Riding Japan’s Beautiful Sleeper Train 😴 🛌 Trekking to Hidden Shrines and Temples in Kyoto

Riding Japan’s Beautiful Sleeper Train 😴 🛌 Trekking to Hidden Shrines and Temples in Kyoto

Travel to Izumo, Kyoto, and Tokyo on the sleeper train that is the most difficult to reserve in Japan! In Kyoto, I enjoyed walking around the city, trekking, and enjoying the cherry blossom season. I’m currently at Izumo Taisha Shrine. How heavy is this shimenawa? It is one of the largest shimenawa ropes in Japan, with a total length of 13.6 meters and a weight of 5.2 tons. I arrived at Izumo Station. A shopping mall inside the station. A scary old man is sitting. A waiting room inside the station. I’m waiting for the train I’m boarding. This is the ultra-rare WEST EXPRESS GINGA’s first seat ticket. Luckily I was able to make a reservation. Check out this route! WEST EXPRESS GINGA from Izumo to Kyoto. Sightseeing in Kyoto and return to Tokyo by Shinkansen. WEST EXPRESS GINGA will be joining the line soon. I came to the platform. This is Japan’s latest “Limited Express Yakumo” which debuted in April 2024. It is the first in Japan to use a natural pendulum system with onboard control. This improves the ride quality when passing through curves, allowing for comfortable travel. When this train departs, the WEST EXPRESS GINGA is scheduled to join the same track on Platform 2. yay! Exciting! WEST EXPRESS GINGA has arrived. Although it debuted in 2020, it is a remake based on a vehicle manufactured in 1980. I’m going in! This is the first seat that I was able to reserve this time. This is my seat. So nice! You can have two seats to yourself! The wash basin is also very clean! First, let’s take a look around the entire train! Car No. 2 next door used to be a women-only car, but now, with some exceptions, it has been changed to a unisex car. This is a standard seat, but it is still a wider seating arrangement than the green seat. Couchette of car 2. Previously, it was only for women. You can ride only by paying the reserved seat express fare without paying for a sleeper. There is also luggage space for couchettes and standard seats. This is free space. This train has quite a lot of free space and a considerable number of seats. The lighting is also designed for WEST EXPRESS GINGA and is cute! Crafts from Matsue Station, which stops along the way, are displayed. Parquet accessories from Nichinan Town. Car No. 4 was completely free space. What kind of event holding? It looks like a demonstration sale of Japanese sweets. I think I’ll order one. We’ve left Izumo City Station. Of course, the train departs on time. It’s the opening of Sakaneya, a Japanese confectionery shop with a 153-year history, founded in 1896. After ordering, he will make it by hand. It’s nice to be able to see the process of making the sweets you eat. There are 4 types of menus in total. I ordered only one. Look forward to it! I forgot the name of the Japanese sweets I ordered. This is the Japanese sweets I ordered. This event seems to be a marriage of Japanese sweets and sake. Which language is “mariage”? I’ve been hearing it occasionally lately. We asked them to choose a pair of Japanese sake that would be a good match. This is a mariage set. Now, let’s eat! The taste of freshly made Japanese sweets is… Anko inside. Well then, let’s have it! sweet! Ah, it’s natural since it’s a Japanese sweet (lol) , and I’ll have some Japanese sake. Enjoying Japanese sweets and sake while looking out at the Japanese countryside scenery from the window is the ultimate luxury. This is also a free space. A board for playing chess or Go is built into the table. If I answered a survey I would receive a gift, so I gave it a try. I got it. Let’s open it later! The Japanese sweets shop Sakaneya mentioned earlier also sells sweets for souvenirs. Let’s take a look at the restroom! This is a large restroom that is wheelchair accessible. It’s not dirty at all. This train has a total of 6 cars. Let’s take a look at the remaining cars No. 5 and No. 6! Wheelchair accessible couchette. normal couchette. I have used this sheet to travel the Kumano Kodo in Wakayama in the past, so please check out that video as well. And here is car number 6. The only private room. It’s so popular that you can’t always make a reservation. There is a free space in the back. We have a customer ahead of us, so let’s come back later! I returned to my seat. What you can see in the distance is Lake Shinji. Lake Shinji is the 7th largest lake in Japan, and because it is brackish water containing salt, it is rich in fish species. It is especially famous for its freshwater clams. This is the free space for car 1. Let’s sit down and relax