[Akita Prefecture/Aomori Prefecture] Enjoy the scenery along the Sea of Japan! “Resort Shirakami” trip
table of contents
There is a local line that passes through the Sea of Japan side of Akita and Aomori prefectures, and where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Sea of Japan and the World Heritage Site Shirakami Mountains from the train window.
That the JR Gono Line .
It is gaining popularity nationwide as a ``local line that everyone wants to ride at least once.''
There is also a sightseeing train that allows you to enjoy the Gono Line to the fullest.
That "Resort Shirakami" .
Resort Shirakami , how to ride the train, and some of the attractive spots along the line.
What is “Resort Shirakami”?
"Resort Shirakami" is a sightseeing train operated by JR East.
It runs from Akita Station to Aomori Station or Hirosaki Station via the Gono Line.
It operates up to three round trips a day, which is high for a sightseeing train.
In addition, the train is operated almost every day from April to November, including weekdays, which shows how popular it is.
In the winter, it operates mainly on weekends.
the Resort Shirakami , you can enjoy the spectacular scenery along the Gono Line in a car with a great view, and there are also various events held on board, such as shamisen performances.
This is a train that will make your journey on the Gono Line the most enjoyable one.
How to ride “Resort Shirakami”?
"Resort Shirakami" operating hours and days
Introducing the operating dates and times for "Resort Shirakami" (information as of March 16, 2024).
There are up to 3 round trips per day, so you can use it to suit your convenience, such as visiting tourist spots.
- Resort Shirakami No. 1
departs from Akita Station at 8:19 and arrives at Aomori Station at 13:34. Operates mainly on weekends during winter - Resort Shirakami 3
Departs from Akita Station at 10:50 → Arrives at Hirosaki Station at 15:50 Operates on most days except winter - Resort Shirakami No. 5
Departs Akita Station at 14:00 → Arrives at Aomori Station at 19:38 Operates mainly on weekends in winter - Resort Shirakami No. 2
departs from Aomori Station at 8:09 and arrives at Akita Station at 13:29. Operates mainly on weekends during winter - Resort Shirakami No. 4
Departs Aomori Station at 13:52 → Arrives at Akita Station at 19:01 Operates mainly on weekends in winter - Resort Shirakami 6
Departs from Hirosaki Station at 16:06 → Arrives at Akita Station at 20:42 Operates on most days except winter
Along the way, the train stops at major stations such as Higashi-Noshiro, Noshiro, Goshogawara, Hirosaki, and Shin-Aomori, as well as stations convenient for sightseeing spots such as Akita Shirakami, Juniko, Vespa Tsubakiyama, and Senjojiki.
Stopping stations vary slightly depending on the train, so please check the website, timetable, etc.
How to purchase tickets
Resort Shirakami , all seats on all trains are regular cars and reserved seats.
To board the train, you will need a separate reserved seat ticket in addition to your ticket.
can be purchased at
JR station ``Midori no Madoguchi'' or ``Reserved seat ticket vending machines'' , JR East's online reservation service ``Ekinet'' , major ``travel agencies'' , Box seats cannot be reserved using reserved seat ticket vending machines or Ekinet.)
Fares and charges are 4,510 yen for a ticket and 840 yen for a reserved seat ticket, for a total of 5,350 yen between Akita and Aomori .
If you are traveling between Akita and Hirosaki, the ticket is 4,070 yen and the reserved seat ticket is 840 yen, for a total of 4,910 yen .
(Generally, the price of JR reserved seat tickets varies depending on the season, but for "Resort Shirakami" it is 840 yen all year round.) You
can experience a sightseeing train trip at a relatively reasonable price. .
Since ``Resort Shirakami'' is a rapid train, you can also use tickets such as the ``Seishun 18 Kippu'' that cannot be used on limited express trains, and you can ride the train by purchasing a reserved seat ticket.
In addition, some tour companies are selling tours that include a ride on Resort Shirakami.
About seats
Resort Shirakami regular seats that allow you to sit facing the direction of the train , and box seats that are recommended for groups .
Car 2 is a box seat, cars 1, 3, and 4 are regular seats.
During operation, Resort Shirakami will change direction at Higashi-Noshiro Station in Akita Prefecture and Hirosaki Station in Aomori Prefecture.
When passing through the Gono Line, car No. 1 is the lead car for trains bound for Aomori/Hirosaki, and car No. 4 is the lead car for trains bound for Akita.
Also, among the regular seats A to D, seat A is the seat closest to the Sea of Japan on the Gono Line.
If you want to enjoy the scenery to your heart's content on the train, please refer to this when choosing your seat.
3 types of formations
As we have already introduced, the ``Resort Shirakami'' is a popular sightseeing train that operates up to three round trips a day, and has three types of train formations.
are called
``Buna formation , ``Aoike formation,'' and ``Kumagera formation,'' respectively The information on which formations will be used is published in advance on the JR East website (*), so if you have a particular formation you would like to ride, please check.
