sendai

JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass

The JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass is an interesting new pass that has opened to celebrate the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen line. It allows unlimited travel on all JR (national rail) trains from Tokyo and Yokohama in Kanto all the way up to Otaru and Sapporo in Hokkaido, via Tohoku. Highlights in between include the Kakunodate, Sendai, Hakodate andContinue reading “JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass”

Top 5 Autumn color spots in Tohoku

Don’t forget Tohoku when planning your Autumn colors trip! There are some amazing places to visit, with cheap access and unspoiled views. Be sure to bring a camera with a big memory card, put into panoramic mode, and fire away. Places in Tohoku can be quite spread out, so if you are traveling here weContinue reading “Top 5 Autumn color spots in Tohoku”

Goddess of Kannon

The Goddess of Kannon (仙台大観音) is a spectacularly huge statue of Kannon, the Deity of Mercy, near Sendai in Tohoku. It is over 100 meters tall and visitors are able to enter and walk up for views over the city and pacific ocean. It is the sixth tallest statue in the world! Budget travel tips There is a MOS BurgerContinue reading “Goddess of Kannon”

JR Kanto Area Pass

The JR Kanto Pass allows unlimited travel on all JR (national rail) trains in Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto area. This includes tourist hotspots such as Mount Fuji, Nikko and Yokohama. It is valid for 3 days and can be started from Narita or Haneda airport in Tokyo. What does it cost? 3 day pass: Adults 8,300 yen (about $66/€60), Children 4,200 yenContinue reading “JR Kanto Area Pass”

See the northern snow on the cheap: JR East Pass

The JR East Pass allows unlimited travel on all JR (national rail) trains in Kanto and Tohoku. This includes the use of Shinkansen (bullet) trains and limited express trains. It is a flexible 5 day pass. What does it cost? Adults 22000 yen (about $180), Children 11000 yen (about $90) When can I use it? Anytime. Is itContinue reading “See the northern snow on the cheap: JR East Pass”

Matsushima

Matsushima (松島) is famous bay not far from Sendai. What makes this place unique is that the bay is dotted with beautiful little islands, the most famous of which has a shrine on top. You can view the islands by walking around the bay or by using traditional Japanese bridges to access the 2 main islands. Budget travel tips Taking aContinue reading “Matsushima”

Sendai (仙台) is one of the biggest cities in Tohoku. It is not an essential visit, but offers cheap accommodation and many side trips. There are also some interesting things to do in the city if you have some spare time between travelling. Budget travel tips Head up north to the World Heritage site of Hiraizumi.Continue reading “Sendai”