Aomori to Hakodate Via Rail & return

[JACKWC]

My wife and I will be arriving in Aomori, Japan on the 2nd of October onboard the MS Amsterdam. We are interested in taking a day drip on the train to the city of Hakodate on the island Of Hokkaido. My research into this has not provided me with much information. Can anyone out there help me?

Thanks

[Philip217]

Since you only have a day, you should take the Shinkansen (bullet train). With a non-Japanese passport, you can purchase a JR (Japan Railways) pass that will give you unlimited "Green Car" (first class) travel for one week, for the great price of about US$200. The normal price of traveling via Shinkansen round trip from Aomori to Hakodate is probably about the same amount.

You can get details by checking the Japan Railways website.

[JACKWC]

Since you only have a day, you should take the Shinkansen (bullet train). With a non-Japanese passport, you can purchase a JR (Japan Railways) pass that will give you unlimited "Green Car" (first class) travel for one week, for the great price of about US$200. The normal price of traveling via Shinkansen round trip from Aomori to Hakodate is probably about the same amount.

You can get details by checking the Japan Railways website.

 

That is great information to have. A little pricey but since we will be in three Japanese ports, it might be good insurance against missing a sailing from Aomori and Yokohama.

 

Thanks,

[jacksan1]

Since you only have a day, you should take the Shinkansen (bullet train). With a non-Japanese passport, you can purchase a JR (Japan Railways) pass that will give you unlimited "Green Car" (first class) travel for one week, for the great price of about US$200. The normal price of traveling via Shinkansen round trip from Aomori to Hakodate is probably about the same amount.

You can get details by checking the Japan Railways website.

 

Sorry to have to make a correction, but there is no Shinkansen between Aomori and Hakodate (Shikansen terminates in Hachinohe, about an hour south of Aomori). I know it because I used to live in Aomori. You can take a Limited Express "Hakucho" or "Super Hakucho" that goes through the Seikan Undersea Tunnel. The trip time from Aomori to Hakodate is approximately two hours, and the fare, if not using the Japan Rail Pass of course, is 5,340 yen each way. With the JR Pass, you pay nothing.

 

There are ten (10) Hakuchos and Super Hakuchos from Aomori to Hakodate per day, starting at 7:30 am and with the last train leaving Aomori for Hakodate at 8:06 pm.

[JACKWC]

Sorry to have to make a correction, but there is no Shinkansen between Aomori and Hakodate (Shikansen terminates in Hachinohe, about an hour south of Aomori). I know it because I used to live in Aomori. You can take a Limited Express "Hakucho" or "Super Hakucho" that goes through the Seikan Undersea Tunnel. The trip time from Aomori to Hakodate is approximately two hours, and the fare, if not using the Japan Rail Pass of course, is 5,340 yen each way. With the JR Pass, you pay nothing.

 

There are ten (10) Hakuchos and Super Hakuchos from Aomori to Hakodate per day, starting at 7:30 am and with the last train leaving Aomori for Hakodate at 8:06 pm.

 

:) Thank you so much for that information jacksan1. I so appreciate your taking the time to respond. That is what makes these boards so valuable.

[jacksan1]

You are very welcome Jack!

 

Information that I should have provided in my original message is the return train schedule from Hakodate back to Aomori. There are eleven (11) trains total, with the earliest (or latest) leaving Hakodate at 3:00 am (!), and the last train for the day leaving Hakodate at 8:33 pm.

 

Have a wonderful trip. I love Hakodate. It's a charming city.

[CoconutFish]

jacksan1:

 

Since you have lived in Aomori, would you care to give a little advice to do-it-yourself types?

 

We understand from a minimal amount of research that cruise ships dock very close to the city, "a 5 minute walk" to a large park and then "another 5 minute walk" to the city centre. This sound great.

 

Any suggestions on what to do, what not to miss, especially within walking distance of the ship. So far we have noted a fish market whch sound fascinating, but would appreciate an insider's opinion on options.

 

Thanks very much for any information you could impart.

[jacksan1]

jacksan1:

 

Since you have lived in Aomori, would you care to give a little advice to do-it-yourself types?

 

We understand from a minimal amount of research that cruise ships dock very close to the city, "a 5 minute walk" to a large park and then "another 5 minute walk" to the city centre. This sound great.

 

Any suggestions on what to do, what not to miss, especially within walking distance of the ship. So far we have noted a fish market whch sound fascinating, but would appreciate an insider's opinion on options.

 

Thanks very much for any information you could impart.

 

Hi again. What time of the year do you expect to be in Aomori? That is one information that I could use to assist you better.

 

Although I enjoyed living in Aomori, the city itself, e.g., downtown, is rather non-descript, being typical of cities of this size in Japan. I know where the cruise ships dock, and there is a waterfront park nearby. It is a nice refreshing place for people who live there, although I would not say that it is a fantastically beautiful place. Again typical of Japan, Aomori is a very clean place, but a little generic.

