Travel Diary 2024: A 7-Day Solo Trip to the San'in Region - Shimane, Izumo, Matsue, Tottori, Himeji, Osaka, and Kobe

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[Travel Diary] 2024: A 7-Day Solo Trip to the San’in Region - Shimane, Izumo, Matsue, Tottori, Himeji, Osaka, and Kobe

Starting from Okayama, I first visited the San’in region of Shimane, then Tottori, and finally returned to Himeji, Kansai, and Osaka. Over 7 days, I walked 100,000 steps and traveled over 1,000 kilometers, exploring the San’in and Kansai regions.

Sunset at Lake Shinji

Introduction

Initially, I planned to visit Sendai in the second half of 2024. However, after checking the attractions, I found my interest was lukewarm for that time. I recalled my wonderful experience from the same week last year (November 13-18) when I took a 6-Day Free Trip to the Sanyo Region - Hiroshima and Okayama. I had a great impression of the Chugoku region, Sanyo, and Okayama — beautiful scenery, convenient transportation, and fewer tourists. So, I decided to explore the San’in region (Shimane and Tottori) this time. With some free time at work and feeling mentally overwhelmed, I needed a break. This led to my 7-day, 6-night solo trip to the San’in region (plus Kansai: Himeji and Osaka).

Preparations

Dates: November 12-18

This time, I had a spontaneous opportunity in mid-October, so I quickly arranged to depart on November 12 and return on November 18.

✈️ Flights

This year, I didn’t particularly chase after discounted tickets from Tigerair’s autumn promotions. Last year, I managed to get a good deal with better timing and lower prices (Last year: Departure (11:10), Return (15:25), including round-trip 20KG checked baggage + seat selection + miscellaneous fees: NT$ 7,012).

• Outbound: 13:05 TPE Taoyuan International Airport -> 16:30 OKJ Okayama Momotaro Airport
• Return: 17:30 OKJ Okayama Momotaro Airport -> 19:35 TPE Taoyuan International Airport
• Total round-trip cost including 20KG checked baggage + seat selection + miscellaneous fees: NT$ 9,118

Not particularly cheap, but acceptable. If I had chosen the same departure and return times as last year, it would have been more expensive, around NT$ 12,000.

Tigerair’s New Direct Flight Route in 2025

Tigerair Taiwan will launch a new direct flight from Taoyuan International Airport to Tottori Yonago Airport starting May 29, 2025, making it even more convenient to visit the San’in region!

🏝️ Itinerary

Having never been to the San’in region or Himeji, I focused on these three places.

• November 12: Arrive in Okayama in the evening, stay one night to prepare for the next morning’s trip to Shimane.
• November 13: Take the JR train to Shimane in the morning, visit Izumo Taisha and Inasa Beach, then head to Lake Shinji for sunset in the evening.
• November 14: Visit Matsue Castle and take a boat ride on the Matsue Horikawa in the morning, then visit the Adachi Art Museum in the afternoon, and arrive in Tottori in the evening.
• November 15: Visit the White Rabbit Shrine in the morning, explore the Tottori Sand Dunes in the afternoon, and arrive in Himeji in the evening.
• November 16: Visit Himeji Castle and explore the city.
  • I actually visited Shosha Mountain Enkō-ji Temple.
• November 17: Walk the Ohnaruto Bridge promenade, see the Naruto whirlpools, and the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge.
  • Due to bad weather, I didn’t go and instead explored Osaka and Kobe for shopping and food.
• November 18: Shop at Okayama Station and return home.

🚅 Transportation - Japan JR Pass | Kansai & San’in Region Rail Pass | eMCO Electronic Ticket

Since this trip involved long-distance travel, I had to buy a JR Pass. I was initially worried that there would only be JR passes for the San’in and Sanyo regions, but I was pleasantly surprised that Japan JR had thoughtfully planned all possible routes, offering the Kansai & San’in Region Rail Pass JRPass, which was perfect for my needs!

Kansai & San’in Region Rail Pass JRPass Coverage

• Price: NT$ 3,779, plus an additional San’in Sanyo Region 3-Day Pass (great for combination use)

📱 Internet

I also purchased a Japan eSIM Card | Daily High-Speed, Unlimited Data Plan | 35% Off from KKday.

• 7-Day Unlimited Data eSIM Plan
• Price: NT$ 847

It worked great, very stable, and I didn’t encounter any issues with throttling or disconnections.

The activation method and precautions for the eSIM will be included later in this article, so please keep reading.

Japanese Yen

I exchanged for new Japanese yen bills.

It’s recommended to bring both new and old bills, as some vending machines cannot accept new bills.

Vending machine that accepts new bills

🏠 Accommodation

I was fortunate that I only couldn’t book a room at Toyoko Inn for one night in Matsue; I managed to book everywhere else.

November 12: Toyoko Inn Okayama Station East Exit (1 night)

Just a 4-minute walk from Okayama Station

• Non-smoking twin room, for 1 person
• Price: NT$ 1,616

November 13: Matsue Urban Hotel (1 night)

Just a 2-minute walk from Matsue Station

• Double Room with Small Double Bed — Non-Smoking — Building 2
• Price: NT$ 2,431

November 14: Toyoko Inn Tottori Station South Exit (1 night)

Just a 4-minute walk from Tottori Station

• Non-smoking double room, for 1 person
• Price: NT$ 1,595

November 15: Toyoko Inn Himeji Station Shinkansen North Exit (3 nights)

Just a 5-minute walk from Himeji Station

• Non-smoking double room, for 1 person
• Price: NT$ 6,055, NT$ 2,018 per night

Although I managed to book Toyoko Inn for almost all nights, I ended up with a double room due to late booking, which made the price higher. If I had booked a single room, I could have kept it under NT$ 1,500 per night. However, based on past experiences, as the date approaches, even double rooms tend to fill up quickly, possibly because these locations are less frequented?

A room tour video will be included later in this article, so please keep reading.

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Flight Tracker, iPhone Suica usage, Visit Japan pre-entry application… I mentioned these in previous articles, so I won’t elaborate here.

Visit Japan The only difference from before is that the “Entry Inspection” and “Customs Declaration” QR codes have been merged into one “Entry Inspection and Customs Declaration QR Code,” with no distinction between blue and yellow codes.

Tigerair Online Self-Check-In

About 1-3 days before departure, I received a flight notification email from Tigerair. It is essential! to complete the online “self-check-in” directly before departure:

After clicking on self-check-in, you will be directed to the Tigerair website to confirm passenger information and baggage safety, and finally, a “boarding pass” will be generated and sent to you.

Keep your boarding pass safe; you can go directly to the “self-baggage drop” at the airport without wasting time waiting in the long “regular check-in” line.

Let’s Go! Departure!

KKday Promotions 🛒

• Japan JR PASS | Tottori & Matsue Area Pass | eMCO Electronic Ticket (Consider this if you’re only visiting Matsue and Tottori)
• Kansai & San’in Region Rail Pass JRPass (Best choice for entering and exiting Okayama Airport)

• [**Japan eSIM Card

  Daily High-Speed, Unlimited Data Plan**](https://www.kkday.com/zh-tw/product/137689-japan-high-speed-daily-unlimited-data-japanese-esim?cid=19365){:target=”_blank”}

• Japan JR PASS | Sanyo & San’in Region Rail Pass | eMCO Electronic Ticket (Explore the Sanyo and San’in regions all at once)

• [Tottori Sand Dunes

  Japan’s only thrilling sandboarding experience](https://www.kkday.com/zh-tw/product/184144?cid=19365){:target=”_blank”}

• [【Tottori Bus Day Tour】Tottori Sand Dunes, Uratomi Coast Cruise, Sand Museum, Pear Picking Experience

  Includes Special Lunch (Departing from Osaka)](https://www.kkday.com/zh-tw/product/11463-osaka-bus-tour-tottori-sand-dunes-uratomi-coast-cruise-sand-museum-japan?cid=19365){:target=”_blank”}

• 2-Day Bus Tour to Explore Tottori Sand Dunes and Famous Izumo Taisha (Departing from Osaka)
• New Year Visit! 3-Hour Stop at Izumo Taisha 【Departing from Hiroshima】

Day 1 (November 12, Tuesday) Departure

My flight was at 13:05, so I woke up at 8 AM and left around 9 AM, giving me plenty of time.

November 2024 Screenshot from the Pre-Check-In Official Website

Tigerair’s Pre-Check-In Service (Check in and drop off luggage at the MRT, then go directly to the airport) can only be done at MRT A3 New Taipei Industrial Park Station; it cannot be done at Taipei Main Station, so I took the MRT straight to Terminal 1.

~= 10:00 Arrive at the Airport

I arrived at the airport around 10:00 and had to wait until 10:20 for the check-in counters to open.

~= 10:20 Line Up for “Self-Baggage Drop”

At this point, I was able to take advantage of the online check-in I completed earlier. The regular check-in line was already long at 10:20, estimated to take at least 45 minutes to an hour. The “self-baggage drop” took me less than 15 minutes, saving a lot of waiting time.

Completing online check-in on-site and then lining up for “self-baggage drop” is much faster than going to the “regular check-in.”

~= 10:50 Complete Departure Procedures

This time, I was at Gate A1 in Terminal 1. (Finally, no more shuttle bus!)

