Japan Self Drive Shikoku Island

[Knighthunter]

Japan trip Osaka to Shikoku Island self drive trip to Awaji, Nagoro Doll Village (Kakasi No Sato), Kochi, Tengu Kogen, Iya Valley. Really amazing Tengu Kogen even only for 1-2 hours after reached the top blizzard came and similarly on Iyaonsen Hotel arrived in good weather at night blizzard and 40 cm snow that they have to suspend cable car operation to open bath at the bottom of the valley the next morning.

Rent car from TRAC, getting white Axio with winter tires option that already clocked 160k km mileage for 49k Yen and spend 20k Yen on ETC. Was about to make round trip via Shimami Kaido - Himeji - Kobe - Osaka but decidec to make shorter router, Osaka - Kobe - Awaji - Kochi - Tengu Kogen - Oboke - Osaka, spent 4 night in Osaka for lepak and of course visting Mario Bros World...never had so much fun, really interactive theme park.

James May Clone

Only 20 something people in this village but more than 200 dolls....

 

Edited February 13, 2024 by Knighthunter
spelling correction

[kobayashiGT]

woah nice photo you have there. the village got immortalised by the dolls. 

[Volvobrick]

Very nice. I enjoyed my drive yesterday and several days ago in Hokkaido too!

Tried to spin the wheels once in a while but winter tyres really too good and gripped the ice/snow too well. Plus the cars were AWD. 

Edited February 14, 2024 by Volvobrick

[Voodooman]

Yen 20k on toll?  Pretty expensive. Mostly on highway to and from Osaka and perhaps the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge? 

I am assuming you have covered most part of Japan already to venture to least visited Shikoku.  How is it as a destination vs Kyushu, Central Japan, Hokkaido, etc?   🙏

[Knighthunter]

Toll is expensive and no tourist ETC for route Osaka-Shikoku. Only tourist ETC at Shikoku island but not worthed. Hokkaido I never drove in dead winter but definitely is cheaper there since got tourist ETC. Hokkaido road I felt is more wider than Shikoku area. Example to Kakashi No Sato is about 89 km rural road and at least 7-8 sections is only one car lane two ways. Since I go in off peak season there is no traffic control otherwise there is timing for up and down traffic. Driving to mountain side also similar issue so many sections one lane two traffic few times I need to reverse to holding area or other car need to reverse. Going down from Tengu Kogen is bit nerving so many chicane or hair pin turns, anything more than 30 lah car can’t stop at reasonable distance.  Going up takes me about 45

mins and going down almost 2 hrs with frozen asphalt.  Almost similar in Iya Valley when going back down  but with more snow less

slippery.  Witness one accident aqua drive too fast inside tunnel and once exit tunnel road is frozen, he can’t stop car spun and hit cliff. 

[Voodooman]

On 2/14/2024 at 11:04 AM, Knighthunter said:

Toll is expensive and no tourist ETC for route Osaka-Shikoku. Only tourist ETC at Shikoku island but not worthed. Hokkaido I never drove in dead winter but definitely is cheaper there since got tourist ETC. Hokkaido road I felt is more wider than Shikoku area. Example to Kakashi No Sato is about 89 km rural road and at least 7-8 sections is only one car lane two ways. Since I go in off peak season there is no traffic control otherwise there is timing for up and down traffic. Driving to mountain side also similar issue so many sections one lane two traffic few times I need to reverse to holding area or other car need to reverse. Going down from Tengu Kogen is bit nerving so many chicane or hair pin turns, anything more than 30 lah car can’t stop at reasonable distance.  Going up takes me about 45

mins and going down almost 2 hrs with frozen asphalt.  Almost similar in Iya Valley when going back down  but with more snow less

slippery.  Witness one accident aqua drive too fast inside tunnel and once exit tunnel road is frozen, he can’t stop car spun and hit cliff. 

Sounds like an real drive adventure but I think it can be stressful at times to drive in those icy, snowy conditions in the mountains.  Done it a few times and I avoid as much as possible these days after a few skidding experience. 😅

How is Iyaonsen Hotel? I was planning to stay there during autumn last year (a friend strongly recommended the hotel) but didn't make the trip in the end.  Heard it is very scenic and the onsens are great.

[Knighthunter]

@Voodooman I prefer to travel with JR Pass (Green Class) only driving when in Hokkaido area but now with price of JR Pass it’s better driving and could visit remote area. Myself driving in Japan outside Hokkaido island this was the second one. 

