2025 Awa District Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

📝What is it like? "Nihon-ji" is one of the largest Soto Zen temples in Japan, located on the southern slope of Mt. Nokogiri (approximately 329m above sea level). The vast grounds, which take advantage of the difference in altitude, are full of attractions, including the largest stone Buddha (approximately 31m) in Japan as an outdoor seated Buddha, a group of 1,500 arhat statues displayed at the remains of a stone quarry, the thrilling "Peek into Hell" and the 100-foot Kannon statue. The approach to the temple has 2,639 steps, allowing you to experience history and nature in a hiking style. 📌Basic Information • Address: 184 Nokogiriyama Motona, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba Prefecture (Nokogiriyama Nihon-ji Temple)  • Business Hours: 8:00-17:00 (Reception until 16:00 / until sunset in winter)  • Closed Days: Open everyday (temporary suspension due to weather or inspection) • Admission Fee: 700 yen for adults, 400 yen for children (4-12 years old) (discounts available for people with disabilities)  • Parking: Free / 50 regular cars (also available along the toll road)  • Access: • About 8 minutes walk from JR Hamakanaya Station to the ropeway base station, walk from the summit station to the approach entrance • From JR Hoda Station, take a bus or walk for about 20 minutes to the East Exit Management Office • Car: 5-7 minutes via National Route 127 from Futtsu Kanaya IC or Kyonan Hoda IC  🎯Recommended points • The impressive stone Buddha and the equally impressive group of 1,500 arhats • A 360° panoramic view from the “Peek into Hell” jutting out from the rock wall (Tokyo Bay, Mt. Fuji, Boso Peninsula)  • Along with the impressive 30m-tall Hyakushaku Kannon statue, it is also a famous spot for praying for safety • Walking along the mountain path rich in nature is fun, and it also has the elements of a temple stroll and hiking ◎ 🏷️Hashtags #Mt. Nokogiri #Nihonji #Peek into Hell #Stone Buddha #1,500 Arhats #100shaku Kannon #Boso Hiking #Historical Trip #Chiba Sightseeing A spot where you can enjoy spectacular views and nature walks while leisurely touring historic temples! #Absolutely Free Trip

Located in Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture, "Mount Nokogiri" (Nokogiriyama) is a low mountain with an elevation of approximately 330 meters. Despite its modest height, it is a popular tourist destination known for its breathtaking cliffs and historical Buddha statues. I visited on a sunny spring day. Taking the ropeway to the summit, I was greeted by a stunning panoramic view of Tokyo Bay. The famous "Hell Peek" offered a thrilling experience as I gazed down from the edge of a sheer rock cliff, leaving me breathless with awe. Within the mountain, you'll find Japan's largest stone Buddha statue, "Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai," along with a thousand Jizo statues and the solemn atmosphere of Nihon-ji Temple. This unique space, where nature and history blend seamlessly, brings a sense of tranquility to the heart. The hiking trails range from leisurely walks to more challenging courses, making it perfect for solo travelers seeking a quiet adventure or couples looking to share stunning views. While there is an admission fee and ropeway charge, the emotional impact of the experience is worth far more. This journey felt like a "spiritual adventure" gifted by nature and history. Access - By train: About a 10-minute walk from JR Uchibo Line "Hamakanaya Station" - By ferry: About a 13-minute walk from Tokyo Bay Ferry "Kanaya Port" - By car: About a 5-minute drive from Futtsu-Tateyama Road "Futtsu-Kanaya IC" - Ropeway: Round trip 950 yen (adults) / Operating hours 9:00–17:00 (subject to seasonal changes) - Address: Kanaya, Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture

📍Hota Elementary School 724 Hota, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba Prefecture 《Access》 About 13 minutes walk from the Hota (Chiba Prefecture) Station exit Opening hours 9:00-17:00 ✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲ A roadside station that uses the abandoned Hota Elementary School building The classrooms have become cafeterias and accommodation facilities, and the gymnasium has been reborn as a market. There are plenty of spots to enjoy and reminisce about those days! "Satoyama Shokudo" is based on the concept of school lunch time There are many menus that remind you of those days. You can enjoy nostalgic flavors in the classrooms, such as whales and ham cutlets, as well as lockers and blackboards that recreate school lunches. In the huge market shop that uses the gymnasium, you can buy original products from Yasuda Elementary School and local specialties. When you think of Chiba, you think of loquats. The loquat soft serve ice cream was incredibly delicious. The best thing about this roadside station is that it uses the school's classrooms as accommodation! You can visit the station from the hallway even if you don't stay the night. The blackboards and equipment from the classrooms have been preserved, so the atmosphere is just like an elementary school!! You can sit on the principal's desk and take a photo, and the lunch cart and drinking fountain are used as washrooms. The accommodation fee is 4,200 yen for adults in a private room and 3,600 yen for a large room. There is also a bathing facility next door. It would be fun to stay here with friends and family. #Chiba #HotaElementarySchool #RoadsideStation #School #Accommodation #Classroom #Spring0YenTrip

#cherryblossom25 🌸Coming This February: The early-blooming Kawazu Cherry Blossoms of Chiba! You may have recently seen the sakura forecasts which predict March as the best time to see cherry blossoms around Tokyo. What you won’t see in those official predictions though are the peaks of early-blooming varieties of sakura, including the bright pink Kawazu cherry blossoms of Chiba. Kawazu cherry trees can be found in various local parks throughout the prefecture, but if you want to enjoy seeing hundreds of them all at once, then you’ll want to come to Sakuma Dam Shinsui Park in the hills of southern Chiba. The Kawazu cherry trees at Sakuma Dam Shinsui Park are known locally as “Yoritomo Sakura,” and a month-long festival takes place during their bloom; scheduled for February 10 – March 10. If you’re planning to visit, we recommend coming by car, but if the train is your only option, Sakuma Dam Shinsui Park is about a 15-minute taxi ride from JR Hota Station. If you just can’t take any more of winter, or the crowds of Tokyo (or both), head on over to Chiba and get an early start on spring! #VisitChiba

📍Roadside Station Yasuda Elementary School 🌸Recommended points Can you stay in an abandoned school?! A very rare overnight spot🤩🤍 This is a school building that was actually used as an elementary school, but it has been closed down, and you can use the classrooms as a hotel without any major renovations💖 Staying at a school is like a childhood dream, and it's kind of exciting, isn't it☺️💓 The exterior is just like a school, and it can also be used as a roadside station, so there is a restaurant that serves school lunch-style menus and the former gymnasium has been turned into a large souvenir shop💞 #Free hotel stay

Roadside Station Hotta Elementary School is a roadside station in Chiba that was renovated from an elementary school that closed in 2014 🚙 It features unique facilities such as an area selling Chiba's specialty products, a restaurant, and a tourist information center that looks like a staff room! There is also a lawn area where visitors with dogs can relax! Be sure to stop by when you visit Chiba~ 📍Location: 724 Hotta, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba 299-1902 💞Recommended reason: The decorations that give the feel of an elementary school are impressive and different from other roadside stations!

#FuriTabiWinter [Beachside Hot Spring Resort Yuumi] 🕰️Opening hours: 24:00~ 🏖️Atmosphere/Facilities: ◯ 📍Address: 442 Motonami, Kyonan-cho, Awa-gun, Chiba 299-1901 💰Price per person: 20,000~ 💞Reasons for recommendation: This is a model seaside hot spring resort, and I was very satisfied with everything,, I will definitely visit again👍 I really want you to stay there, you will see that it is very cost-effective☺️ The overseas staff were also very hard-working and pleasant‼︎ There was a lot of food, and I was satisfied with both the taste and quality‼︎ I was satisfied with the room, bath, amenities, environment, and view😊