Previously, I always ate at Tasty, but this time I opted for Lao Dong Beef Noodles, conveniently located near Gate A1.

~= 11:30 Waiting for the Flight

After eating and wandering around a bit, I arrived at the waiting area around 11:30. The downside of Gate A1 is that it is far from the VIP Lounge in Terminal 1, so I didn’t feel like walking back and forth and just went directly to the waiting area.

I took care of two internet issues beforehand. The first was that my Chunghwa Telecom roaming function was turned off, and I couldn’t purchase a roaming plan directly. So, I called Chunghwa Telecom to unlock the roaming function just in case.

I needed to call Chunghwa Telecom and confirm my personal information for customer service to unlock it.

Pre-Activating eSIM (Example for iPhone)

The second internet issue was to activate the eSIM at the airport. Since activating the eSIM requires a network connection, I was worried about the stability of the WiFi at Okayama Airport, so I entered the activation for the Japanese eSIM while I was still connected to a stable network in Taiwan.

If you’re still worried about network issues causing problems upon entry, you can also take a screenshot of the entry QR code or write out the paper entry card as a backup.

Previously, the eSIM I bought in Thailand allowed me to simply long-press the QR code in the purchase confirmation email, PDF, or screenshot to see the “Add eSIM” option and automatically add it. However, this time, the eSIM I bought for Japan did not show that option:

I found a method provided by a netizen that successfully reveals the “Add eSIM” option. (It seems to be an iOS bug that started after iOS 17.4):

1. Go to the eSIM confirmation email or PDF, take a screenshot, and save it to your photo album.
2. Open your phone’s camera and tap the bottom left corner to access the photo album.
3. Find the eSIM photo in the album, long-press the QR code, and the “Add eSIM” option will appear.
4. Tap “Add eSIM” to directly input the activation information and activate the eSIM.

Manually Activating eSIM on iPhone

Go to “Settings” -> “Cellular” -> “Add eSIM” -> “Use Mobile Barcode”:

I printed out the eSIM QR code, so I scanned it directly from there.

If you don’t have anything, you can click “Manually Enter Details” to copy and paste the eSIM confirmation information for manual activation:

Fill in the SM-DP+ address, Activation Code, and Confirmation Code (this time there isn’t one), then click next to complete the activation.

After entering the information, it will take some time to activate. You might get stuck on “Activating…” for a while or see a message saying activation failed and to try again later; just wait a little longer, and it should activate successfully. In “Settings” -> “Cellular,” it will show “On,” and the signal icon will appear in the top right corner, indicating the signal status.

• You can select the “Travel” label for the mobile plan.

We are still in Taiwan and currently cannot connect to the eSIM for Japanese networks; we just need to confirm that activation was successful.

~= 12:20 Boarding Begins, No Delays

~= 13:05 On Time Departure

At this time, it started pouring rain in Taiwan, but there wasn’t much wind, so it didn’t significantly affect the takeoff.

I find the seating comfort on Tigerair to be quite good compared to other budget airlines (like Peach, which has smaller seats, and VietJet, which has uncomfortable chairs). However, a downside of Tigerair is that they prohibit bringing your own food, and I just ate, so I’m not hungry!

There’s no WiFi on board, so I can only listen to music and play offline games.

From the window, I can see that the weather in Japan is really nice. 👍👍👍

16:30 (Taiwan Time 15:30) On-Time Landing

After landing in Japan, our Japanese eSIM should be able to receive a signal.

If there’s a signal but no internet access, go to “Settings” -> “Cellular” -> select Travel Japan eSIM -> ensure “Turn on this number” and **enable “Data Roaming” to get internet! ⚠️⚠️⚠️

Additionally, you can access the main Chunghwa Telecom number. If you haven’t purchased a Chunghwa Telecom roaming plan, remember to turn off “Data Roaming” and “Turn on this number” to keep it activated, so you can receive SMS from Taiwan!

Please note: Do not answer calls randomly; receiving calls from overseas to domestic numbers will incur charges! ⚠️⚠️⚠️ (Only receiving SMS is free)

~= 17:00 Completed Immigration and Baggage Claim

• Okayama Momotaro Airport is a very small airport, with only one international flight at a time (which is this flight). Follow the other passengers to immigration and baggage claim; it’s quick. (This flight seemed almost full, and it took about 30 minutes to get out.)
• Surprisingly, the airport staff all spoke Chinese.
• Perhaps because it’s a small airport, they were stricter; if you’re traveling alone like me, you might be asked how many days you’ll stay and where you’re going. Some were even asked to show hotel reservations. (So if you’re going alone, please prepare for this in advance.)

Airport WiFi

Okayama Airport offers free WiFi, but you need to enter your email after connecting. Check your inbox for an email to click the link to activate it for continued use. If you just need to access the Visit Japan QR code, you can open the webpage within 10 minutes of connecting.

~= 17:04 Took the Bus from Okayama Airport to JR Okayama Station

](/assets/aacd5f5cacd1/1*k3bf2CWOwFKCWeC1eC1yTQ.png)

For the latest bus schedule, please refer to the official website

• The airport is small, and just follow the signs to the bus to Okayama Station. There are staff to guide you, so you won’t get lost; just get on the bus.
• Since flights are infrequent, the bus will not only run according to the scheduled times but will also add extra trips based on flight arrivals; you don’t have to worry about not getting on due to full capacity; if it’s full, another bus will come. (According to the schedule, I would have to wait until 19:05 for a bus, but there were actually extra buses.)
• If you show your passport before 2024/11/30, you can ride for free; free shuttles are offered irregularly, and when I came last year, there were none.

~= 18:00 Arrived at JR Okayama Station

I encountered some traffic due to rush hour and arrived at Okayama Station around 18:00. (30 minutes longer than expected)

Exchanged JR Pass & Reserved Tickets for Tomorrow’s Trip to Matsue at JR Okayama Station

• You can check the stations where you can exchange the JR Pass on the official website; not every station allows exchanges! (JR Okayama Station does.)
• At Okayama Station, I found the ticket vending machine; use the middle green machine, as it’s the only one that can exchange the JR Pass.

Exchange Process:

Prepare your passport and the QR code for the purchased JR Pass. You can first select “Traditional Chinese” in the top right corner, then click the yellow button “QRコードの読取り (QR Code Scan)” in the bottom left to exchange.

You can choose the start date, and the reserved seat times will also be calculated from the start date. ⚠️_

(I chose to start tomorrow)

Just follow the steps to scan the JR Pass QR code and your passport to complete the exchange.

JR Pass QR Code

Exchange Result:

The above image is an example of the JR Pass I exchanged last year.

After the exchange, you will receive three tickets; the other two rectangular ones are instructions and are not useful; the one printed with PASS is the most important, as you will need it to enter and exit the station! Keep it safe!

Reserving JR Reserved Seats

This part is very important. According to the information provided on the JR Pass Kansai & San’in Area Pass official website, the JR YAKUMO 八雲 (Yakumo) train to the San’in region has all reserved seats, and there are no non-reserved seats ⚠️⚠️⚠️ (starting March 16, 2024), so reservations must be made in advance.

You should also be able to reserve online; I previously reserved a JR train from Hakata to Yufuin online, but you need to check it out.

Google Maps transportation information is incomplete; you can find detailed schedules and train names on the JR official website. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

JR Pass Reserved Seat Reservation Process:

• The JR Pass Kansai & San’in Area Pass allows you to use the machine to reserve up to 6 designated seats; if you exceed that, you need to go to the ticket counter to reserve. Each region’s JR Pass has different limits, so please refer to the official website for information.
• First, check the English names of your departure and destination JR stations, for example: OKAYAMA (岡山) -> MATSUE (松江).
• Please note that you need the English names of the JR stations, so if you’re going to Fukuoka, you need to type Hakata XD.
• First, select “Traditional Chinese.”
• Next, insert one “JR Pass ticket.” (If you are traveling with multiple people and want to reserve seats together, you will be prompted to continue inserting tickets in the fourth step.)
• Follow the steps in the video below to complete the reservation:

The video shows the entire process of reserving a ticket from Yasugi Station to Tottori Station.

(There was no one at the ticket vending machine at that station, so I dared to take out my phone to record the whole process)

Reservation Completed:

Due to the schedule and tomorrow’s itinerary, I reserved the 07:05 train to Matsue to drop off my luggage at the hotel.

• You will still use the JR Pass (the one above) to enter and exit the station ⚠️⚠️⚠️; the reserved ticket is just to inform you of your carriage and seat number.
• There were no window seats left, so I had to sit in the aisle QQ.

After casually buying a fried beef cutlet bento and some snacks and drinks from the convenience store at Okayama Station, I went to the hotel to rest. Okayama Station is under renovation, and I will return to Okayama on the last day of my trip.

It’s a five-minute walk from Momotaro Shopping Street to the hotel.

~= 19:00 Back at the Hotel to Eat and Rest

The bento was a bit small, but the Okayama white peach in this can of peach wine was delicious! Plus, I enjoyed the nostalgic Japanese convenience store (FamilyMart) hot dogs and fried chicken. I felt very satisfied tonight; goodnight Okayama! Getting ready for an early start tomorrow for my Japan trip.

Okayama Korakuen Light-Up

The Okayama Korakuen light-up event for 2024 will take place from November 15 (Friday) to November 24 (Sunday). As of today, the lights have not yet been turned on; if they are, it would be worth checking out as it’s quite beautiful.