*Subject to sudden changes on the day of operation.
attractive spot
Here we will introduce various spots that will make your trip to Resort Shirakami even more enjoyable.
By the way, what I'm introducing here is just a part of it.
There are still many attractive spots along the Gono Line!
Senjojiki coast
Senjojiki, located in Fukaura Town, Aomori Prefecture, is a rocky beach created by the 1792 earthquake.
As the name Senjo suggests, it is a vast rock ledge.
You can reach it in 1 minute on foot from Senjojiki Station.
"Resort Shirakami No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5" stops at Senjojiki Station for 15 minutes, so you can take a stroll along the Senjojiki Coast while stopping.
INFORMATION
- Name: Senjojiki Coast
- Location: Kitakanegasawa, Fukaura-cho, Nishitsugaru-gun, Aomori Prefecture
- Inquiry number: 0173-74-4412 (Fukaura Town Tourism Division)
- URL: Senjojiki Coast
Google MAP
Furofushi hot spring
Furofushi Onsen is located at the tip of the Koganezaki coast in Fukaura Town, Aomori Prefecture.
It is famous for its
gourd-shaped open-air bath with a spectacular view that is integrated with the coast The distance to the sea is only about 1m and there is nothing to obstruct the view.
At dusk, the entire area of Koganezaki, as its name suggests, turns golden yellow, creating an out-of-this-world view.
For access, a shuttle bus runs from Wespa Tsubakiyama Station, where Resort Shirakami stops (reservation required).
INFORMATION
- Name: Furofushi Onsen
- Address: 15, Shimokiyotaki, Osaku, Fukaura-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun, Aomori Prefecture
- Contact number 0173-74-3500
- Business hours: 9:00-16:00 (as of February 2024 if you are taking a day trip to the seaside open-air bath)
- URLKoganezaki Furofushi Onsen
Google MAP
Wooden Station/Jomon Dwelling Exhibition Museum Calco
The station building of Kizukuri Station in Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture, which is a stop on the Resort Shirakami train, has a unique building with a giant clay figurine motif adorning the outside wall.
This is a replica of a clay figurine excavated from
the Kamegaoka Stone Age Ruins is one of the ruins that make up the "Jomon Ruins in Hokkaido and Northern Tohoku" registered as a World Heritage Site
A 15-minute walk from Kizukuri Station is the Jomon Dwelling Exhibition Museum Karuko, which displays artifacts excavated from ruins in Tsugaru City, such as the Kamegaoka Stone Age Ruins.
INFORMATION
- Name: Jomon Dwelling Exhibition Museum Calco
- Address: 59-1 Kizo Wakamori, Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture
- Contact number 0173-42-6490
- Business hours 9:00-16:00
- Closed on Mondays, the day after a holiday (if that day is also a holiday, the museum will be open and closed on the next weekday), year-end and New Year holidays (December 29th to January 3rd)
- URL Jomon Dwelling Exhibition Museum Calco
Google MAP
Basketball on the platform of Noshiro Station
Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture is known as a basketball town, as it is home to
Noshiro Technical High School (now Akita Prefectural Noshiro Science and Technology High School), a prestigious When the "Resort Shirakami" stops at Noshiro Station, try shooting at the basketball goal on the platform (some trains only).
twelve lakes
"Juniko" is a collective term for multiple lakes and marshes located in a corner of the Shirakami Mountains.
The water quality of the lake is good, and the scenery is excellent as it is surrounded by beech forests.
The relaxing effect of forest bathing has also been recognized.
Buses that take you to Juniko are operated at times when some Resort Shirakami trains stop at Juniko Station.
INFORMATION
- Name Juniko Visitor Center
- Location Matsukamiyama National Forest Forest Group 82, Oaza Matsugami, Fukaura-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun, Aomori Prefecture
- Contact number 0173-77-2138
- Opening hours: 8:30-16:00 (closed in winter)
- Opening days: April 1st to November 30th (closed from December to the end of March)
- URL Juniko Forest
Google MAP
The train itself is fun to ride.
At Resort Shirakami, you can enjoy more than just the sights and scenery along the line.
The time spent in the car is also designed to be enjoyable.
such as "Fureai Sales" local people board the train and sell special products that can only be purchased locally live Tsugaru shamisen performances , Tsugaru dialect storytelling demonstrations , and traditional Tsugaru puppet shows are held while the train is running. It is being held
on Fureai sales and various events are limited to dates and trains, so please check the JR East website in advance.
summary
The Gono Line, which is rated as a local line that everyone should ride at least once, has many attractive spots.
``Resort Shirakami'' is the perfect sightseeing train
for visiting these attractive spots, enjoying the spectacular views of the Sea of Japan, and interacting with the locals on board When you go to the Tohoku region, we recommend that you consider visiting the attractive sightseeing spots along the Sea of Japan coast with Resort Shirakami as one of your options.
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