#0yentripnovember Since Mt. Nokogiri is a low mountain, it is not only easy for beginners to climb, but also has the advantage of being easy to reach the summit by ropeway or car. On the other hand, many tourists visit Mt. Nokogiri throughout the year because of its many famous scenic spots such as Nihon-ji Temple's "Hell Peek" and the remains of a stone quarry. There are several climbing routes to Mt. Nokogiri. Although it is only about 300m above sea level, there are many sights to see, and it takes half a day to climb carefully. We also recommend that you wear mountain equipment such as shoes and clothing when climbing. However, for those who are short on time or not confident in their physical strength, there is also an easy course that uses the ropeway. Recommended course: Quick Hell Peek Sightseeing Course This course involves climbing the "Kanto Fureai no Michi" (Kanto Fureai Path), passing through the very popular spot of Mt. Nokogiri, "Hell Peek," and descending by ropeway. The distance and time to the course do not include the distance and time to the spots. Please see here for information about Nihon-ji Temple and take that time into consideration.

====📍Roadside Station Yasuda Elementary School 724 Yasuda, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba 299-1902 🚃Nearest station: Yasuda Station 🚶♀️Access: 16 minutes on foot from the station 🚗Parking available ⏱Business hours: 9:00-17:00 *Varies depending on the tenant⚠️ 🗓No fixed holidays *Varies depending on the tenant⚠️ 🎫No admission fee ====🏫Accommodation 💰Accommodation fees (private room (2-4 people)/large room (5-15 people))・Adults (junior high school students and above): 4,200 yen/3,600 yen・Children (elementary school students): 3,200 yen/2,700 yen・Infants (3 years old to preschoolers): 2,000 yen/1,500 yen・Under 3 years old: Free *No single guests allowed ⏱Check-in/out: Check-in from 15:00 Check out 10:00 🍽You can bring your own food or eat out! You can also order lunch boxes if you make a reservation 4 days before your stay💡 ==== Hota Elementary School, a roadside station that was renovated in 2023 after being closed in 2014🤩💛💛 The classrooms have evolved into accommodation and a cafeteria, and the gymnasium into a market🫶✨ The school building has been renovated to look just like it did when it was used as a school, so it has a nostalgic and emotional atmosphere🥺💞 The menu in the cafeteria is of course reminiscent of school lunches, and you'll really feel like you're back in elementary school🎶 The desks and chairs in the dining area lined up in the outside corridor are also the desks in the art room that would have been used at the time, and the chairs you sat in the classrooms. There were children and other things and it was very cute☺️💖💖 I didn't stay overnight this time, but the accommodation area was actually a classroom, so it was exciting to sneak into a school and stay there, and it tickled my sense of adventure🤤❤️🔥❤️🔥 There were ponies and goats in the schoolyard, and the calm atmosphere was soothing🐐✨ The attached Hoda Elementary School kindergarten also has a kids' space where children can play, so both adults and children can enjoy it🫶 The market, which was renovated from a gymnasium, was lined with souvenirs related to local gourmet food and school lunches, vegetables, flowers, and more, and I couldn't help but buy a lot and take them home😋💓🥬 What did you think? 🥰 I introduced Hoda Elementary School, an elementary school that you can go to even as an adult🥳💓 It's full of nostalgia and fun, so please come and visit us🎶 #adultgirltrip #girltrip #healingtravelspot #daytrip #bullettrip #drive #roadsidestation #abandonedschool #travelwithme

The Kawazu cherry blossoms at Sakuma Dam Lake are planted so that they run up the cliffs, and the view is spectacular from both above and below♪ I made the big mistake of going there in heels, but everyone should go in sneakers. The cliffs are steep and dangerous lol There are about three parking lots, all of which are free♪ When I went around noon, I ended up in the farthest parking lot, so it's best to go early in the morning. Kawazu cherry blossoms are blooming everywhere, including on the hiking trail and around the lake, so please go and check it out♪I parked in the parking lot near the waterfront plaza, climbed the mountain on the hiking trail, and then walked around the dam♪It's within a day trip distance from Tokyo, and the scenery was like another world♪Outing plan📍Spot name: Sakuma Dam Lake Waterside ParkAddress: 39 Okuzure, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba 299-2111Opening hours: 10:00-16:00Cost: FreeRecommendation: It's recommended to go in the morning⚠Caution: The hiking trail is mostly mountain climbing, so wear sneakers #sakura2024 #sakura2024 #cherryblossomconquest #amazingcherryblossoms #Chibatourism #cherryblossoms