Photo I took of the Sanyo mail light-up last year, 2023

Day 2 (11/13 Wednesday) Shimane — Izumo Taisha, Lake Shinji Sunset

07:05 Departing on the Yakumo train to Matsue

The train is quite comfortable, with luggage areas at both ends for easy storage, and the seats have charging ports.

The total journey takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes. You can feel the scenery changing as you travel through the mountains; many areas are still shrouded in mist early in the morning, giving a sense of arriving in a hidden paradise. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a window seat, so I could only enjoy the view from afar.

09:49 Arrive in Matsue

The weather in Matsue is fantastic ☀️. After arriving at Matsue Station, I headed straight to the hotel I’ll be staying at tonight, the Matsue Urban Hotel, to drop off my luggage.

After dropping off my luggage, I returned to Matsue Station around 10:00 to rebook my seat for the 10:48 Yakumo train to Izumo City.

I should have booked my seat from Okayama to Matsue and also reserved one from Matsue to Izumo City at the same time, since I wanted to see the sunset in the afternoon. Otherwise, I could have gone straight to Izumo City without wasting time changing trains.

Alternatively, you can take the Ichibata Electric Railway Daisha Line to Izumo Taisha, which takes about the same amount of time.

I had a bit of time, so I ran to a convenience store and bought two rice balls, coffee, and fried chicken for lunch.

Along the way, we passed Lake Shinji, which is so large that I initially thought it was the sea, but it’s actually a lake.

If you want to see Lake Shinji directly, you should book a window seat on the D side; I booked an A seat next to the mountain and couldn’t see anything QQ.

11:12 Arrive in Izumo City

After arriving at Matsue Station, I had to jog a bit to catch the 11:25 Ichibata Electric Railway North Matsue Line to Kawato Station.

You can’t use a transportation card to enter the Ichibata Electric Railway; you need to buy a ticket from the automatic vending machine at the entrance (which accepts electronic payments). If you’re unsure how to buy a ticket, just tell the staff you’re going to Izumo Taisha (出雲大社).

At Kawato Station, I needed to transfer (just follow everyone to the opposite platform) to the Ichibata Electric Railway Daisha Line heading to Izumo Taisha-mae Station.

Arrive at Izumo Taisha around 12:00

The approach to the main shrine is serene and beautiful. If you have time, there are many small shops and food stalls to explore.

I later learned that the four torii gates in Izumo are also quite famous. One of the large white torii gates can be found by walking in the opposite direction from the station along the approach to the shrine:

Source: Shimane Tourism Official Website

For more details, you can refer to the Shimane Tourism Official Website

Walking up to the entrance of Izumo Taisha, I realized that I arrived during the Kami Matsuri period (from November 11 to November 17, 2024), so there were many Japanese visitors coming to pay their respects.

Every year in the lunar month of October (Gregorian November), all eight million gods gather in Izumo for a “divine council” to discuss matters concerning the human world, such as fate and harmony with nature.

Thus, this month is referred to as “Kannazuki” (the month when the gods are absent) in most other regions of Japan, where there are usually no festivals.

Only in Izumo is it called “Kamiarizuki,” meaning only in the Izumo region are the gods present.

The festival includes the welcoming of the gods (Kami-mukae-sai), prayers for good relationships (Enketsu-ō-sai), and the sending off of the gods (Kami-okuri-sai).

Izumo Taisha is dedicated to the main deity: Ōkuninushi no Mikoto (大国主命).

It was quite a coincidence; I didn’t intentionally choose this time when planning my trip. I only found out while researching the attractions.

After passing through the entrance torii gate, you still need to walk about 5 minutes to reach the shrine.

Japan’s Largest “Nihonmaru” National Flag

Once inside the shrine, look to the left, and you’ll see a tall flagpole with Japan’s largest Nihonmaru flag (about 75 tatami mats, 137 square meters).

Walking towards this flagpole will lead you to the “Kagura-den,” where you can find Japan’s largest shimenawa.

Up close, it’s truly massive, especially compared to the regular shimenawa found at other shrines, which is about ten times smaller. (It measures 14 meters in length, weighs 5 tons, and is handmade, being replaced every few years.)

Please remember that the largest one is at the “Kagura-den,” don’t make the same mistake I did by thinking it was at the main shrine.

After walking around, I noticed it was quite crowded, and some people had to wait in long lines to pay their respects.

The way to pay respects at Izumo Taisha is different from other shrines: ⚠️⚠️⚠️

You must bow twice, clap four times, and then bow once more.

I bought a limited edition amulet available only during the Kami Matsuri. (Sold only for this week)

After paying my respects, I picked up a stamp collection book and stamped the Izumo Taisha commemorative seal.

Map of the five shrines to visit during the Kami Matsuri in Izumo.

Due to time constraints, I didn’t visit other shrines in Izumo, and without a car, it felt difficult to collect them all.

~= 12:45 Walk to Inasa-no-Hama Beach

The bus schedule was too sparse, so I had to walk, which took about 15 minutes. Along the way, I passed the tomb of Izumo no Akagami, and at the end of the path is Inasa-no-Hama.

Inasa-no-Hama:

Source: Shimane Tourism Official Website

A site rich in Japanese mythology, the small island in the picture is called Benten Island, which has a small shrine on it.

Recognized as one of Japan’s top 100 beaches, “Sunset Sacred Ground Izumo” is a landmark where the sunset beautifully descends behind Benten Island. It has been registered as a Japanese heritage site and is also the location for the welcoming ceremony for deities from across Japan.

Due to limited time, I couldn’t stay for the sunset and just took a quick look before heading back.

Later, when I checked Instagram back in Taiwan, I found out that there’s a sand amulet available here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CynStXPyZAX/

I walked back to the Izumo Taisha bus station to catch a bus back to JR Izumo Station.

I could see a long line of vehicles waiting to enter the Izumo Taisha parking lot for worship.

The Izumo Taisha bus station is located behind the souvenir shop, past the restroom. It’s quite small, and I was initially worried about waiting in the wrong place.

At this point, it was around 13:15, and I had to wait for the 13:40 bus back to JR Izumo Station. I was very hungry, so I went to the souvenir shop nearby to grab a quick snack.

I bought a few quirky stickers from the souvenir shop.

13:40 Take the bus back to JR Izumo Station

On the way back to Izumo, I met a Japanese person who borrowed my power bank because his phone had completely died. I took the opportunity to practice my limited Japanese by asking him, “ このバスは JR 出雲市駅へ行きますか” (Does this bus go to JR Izumo Station?). He replied, “ はい” (Yes), and that was about all I understood.)

~= 14:15 Arrive back at JR Izumo Station

(I rushed to see the sunset at Lake Shinji, which was scheduled for 17:05 that day.)

This time, I didn’t take the Yakumo train; instead, I took the 14:54 local train to Yonago, following Google Maps’ suggestion to get off at Nogi Station and walk to the Lake Shinji sunset viewing spot.

If you sit on the left (A) side heading towards Matsue, you can see the lake view directly. Unfortunately, I sat on the side next to the mountain again and missed it.

At this small station, you have to press a button for the doors to open; it was my first time encountering that. ⚠️

~= 15:35 Arrive at Nogi Station

Noguchi Station is quite small, with no staff or ticket machines. If you have a JR Pass, you can simply exit the station without worrying about leaving it in the ticket box. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

Walking from Noguchi Station was a bit of a miscalculation; the area is quite desolate with not many people around…

Fortunately, I found a 7-Eleven along the way where I bought a hot dog, fried chicken, and a drink to enjoy while waiting for the sunset.

16:00 Waiting for the sunset at Lake Shinji

Lake Shinji is the seventh largest lake in Japan, known for its beautiful sunsets.

The small island in the picture is the Yomejima Shrine, which has a white torii gate.

I previously mistyped it as Anato Lake.

There was a heron.

If you walk up, you’ll reach the Shimane Prefectural Art Museum, which is livelier and has a café; however, the view from the steps here is better.

16:45 The sun begins to set

At first, I didn’t feel much, but as the sunset approached, I began to appreciate the beauty of the first sunset. The heron also gracefully blended into the scenery.

As the sun neared the horizon, it seemed to disappear at a visible speed, with each passing moment bringing it lower.

Before I knew it, at 17:01, the sun was no longer visible.

It was truly beautiful and soothing.

Finally, I took a moment to look around at the Sunset Viewing Steps and the people watching the sunset.

After the sunset, I turned around to wait for the bus back to Matsue.

Sunset Index

You can check the sunset index on the Shimane tourism website

Lake Shinji Sightseeing Boat

https://hakuchougo.jp/timetable/

There are sightseeing boats on Lake Shinji, which you can take close to sunset to enjoy the view from the water; I would love to try it next time.

You can use the San’in-Sanyō Area 3-Day Pass that comes with the JR Pass for free rides, saving you 1,800 yen.

18:00 Back at Matsue Station, Hotel

Buying Souvenirs at the Gift Shop on the First Floor of Matsue Station

I thought it would be nice to buy some souvenirs unique to the San’in region here.

One unique item is the beef bone soup ramen, as it’s usually pork bone. I bought a box to try back in Taiwan.

I also bought two large boxes of cookies (great for sharing with colleagues). The sweet ones are ordinary but are a commemorative item from the Izumo Taisha Shrine, while the savory seafood crackers were delicious!