for a while. Lake Shinji is a sunset spot that has been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 sunset spots. I’ve never seen the sunset here, so next time I’ll get off at Lake Shinji, watch the sunset, and stay at Tamatsukuri Onsen. By the way, you can open the window. It feels good to breathe fresh air. The driver’s seat at the rear still looks very old. I stopped at the station. The WEST EXPRESS GINGA is a limited express train, but it is often overtaken by other limited express trains, so there is often a long wait for the train to stop at the station. The passengers on this train don’t want to move in a hurry; they enjoy riding this train, so they’re happy to take their time. I would like to introduce this first seat soon. The backs of the seats are fairly high back and uneven, but comfortable. Comes with cushion. Bed sheets and a thin blanket for sleeping. The seats are quite wide, so even if you’re quite big, you’ll be fine! It’s made from real wood and has a beautiful design. There are few straight lines and many curves are used. There are curtains. It is a transparent lace curtain. The armrests are also comfortable. For some reason, the armrest by the window is wider. What kind of dial is this? Lighting brightness adjustment dial? There is also a power outlet. There are also two USB ports. Since it is type A, JR, please change it to type C. The table is foldable. There is also a curtain that blocks the view from the aisle. It’s a race, so you can see what they’re doing. It feels like it is too good to use alone. We arrived at Matsue Station. Here, you will receive the lunch box that you reserved in advance. I got an ekiben. The best part of long-distance train travel in Japan is eating Ekiben on the train. I want some hot soup. don’t have. Now’s your chance, so let’s take a peek at the lounge space of car No. 6! I still have some time, so I’m looking for some soup! Hurry! ! ! This vending machine doesn’t have it ! There are no vending machines. You can see a 7-Eleven over there. Hurry! There was no hot soup so I bought vegetable juice. Time is running out. I’ll be late 💦 Wow. I dropped something! Wait for my train! I made it on time. Ha, I’m tired. departure! I’m glad I made it on time! It is the season when cherry blossoms are blooming. It is passing through the countryside. The train stopped at Yasugi Station. The train will stop here for about 20 minutes. Let’s go outside the station! outside the station. I’m looking for hot soup, but there aren’t many vending machines! I went to the souvenir shop at the station. There is no hot soup, but I found a dessert! I buy homemade pudding. Here too, we wait for the limited express Yakumo to pass before departing. I received a commemorative certificate. The stamp on the ticket was also special for WEST EXPRESS GINGA. Well then, off we go! A special ekiben for WEST EXPRESS GINGA. Let’s eat lunch! First, wipe your hands clean. What’s inside? A small square contains a side dish. You can enjoy a wide variety of side dishes. Please enjoy ASMR with chopsticks (lol) There are so many different kinds that it’s hard to decide which one to eat first. Fried lotus root? No, I think it’s fish tempura. Contains crab rice. This bento is a bento where you can eat a variety of delicious foods from Shimane Prefecture. Let’s drink the vegetable juice I bought at the 7-Eleven at the station! Although it is a vegetable juice, there is no vegetable smell and it is easy to drink. the boiled bamboo shoots. This is Mt. Daisen, and it is the highest mountain in this area. This bento is a special bento where you can eat a variety of delicious foods from Shimane Prefecture. I’m glad I was able to eat this! Finally, we eat ohagi as dessert. I also eat some pudding that I bought at a station along the way. Caramel is the type that can be left on later. Oh, it didn’t come out 💦Oh , when I pressed it, it came out lol A paper spoon I remember using a long time ago when eating yogurt. The pudding doesn’t want to be eaten, so it runs away. A delicious pudding with a simple recipe of eggs, milk, and sugar. The cherry blossoms are blooming. The next stop is Nezu Station. I’m happy to see so many cherry blossom trees. The train will be stopping for 19 minutes, so let’s get off the train again! I arrived at Nezu Station. Handwritten WEST EXPRESS GINGA welcome board. I received some souvenirs. They sell local souvenirs. These dolls are old types with a history, but the things she holds in her hands are modern, such as an IC card. This person is wearing a JR hat. I came outside the station. It’s a very small station building. It seems that Hino Town is famous for its beautiful view of the stars. Tonight’s