Japan Niigata prefecture travel tourism guide - Enjoy Niigata

Kakuda-hama, Iwamuro & Jonnobi-kan Onsen

Last weekend, I made an overnight camping excursion to the Maki and Iwamuro, a beautiful area just outside Niigata City full of orchards, rice fields, mountains and onsen. Our main goal was to go camping on or near Kakuda-san (Mt. Kakuda) before the nights got too cold, and our timing was perfect. This is a really easy trip from the city, and is especially recommended for those looking to have both nature and creature comforts close at hand. We didn’t end up hiking Kakuda that day, but the ascent is said to be a relatively mild hour and a half.

First off, although probably not difficult using train and taxis, we had the advantage of a friend who has a car in Maki, making getting around a lot easier. This tends to be the case in most suburban and rural parts of Niigata, unless you are very comfortable navigating the infrequent local buses. Basically, we took the Echigo line from Niigata station to Maki (about a 35 min ride), where we met our friend and picked up food, drink and camping supplies. The drive to Mt. Kakuda is under 15 minutes, but it was already evening and we had onsen plans first and foremost.

 A couple of our party had just run in the Niigata half-marathon, so too much activity was a no-go, but there’s nothing like a long soak in the bath to soften the next day’s soreness. We went to a rather well-known local Onsen, Jonnobi-kan (http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~jonnobi/), which is reasonably priced ($8 including towels, robe, etc), and proceeded to eat some appetizers, soak for an hour, and then eat a very substantial meal. For onsen connoisseurs, I’m sure there are more famous or luxurious options, but this had everything you could ask for… a rotenburo (outdoor-bath) situated in a yuzu-tree and bamboo grove, a sauna with a glass wall open to the scenery, a variety of indoor spas, a “doctor fish” pool (additional fee, small fish clean your feet of dead skin) and a very reasonable food menu. The portions were also very generous—and delicious!

 After relaxing for awhile, we set out to make camp. We chose Kakuda-hama beach, which is a beautiful stretch of coast on the sea-line road. There’s a majestic light house you can see to the south, and the beach is free of much of the debris and trash that you can find closer to the city. It also has much fewer of those really ugly concrete tetrapods, so you if you sit in the right spot, it actually looks relatively free of human interference. There’s plenty of driftwood to be found for starting a fire, but it’s probably a smart idea to keep campfires discrete. Some parts of the beach are also developed, so it’s best to find a property free area to pitch your tent…

 In the morning we did some more exploring of the area, and found a beautiful Buddhist altar hidden under a giant rock cave, a short walk from the beach. From the main road, there is a path worn with tire treads, and then a noticeable trail down to the rock face. It is very much an active place of worship, so please respect the premises. When we went, it appeared as thought someone had just lit incense in the cave, and a candle was still burning. It was a very magical and peaceful place, not unlike most peoples’ image of Japan as a whole. The truth is, you just have to take the time to get lost, and that’s when you most appreciate your surroundings and have a good reason to look closer.

 The initial plan here had been to check out the Echigo Beer brewery, located right near Jonnobi-kan, but some investigation showed us that their brew pub (where you can taste all the delicious microbrews) was closed from October to March… haven’t they heard of Octoberfest?? Anyways, we made sure to buy some samples at the liquor store, given that Echigo claims to be Japan’s number one jibiru, or microbrew. Yes, they were delicious! (I recommend the wheat beer, and the koshi-hikari).

 After leaving the beach, we headed into the town of Iwamuro, first taking a scenic drive up the sea-line. There’s a point a which you can pull over and see both an impressive large pinnacle of rock standing alone just offshore, but also a series of caves where the mountain descends into the ocean. Continuing down the coast road would have taken us to the fishing village of Teradomari, but we decided to save that for next time. Iwamuro is famous for its onsen and spa-resorts, but we actually just stopped for breakfast. We ate a nice little bistro marked by maple leaf sign and the husband and wife staff couldn’t have been more friendly and accommodating. Pasta set lunch was delicious, but they also made eggs and great coffee. The town is really cute, but again, the main attraction is the spas.

Trying the farm-fresh food in this area is a must, and we happened upon a delicious Italian-style gelaterria on the road back to Maki (look for the goat petting zoo and a terrace with many customers eating ice cream on a hot day!). It’s certainly worth paying a bit more to get two flavors… not that you’ll need help eating it! Also nearby were some of Maki’s beautiful persimmon orchards, which we took a leisurely drive through on the way back. I don’t think they have a pick-your-own business here, but I’m sure if you offered to pay by the weight, a farmer or two wouldn’t mind the direct business… never hurts to ask!

 Thus concluded our brief adventure in the shadow of Mt. Kakuda, perhaps I’ll be back soon to hike it as the fall foliage hits its peak. It’s really a beautiful area, and those with a bit more time would be hard-pressed to pass up the number of sake breweries, wine vineyards and of course, beautiful Yahiko village and Yahiko shrine a bit to the south. (Check the train times before trying to get to Yahiko—they are quite infrequent!). I plan to take many more weekend trips before the end of the fall, so stay tuned for more reports!