Back to the Hotel

This building doesn’t have an elevator; I booked a room in Building 2. You can cross the bridge from the main lobby to Building 2, where the second floor has a lounge, microwave, laundry room, and vending machines.

The second building feels a bit less secure; there are no access restrictions for the elevator, and the first and second floors are capsule hotels, which makes it feel a bit complicated. Since it’s a bit far from the main lobby, I blocked the door with my suitcase after checking in, just in case someone suspicious tried to enter.

In the lobby, you can grab free face masks, coffee, and tea bags.

Finding Food

After checking in, I went outside to find something to eat. It was quite cold and dark outside, so I quickly grabbed a bento from a restaurant near the station and picked up some snacks and drinks from a convenience store before heading back to the hotel.

The beef tongue bento was delicious, and the peach sparkling wine I bought from the convenience store was also tasty.

Good night, Matsue.

I also bought almost the same breakfast combo for the next day…

This fruit juice with pulp from Family Mart is a must-have every time I come to Japan!

Matsue Lake Shinji 24-Hour Live Stream:

I stumbled upon this YouTube channel where you can see the weather and scenery of Lake Shinji.

Day 3 (Thursday, 11/14) Matsue Horikawa Sightseeing Boat, Matsue Castle, Adachi Museum of Art

In the morning, I first left my luggage at the hotel and took a bus from Matsue Bus Station to Matsue Castle for the sightseeing boat.

Google Maps doesn’t show the platforms, so I had to check on-site. The bus at platform 2 goes to Matsue Castle.

I got off in front of the Citizens’ Hall and walked towards Matsue Castle, where I could see the “Horikawa Sightseeing Boat” boarding area near the parking lot.

Using the JR Pass San’in-Sanyō Area 3-Day Pass for Free Rides on the Horikawa Sightseeing Boat

1. Download the Discover Another Japan App
2. Copy the serial number from the confirmation email
3. Open the app, select “Input,” paste the serial number, and press “Activate”

Switch to “Use,” fill out the health questionnaire, and after completing it, a QR code camera will appear. Scan the QR code provided by the vendor to show the results, and you’ll have completed the exchange.

You can also click “Target Content” to see what can be redeemed.

The actual time counted starts from the first redemption of the target, not from when you input the serial number for activation (I activated mine on 11/13).

Here are some popular locations where you can use it:

• Lake Shinji Sightseeing Boat, regular price 1,800 yen
• Matsue Castle Boat, regular price 1,600 yen
• Adachi Museum of Art, regular price 2,300 yen
• Matsue Castle, regular price 680 yen
• Tottori Sand Dunes Museum, regular price 800 yen
• Tsutenkaku Tower, regular price 800 yen
• Okayama Korakuen Garden, regular price 410 yen

It’s really a great deal; just adding up the above can save you 8,390 yen, which is already half the cost of the entire JR Pass.

09:15 Boarding the Matsue Sightseeing Boat

You can directly redeem the 3-Day Pass for free rides.

• This year is warmer, so the heated tables on the boat haven’t been set up yet.
• There are four bridge points where you need to lower the boat, so be careful not to pinch your hands.
• The entire ride lasts about 50 minutes.
• You must take off your shoes before boarding. ⚠️
• You can only get a direct view of Matsue Castle from the right side facing the boatman; the further away from the boatman you sit, the closer you are to the bow (i.e., the first row when you enter). ⚠️ As shown in the picture below.

We’re boarding now.

Perhaps because the maple leaf season hasn’t started yet, there weren’t many people; there were only four of us on the boat, so it felt quite spacious.

As we passed under four bridges, we had to lower the boat, so we had to bend down a bit to get through.

The gentle breeze while cruising along the river was delightful, and the boatman provided commentary on the surrounding sights and history (though I could only catch the words “hidari” for left and “migi” for right…).

https://youtube.com/shorts/KA9xKZV16bk

As we neared the return point, there was a great spot to take photos of Matsue Castle from a distance.

The boat ride ended around 10:00.

10:15 Matsue Castle

After returning from the boat ride, I walked back towards the entrance of Matsue Castle, which is just up ahead.

Passing by Matsue Shrine, I arrived at Matsue Castle.

Due to time constraints, I decided not to go up as I wanted to continue to the Adachi Museum of Art.

I returned to the bus stop in front of the Citizens’ Hall to wait for the bus back.

~=10:30 Back to the Hotel to Pick Up My Luggage

Around 10:30, I returned to Matsue Station to pick up my luggage.

While waiting for the traffic light here, I almost got hit by a bicycle with faulty brakes. Luckily, I was standing a bit further back, so I wasn’t hit. It’s important to be cautious when you’re out and about. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

After arriving at the station, I went to reserve a seat on the Yakumo 14 bound for An’yama (Adachi Museum of Art).

11:03 Heading to An’yama

The train departed at 11:03, and I bought some snacks near the station to tide me over on the ride.

Goodbye, Matsue.

The waffles and salted grilled chicken were delicious.

11:12 Arrived at Anrai Station

When you arrive at Anrai Station, don’t rush to exit. Look for the tourist information center where you can store large luggage.
(There are lockers outside the station, but they are mostly full.)

11:30 Take the shuttle bus to Adachi Museum of Art

For the latest timetable, please refer to the official website

After storing my luggage, I took the free shuttle bus to the Adachi Museum of Art (queue in order). There weren’t many people in the morning.

We arrived at the Adachi Museum of Art after about 20 minutes through the countryside.

After getting off, just walk straight ahead to the entrance of the Adachi Museum of Art.

I used the 3-Day Pass to exchange for free entry.

The first thing to do is to pick up the corresponding “shuttle bus ticket” at the front desk according to your schedule, one ticket per person. Return to the drop-off point at the scheduled time with the ticket to take the bus back to Anrai Station.

My plan is to take the JR train departing from Anrai at 14:46 to Tottori, so please note that there aren’t many trains to Tottori⚠️.

Very important! Very important! Very important! You must take it, or there’s no guarantee you’ll have a seat on the train.⚠️⚠️⚠️

I was the one who didn’t know to take the ticket. I was originally going to take the 13:00 train, but I found out I needed a ticket and had to go back to get it, so I switched to the 13:35 train back to Anrai.

Fortunately, I had plenty of time.

Adachi Museum of Art — Japan’s Best Garden

You can sit quietly here and enjoy the beautiful garden scenery.

In addition to the garden, the core of the Adachi Museum of Art is its extensive collection of artworks, which are not allowed to be photographed. Follow the designated path to view the artworks and the garden.

Outside, you can see part of the garden landscape, which clearly shows that a lot of time and effort has been spent maintaining this scenery.

There are two tea rooms inside, offering not only desserts and coffee but also hot meals; it’s worth stopping here to rest, eat something, and enjoy the view.

Since I came alone, I didn’t stop to eat anything special.

I bought a cardboard reproduction of the collection piece I saw, Yokoyama Taikan’s “Mt. Fuji”, as a souvenir.

12:30 Strolling in the nearby shopping street

There’s a small shopping street outside, and since it was still early, I wandered around.

This Shimane Wagyu rice burger was quite bad; it was just a microwaved rice burger that was sticky, and the Wagyu in the middle I bit into was still cold…

As mentioned earlier, I initially didn’t know to take the ticket and foolishly waited for the bus. When I realized I couldn’t board at 13:00, I went to get the 13:35 ticket.

After getting the ticket, I re-entered (you can re-enter) and sat in the indoor viewing area to relax and enjoy the scenery while waiting for the bus.

13:55 Back at Anrai Station

On the way back to Anrai Station, I saw some bright red maple leaves.

At this time, there were actually more people heading to the Adachi Museum of Art.

This station wasn’t crowded, and since it was still early, I took the opportunity to record a video demonstrating how to use the JR Pass to reserve a seat.

Shimane Cat

I wandered around the tourist information center to kill time.

The Seiryu Temple in Anrai also feels like a hidden gem for viewing maple leaves.

14:46 Take the limited express train to Tottori

The train model is quite old, with only two carriages (one for free seating and one for reserved seating). My 26-inch suitcase couldn’t fit in the overhead luggage rack (the newer JR trains can accommodate it, but this model is too small). I forgot that I could walk to the last row and place it behind the last row of seats, so I had to cram it into my own seat.

Fortunately, there was no one next to me the whole way. The free seating carriage looked more crowded, while the reserved seating area was only about 60% full.

Due to my itinerary, I didn’t specifically visit the GeGeGe no Kitaro Station (Sakaiminato Station) or the Detective Conan Station (Yura Station).

Source

Source

For those interested, you can plan to visit more.

15:58 Arrived at JR Tottori Station

I headed to tonight’s hotel, Toyoko Inn Tottori Station South Exit. There’s another Toyoko Inn at the North Exit, but I couldn’t book it. The North Exit area is livelier with shopping streets.

17:00 Wandering around Tottori

With an hour until dinner, I decided to check out the nearby AEON.

Around 18:00, I walked to the Tottori North Exit shopping street to find something to eat. After eating randomly for the past few days, I wanted to find a decent restaurant today.

I found a well-rated Tottori Wagyu restaurant on the main street — “Niku Ryori Nick” to try Tottori Wagyu. I was the only customer, probably because it was a weekday.