stars are still So bright that you can’t see them at all (lol) Commemorative stamp. WEST EXPRESS GINGA. The driver’s seat looks quite old. It is based on a vehicle manufactured in 1980, so the driver’s seat is probably the same as before. The Yakumo express train is also parked. Let’s eat potato chips bought at a convenience store. After all, potato chips are perfect for train journeys. The souvenir I received earlier was a tin badge. Noyaki I bought in Izumo. Noyaki is a specialty of Izumo and is called chikuwa. Contains cheese and is perfect as a snack with alcohol. It is currently stopping at Niimi Station. We can’t get off at Niimi Station, but the station staff are there to see me off. Let’s make the bed. First, fold the table. It’s completed. It’s quite comfortable. Tooth brushing time! Relax for a while in the free space. At this point, We haven’t moved forward much. Also, the train is stopped waiting for the express train to pass. I guess everyone is asleep already. I was relieved that no one was snoring! Arrived at Bitchu Takahashi Station! This is the station where the hospitality for the last long stop is being held. The Sunrise Izumo will depart first. You’ll be able to take valuable shots of Sunrise Izumo and WEST EXPRESS GINGA side by side! The station is quite crowded. Even though it’s already past 9 o’clock, the welcome is amazing! There is a food store. There are also many ekiben. I’ve already eaten one, so I won’t buy. It looks like an old station sign. What is this? It seems that you can experience making your own original “walnut buttons” using the fabric of the hina doll’s kimono. Let’s try it! Done! The cherry blossom pattern is beautiful. They also have live music. A library directly connected to the station. Inside the library. It’s a wonderful library with an atrium! This library has a Starbucks coffee shop and also functions as a bookstore where you can purchase books. WEST EXPRESS GINGA goods are also on sale. Tastings. It looks delicious, but I already brushed my teeth, so I decided to stop eating it. WEST EXPRESS GINGA goods are also available here. A chiffon cake made with yuzu and ginger from Takahashi City is on sale, so I decided to buy it. Looks fluffy and delicious! I’ll have it for breakfast tomorrow. quiz! Train departure melody. Do people who live in Japan understand? Question 1. If you know the correct answer, please let me know in the comments section! Question 2. Question 3. Question 4. If you watch this channel, you should know this! Sunrise Izumo is coming soon, so let’s go see it off! It’s here! They don’t line up in the same position. WEST EXPRESS GINGA has a 6-car train, and Sunrise Izumo has a 7-car train. Ah, it’s time to leave. Goodbye, Sunrise Izumo! The live performance I mentioned earlier moved to the platform. It seems like they will play a song and see us off. A famous song follows. I want to listen to it all the time, but it’s time for the train to leave, so I go back to the car. I came back safely. It seems that sometimes people get so engrossed in a song that they forget to ride. Depart on time! Let’s check out what I just received! Free admission ticket to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle. coaster. Cat clear file. A commemorative mount for pasting a free admission ticket to Bitchu Matsuyama Castle. Also, here are the answers to the questionnaire. It’s an eco bag for shopping. Okay, let’s sleep! I just noticed there was a shade curtain! good morning! You can see the sea. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. The weather is not good, but the Seto Inland Sea is calm today. Eat breakfast! The chiffon cake I bought last night. It’s fluffy and chewy. Next is chocolate taiyaki. white fish. Lively! There’s plenty of chocolate inside! At this station, cables go up and down to prevent people from falling. “Barapan”, a famous bread from Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture whipped cream, giving it a traditional taste. After eating, it was time to relax. We’ve come to the city quite a bit. We will soon arrive at Osaka Station. The train stops at Osaka and Shin-Osaka, and at Kyoto terminal. WEST EXPRESS GINGA I heard that you can get a case to hold the Express ticket, so I came to get it. I’ll keep it as a souvenir! The ride commemorative board The vase also has a WEST EXPRESS GINGA design. I brush my teeth in the morning. Let’s turn the bed back into a seat! We will soon arrive in Kyoto. The 15 hour long journey is over. I will see off WEST EXPRESS GINGA The Hello Kitty Shinkansen is running. I’ve never ridden one though. Goodbye! Today, I will visit a shrine along the mountains of Kyoto, and then go trekking. First, we