Hiking in Hong Kong - Dragon's Back

Usually when you think of Hong Kong, you will associate it with a Shopping and Food Paradise! What most people do not know is that Hong Kong is a hidden gem for Hiking! Most of the hikes will give a scenic view of the natural surroundings!
For more information on Hiking in Hong Kong, please click on the link above.

Due to work commitments, the only "exercise" I do is finger exercises on the keyboard! I decided to include a hike in my Hong Kong itinery because it was something off the beaten path! In general when we are abroad, most of us love to visit the places the locals go to & eat at the shops the locals dine in & engage in past times which the locals enjoy doing... And I am no different!

Fortunately the terrain on the Dragon Back Trail is quite gentle and we managed to complete the hike in 3 hours. The breath-taking view from the top took my breathlessness away!(No pun intended) Unlike the other two who were as fit as a fiddle, I was panting along the trail. The trail is named Dragon Back, cause the terrain is made up of "tiny valleys and hills" which makes it resemble scaling a Dragon's Back. Sharing with all my trigger happy moments!

Start of the walk, the flight of stairs























The bus stop to flag the bus

Hermione Wannabe - just that my "broom stick" was a stalk of lalang

something cute



Direction:
Getting there:
Take the MTR to Shao Kei Wan Station. Head to the Bus Terminal and take bus 9. Get off at the Cape Collision Stop, where Tai Tam Gap Correctional Facility is situated. Head in the direction of Correctional Facility and not to the cemetry! You will see a flight of stone steps beside the Correctional Facility, which will lead you to the Dragon Back trail.
Getting back:
Take Bus 9 in the opposite direction from which you came from and you will be back to Shau Kei Wan MTR station.

Matsumoto Castle in Nagano Prefecture

Matsumoto Castle is also known as Crow Castle because of its black exterior. Built during the 15th Century, it is designated as a national treasure in Japan. With the Japanese Alps looming in the background, this beautiful historical castle with its unique achitecture is picturesque.

Unlike most castles which was built on a mountain or beside a river. This castle was built on flat land. For protection, the defence system consisted of a triple moat.

Experience the beauty of the castle by visiting the castle during the various seasons. The public park surrounding the castle turns into a cherry blossom viewing spot in the day and at night during spring(April). The Taiko Festival and Takigi Noh are held on the grounds every summer. In Autumn, participate in the moon viewing party and catch sight of the moon from the Moon Viewing pavilion.


I like the castle's unique architecture. From the outside, the castle creates the illusion that there are only 5 levels. Actually the castle has 6 Levels, 1 Level is a hidden level. The viewing deck on the uppermost floor, provides a bird's eye view of Matsumoto City. The outline of the Alps are clearly visible in the distance. Inside, you will find documents and artifacts depicting life during the "Sengoku period". On the way out, do visit the Moon Viewing pavilion. It is attached to the western wing of the main fortress and was designed not for defence, but for entertainment. Okayama Castle and Matsumoto Castle are the only two castles in Japan with a Moon Viewing Wing.








*Please note that the Ticket for the castle includes free admission into the museum in the park. Therefore please include sufficient time for viewing these two places of interest.

*An Awesome find at the Museum Shop - A box of Dark Chocolate Kit Kat with Chilli filling! The spiciness was a perfect combi with the chocolate!My favourite Kit Kat Flavour

Lodging for the night was at Utsukushigahara Ohgatou Hotel 美ヶ原王ヶ頭ホテル The website is in Japanese.


You might be interested in -
Staying at Ohgatou Hotel
Matsue Castle in Okayama, which is also another black castle. I prefer Matsumoto Castle.

Getting to Matsumoto City
I took the JR line from Tokyo Station to Matsumoto Station

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

Each season brings a change of scenary along the course of the Route. Visitors are welcomed by pretty wild flowers and lush greenary during the Spring and Summer months. The hills are dotted with Golden and Red Hues as Autumn approaches and in Winter the landscape is covered with snow.


I read about the magnificient Snow Wall which forms an open air tunnel for the highland bus to pass through and decided to visit the route in Winter. It was an awesome experience and I will let the pictures speak for themselves. I highly recommend this site as a must visit spot in Japan in Winter. BTW it is possible to get there on your own so scroll down to find out how I managed to do it and how you can do it! The ticket cost is approx ¥10,560.

Snapshots along the course of getting to the route



















mini snow wall




























Getting There:
I boarded the JR line from JR Tokyo Station, took the Shinkansen to JR Echigoyuzawa Station and took a train to JR Toyama Station. (approx 3h 15mins)
At JR Toyama Station, pls buy the ticket for the Alpine Route, which includes all the transportation along the course of the route.
From JR Toyama Station, please walk ove to Dentetsu Toyama Station and board the local train which will take you to Tateyama Eki(station). This is the start of the Alpine Route.

Getting Back:
From JR Shinano Ohmachi Station I took the JR Oito Line (58mins) to JR Matsumoto Station and the Ltd Express Azusa back to JR Shinjuku Station (166mins)

Some Tips:
Pls click here for more information on Ticket Booths and Costs
1) The route only opens on certain months, therefore please check the business period of the route. It usually opens from Late April to End November.
2) If you plan to get to the route using the JR Line. Please remember that the start point(JR Toyama Station) of the route will be different from the end point(JR Shinano Omachi). If you are staying near Nagoya, you might want to start from JR Shinano Omachi instead and end at JR Toyama Station. As the route is very crowded, therefore, please remember to book your bullet train tickets in advance. Remember to book your bullet train tickets to/from different start and end points. 3)
3) Pls give yourself 7-8 hours the complete the course of the route, as well as around 3.1/2-4 hours transportation time to and from the route.
4) Do buy the JR Pass as it helps to save some transportation money, as you will need to travel along the JR lines.