Although Tottori Wagyu isn’t as famous as Kobe or Omi beef, Tottori is the birthplace of Japanese Wagyu culture.

I ordered the “Tottori Wagyu Hitsumabushi,” which features Tottori Wagyu served three ways for 3,500 yen, significantly cheaper than Kobe beef.

The Tottori Wagyu was tender, but it lacked a strong beef flavor. The first way to eat it was just the Wagyu, which didn’t have much taste.

The second and third ways, combined with the accompanying soup, turned it into a delicious chazuke (tea over rice).

18:30 Full and heading back to the station and hotel

On the way, I stopped to book my train ticket for the next day to Himeji.

I also bought some late-night snacks to enjoy back at the hotel. I got a Y1000 Yakult, but I actually didn’t drink much and slept well…

Goodnight, Tottori.

Day 4 (11/15 Friday) Hakuto Shrine, Tottori Sand Dunes, Himeji

In the morning, I first visited Hakuto Shrine (for relationships) to pay my respects, then returned to the North Exit of Tottori Station and walked towards the bus terminal, passing through the bus hall to platform 4 to wait for the bus.

According to Google Maps, I took the Hakuto Coast Line bus No. 41 to Hakuto Shrine.

Buses in Tottori do not accept electronic payments; cash only.

Buses in Tottori do not accept electronic payments; cash only.

Buses in Tottori do not accept electronic payments; cash only.

Please prepare small change in advance or exchange large bills for coins with the driver.⚠️⚠️⚠️

The fare is about 610 yen.

Alternatively, you can buy a one-day sightseeing transportation ticket at Tottori Station, which is more economical.

Before getting off, pay the fare according to the amount displayed on the screen. Since we boarded without a ticket at the terminal, we paid the fare shown for the first stop.

~= 09:30 Arrived at Hakuto Shrine

After getting off, walk towards the pedestrian bridge, and you’ll find the entrance to Hakuto Shrine.

Hakuto Shrine is based on the legend of “The White Rabbit of Inaba.” In the legend, the deity Okuninushi (from Izumo Taisha) helps the injured rabbit recover, receiving the rabbit’s blessing and successfully winning the love of Princess Yashiro.

Hakuto Shrine symbolizes good relationships and healing, and both shrines carry the sacred meaning of praying for happiness and connections.

The shrine isn’t far to walk, but there are many rabbit statues along the way, all piled with relationship stones.

Here’s the translation of the text into naturalistic English while keeping the original markdown image sources:

---

There are many Inaba White Rabbit statues at Izumo Taisha, but I forgot to take pictures of them.

The torii gate is also piled high with love stones.

The shrine itself isn’t very large; you can complete your visit in about 15-20 minutes.

I also spent 500 yen to buy a love stone to place by the statue.

The Inaba White Rabbits I bought:

• Left: Bought at a gift shop outside Izumo Taisha
• Right: Bought at the White Rabbit Shrine (comes with a fortune slip)

[![Why did a rabbit provoke a group of sharks? After experiencing death and resurrection twice, he ended up marrying the daughter of his ancestor! The story of Okuninushi

Okuninushi

Inaba White Rabbit

The Land of Roots

Japanese Mythology

Dad Lan tells stories](/assets/aacd5f5cacd1/e5da_hqdefault.jpg “Why did a rabbit provoke a group of sharks? After experiencing death and resurrection twice, he ended up marrying the daughter of his ancestor! The story of Okuninushi

Okuninushi

Inaba White Rabbit

The Land of Roots

Japanese Mythology

Dad Lan tells stories”)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbxBcKkfCnk){:target=”_blank”}

The story of the Inaba White Rabbit and Okuninushi.

~= 09:50 Exterior of the White Rabbit Shrine Tourist Information Center, White Rabbit Beach

Inside the tourist information center, there is actually a white rabbit, and they sell some snacks and souvenirs. I bought a bread to fill my stomach.

White Rabbit Beach is quite desolate.

The bus to Tottori Station doesn’t come until 10:45, so I think it would be better to come earlier to catch an earlier bus and save time.

from: Sheng Wei

Remember to take a numbered ticket when you get on the bus. The number corresponds to the fare, which you should pay along with the ticket when you get off. ⚠️

On the bus, I met a tourist from Fujian, China; his itinerary was the opposite of mine—he was going to Himeji first and then to Shimane. We exchanged recommendations for attractions, and he suggested that I visit Shoshazan Engyoji first and then take photos at Himeji Castle from the spots shown in the pictures.

Thanks to him! I found it very worthwhile in the end.

I got off at Aioi Town and transferred to the bus heading towards Tottori Sand Dunes.

This bus requires you to get off at the East Entrance of the dunes.

I got ticket number 3 when I got on, and when I got off, I checked the screen for the fare corresponding to number 3, which in this case was 250 yen.

My confusing sightseeing route.

After getting off, I turned back and followed the signs up past the Tottori Sand Dunes Art Museum to reach the entrance of the dunes.

Prohibited activities at Tottori Sand Dunes, especially painting on the sand and damaging nature. ⚠️

The Tottori Sand Dunes are truly vast. At this time, the weather wasn’t great and it was a bit rainy, but on a sunny day, it would probably be very hot.

~=12:00 Arrived at Tottori Sand Dunes

Japan’s largest sand dunes.

People look so small here. I walked all the way to the ridge of the dunes, which was a bit shaky and the sand was loose, making it hard to walk.

At the highest point, you can overlook the entire coastline. This view of the dunes facing the sea is unique to this spot.

I checked online and it seems you can ride camels, but today it looked like they weren’t available due to the bad weather.

As I left the Tottori Sand Dunes, I took one last look back; they are truly massive. I inevitably got some sand in my shoes, and I saw some people wearing plastic shoe covers, which was very clever.

You can take a cable car directly to the Tottori Sand Dunes Observatory, but I thought I’d first go down to try the famous Tottori Sand Dunes pudding, so I didn’t take it. Later, I walked up and it wasn’t far (about 15 minutes).

As I came out from the parking lot, I could see the Tottori Sand Dunes “Takahama Cafe,” designed by Kengo Kuma, across the way.

I bought one to try, and it was really good—the pudding had a rich milk flavor and a texture like cheese.

The special feature is that they give you a small packet of sugar that looks like sand to sprinkle on top.

There are also some restaurants along the way where you can eat. Continuing back, there’s a small path; if you go up a little on the right, you’ll find the second entrance to the Sand Dunes Art Museum, and if you go a bit further up on the left, you’ll reach the place where the cable car would take you, the “Tottori Sand Dunes Observatory.”

First, I headed left to the Tottori Sand Dunes Observatory to enjoy the view and grab a bite to eat, which would take me to the cable car station.

You can first go to the sales area and the adjacent spot to get a brush to clean the sand off your shoes. (The staff at the entrance will remind you too.)

Finally, I waited here for the bus back to Tottori.

The observatory has souvenir shops on the first and second floors and a small restaurant. You can go up to the third floor to overlook the Tottori Sand Dunes (though there’s not much to see).

The food options inside aren’t very many; you need to go to the vending machine next door to buy a meal ticket, then you can enter, find a seat, and hand the ticket to the staff.

I casually had an oyster set.

I also bought some Tottori souvenirs here.

13:30 Sand Dunes Art Museum

After eating, I went down from the second entrance to explore the Sand Dunes Art Museum. (Again, I used the 3-Day Pass for free entry.)

Starting from the second entrance, you first see the outdoor sand sculptures and then walk down from the third floor to the second. The actual exhibition area only has sand sculptures on the second floor; the venue is small, and if it weren’t free, I probably wouldn’t have gone in.

Although the space is small, the details of each sand sculpture are exquisite.

There’s also a QR code for the Sand Dunes Art Museum sculpture that you can scan.

After walking around, I went back up to the Tottori Sand Dunes Observatory, where I enjoyed a Tottori pear ice cream around 14:20 while waiting for the bus at the stop, which was scheduled for 14:42 towards Tottori Station.

When the bus to Tottori arrived, it was already close to full, and I barely squeezed on. If you have time, it might be better to look for a bus from the previous stop.

2025/01 Update

I found out after returning that Tottori offers taxi charter day tours due to the less convenient transportation, for details, please refer to the tourist center or this website.

15:10 Back at Tottori Station

I arrived back at Tottori Station around 15:10, and it started to rain.

I wandered around the shops at the station, and the souvenir store here also sells sand dune pudding!

I originally wanted to visit the famous Sunaba Coffee in Tottori, but they had already closed by the afternoon around three. So, I found a place inside the station called Nana’s Green Tea to order some dessert and coffee to recharge (both me and my phone needed charging).

The shop was comfortable and not very crowded.

I had warabi mochi with ice cream and hot coffee, which was very satisfying.

16:15 Back to the hotel to pick up luggage and then back to the station to wait for the train

It was still early; we were taking the 16:55 Limited Express Super Hakuto to Himeji.

While waiting for the train, I saw the Conan train.

16:55 Boarding the train to Himeji

Goodbye, San’in.

I got a seat in the first row of the Green Car, which was very comfortable.

Since the train was shaking a lot, I didn’t dare to put my luggage on the overhead rack. Instead, I walked to the last row of seats and placed it horizontally behind the last row.

18:27 Arrived at Himeji Station

I happened to encounter their local elections, and there were politicians giving speeches outside the station, attracting a large crowd.