#2024wishThe Nokogiyama Museum of Art opened as the Kanaya Museum in March 2010 and changed its name to "Kogiyayama Museum of Art" to commemorate the 10th anniversary. It's a small art museum, but a competition work exhibition was held, and I came to see the works of my relatives who won the Excellence Award. Is there a way to draw a picture like this? A lot of works that I saw for the first time were exhibited. Japanese painting, watercolor painting, oil painting, ink painting, ink painting, acrylic painting, printmaking, woodblock print, copperplate printing, colored pencil painting, Oshika, mixed media, Akeira, Lampera painting, hand embroidery, seashell art, spray art, etc. I was surprised by the work I saw for the first time, and if I had known it when I was a child, there is no doubt that I would have been interested in something. After 60 years old, it may be good to try something in your second life. It is an art museum that families with small children should also visit with their children and take their time to visit. I think a future painter will be born (^-^) Some people may think that children's voices are noisy, but I would like you to overlook the tour by shifting it to the daytime on weekdays. It is a 5-minute walk from Hamakanaya Station on the JR Uchibo Line, a 3-minute drive from Tateyama Road Futtsu-Kanaya IC, and a 3-minute walk from Tokyo Bay Ferry Kanaya Port, so please visit. I wish to travel more in 2024

#2024wish Definitely one of the best hiking areas I have been to around the Tokyo area. It took 1.5 hours to get to from Chiba Station. Not sure how long it takes to get to from Tokyo. I thought it was worth the long trek. There are some nice seafood restaurants around in the town. People in the town are really friendly and nice as always in Japan. Cost for the just the park was 700 yen. There is the cable car to take you up and down, but you can hike all the way to the top and down if desired. Cable car is 1200 yen round trip. There are some amazing granite walls and stone carvings there. However, the highlights are the cliff hanging overlook, 50ft Buddha carved into the granite wall, and the Great Buddha (which I missed and didn't see.☹️) Don't miss any of the highlights like I did. Lol. Really well constructed trails, stairs, and paths. I wish to travel more in 2024

#2024wish Exploring Chiba nearby. Nice for a short trip. You may spot Fuji when the sky is clear. Prepare your leg to explore the mountain and temple. It is easy to visit by ropeway, but if you want to see the Buddha statues, you will need trekking clothes and shoes. There are many stairs to climb and descend. You can enjoy very nice scenery and nature. I wish to travel more in 2024

#2024wish Good place, lots of parking. You need to buy a ticket at the bottom for the tram and then another ticket at the top to enter the shrine area. A lot of steps, tough with little kids and the elderly if you try to go beyond the observation deck. Bring your lunch, no place for food.Wear appropriate shoes for walking as you will be doing a bit of it, if you wish to see the whole complex. Lots of stairs. Eat whatever you like on this day as all calories will be cancelled. Well worth the walk in my opinion. I wish to visit more in 2024

The Great Buddha (Daibutsu) or also known as the “Great Buddha of Kamakura” is enshrined at Kotokuin Temple. It is considered a very important symbol of Kamakura. It is considered the second tallest Buddha statue in Japan, second only to the Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple in Nara. Today, we are traveling to Japan as a small family trip to worship the Great Buddha to ask for blessings. It is the first time for my parents to travel to Japan. They have to take good care of them because the weather here is cold. #tripgiveawayfreeaccommodation #Japanesetemple #GreatBuddhatemple #traveljapan #FamilyTrip Opening hours: April-September 8:00-17:30 October-March 8:00-17:00 Address: Chiba, Japan Travel plan: 5-10 min walk from Hase Station [Enoden railway line] Average price per person: Students (ages 13-18) 200 yen Students (ages 6-12) 150 yen #Travelwithtrip2024