Ports of Aomori, Atika and Toyama Japan

Looking for suggestions for do it yourself tours using public transport. We are particularly interested in the natural beauty of these areas

Sent from my SM-G900F using Forums mobile app

There's not a huge amount to see in Aomori itself, though the Jomon site is good if you are into Japanese prehistory. It's a good starting point for trips to scenic parts of Tohoku, but you'll need a car or an organized tour: Osorezan, Lake Towada and the Oriase Stream, and Hirosaki castle are all excellent.

http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1202.html

Do you mean Akita? The town art gallery has a collection of the "Japanese Impressionist" Leonard Fujita but was randomly closed the day I was there. Hachiko, the famous dog at Shiibuya station, was an Akita hound.

It's a simple train journey to Kakunodate, which is spectacular in spring and fall.

http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1203.html

The standard thing from Toyama is to take the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. The snow canyon is spectacular if you are there early in the season. I don't find the general scenery all that impressive, though.

http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1219.html

I've visited all these places by land, I don't know how accessible they are from the ports.

Hi lyna, we are also wanting to do Aomori on our own. We hope to see the Showa Daibutsu, visit the Sannai Maruyama ruins maybe the art museum and the Nebuta Festival float museum. I think there is a bus that will take you out to the Showa Daibutsu and one to the ruins. What I don't know is if they are both on the same route or if we have to come back to town and pick up the next bus to the ruins. The float museum is in town which I gather is with in walking distance of the ship terminal. our other option is to hire a taxi but not sure if they have taxis for 6 people. I think the Showa Daibutsu is about a 50 min bus ride from town and the ruins about 20 min.

If anyone know about the bus could they please let me know.

Spazzum, believe we could be on the same cruise : D

Someotherguy, thanks for the excellent info

Sent from my SM-G900F using Forums mobile app

Spazzum, believe we could be on the same cruise :

 

 

Yes, I believe we are on the same cruise.

It is disappointing that there seems to be so little info on the ports. Lois

There are lots of info at the different ports when you get off the ship. Volunteers will answer all your questions and provide directions and maps needed. Ports in Japan are amazing, very helpful and courteous. We were in Aomori twice on a b2b in 2015. Totally different experience.

Thanks ROCruiser, good to know but wish I could get info now so I could plan what to do at each stop. Ship tour, our own thing, or hire a private guide which seems very limited.

Can you tell me what you did in Aomori?

Thanks ROCruiser, good to know but wish I could get info now so I could plan what to do at each stop. Ship tour, our own thing, or hire a private guide which seems very limited.

Can you tell me what you did in Aomori?

Our first visit in Aomori, we took the train to Hirosaki to see the castle. Report here.

We were fortunate enough to be there the day before Nebuta Festival on our second visit so we basically stayed in town and joined the fun. Photos here.

Our first visit in Aomori, we took the train to Hirosaki to see the castle. Report here.

 

We were fortunate enough to be there the day before Nebuta Festival on our second visit so we basically stayed in town and joined the fun. Photos here.

Thank you so much, very interesting and looking forward to the port.

Our first visit in Aomori, we took the train to Hirosaki to see the castle. Report here.

 

We were fortunate enough to be there the day before Nebuta Festival on our second visit so we basically stayed in town and joined the fun. Photos here.

I really appreciate the details. So helpful. Thank you for sharing.

dog:)

Thank you so much, very interesting and looking forward to the port.

You are most welcome! Have a wonderful trip!

I really appreciate the details. So helpful. Thank you for sharing.

dog:)

Thanks for the kind words!

Thanks for sharing

Sent from my SM-G900F using Forums mobile app

You can look up the train times to Hirosaki at http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

The Sannai Maruyama ruins are same as the Jomon site I mentioned. I took a taxi from Shin-Aomori as I had just missed the bus, but took a bus back to Aomori station afterwards. You can borrow headphones with English translation for their informational movie, which is very good. Their restaurant is OK, too (ramen type dishes for 720Y). The taxi was 1020Y and the bus 310Y.

According to Google maps, the Showa Daibutsu is in the other direction. I've not been there. There's an excellent info place in the square outside the station.

Thanks someotherguy for the info. Do you remember if there are any taxis that can hold 6 people.

I didn't notice if there were any big taxis. A regular Japanese taxi is about right for three passengers (a squeeze for four) so your simplest solution might be to take two regular taxis.