After exiting the station, I headed straight to the hotel Toyoko Inn Himeji Station Shinkansen North Exit. I would be staying here for the last three nights. The Toyoko Inn near the North Exit is livelier; it looks close on the map, but it actually feels a bit far when walking, taking about 10 minutes.

I was assigned a room on the 14th floor, and the view from the window was great.

From the window, I could look back at Himeji Station’s railway, and there was a slight sound of trains passing by, but thankfully, there were no trains after the evening.

19:00 Out for a stroll in search of food

As soon as I stepped outside, I was captivated by the beautiful night view of Himeji Castle. I don’t know what got into me, but I wanted to walk to Himeji Castle to take night photos. However, being too close made it hard to capture good shots, so I didn’t take many pictures and just left. I felt cold and hungry; I should have gone straight to eat.

Himeji Castle is about 1 kilometer from the station, and it took me nearly 30 minutes to walk back and forth.

https://himeji-kyoukasuigetsu.com/en/

https://himeji-kyoukasuigetsu.com/en/

Unfortunately, I missed the winter illumination event at Himeji Castle this time. It seemed beautiful and romantic; hopefully, I can come again in the future.

The event starts on November 22, 2024 (Friday) and runs until February 23, 2025 (Sunday).

In the end, I found that the viewing platform on the second floor of the station’s North Exit was the best spot to photograph Himeji Castle.

Before buying dinner, I took a quick stroll through the department store at Himeji Station, Piole Himeji and played some capsule toys.

~=20:00 Bought dinner to take back

I walked across the second-floor sky bridge to the adjacent TERASSO and found a still-open yakiniku restaurant to take a grilled meat bento back to the hotel.

I also stopped by a convenience store to buy some snacks and drinks.

After eating and drinking, I took a shower and went downstairs to do some laundry. This time I knew that Toyoko Inn requires you to bring your own detergent, so I bought some laundry powder from the vending machine and put it along with my clothes into the washing machine. The dryer here was very new and high-end, and I could even choose the temperature.

Good night, Himeji.

Day 5 (11/16 Saturday) Shoshazan Engyoji Temple, Himeji Castle, and Shopping Around Himeji

Every Toyoko Inn provides free breakfast, but I usually just grab some convenience store bread and coffee from the night before to eat on the go to keep on schedule.

08:45 Out the door

I left the hotel at 8:45 AM and walked through the deserted shopping street toward the station.

08:55 Took the bus to Shoshazan Engyoji Temple

Himeji Station has several platforms, and Google Maps didn’t specify which platform or bus number to take, so I had to look for signs on-site. I took the bus from platform 10, bus number 10, heading to Himeji Station North - Shoshazan Ropeway.

Shoshazan Engyoji Temple is a filming location for the movie “The Last Samurai”:

https://visit-himeji.com/zh-hant/trip-ideas/featured-in-the-last-samurai-shoshazan-engyoji-temple-in-himeji/

~=09:20 Arrived at the Shoshazan Ropeway Station

After getting off, I arrived at the ropeway station. I bought a round-trip ticket from the vending machine and then queued for the ropeway. (It runs every 15 minutes.)

From November 15 to 17, there was a special night opening event at Shoshazan, running until 8:00 PM, and the ropeway hours were extended until 8:30 PM.

09:30 Took the ropeway up the mountain

09:35 Arrived at the entrance of Shoshazan Engyoji Temple

I needed to buy an entrance ticket. At that time, I didn’t pay close attention and only bought the general admission fee, which didn’t allow me to take the round-trip transportation and required me to walk up the mountain. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

By car, it takes about 5 minutes.

By foot, it takes about 20 minutes (1 KM).

If I had the choice again, I would pay an extra 500 yen to save time and energy.

Fortunately, it was early in the morning, and I still had plenty of energy. The slope was gentle, so I walked up while enjoying the autumn leaves.

After passing through the Nio Gate, there were about 400 meters left.

09:55 Arrived at the Mani Hall

Shoshazan Engyoji Temple is quite expansive, and I felt that it would take at least 2 hours to explore everything.

I only visited the Mani Hall and the Great Lecture Hall before heading back down.

In the Mani Hall, you can take off your shoes to enter and pay your respects, and you can also overlook the autumn leaves from here.

It was very serene and quiet, but this year’s autumn leaves were a bit late, with only a few trees turning red.

I walked along a small path behind the hall toward the Great Lecture Hall.

The Great Lecture Hall features an art installation by Kengo Kuma, which will be exhibited until December 1.

The autumn leaves next to the Great Lecture Hall were very vibrant.

When I arrived at the Great Lecture Hall, they were just reciting sutras. You can also take off your shoes to enter. The way Japanese monks recite sutras is a bit different from Taiwan; they spread the entire sutra book open and recite it, then close it with a clap at the end.

The adjacent dining hall is also open for viewing, showcasing many historical artifacts.

All the buildings are historical sites (built in 1282), and walking through them gives a sense of stepping back in time. The overall architecture is well-preserved and maintained.

From the second floor of the dining hall, you can see the Great Lecture Hall.

After visiting the Great Lecture Hall, I returned to the Mani Hall and bought a freshly baked red bean mochi from the shop outside to replenish my energy. (The freshly baked ones are delicious, with a crispy skin.)

Have a safe trip home.

After eating, I spent another 20 minutes walking down the mountain back to the entrance of the admission area.

~=10:55 Took the ropeway down

11:10 Back to Himeji City

When I walked back down, I arrived at the bus stop around 11:05 and waited for the 11:10 bus back to Himeji City.

~= 11:35 Arrived at Himeji Castle

After getting off the bus, I walked a bit further to the Himeji Castle boat tour, but since the weather was cloudy and it looked like it might rain, I decided not to go.

Entering Himeji Castle, the view of the bridge at the entrance is great for photos!

The San-no-Maru Plaza in front of Himeji Castle is quite large, and it takes another 5 minutes to walk to the castle entrance from there.

I thought I would first look for the photography spot recommended by a passerby yesterday. The spot is in the opposite direction from the castle entrance, inside the “Himeji City Zoo” on the right.

According to the promotion, there are capybaras on the right, but they might not have come out because it was too cold. After entering, I walked straight across the bridge, turned right after seeing the Ferris wheel, and found an open space behind it, which is the photography spot.

https://youtube.com/shorts/XDquPOanhpQ

This photography spot has a great view, but unfortunately, there are no cherry blossoms or autumn leaves to complement it.

After taking some photos, I wandered around the zoo for a bit. The facilities were quite old (the amusement rides required an additional fee), and the animals had small enclosures. Many of them looked quite depressed and exhibited stereotypical behaviors, which was hard to watch. I left after a short visit.

After taking pictures of Himeji Castle, I walked back to the left entrance to explore inside the castle.

After buying my ticket, I followed the designated route into the castle.

Once inside, I had to take off my shoes and was given a plastic bag for them.

From the second floor, I looked back at Himeji Station. There were six floors in total, with each level getting smaller and the stairs becoming steeper, requiring a queue to go up.

By this time, it was nearly 12:30 PM, and I was starving. I also forgot to bring my power bank today, so my phone was almost out of battery. Given the long queue, I decided not to continue climbing and turned back at the second floor.

After exiting the castle, I walked back to San-no-Maru Plaza and then headed outside.

Kushiyaki Kobe beef

I found a shop selling Kobe beef in the shopping street outside Himeji Castle and took away a Kobe beef rice bowl and skewers to the hotel to rest and recharge.

13:20 Back to the hotel to rest

The weather was not great, plus I had hiked in the morning and my phone was dead, so I decided to rest at the hotel.

The portion was a bit small, but the Kobe beef here tasted pretty good.

15:30 Shopping near Himeji Station

After resting until about 15:30, I headed out again.

I was surprised to find that there wasn’t much to shop for near Himeji Station. There was only the Piole shopping center and the SANYO department store, along with a small shopping street. There was no Don Quijote, McDonald’s, and only one Lawson and one Matsumoto Kiyoshi drugstore.

On the third floor of Piole, Kiddy Land had some cute merchandise. There weren’t many people, so I bought three little toys to take home, but I couldn’t find the sleepwear version of Usagi, unfortunately.

I wandered around the shopping street looking for capsule toy shops.

Although I just said there wasn’t much to shop for, at least there were capsule toy shops and an Animate store.

As evening approached, it started to rain heavily. Fortunately, I didn’t have any special plans for the day.

~=18:00 Dinner

おだしとワインとお料理と。motto

I randomly chose a restaurant in the shopping street that served Kobe beef for dinner.

This place had a unique appetizer, a lucky cat dessert that wasn’t too sweet and quite nice.

I ordered a Kobe beef steak, tea rice, and a draft beer. I found the Kobe beef steak to be just average; it was tough and didn’t have much of the Kobe flavor. However, the tea rice was quite delicious.

After eating, I wandered around a bit in Himeji after the rain.

~=20:00 Back to the hotel to rest & watch the Japan vs. Taiwan baseball game

From a Japanese perspective, I couldn’t understand the broadcast content at all, but the information provided was very comprehensive. On the left, there were baseball trivia, and on the right, there was a complete analysis of the pitches.

In the end, Japan won the game.

Good night, Himeji.

Day 6 (Sunday, 11/17) Osaka, Kobe

I initially wanted to rush to see the Naruto whirlpools and the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, but the weather was still poor, so I decided to go shopping in Osaka and Kobe instead.