Bullet Train

[Bullet Train Pointers]

1) The Bullet Train leaves on the Dot, so do arrive at the platform about 15 mins before departure!

2) Seat Reservations can be made for the Shinkansen (non-smoking/smoking cabins) at the JR counter at the various stations. If you happen to miss your train or you want to board an earlier train, but have no time to reserve the seat. You can hop onto an earlier/later train, but you are only allowed to seat in the un-reserve carriages. If the train is too packed(which happens often during rush hour), getting a seat maybe difficult and you have to stand all the way. So do try and reserve your train seats in advance.

3) Do not ever lose your JR Pass!

4) Food & Drinks can be consumed on board. Similar to a flight, the train stewardess will come round with her push cart filled with light snacks and drinks for sale! Bento Boxes and Drinks can be purchased from the station itself.

5) Maximising your JR Pass: 1) Use it on the stretch between the Airport to the city (Eg: Narita to Tokyo station and if possible from Tokyo Station to Narita) 2) It can be used for the Loop Line in Osaka and Tokyo, however it is only limited to JR trains and JR stops. I feel that the JR Pass is more useful for the loop line in Tokyo than in Osaka.

6) The difference between the travelling time of a Nozomi and a Hikari is just 20-30mins. The JR Pass does not allow you to travel on a Nozomi.

Japan - Tokyo Part 1

A quick search of the word "Attractions in Tokyo" on google provided a wealth of information. I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information which I had to digest. Planning a F&E trip to Tokyo includes research on not only the attractions, but also the transport system, food, lodging, climate etc. Therefore I have done a skeletal framework of categories from my experiences. Hopefully it will make your travel planning to the city much easier.



Airport Transfers
1) Narita Express - If you have bought the

Japan Rail Pass,

you can travel on the narita express for free but PLEASE remember to book your ticket for the train at the ticket office. None of the carriages are un-reserved and you cannot get on the train without a ticket.
* When you exit the arrival hall, please proceed down the escalator to the Japan Railway Ticket Office at the basement. That is where you can activate your JRP and book your tickets on the narita express to the city. Please remember to fill in the "activation form" which can be found along the side of the room.
2) Airport Limousine Bus - This is an alternative transfer which will drop you off directly at your hotel or at an area close to your hotel. The Limousine Bus is NOT covered under the JRP and the tickets can be bought from the counter outside the arrival hall. It takes about an hour to get into the city. It is a convenient mode of transport if you are travelling with huge baggages and your hotel is covered under the list of hotels.
3) Taxi - A highly expensive alternative

Cost Saving Tips - CONVENIENT VALUE ADDED TICKETS
1) Limousine & Metro Pass- A set of a one-way Airport Limousine bus ticket between Narita Airport and downtown Tokyo, and a Tokyo Metro 1-Day Open Ticket for one day of unlimited travel on all Tokyo Metro lines.
Point of purchase - Limousine Bus ticket counters of Narita Airport, Shinjuku Station West Exit and TCAT (Tokyo City Air Terminal) and Tokyo Metro Pass Offices (except Nakano, Nishi-funabashi and Shibuya (Fukutoshin Line) stations)
2) If you are planning to buy the metro pass, do purchase the 2 days or 1 day Metro Tickets at Narita Airport T1 or T2 instead of in the city.
Special 2-Day Open Ticket
Good for two consecutive days of unlimited travel on all Tokyo Metro lines.
Adult: ¥980, Child: ¥490
Special 1-Day Open Ticket
Good for one day of unlimited travel on all Tokyo Metro lines
Adult: ¥600, Child: ¥300


Subway
1) With the JR Pass you can travel along the JR Metro Loop(JR Line and JR Yamanote Line) for free. Therefore to save cost you might want to book a hotel along the loop line.
2) A cost efficient way to travel around the city is to purchase the Metro Pass. The pass can be purchased from the subway stations or the airport. With the pass, travellers can board any of trains on the 9 Metro Lines FOC. The Metro pass covers many of the tourist destinations, therefore for a first time visitor to Tokyo, this pass maybe ideal.
3) An alternative pass is the Toei Pass, travellers can ride on the 4 railway lines under it FOC.

Accommodation
1) If you are only in Tokyo for a few days, you might like to check out this post for possible accommodations.
2) Perhaps if you are in Tokyo for a week, month or more. You might want to consider renting an apartment instead. We have heard horror stories of bogus apartment providers, who have swindled unexpecting parties of the down payment. I have used these two providers before and if you are looking for lodging in Tokyo, you might consider using them.
* Japan Stay Club
Before I decided to use that agent, I searched the net for reviews about that company. However I hardly found any! Many of us often worry about the Reliability of the agent. This is heightened by the highly publicised online credit card scams. We are often wary when a full pre-payment is necessary to secure the apartment!

In order to secure an apartment by JSC, full payment by credit card is needed prior to arrival. Above the rental fees advertised on the website, there are additional fees(cleaning,insurance and misc). After Booking three apartments from JSC, I have confidence in their reliability. The apartments I rented were clean and spacious (it beats staying in a squeezy hotel room). Their locations are convenient. Interior was exactly like the photos featured on their website. Maybe we were just lucky, leave a tag if you disagree!

*Akasaka Weekly Mansion

Mount Fuji

Caught sight of the "Majestic Grand Old Dame" from the train. Is it just my imagination or does it resemble Mt Fuji watching over the city!








Behind & Between Wires