Destinations
Riding the
Rising Dragon Te x t b y S H A H I DA S A KERI Images by SHAHIDA SAKERI AND RESPECTIVE PRODUCT OWNERS
052
When I first heard that I would head to the Shoryudo region in Japan, the first thing that I did was to text my friend who lives in that country and bombarded her with a long list of questions. What are the highlights there? I knew I needed some trusted insights to discover what do the locals love, and you know, just to avoid missing out on great things that the region could offer (#fomo). Her reply was rather simple: “food, plenty of lip-smacking food than your tummy can handle.” Oh girl, say no more. I was already sold on the idea of losing myself behind a mountain of delicious seasonal delicacies, but after several more text-exchanges, I learned that Shoryudo (meaning ‘Rising Dragon Region’ in Japanese due to its shape on the map, also simply known as Central Japan), has a lot more to offer. For one, the region is home to exceptional historical and sacred sites in the country, and second, the dense ancient forests along other spectacular natural beauties make for gorgeous views to behold. And on top of these, the entire region is remarkably accessible. In fact, to make exploring easy, there are multiple travel passes that visitors can make use depending on budget, focus areas and length of stay. One such example is the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass by JR-Central and JR-West, which I eventually used for my trip in Shoryudo. The price of the pass starts from ¥14,000 per person for five consecutive days, and brings travellers across the region with unlimited rides on JR trains, buses and Hokuriku Shinkansen along the way. Besides, as pass holder, I took advantage of booking reserved seats on JR limited express trains for free up to four times, which proved not only economical but also convenient to secure seats during peak time. Read on to find out how I maximised my pass to experience Central Japan in five days (all train and bus rides throughout this trip are covered by the Takayama-Hokuriku Pass, unless stated otherwise).