~=08:45 Take the Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka

I took the Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka (25 minutes) and then transferred to the Midosuji Line to Osaka. The travel time was about the same as taking a regular train directly to Osaka, but the Shinkansen has many departures, so I chose the more comfortable option that also allowed me to charge my devices.

9:17 Arrived at Shin-Osaka

After arriving at Shin-Osaka, I had to walk a bit to get to the Midosuji Line.

First, I headed to the Namba Yasaka Shrine, which I missed during my last trip to the Kansai region.

I took the train to Namba Station and walked a short distance to find the shrine in a small alley.

I just realized that Osaka is also testing facial recognition for entering and exiting the station.

~=9:50 Arrived at Namba Yasaka Shrine

The shrine was small and crowded with tourists. I took a few photos and left.

After leaving, I continued walking to the next station, “Daikokucho,” and took one stop to “Zoo-mae” to head to Tsutenkaku.

Upon exiting the station, I walked through an underground passage and shopping street until I saw the Tsutenkaku Tower.

This area felt a bit unsafe; as soon as I exited the station and crossed the underground passage, there were many homeless people, and I even heard some arguing loudly, which was a bit scary.

The narrow shopping street had food on both sides, with a few popular restaurants that had long lines.

Around 10:30, I arrived at the base of Tsutenkaku, but there was a long line of people waiting to go up, so I decided to give up.

I walked back to the subway station to return to Osaka.

~=11:00 Back in Osaka Umeda

After exiting the station, I went to the LINKS department store, where the fifth floor connects directly to the Yodobashi capsule toy area.

After exploring LINKS, I crossed through Osaka Station and the Time Space Plaza above, heading straight to the Osaka Daimaru department store.

On the 13th floor, there was a Pokémon Center, Osaka Nintendo, CAPCOM, and more.

I briefly looked at the Zelda merchandise, but since I had already bought a lot last time, I didn’t buy anything this time and left.

I passed by the Hanshin Tigers merchandise store.

I was planning to eat at Shake Shack, which I had enjoyed in Bangkok back in July and wanted to relive the experience in Osaka.

~=12:00 Shake Shack

Shake Shack Hanshin Umeda Store is right next to the Hanshin Tigers merchandise store.

I ordered an avocado bacon chicken burger and a milkshake using the self-service kiosk. The space was quite large with plenty of seating.

Osaka Station

After eating, I strolled around near Osaka Station, thinking about checking out Kiddy Land for some Chiikawa merchandise.

I got lost in the underground shopping area of Osaka and wandered for a long time before finally finding Hankyu Sanbangai. I then walked through the underground passage from the South Building to the North Building, where the food street was located.

Kiddy Land had its own separate section on the other side.

13:00 Kiddy Land Osaka Chiikawa

There were quite a few people in line, and I estimated I would have to wait at least 40 minutes.

Naturally, I didn’t want to spend that much time waiting.

On the first floor, there was a Kumamoto Bear event.

Perhaps due to it being a holiday, there were more events happening. Outside Kiddy Land, there was also a photo opportunity with Kanaheala. (Another Usagi XD)

13:20 Head to Kobe

After getting a bit lost in the underground shopping area, I finally found the Osaka Umeda subway station and took the Hankyu Kobe Line to Sannomiya in Kobe.

13:50 Arrived in Kobe

It was still early, so I planned to visit the Kobe Animal Kingdom to see the capybaras.

Google Maps directed me to take the “New Transportation Port Island Line,” but I wandered around the underground shopping area for ages without finding the right signs. (Lost Day)

Once I exited the station, I realized that the line I needed was the one above, entering from the second floor of Sannomiya Station.

The station was crowded, and later I found out that today happened to be the Kobe Marathon.

Lost Day… I accidentally boarded the wrong train because it arrived just as I was getting on, heading towards Kitano. The tragedy began at that moment.

To get to the Kobe Animal Kingdom, you need to take the train to Kobe Airport; the train to Kitano will just take you back to Kobe. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

The Kobe Marathon had closed off roads, and this subway line is similar to the early tire-based metro systems like the Taipei Wenhu Line.

14:20 Realized I was on the wrong train and got off at Nakakube

I sensed something was off and got off at this station. Google Maps suggested I walk back to the Citizen’s Plaza Station to catch the next train.

Since this area is a newly developed port zone, it felt quite desolate and the walk seemed long.

As I approached the Citizen’s Plaza Station, I was surprised by the lively atmosphere; it turned out to be the finish line event for the Kobe Marathon.

Tragedy 2: Because there were too many people, I couldn’t enter this station and had to walk further to Minami Park Station.

After reaching Minami Park Station, I was just one stop away, but I was too lazy to take the subway and decided to walk to the Kobe Animal Kingdom instead…

As mentioned earlier, the area felt quite desolate, and it was indeed a long walk—about 2 kilometers (approximately 30 minutes) from Nakakube.

14:50 Arrived at the Kobe Animal Kingdom

Ticket price: 2,200 yen

The Kobe Animal Kingdom is a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, and the layout is quite well planned. It features a variety of birds and animals, most of which you can see up close, making it a great place for families to spend half a day. The animals here are in much better condition compared to those at the Himeji City Zoo, and the environment is very clean.

Capybaras

I achieved my goal of coming here: to pet the capybaras. They are so plump, and their fur feels rough, almost like a broom.

Each one looks so lazy; it must be nice not to have to work!

Perhaps because they are too fat, they currently do not allow feeding them food from inside the park, nor can you feed them food from outside or place anything on their heads.

In another area, there are kangaroos and sheep for close interactions.

Remember to wash your hands before and after petting!

There was also a seal, but it seemed the space was too small, and it kept swimming in circles. QQ

Penguin feeding (requires a ticket).

The adorable little family of Asian small-clawed otters was constantly chirping.

There was also a Malayan tapir in the otter area, but it didn’t seem to pay much attention to it. QQ

There were toucans and owls, along with pheasants that would appear at your feet. (Watch your step ⚠️)

King Julien with a pelican that eats its colleagues, and there are also owls in the night exhibit.

Inside, there’s an interactive area with rabbits, cats, and dogs (requires a ticket), as well as dining and souvenir shops, etc.

Overall, it was a great experience!

15:50 Left, preparing to return to Kobe

The main reason for coming was to pet the capybaras, and since I didn’t have much time, I didn’t stay too long.

~= 16:05 Arrived at Sannomiya Station (Kobe)

Due to the Kobe Marathon, there were many people exiting the station.

With over an hour until dinner, I decided to explore the area around Sannomiya, looking for capsule toys and Kiddy Land.

The Kiddy Land in Kobe wasn’t very crowded, but there were very few Gudetama products, and I couldn’t find the pajamas I wanted.

The Center Plaza here is a bit dated but has many shops to browse.

I went to the second floor to look for capsule toys and check out a second-hand store to see if they had the Gudetama I wanted.

There was a bookstore called Nobunaga, where I could buy omamori (amulets) to give to friends. Hehe.

~=17:00 Kobe Beef Yoshikichi

On B1, there’s a Kobe Beef Yoshikichi, and I arrived for dinner just before 5 PM.

It was still early, and there weren’t many people; the owner was very welcoming when he heard I was from Taiwan. This meal was also one of the main reasons for coming to Kobe: to have a good meal—Kobe beef—since I had mostly been eating randomly during my stay.

I ordered the “Kobe Beef Sirloin Steak 220g” for 7,700 yen (pre-tax ⚠️, remember to include tax at checkout) along with a set (salad, rice, soup) and a draft beer.

The salad was refreshing, and the soup was beef broth, which was delicious.

The meat was tender, juicy, and flavorful. Compared to the Kobe beef I had yesterday, this was the real taste of Kobe beef.

However, I must say I still prefer teppanyaki; it surpasses Western-style cooking.

The final bill: $2,158 TWD.

17:40 Finished eating and left, heading to Kobe Tower

After dinner, I walked to the Old Foreign Settlement along the coastline and then took a train one stop before walking to Kobe Tower.

Kobe felt very lively (compared to Himeji), with many department stores to explore.

I took the train towards Shin-Nagata and got off at the next stop, Kouencho.

18:05 Arrived near Kobe Tower

Last year when I came, it was under maintenance, but it is now fully open.

Kobe Port has a charming harbor town feel, and if I have the chance, I would consider staying here for a night.

This time, I just did a quick tour before leaving.

18:30 Back to Kobe Chinatown

On my way back to Kobe Station, I stopped by Chinatown to buy Kobe Frantz chocolates as souvenirs.

Back at JR Motomachi Station

Please note that this is JR Motomachi Station, so don’t accidentally go to Hanshin Electric Railway Motomachi Station.

18:53 Took the Rapid train towards Himeji, heading to Kobe (Hyogo)

18:57 Transferred to the new rapid train on the opposite platform, heading to Kosei Line via Naka

The transfer took about 20 minutes, and luckily I made it just in time before the duty-free hours ended at the only Matsumoto Kiyoshi in Himeji.

This train model requires you to press the button next to the door to open it, and the compartments are separated from each other.

19:34 Arrived in Himeji

19:45 Arrived at Himeji Piole Matsumoto Kiyoshi for drugstore shopping

Please note that although their operating hours are until 21:00, the duty-free hours only last until 20:30. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

Bought a super mini Cup Noodle.

