains if it would allow an essential stop.

I understand that the Tokyo-Nagoya route goes past Mt. Fuji. Is there an easy place to stop off for lunch and get a closer/longer look at the mountain?

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 8:55 am
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Sendai itself is worth a visit if you have interest in traditional handcrafts.

Yamadera and Matsushima are nice and nearby.

I'm not sure this really fits your criteria of a stopover, but it might. I spent a day in Sendai on my last trip as a stopover between Aomori and Tokyo and had a nice time.
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 8:56 am
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I can't think of anything immediately interesting along the Sendai-Tokyo route that wouldn't involve taking another train. For example, you could get off at Utsunomiya and take the Nikko Line to...Nikko, of course. Or you could get off at Kriyama and see Aizu-Wakamatsu, but again, that's a significant diversion.

If you want to see Mount Fuji along the Tokyo-Nagoya stretch, you're pretty much out of luck in the summer. As I have mentioned many times on this board, I was once within 10 miles of Fuji and couldn't see it, due to the haze. You are most likely to see it in the winter, when the air is dry. Forget the area around Shin-Fuji station. It's as ugly a stretch of strip mall sprawl as you are likely to find anywhere in Japan.

However, you might want to stop off in Odawara, which is the gateway to Hakone but also has a castle.

There's another castle in Hikone on Lake Biwa between Nagoya and Osaka. Change to the slow train at Maibara.

Or, take the Kansai Main Line all the way from Nagoya, stop off for the ninja museum at Iga-Ueno, the entire city of Nara, and the world's oldest wooden buildings, the temple at Hryji.

And of course, if you stop off in Kyoto, you're within walking distance of a couple of temples.
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 9:18 am
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Thank you both very much. My main purpose of this trip is visiting baseball stadiums.

I'm starting off with two nights in Sapporo for a game, then one night Sendai for another game, then 2 nights in Tokyo, which might include one game at most.

Then a night in Nagoya for a game and two nights in Osaka/Kobe for two more games if I'm not sick of baseball by then. I'm looking at 4-6 games over 8 nights.

Have been to Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo before, the rest of the places will be new for me. Stopping in Nara between Nagoya and Osaka looks like a great idea.

Due to the length of the Sapporo-Sendai train ride, I won't be able to see much in Sendai before the game. Would have time the next morning if there is anything interesting to see. But I want to get to Tokyo at a reasonable time to enjoy the Park Hyatt (staying two nights courtesy of Chase sign up).

If I have time for just a morning of sightseeing in Sendai, what should I see? Would also have a half day in Sapporo and in Nagoya I guess, any tips appreciated.

Thanks.

Last edited by jphripjah; Jul 13, 2016 at 9:26 am
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 9:37 am
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Sounds like a pretty awesome tour! Have you attended Japanese baseball games before? I'm guessing yes.

I don't think Sendai is so much a siteseeing place (in town) as it is a place to check out local traditional handcrafts. this page has a decent introduction to them. What to see would depend on what crafts interest you. The "side trips" listed here would all be reasonable half day choices as well, I think.

Sapporo to Sendai is indeed a long train ride. Have you considered flying from Sapporo to Sendai?
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 9:49 am
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I visited Tokyo many years ago and don't remember much, other than that it was January 2-4 and to my surprise the entire city was closed. Went to the big temple, baseball hall of fame, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi, don't remember where else.

In April I visited Hiroshima and Osaka for a few days and went to Carp and Tigers pre-season games.

Yes, I thought about flying but decided to make use of the rail pass and see a bit of the country. It will be a bit hurried though. Arrive in Sapporo from USA in evening, baseball game at 2 p.m. next day, then 7 hour train ride following morning to Sendai to catch a 5 p.m. baseball game. The rest isn't as rushed.