moved by train. I’ll get on the bus and move on. I’ve come a long way towards the mountain. From here, you can either take another bus or walk to the shrine. You can also get here by train. Where is the bus stop? The air is so clean. ah! ! Wait! I couldn’t make it to get the bus 💦 A kind of sacred stone. There’s a bird. Are you looking for fish? Was there any prey? There are some beautiful Japanese-style buildings. Is it a restaurant? This is the entrance to Kifune Shrine. It looks fantastic with so many red lanterns lined up. Kifune Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the god of water. It is also beneficial for marriage. The stairs are quite steep. First, wash your hands and purify yourself. It seems like sacred water is gushing out here. Divine water. There is water fortune telling so let’s try it! 200 yen. Haven’t you written anything? When the paper was floated in water, letters appeared. Japanese words will appear, so if you can’t read Japanese, please read the QR code with your smartphone. I will tie my fortune here. There is a tree that looks amazing. Rest area. The view is nice. There is also Kifune Shrine in the back, so let’s go visit it. Two cedar trees that grew from the same root. 1,000 years old. New shoots are emerging from the stock. Ahead of this is the Okumiya of Kifune Shrine. It’s solemn. The sound of gravel echoes comfortably. Renri cedar (sacred tree) Separate trees overlap to become one. This sacred tree is a combination of cedar and maple. Very rare. I decided to buy some Inari sushi here. 200 yen. From here, I will be walking on a mountain path for about an hour and a half, so I need to replenish my nutrition. From here, I will head towards Kurama-dera Temple on Mt. Kurama. It looks pretty steep. It will take about 2.5km and about 90 minutes to walk to the other side. There are canes. You can borrow it for free. Let’s go! The first worship point. It feels good to walk on a mountain path. The stairs are really long💦Osugi Gongensha. It was destroyed by a typhoon in 2018. Beautiful tree root path. It started to rain. I don’t have rain gear. It’s raining quite heavily. I thought I shouldn’t walk through it, but it means I shouldn’t step on the tree. This is Kurama Temple. It’s stopped raining. Thank goodness the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom. It’s getting sunny now! I think the view would have been better if there were no clouds. It has moss on it and looks old. It’s downhill from here. Yuki Shrine enshrines a magnificent cedar tree. The tree is 800 years old. The worship hall of Yuki Shrine was rebuilt in 1607 by Toyotomi Hideyori. I can feel the history. This is the cable car station. I’m thirsty, so let’s buy a drink from the vending machine. After all, I’d like to get Oronamin C. This is the exit. A building that looks like something out of “Spirited Away.” I will have lunch here. I feel like a grandmother in the countryside. looks delicious. It’s a bowl of fried rice and eggs. The soup stock is fresh and delicious. Mt. Kurama is famous for its Tengu. Has a long nose. The cherry blossoms are beautiful. Let’s take the train back to Kyoto Station. This is a one-man operated train. The observation train is parked opposite. I would like to ride during the autumn leaves season. The driver’s seat looks quite old and shows its age. Manufactured in 1993. Younger than me! We have reached the end. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom in the Kamogawa River. A lot of people are cherry blossom viewing over there. It’s a gathering called Hanami that you just drink alcohol outside (lol). maybe. Let’s just walk along the Kamogawa River and head towards Kyoto Station. I finally found a rental bicycle. This area is called Gion and is lined with old buildings. The cobblestone pavement makes it quite difficult to ride on a bicycle. My butt is being stimulated in a nice way. Wow! Finally arrived! I will return to Tokyo by Shinkansen. The Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo runs at a rate of one train every three minutes. Unsweeten green tea! Clap clap clap! “Nozomi” has arrived. The seat looks like this. folding table. Net for small items. Hook. departure! The seats are reclining. It’s more comfortable than LCC. There is a power outlet at your feet! It’s easy to unplug. Let’s enjoy the scenery outside It’s amazing that even though it’s going 175 miles per hour (280 km per hour), you don’t feel any shaking at all! Japan’s Shinkansen is really comfortable. Mt. Fuji is now in sight! Beautiful covered in snow! After all, it is the highest mountain in Japan! It’s sunset time. I’ll be in Tokyo soon. Thank you for watching until the end.

