Bullet trains are a popular way to traverse Japan, but even on the country’s largest main island of Honshu, they cannot directly access every region. In such cases, domestic flights from Tokyo’s major airports offer fast transportation.
If you want to explore Japan through its domestic flight network, here are three recommended destinations that are currently not connected to bullet train lines, but are accessible via the air.
Pirate caves and hot springs in Wakayama
From Tokyo, Wakayama Prefecture’s Nanki-Shirahama Airport is accessible in a little over one hour. From here, a 10-minute bus ride brings visitors to Shirahama Onsen — a seaside hot spring district.
Written mentions of Shirahama’s springs first appeared over 1,000 years ago, making this one of Japan’s oldest hot springs. Nowadays, visitors can relax in the baths of overnight resorts, try day-use hot springs or enjoy one of the local public ashiyu (foot baths).
Shirahama is also famous for its beaches with the most popular being Shirarahama — the “sister” of Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach. Summer is the most popular time to swim at Shirarahama, but the swimming season can open as early as May.
Meanwhile, the rocky coastlines of Shirahama draw visitors with their scenery and history. For centuries, the waters around Japan were occupied by groups such as kaizoku (pirates) and suigun (naval forces). However, unlike pop culture depictions that pit pirates against the navy in battles between good and evil, Japan’s seafarers were more complicated.
Sandanbeki Cave — underneath the Sandanbeki Cliffs — illustrates this complex history through exhibits about the Kumano Navy (also called the Kumano Pirates), who allegedly used the caves to hide their ships. Ride an elevator to the caves, and you can see stories of these sailors for yourself.
After visiting Shirahama, the Limited Express Kuroshio can take visitors from Shirahama station to Shin-Osaka station in around two and a half hours for about ¥6,000 (about ¥3,000 for children), making it easy to include both destinations in a single trip.
Dancing and art in eastern Shikoku
Shikoku, Japan’s smallest main island, maintains multiple airports. Takamatsu Airport in Kagawa Prefecture and Tokushima Airport in Tokushima Prefecture are both accessible from Tokyo in about an hour and a half.
Visit Tokushima City between Aug. 12 and Aug. 15 and you can witness the Awa Odori Festival — one of Japan’s most iconic dance festivals which annually involves over a million viewers and thousands of dancers. Outside of these dates, the festival can be experienced at the Awa Odori Museum which holds multiple dance performances a day and invites visitors to try the steps themselves.
Takamatsu City, meanwhile, offers access to Naoshima — a small island packed with art museums and outdoor installations. Visitors to Takamatsu should also sample the local sanuki udon, as these noodles are so famous that Kagawa is nicknamed the “udon prefecture.”
No matter which city you fly into, Tokushima and Takamatsu can be included in a single trip thanks to the Uzushio limited express, which can go between the two cities in about an hour. The city of Okayama is also accessible via this train. Uzushio tickets can cost between ¥2,000 and about ¥6,000 depending on the travel dates, distance traveled and whether you choose a reserved or non-reserved seat.
Sand dunes, silver mines and mythology in San’in
The San’in Region, Japan’s least-populated area, consists of Shimane and Tottori Prefecture. Izumo Enmusubi Airport — one of multiple local airports — is accessible from Tokyo in about 90 minutes and is located in central San’in, allowing access to both prefectures.
Shuttle buses to Shimane’s biggest cities — Izumo and Matsue — depart after each arriving flight. Buy a bus ticket from a vending machine in the airport lobby (about ¥500-¥1,000) and you can ride straight to places such as Matsue and Izumo stations.
Matsue, Shimane Prefecture’s capital, attracts history buffs with Matsue Castle — one of only 12 in the country that maintains its original structure. The nearby Shiomi Nawate is also an invaluable historic site, preserving a samurai residence, a historic teahouse and the home of Matsue’s most famous immigrant resident Lafcadio Hearn.
Izumo, meanwhile, is a hub of religion. Izumo Taisha Shrine draws visitors year round because prayers for true love are said to be particularly strong here. Allegedly, once a year in autumn, every Shinto deity in Japan leaves their respective shrines to gather in Izumo and decide who will make connections in the next year.
After spending a night in Izumo or Matsue, hop on a JR express train (about ¥2,000-6,000, depending on the destination) to explore more of the region. Tottori lies east and is famous for the Tottori Sand Dunes, the hometowns of classic manga artists and Mount Daisen — the “Mount Fuji of western Tottori.”
Head west, on the other hand, and you can explore other wonders of Shimane such as Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — or Tsuwano, a small town nicknamed “Little Kyoto.”
Finding tickets
One-way airfares for major companies such as Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) can range roughly between ¥11,000 and ¥40,000 yen. Good deals from low-cost carriers such as Jetstar, Peach Aviation and Skymark Airlines, meanwhile, can offer tickets for around ¥10,000.
Cost-effective domestic flights can generally be found by booking in advance (ideally at least a month prior) and avoiding traveling during holidays such as New Year’s, Golden Week (late April to early May) and Obon (mid-August). Moreover, overseas travelers can benefit from special promotions such as Japan Airlines’ recent offer of free domestic flights for inbound tourists.
While bullet trains are one of the most famous ways to travel Japan, they are not the only transportation options available. Whether to reach new corners of the country or find a good deal, domestic flights are worth considering.
© Japan Today
4 Comments
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WhiskeyGalore
The irony is that you still need a train to travel around after you touch down. Nevertheless, all these destinations are worth visiting- it relieves pressure on the Golden Triangle, it helps bring tourist money to the localities, and these are genuinely beautiful places to visit.
factchecker
All of these cities are reachable by rail within a day's travel from Tokyo. There's no reason to take domestic flights except if you're heading to Okinawa prefecture.
WhiskeyGalore
If you have just touched down in Narita, Haneda or Kansai, you could just head for the domestic terminal and board there, especially when both Japanese carriers offer free or discounted fares if booked on the same ticket as the international flights.
piskian
That's the fun part of travelling here.
Trains are great,you meet more people,can relax as you have no control over your pace or direction.
Totally awesome.