 

The fish market, that once was a sprawling area next to the train station, is now in the basement of a department store building called AUGA. It's a neat place. However, I think you will be far more impressed with Hakodate's "Morning Market," which is mostly fish market.

 

A short train ride from Aomori is a place called Asamushi Onsen (Asamushi Spa). It is a hot spring resort on the coast that has some interesting rock formations nearby. The scenery there is significantly better than in the city center.

 

Most of Aomori's attractions are away from the city center, only accessible by car or bus. I do not know how much time you have in Aomori, and it may not be practical for you to venture out of the city center to visit those outlying areas. Among those attractions are Mt. Hakkoda, Lake Towada, and Sukayu Onsen (hot spring), all of which are nationally famous and rightfully so. Please let me know if you would like to learn more about any of these places, or if you have any other questions.

 

Thanks.

[JACKWC]

Hi again. What time of the year do you expect to be in Aomori? That is one information that I could use to assist you better.

 

 

Good Morning and thanks for that information. We will be arriving on the 2nd of October 2007 at 8 AM. Departure is 6 PM

 

We figured the cost to go to Hakodate would be $174 for a round trip for two. A bit more than we planned on. Some of your suggestions sound more interesting.

 

We will probably have more questions.

 

Thanks for taking the time,

[CoconutFish]

Thanks, jacksan1, for the information.

 

We will be in Aomori in October and will want to wander around the area just to get a feel for the place. We want a low-key, easy time in our first-ever port in Japan.

 

Have read briefly about a ferry to 17th Century Hirosaki (sp?) Castle and Nebatanosato village. Any opinion on this? Would you know how close to the cruise ship dock the ferry is and how long a trip it is? Considering what you say about the downtown area of Aomori, it should not take long to explore a bit and then we would have perhaps 3 hours to spare.

 

We are not having much luck finding websites for Aomori that really tell us much, so we appreciate your experienced information.

[JACKWC]

Thanks, jacksan1, for the information.

 

We will be in Aomori in October and will want to wander around the area just to get a feel for the place. We want a low-key, easy time in our first-ever port in Japan.

 

 

Are you sailing on the MS Amsterdam?:cool:

[jacksan1]

Hi again Jackwc, and hello CononutFish. I will do my best to assist you.

 

Jack, thanks for the arrival date. Although it may be slightly early, October 2 is a time when the leaves start changing colors in the mountains near Aomori. The area of Mt. Hakkoda (a series of peaks known by this single name) is quite pretty, and is accessible by bus from the city center. I have looked up the bus schedule, and there are two departures in the morning on the day you arrive, at 8:40 am and 10:10 am from the Aomori Station. These buses arrive at Mt. Hakkoda (Bus Stop Name: Ropeway Eki-mae) at 9:39 and 11:09 am, respectively. There will be a cable car station right there ("ropeway" is Japanese-English for cable car), which takes you up to a peak above 2000m. On the way back, there are buses that leave Ropeway Eki-mae at 2:35 and 4 pm, which get you back at Aomori Station at 3:25 and 4:50 pm, respectively. The fare is 1070 yen per person, each way. The buses are run by JR (Japan Railways), and are called Mizuumi-go (pronounced me-zoo-oo-mi-go). This may be a nice trip to take after you disembark from your ship if you would like to get away from the city center.

 

CoconutFish, Hirosaki is an approximately one-hour train ride from Aomori. There is a castle there, although in October it is not as pretty as it can be (it is nationally famous for its cherry blossoms in April). Hirosaki is a quiet castle town, which is low-key but in some ways more charming than the city of Aomori in that it retains an old castle town atmosphere. If you need access information to Hirosaki, please let me know.

 

I think you are probably referring to "Nebuta no Sato." It's located about half an hour bus ride away from the city center. It's pretty interesting. "Nebuta" is a name for both the festival and the floats that are used in the festival. The Nebuta Festival, which takes place in the Aomori city center in early August, is considered one of the greatest festivals of all of Japan, with over three million (yes, million) people attending it during the six-day period (Aomori's population is about 300,000). Nebuto no Sato ("Home of the Nebuta") displays some of the floats used in this great festival. Here is the Nebuta no Sato website (in Japanese only, but you will get an idea):

 

http://www.nebutanosato.co.jp/toppage.html

 

There is a JR bus service available every 20 to 30 minutes from Aomori Station to Nebuta no Sato. Just say, "Nebuta no Sato? (nay-boo-tah-no-sah-to)" to the driver, and I'm sure he will tell you whether this is the right bus. Or you can take a cab from the train station.

 

The cruise dock is about a 10-minute walk from the city center.

 

The City of Aomori is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the cruise ships. According to the port of Aomori website, there will be a welcome festivity planned when these cruise ships arrive, including in October.