I rode the limited express sleeper train WEST EXPRESS GINGA from Izumo to Kyoto. The train only runs two round trips a week. It’s a special train with luxury seats. Let me take you on a virtual train ride.

🚝My popular videos🛳️
▼JAPAN’S Luxury Sleeper Train 8-Hour Ride “WEST EXPRESS GINGA” – Kumano Kodo to Kyoto

▼First Class Room on Japan’s Overnight Sleeper Train 🇯🇵 🚞 13 Hour Journey from Tokyo to Izumo

▼Riding on Japan’s First Class Overnight Train | West Express Ginga Premier

▼Sleeper Seat on Japan’s Newest Overnight Train 😴 12 Hour Trip from Kyoto 🛏 Solo Travel Vlog

▼Riding on Japan’s Amazing Overnight First Class Train | West Express Ginga “First Seat”

▼Most Spacious Overnight Sleeper Train In Japan! Extremely Relaxing!!!

▼【First Seat】Riding the “West Express Ginga” 11-hour Train エクスプレス銀河に乗って１１時間の電車旅　大阪〜下関

🚞Related videos created by other YouTube Channels🚅
▼Solo Solo Travel – Riding on Japan’s Amazing Overnight First Class Train | West Express Ginga “First Seat”

▼Travel Alone Idea – Sleeper Seat on Japan’s Newest Overnight Train 😴 12 Hour Trip from Kyoto 🛏 Solo Travel Vlog

▼ITSUKA JAPAN – 【First Seat】Riding the “West Express Ginga” 11-hour Train エクスプレス銀河に乗って１１時間の電車旅　大阪〜下関

▼ Kuga’s Travel – Riding the Sleeper Train in Japan on a Heavy Snow Day (Tokyo→Izumo-shi)

▼Experience JAPAN – Japan’s Snowiest First-Class Sleeper Train | Sunrise Express 🚞 ☃️ ❄️

▼Please subscribe to our channel for more videos!
https://www.youtube.com/@off-to-japan

▼Train information
Train: WEST EXPRESS GINGA
Seat: First Seat
Price: ¥12,550 [$87.50]
Route: Izumo – Kyoto
Duration: 14 hours 54 minutes
Distance: 440 km ( 270 miles)
Booking: 1 month before the traveling date on the internet/ at a ticket window

▼WEST EXPRESS GINGA – where to book?
JR West WEST EXPRESS GINGA’S page [in Japanese]
https://www.jr-odekake.net/railroad/westexginga/reservation_kinan/

shot in APR 2025.

▼Video time
0:00 Opening
1:09 Checking out the route
2:05 West Express GINGA is coming
2:36 Exploring the train
4:16 Demonstration and sale of Japanese sweets
8:50 Room Tour “First Seat”
11:02 Getting Boxed Lunch at Matsue Station
13:13 At Yasugi Station
14:40 Dinner on the Train
18:30 At Neu Station
21:31 Making my Bed
23:56 Entertainment at Bitchu-Takahashi
31:10 The next morning
35:42 Arriving at Kyoto Station
37:19 Kifune Shrine
43:42 Hiking Mt. Kurama
52:29 Walking along a River with Cherry Blossoms
54:14 Ridding Shinkansen
55:40 Mt. Fuji

#tokyo #japan #asmr #japanvlog #japaneseculture #japantravel #tokyotrip #HDR #4K #4K HDR #kumanokodo #caminodesantiago #worldheritage #sleepertrain #nighttrain #japantrains #westexpress銀河