[Knighthunter]

@Voodooman Highly recommended, take their local A5 wagyu 9 courses diner and location of this Onsen is very unique. Maybe in Spring or Autumn is better because to get to cable car for open air bath need to climb down metal stair cases and at bottom is about climbing 3 stories metal stair cases not fully protected from wind and no heater. It was damn cold, we booked private bath for me and my wife and since it’s open to element it was freezing before batch or after bath, the next morning we would like to try the open air public bath but cable car was stopped due to snow and wind. Elevation different between hotel and open air bath is 180 meters. Hotel Tengu Kogen is also super nice, we booked starry room that has glass roof to watch skies but due to blizzard we can’t see anything.

Edited February 14, 2024 by Knighthunter
Spelling

[Knighthunter]

https://village-tengu.com this place is so nice even we failed to see clear skies for stars. Will be back here someday and as I spoke to  the staff Autumn nights are usually best bet to see clear sky. 

Edited February 14, 2024 by Knighthunter

[Voodooman]

On 2/14/2024 at 12:37 PM, Knighthunter said:

@Voodooman I prefer to travel with JR Pass (Green Class) only driving when in Hokkaido area but now with price of JR Pass it’s better driving and could visit remote area. Myself driving in Japan outside Hokkaido island this was the second one. 

On 2/14/2024 at 12:58 PM, Knighthunter said:

@Voodooman Highly recommended, take their local A5 wagyu 9 courses diner and location of this Onsen is very unique. Maybe in Spring or Autumn is better because to get to cable car for open air bath need to climb down metal stair cases and at bottom is about climbing 3 stories metal stair cases not fully protected from wind and no heater. It was damn cold, we booked private bath for me and my wife and since it’s open to element it was freezing before batch or after bath, the next morning we would like to try the open air public bath but cable car was stopped due to snow and wind. Elevation different between hotel and open air bath is 180 meters. Hotel Tengu Kogen is also super nice, we booked starry room that has glass roof to watch skies but due to blizzard we can’t see anything.

I was planning to train to Okayama, rent a car there for the drive over to Shikoku and back.

Thanks for sharing. This is useful for my planning of a Shikoku trip in the future.

Yen is at 1.15 today. Going to buy some and keep.

[Volvobrick]

The car I will rent for my next Jipun trip :

 

[teomingern]

On 2/14/2024 at 10:40 AM, Voodooman said:

Yen 20k on toll?  Pretty expensive. Mostly on highway to and from Osaka and perhaps the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge? 

I am assuming you have covered most part of Japan already to venture to least visited Shikoku.  How is it as a destination vs Kyushu, Central Japan, Hokkaido, etc?   🙏

I was there only for 1/2 day... it's like pretty isolated and devoid of tourists... I think good for just relaxing without the crowds... that's just my short experience...

[Knighthunter]

Japan is unique the less touristic area the better for me to experience  

I really like Kochi, where foods are good and not to commercialize.

some places do changes to cater for more tourist. I have my own experience. The most specific one is Takaragawa onsen. I visited in 2008 it was one of the best experience when I am back 8 years later in 2016 it become more to cater

to tourist, in term of service and food all went downhill. 

Edited February 15, 2024 by Knighthunter

[Hubwee]

On 2/15/2024 at 12:16 PM, Volvobrick said:

The car I will rent for my next Jipun trip :

 

You do need an international licence to drive this … pretty fun actually 

[Volvobrick]

On 2/15/2024 at 10:01 PM, Hubwee said:

You do need an international licence to drive this … pretty fun actually 

Thus waiting for my kiddo to get her liscense then can do together. 

[Wildfaye29]

Hi, would like to ask which car rental platform is good for japan?

Planning an open jaw flight from Fukuoka and exit Tokyo for 14 days.

[teomingern]

On 2/16/2024 at 2:22 PM, Wildfaye29 said:

Hi, would like to ask which car rental platform is good for japan?

Planning an open jaw flight from Fukuoka and exit Tokyo for 14 days.

You driving from Fukuoka to Tokyo? The open jaw air ticket is an eye-watering $2000+ per person...

In terms of reliability I think not much difference between all the different rental companies... in terms of cost, Toyota is probably right up there... I will suggest Nippon-Rent-A-Car... lower cost, good cars (just not so new perhaps) and cos they're everywhere, you can pick up in Fukuoka and drop off in Tokyo...