On my last night in Japan, I enjoyed some late-night snacks and beer at the hotel. (These meatballs had a soft texture…)

Goodnight, Himeji.

Day 7 (11/18 Monday) Okayama, Return Trip

08:30 Good Morning, Himeji

One last look at Himeji in the morning.

Arrived at the Shinkansen station to catch the 08:52 train to Okayama.

Taking the 08:52 Shinkansen unreserved seat to Okayama

09:13 Arrived at Okayama Station

The Shinkansen ride takes about 21 minutes to reach Okayama Station. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to visit Hiroshima again this time.

Just like last time, I headed straight to the west exit of Okayama Station to catch the airport bus. There are lockers available for luggage storage, and there are also restrooms (the department stores weren’t open yet, so there were few options).

09:30 McDonald’s at Okayama Station for the popular “McGriddle” from Taiwan

I almost picked the wrong item because I couldn’t read Japanese; I needed to choose the “マックグリドル” for the pancake series.

Breakfast at McDonald’s in Japan is served until 10:30.

After eating around 10:00, I didn’t have any specific places in mind to visit.

I’ve already visited Okayama Castle and Kibitsu Shrine last time, so I decided to stroll around Okayama AEON Mall.

Okayama Art Festival

This year, Okayama is hosting an art festival.

Okayama Station is under construction, and Momotaro has been temporarily moved next to the station.

Crossed the street from the underground mall to AEON MALL B2, where there’s also a McDonald’s.

This place is huge and great for shopping, with almost all brands available.

You can find food and souvenirs (B1-B2) here as well.

I continued looking for capsule toys but couldn’t find the train button capsule toy I wanted, so I gave up… it seems they haven’t restocked.

There are also several stores selling Gachapon.

~=11:00 Preparing for lunch

Although I wasn’t very hungry, I needed to eat to prepare for the afternoon flight, as Tigerair doesn’t provide meals. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

There are many dining options upstairs.

Pork Steak Specialty Store B Okayama

I chose a restaurant that specializes in teppanyaki pork steak.

I ordered a teppanyaki pork steak set (200g) and a draft beer. The total came to 2,178 yen.

I was surprised that the pork steak was not fully cooked when it arrived; it was about 70% cooked. After checking reviews, it seems this is the restaurant’s specialty, but I still cooked the pieces of meat that could be cooked while the grill was hot.

It was really delicious, very juicy, with a strong meaty flavor, and it was tender; I personally think it rivals the Kobe beef from yesterday (I might not have a rich person’s palate).

My small suitcase (about the size of AirPods Pro) and my bag.

Finally, I bought some items at Muji on the first floor and left around 12:15.

~=12:30 Back at Okayama Station

Preparing to take the 13:00 shuttle to Okayama Airport.

Taking one last look at Okayama.

~=13:00 Taking the shuttle to Okayama Airport

I lined up at platform 21 to wait for the bus. No need to worry about missing it; anyone who arrives before 13:00 will be taken to the airport (they will add more shuttles if it gets full).

You can use a transportation card (Suica) to get on and off or buy a ticket at the waiting area.

Since it was full, the bus departed early at 12:45.

~=13:20 Arrived at Okayama Momotaro Airport

It was still very early; this year I was on a flight departing at 17:30. Last year, I took the 15:25 flight, which was just right. Now, arriving for the 17:30 flight means I have to wait almost 4 hours.

However, there’s nothing I can do because the next bus is at 15:55, arriving at 16:25; although the airport is small and there’s only one flight departing at a time, it’s hard to guarantee that I’ll arrive by 16:25 due to potential traffic issues. When I came, I encountered a traffic jam that added almost 30 minutes to my travel time.

I’ll have to see if Okayama Airport increases the shuttle frequency or if I can find someone in the Japan Travel Discussion Group to share a taxi.

I’ve heard from others that a taxi from Okayama Station to the airport costs around 7,000 yen.

Wandering around near the airport, there’s a mini version of Okayama Korakuen and some beautiful maple leaves outside the airport.

There’s also a statue of Momotaro outside the station, and the airport kindly reminds you to buy insurance; I almost got hit by a bicycle this time. ⚠️

There are quite a few seats in the domestic terminal where you can rest.

The first floor only has one souvenir shop and nothing else. Just like last year, I bought an ice peach mochi to eat.

The second floor is under renovation, and only a few shops are open. It seems the observation deck that was accessible last year is also closed; at least there’s still one souvenir shop and a few food options.

~=15:00 Starting the check-in process

Momotaro Airport is quite small, and the check-in and baggage drop process is different from other airports.

Here, everyone lines up together; those with checked luggage go through X-ray and get a sticker seal, while those without checked luggage don’t need to (the security check before departure will scan other items). Even those without checked luggage must line up ; when you reach the front, just tell the airport staff you don’t have checked luggage, and you can go through. If you open your suitcase after getting the sticker, you’ll have to rescan and reapply the sticker. ⚠️⚠️⚠️

The airport staff can speak Chinese… very impressive.

~=15:15 Check-in and baggage drop completed

This time I didn’t buy much; I didn’t buy any alcohol, and my luggage was already 17 kg… but I hardly had any carry-on luggage, as everything was packed inside.

~=16:20 Starting security check and departure

The airport is under renovation… but there are still capsule toys.

Even though there’s only one flight, the airport is small, there are few staff, and only one line, so the security check took about 20-30 minutes.

The area for filling water and discarding items is just a box.

It feels like if you take the 15:55 bus from Okayama, arriving at 16:25, if you arrive on time, the check-in and baggage drop would already be empty, and you could go directly to the security check. You should be able to make it.

Since we are the only flight, they will probably wait until everyone who has checked in has completed security before taking off, so arriving early or late for security won’t make a difference.

~=16:42 Starting to wait for boarding

The waiting area isn’t large, and there’s only one duty-free shop selling a limited selection of souvenirs, tobacco, and alcohol.

I wanted to buy a few cans of peach soda to bring back to Taiwan, but they were all sold out; I ended up getting a can of Red Tea Kaden, which I found to be very tasty and not too sweet. I regretted not buying more.

~=18:10 Departure (delayed by 40 minutes)

Goodbye Okayama, goodbye Japan.

On the plane, I sat next to a nice YouTuber named “Chill with us.” He was very friendly and was visiting Shikoku this time. We exchanged recommendations for attractions, and I hope to visit Shikoku someday.

19:45 Arrived in Taiwan (delayed by 10 minutes)

Fortunately, the delay was only 10 minutes. I quickly picked up my luggage and rushed to the bus station.

20:20 Taking the Da-Yo Bus to Taipei

Depending on the location, you can take different buses home. Previously, I took the Kuo-Kuang bus directly to Taipei, but this time I took the Da-Yo bus from platform 11 back to New Taipei.

Coincidentally, my EasyCard balance was insufficient to swipe, so I rushed to the counter to buy a ticket with cash (thankfully I had some TWD on me from the day before), and I managed to catch the bus.

Journey concluded.

Summary of Thoughts

The itinerary this time was too packed, and we rushed through many places. The first three days were especially hectic due to long travel distances and short stops, which meant we didn’t get to fully enjoy the beautiful scenery of Izumo and Matsue in Shimane. If I have the chance, I would love to visit again to watch the sunset, see the autumn leaves, and experience the Shinto rituals during the festivals.

If you’re interested in learning about the history of Izumo, you can check out Lan Dad’s videos:

1. [How was this land of Japan born? It was actually born from something!!

   Japanese Mythology

   The Birth of Japan

   Creation of Heaven and Earth

   Kuniumi

   Kamiumi

   The Great Eight Islands

   Izanagi

   Izanami

   Lan Dad Tells Stories](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnp9H–KPyY){:target=”_blank”}

2. [The most mischievous god in Japan, who had a child with his own sister, becoming the direct ancestor of the Japanese imperial family! He slayed the Yamata no Orochi and married a beautiful wife, making him a “winner” in the divine realm! The first Waka poem in Japan actually came from him?!

   Japanese Mythology

   Susanoo

   Iwato

   Yamata no Orochi

   Inaba no Shirousagi

   Lan Dad Tells Stories](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8SjLltb3U4){:target=”_blank”}

3. Why did a rabbit provoke a group of sharks? After experiencing death and resurrection twice, he ended up marrying the daughter of his ancestor! The Myth of Okuninushi | Okuninushi | Inaba no Shirousagi | The Land of Roots | Japanese Mythology | Lan Dad Tells Stories These videos introduce the stories of Amaterasu, Okuninushi (Izumo Shrine), and Inaba no Shirousagi.

Travel Journal of the Sanyo Region: Okayama and Hiroshima

• [Travel Journal] 2023 Sanyo Region 6-Day Free Trip to Hiroshima and Okayama

You can also refer to the travel journal of the Sanyo region. If you have time, consider combining Sanyo and San’in for your trip.

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More Travel Journals

• [Travel Journal] 2023 Kyushu 10-Day Solo Trip
• [Travel Journal] 2023 Sanyo Region 6-Day Free Trip to Hiroshima and Okayama
• [Travel Journal] 9/11 Nagoya One-Day Flash Tour
• [Travel Journal] 2023 Tokyo 5-Day Free Trip
• [Travel Journal] 2023 Keihanshin 8-Day Free Trip

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact me.

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