 

I have a couple of personal online albums that show Aomori, which can be accessed here:

 

http://www.fototime.com/inv/8C11154144FC971

 

The album (Aomori May 2003) shows the city center. The album, Japan October 2004, shows a variety of photos not including Aomori, but after a photo of Mt. Fuji in the sunset followed by a photo of a clock are images of Aomori and its surrounding areas, including Mt. Hakkoda (one of them shows the cable car station). There are some photos of Hakodate in this album as well.

[jacksan1]

Jack, by the way, are you going to be in Yokohama too? That's my "true" hometown in Japan. My mother still lives there. There is a lot more info available on Yokohama on the 'net than Aomori, but if you need some inside track on the big "Y" (it's the second largest city in Japan), please let me know.

 

By the way, my e-mail address is: jacksan1@earthlink.net. Feel free to contact me that way as well.

[JACKWC]

Jack, by the way, are you going to be in Yokohama too? That's my "true" hometown in Japan. My mother still lives there. There is a lot more info available on Yokohama on the 'net than Aomori, but if you need some inside track on the big "Y" (it's the second largest city in Japan), please let me know.

 

 

Wow, thanks again we will be in:

Yokohama overnight arriving on Thursday the 4th of October and departing @ 1 AM on the 5th.

Kobe on Saturday the 6th - 7 AM to 11 PM

Kagoshima on Monday the 8th - 7 AM - 4 PM

 

I am sure we will have some questions - thanks for the offer to email them.

[bobpatj]

We are also on the Amsterdam cruise, and at this point are thinking about the ship's tour to Nebuta-No -Sato and then to the excavated Sannai Maruyama ruins. This tour would last only 3 1/2 hours and therefore give us time to explore Aomori on our own. Is there something we should not miss, in the city? Thank you so much for your information and your pictures.

[jacksan1]

We are also on the Amsterdam cruise, and at this point are thinking about the ship's tour to Nebuta-No -Sato and then to the excavated Sannai Maruyama ruins. This tour would last only 3 1/2 hours and therefore give us time to explore Aomori on our own. Is there something we should not miss, in the city? Thank you so much for your information and your pictures.

 

Hi Pat. One of my very best friends from college is from Cleveland Heights, and another great friend of mine is from Shaker Heights. :)

 

I would say that Nebuta no Sato and Sannai Maruyama excavation site are probably the two biggest attractions in Aomori, short of going outside of the city boundary and/or visiting the Nebuta Festival in summer. As I said above, the city itself is not unattractive, but fairly sedate. Most of the famous attractions are outside of the city area, and many of them lie beyond where Nebuta no Sato is located (the road will keep on climbing from there). To someone like myself, the Hakkoda Maru (you will see a yellow ferry boat moored at Aomori Harbor) Museum is an attraction, but only because I used to take her and her siblings between Aomori and Hakodate before the undersea tunnel was built. It's a sentimental attraction that probably does not work for many other people.

 

If you are interested in a hot spring, one place you can go to that is rather accessible is Asamushi Onsen. It's about a 20-minute train ride from Aomori on the Tohoku Trunk Line, and it's a spa located on the coast. There is a place called "Yusa Asamushi" a five-minute walk from the Asamushi Onsen train station, where you can dip into a hot spring bath for 350 yen. It has a pretty good view too. There is about one train every hour from Aomori Station (be careful NOT to take an express by the way - many of expresses do not stop at Asamushi Onsen).

 

http://www.pa.thr.mlit.go.jp/aomori/users/news/staff_1132624770_2.jpg (MS Amsterdam at the Port of Aomori cruise pier)

http://www.pa.thr.mlit.go.jp/aomori/users/news/staff_1132624770_1.jpg

[bobpatj]

jacksan1,

 

Thanks again. The Amsterdam pictures are wonderful! Were they taken in 2005? I'm not sure we would go to the hot springs, but it's good to hear that the tour that we're most interested in, sounds good. Small world, that you know people in our Heights area.:)

[jacksan1]

jacksan1,

 

Thanks again. The Amsterdam pictures are wonderful! Were they taken in 2005? I'm not sure we would go to the hot springs, but it's good to hear that the tour that we're most interested in, sounds good. Small world, that you know people in our Heights area.:)

 

Hi. Yes, those pictures of the Amsterdam were taken in 2005. It was quite an event for the people of Aomori, being that she was the biggest passenger ship that they had ever seen. I was not there, but when the Amsterdam was departing from the Aomori Harbour, I read that people had lined up carrying pen lights in their hands, and waived the lights to say good-bye as she sailed away.

 

http://www.apic-aomori.jp/english/index2.html (Aomori Port Internationalization Conference Website - a little outdated but gives you an idea)

[jacksan1]

MS Amsterdam in the Port of Yokohama, October 19, 2005

 

http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/port/cruise/2005/amsterdam/