Then I fly to Bangkok, spend a month in Southeast Asia, then back to Fukuoka, baseball game, train to Yokohama, baseball game,and then fly back to LAX in . . . Singapore Suites, courtesy of Citi sign up bonuses.
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 10:34 am
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Originally Posted by jphripjah
Fukuoka, baseball game, train to Yokohama, baseball game,
If you fancy a break in that train ride, you could drop by the iconic Koshien Stadium in Osaka.
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 10:36 am
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Originally Posted by jib71
If you fancy a break in that train ride, you could drop by the iconic Koshien Stadium in Osaka.
That's a great stadium. I saw a preseason game there in April.
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 12:36 pm
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I won't try and dissuade you from the train - I did a similar train ride from Sapporo to Tokyo, stopping in Aomori and Sendai along the way. If you have any engineer-nerdness in you, you'll pass through one of the world's engineering marvels along the way, the Seikan tunnel. It's not very interesting to look at from the train, but I found it neat anyway.

I'm not sure if the regular game atmosphere is held over to the preseason games. If you're an american baseball fan, you're in for a treat at Japanese baseball games. It's a very different experience - more like a US College Football game than a MLB game, to me.

If you can, try to get seats in the home team's cheering section - these will be outfield bleacher seats, but with the most intense fans and best experience. My experience is that the fans in these areas are happy to absorb foreigners into their midst if we show even a hint of trying to fit in.

If you don't sit in that section, be aware that the side of the stadium you sit on will determine the mix of fans around you. Home team fans will sit on the side of the stadium with the home team dugout and vice versa.

If you're willing to shell out a few yen for team-specific paraphernalia, it will help break the ice with your nearby fans. If things go well, you can get them to teach you the player-specific cheers as you go along.

I've only been to games hosted by Hanshin Tigers, Yokohama Baystars, and Yakult Swallows - I'm envious of your trip!
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 12:53 pm
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The long run down from Aomori to Sendai passes through some quiet but pretty Tohoku site-seeing country. Rural, agricultural. I took a lot of "out-the-window" pictures. Not exciting but relaxing and pretty. Some of the major stops on that route offer eki-ben regional specialties, which may be the best part of the trip.
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Old Jul 13, 2016, 12:55 pm
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The preseason games were interesting. Stadiums only half full or less but with the intense cheering, balloons, etc. Of course, I liked the beer girls too. I'm sure regular season will be better.
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Old Jul 17, 2016, 10:21 am
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Thanks everyone for your advice. I've decided to spend a half day in Sendai and leave in the early afternoon for Tokyo.

From Tokyo to Nagoya, I'll stop off in Odawara for about 2.5 hours to eat lunch and see the castle.

Looking at the Nagoya-Osaka options, it does seem that the stopovers (except Kyoto) would involve a lengthy diversion and that I'm better off spending a half day more in Nagoya, going straight to Osaka, and then I'll head back to Nara from Osaka the next day.
I'd like to get to Osaka by early to mid afternoon to check into my hotel and then head to Kobe for the baseball game at 6 p.m.

Nagoya-Osaka-Nara-Osaka isn't much longer on the train than Nagoya-Nara-Osaka as far as I can tell.
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Old Jul 17, 2016, 4:30 pm
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For your morning in Sendai, try heading to Matsushima bay area. Nice and close to Sendai

For heading out of Tokyo to Nagoya you can always stop in Atami for a few hours .

I am heading back to Japan in early Sept and will be going to 9 games in a 2 week period--7 pro games and 2 farm league games. All the games but one will be in the Kanto region.

If you want something different, but still baseball related, try going to a Japan Women's Baseball League game...you will be one of the few, if not the only, foreigner at the game and it can be a ot of fun.

Last edited by mapleg; Jul 17, 2016 at 4:40 pm
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Old Jul 17, 2016, 4:45 pm
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Originally Posted by mapleg

If you want something different, but still baseball related, try going to a Japan Women's Baseball League game...you will be one of the few, if not the only, foreigner at the game and it can be a ot of fun.
Very interesting. Is there crying?

I'll be back for a few games in early September also, probably Yokohama on the 7th and Seibu on the 8th.
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Old Jul 17, 2016, 4:53 pm
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If there's one thing I've learned watching Japanese TV shows, it's that there is crying in everything.
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