A Trip Filled with Activities: Route 2
To Do on Your Trip
Route 2
Sumida Edo Kiriko Kan
Edo Kiriko is a type of crafted glass that is cut with intricate patterns. It is produced in Tokyo, which used to be known as Edo. The craft dates back to the late Edo period when Kagaya Kyubei, a glassware wholesaler in Odenmacho, skillfully cut and engraved patterns on the glassware brought in by Westerners. The iconic colored glass has a transparent inner layer that is blown separately, creating a mysterious refraction and reflection of light. Edo Kiriko is a product of the techniques mastered through generations of creating a wide variety of glassware, including cups and plates, laboratory glassware, household items, and goldfish bowls. At Sumida Edo Kiriko Kan, visitors can choose a piece of glassware, learn to engrave some traditional Edo Kiriko patterns, and take their finished piece home.
Ryogoku Kokugikan
Sumo, a form of wrestling native to Japan, is considered the country's national sport and plays a key part in Japan's traditional culture. Its history dates back to mythological times according to ancient chronicles such as the Kojiki (published in 712) and the Nihon Shoki (published in 720), both of which described sumo as an unregulated form of wrestling to decide the strongest person. There were some “professional” sumo wrestlers by the start of the Edo Period and the first professional tournaments and exhibition competitions were held in the mid-Edo Period, making sumo one of the most popular forms of daily entertainment, along with kabuki. While it gradually evolved into an organized sport with refined rules, you can still see the traditional elements such as dohyoiri (ring entering), banzuke-hyo (hierarchy listing), keshomawashi (the ceremonial loincloth), mage (top-knotted hair), and kimono, which all recall their Edo Period origins. Ryogoku Kokugikan is the Tokyo venue of Ozumo tournaments held by the Japan Sumo Association and is known as the undisputed mecca of the sport.
Chanko Kirishima
Chanko nabe is a type of hot pot typically eaten at sumo training stables. The word chanko literally means “food cooked by sumo wrestlers (usually those in or below the Makushita rank).” However, chanko nabe is widely known as sumo wrestlers' signature dish: it is nutritionally balanced and can be made in one dish. Each stable has its own original recipe, using a unique combination of soup stock, seasonings and ingredients. At Chanko Kirishima, you can enjoy the Michinoku stable’s authentic chanko nabe as well as seasonal fresh sashimi and carefully selected sake in a relaxing Japanese atmosphere. You should definitely drop by when you are sightseeing in Ryogoku or visiting the sumo stadium.
Marunouchi
Every winter, the Marunouchi business district in central Tokyo is illuminated in a stunning golden color. From early November to mid-February, more than 330 trees along the 1.2km-long Marunouchi Naka-dori are decorated with 1.2 million “Champagne-gold” LED lights. In addition, the Light Gate in the Yurakucho area (at the front of the International Building and the New International Building), the beautifully lit Otemachi Naka-dori, and various illuminations around Tokyo Station add to the festive atmosphere, making a stroll here even more enjoyable.
JR Rail Passes
Japan Railways (JR) offers a wide range of discounted train passes for international travelers. The JR East Pass for the Tohoku area provides access from both Narita and Haneda airports, as well as unlimited travel on trains in the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Shinkansen to Sendai, Aomori, and other destinations. It can be used on any five days within a 14-day period. A similar pass is available for destinations including Niigata, Nagano, Karuizawa and Nikko. For popular destinations around Tokyo, including Kusatsu, Yuzawa, Lake Kawaguchiko (Mt. Fuji), Izu and Nikko, the JR Tokyo Wide Pass is a cheap and attractive option that allows you to travel to any of these destinations for three consecutive days. All three of these passes can be used to visit Echigo Yuzawa Station and GALA Yuzawa Station.Visit Website
GALA Yuzawa
The hot spring town of Yuzawa in Niigata Prefecture is well known as the setting of "Snow Country", the most famous novel written by Nobel Prize–winning novelist Yasunari Kawabata, but it is also a hub of winter sports that boasts many ski resorts. Among them is Gala Yuzawa. It has its own Shinkansen station, and is particularly popular for its accessibility, magnificently panoramic mountain views, and high-quality powder snow. The park features a wide variety of courses suitable for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities, including downhill courses, off-piste zones, and a snow park with half pipes and ramps. The ski center connected to the Shinkansen station has plenty of amenities, such as storage lockers, changing rooms, and a ski / snowboard rental shop, as well as hot spring baths and pools where you can relax after skiing.
HOME away from HOME Niigata
Sasadango are sweet rice dumplings made with green yomogi herbs, filled with red bean paste, and wrapped in bamboo leaves. This famous specialty of Niigata Prefecture stays fresh in the bamboo leaves and is said to have been invented as “portable preserved food” by Kenshin Uesugi, the ruler of Echigo Province (the former name of Niigata) during the Sengoku Period, a time between 1467 and 1615 when Japan’s history was marked by civil wars and social upheaval. Unlike the modern version filled with sweet bean paste, they used to be filled with stewed savory vegetables. Despite their popularity and long history, fewer and fewer people have the skills to make them. At Minnano Ie in Tokamachi City, you can not only learn how to make sasadango from experts, but also enjoy freshly steamed ones. Children are welcome, too.
New Greenpia Tsunan
New Greenpia Tsunan is a resort located in Tsunan-town, Niigata Prefecture, comprising a hotel, campsite, ski park, adventure playground, hot spring baths, sports facilities and fairground. From the end of December to the end of March, the park hosts a flying lantern festival during which lanterns are released every day (except when the park is reserved or closed). Visitors can purchase a lantern balloon made only of natural materials for ¥1,500 and write their wish on the lantern. The lantern will then be lit by one of the trained staff and all of the lanterns are launched at once. The spectacle of bright orange lights flying across the night sky will make you feel like you are in a fairy tale.
CoCoLo Yuzawa Ponshukan
Niigata is one of the most renowned sake-producing regions, equivalent to Burgundy in France or Tuscany in Italy for wine. At CoCoLo Yuzawa Ponshukan, you can taste sake made at all of the region's breweries. Pay ¥500 at the door to receive an ochoko sake cup and five tasting coins and sample up to five cups from a wide range of locally brewed sake. The shop offers a selected range of locally produced specialty food items, including sweets made from sake, rice crackers, traditional seasonings and ingredients, and the famous Koshihikari rice. If you are hungry, you might want to try a gigantic rice ball made of freshly. Milled rice cooked in a cauldron or soft-serve ice cream made from koji (malted rice), followed by a relaxing soak in a sake-infused bath.
Go Another Way
If you’d like to find out what else there is to do in bustling Tokyo and picturesque Niigata, check out our second route, which includes visits to one of Japan’s oldest ski parks and an ice skating rink in the middle of the city.
