Niigata

Thank you to our tour driver, Win🙏, for taking such good care of us! The "Fukiware no Taki Falls" are a very special natural waterfall with spectacular water flow. Although the weather was hot, it was cool near the falls, and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll alongside them. At "Harada Farm," it was our first time picking peaches 🍑, which was a lot of fun. The peaches were big, pink, and very cute 😍. Win also carefully helped us find the bigger ones 🍑. We ate them back at the hotel, and they were very sweet and juicy! They're so expensive at the supermarket! There were also many local products and souvenirs to choose from at the farm, which you can't find in big cities. We bought a lot to cherish. The "Tamahara Lavender Park" lavender had just started to bloom, not quite as lush as the Tomita Farm in Hokkaido, but the sunflowers 🌻 were a delightful surprise, a sea of flowers that made for beautiful photos 📷. There was also a flower carpet, which reminded me of the flower fields of Hokkaido. Of course, we also had some lavender ice cream 🍦! The whole trip wasn't on a large bus, it was a small group tour, very relaxing, with plenty of time, and very well organized! Highly recommended 👍

Since it was a small group, there was no flag, and it was almost impossible to find our group among all the others when we arrived. On July 19th, we picked blueberries. Although it wasn't the peaches we were expecting, the blueberry picking experience was still great, but the 30-minute time limit for fruit picking was a bit short. The tour guide was fantastic! I forgot my power bank on the bus, and they even brought it to me afterward. I'm so grateful!

A rail pass allows you to travel throughout the regions of Japan. You can reserve your seat in advance before your travel date, allowing you to travel according to your plan. It's easy to redeem, delivered to your home, and you can exchange the exchange order at the airport immediately. It's convenient, fast, and problem-free.

We flew into Nagoya Airport. We used the Pass to take the Hida Wide View to Takayama, stopping at Shirakawago before taking a bus to Kanazawa. Then we took the Shinkanzen + Thunderbirds to Osaka. On the last day, we chose to visit Kyoto on a 1-day trip using the Haruka non-reserved seat. The only precaution is not to lose the pass throughout the 5 days of use. Overall, during the fall foliage season, we were very impressed with this route.

It was very easy to use the pass, we exchanged it for the actual pass/ticket when we landed at Narita airport, and we immediately used it on our way to Nagano. Since the pass has a validity period of 5 days, whereas we stayed for 7, we had to pay extra for the 2 additional days. We did not purchase any passes anymore since going on a per-train basis was more economical. When in doubt about the pass use, you can always ask the friendly JR staff at each station. We definitely saved a lot by using this JR pass.

Transportation Convenience: The hotel is quite far from the city center. Although there's a bus service to the hotel, it's still a ten-plus minute walk to the Bandai business district. There are no convenience stores nearby, so it's less convenient if you're not driving. Also, the hotel doesn't offer a shuttle bus service. Cleanliness: The hotel is clean and comfortable with a pleasant environment. Despite the distance, it feels worthwhile. Hotel Location: The hotel is close to the Sado Kisen Ferry Terminal, which is very convenient if you plan to take a ferry to Sado Island. The hotel is also near the Bandai Fish Market.

Great location, clean, and spacious for a business hotel. The large public bath is located in the basement and is only accessible via the elevators inside the guest rooms. There was a wide variety of breakfast options, but not much that was appealing to eat. I was only able to book a room with elevator noise, but there was no noise. The sound of people talking loudly in the hallway was louder. There are many restaurants and bars in the same building, an izakaya, and a 7-Eleven nearby. There are many people gathered downstairs smoking at night. The staff can only communicate in English and Japanese, but the English pronunciation is poor, so it's easier to understand in Japanese.