Finding YT videos with only the ambient noise and no added audio is becoming increasingly rare these days. Love hearing the sounds of places as well as the views. This was very enjoyable. Cheers.
About tickets on this trip Basic fare ticket from Kyoto to Tokyo via Kanazawa: 10,010 JPY / 67 USD Super express ticket (GranClass with service) from Tsuruga to Tokyo: 23,460 JPY / 156 USD Limited express ticket from Kyoto to Tsuruga: 1,730 JPY / 11.50 USD *Important Note* You are watching Solo Travel Japan. My second channel is "Solo Travel Japan / Food Tour". I have nothing to do with others. Thanks. STJ
Seems like you save about 1600 JPY or about $10 USD taking the route through Kanazawa, basic Shinkansen ticket plus the Thunderbird. The Thunderbird was a very nice train. Took it from Kanazawa to Osaka last year. I assume that since part of the journey is now on the Shinkansen, the fare between Osaka and Kanazawa has increased, in addition to probably increasing the time it takes because of the transfer. When’s the Tsuruga to Shin-Osaka leg supposed to be completed?
The one thing from train travelling in Japan that I don't miss is the convoluted ways you have to get different train tickets for different sectors. Everything else is great!
@@ColinGallagher I must say the system is more logical than the german one, where you can pay for the same ICE ride from Hamburg to Munich between 29 to 180 Euro, depending on when you book, how much seats are still available etc.
I feel bad for all the people that were used to Thunderbird. While I think that the Shinkansen is overall positive, it should have been finished to Kyoto and then opened. With this for years people will be stuck with this hybrid system that makes no sense and takes the same time if you count the train switching.
Travelling with shinkansen is always a cool experience for me, even though i only ride it for once when i was a university student in japan (Bought regular seat, green one is quite expensive for a student like me). It is fast but sometimes packed with peoples. I prefer traveling by bus to be honest. It does take a lot of time (around 6-8 hours, osaka to tokyo) but we can enjoy the scenery of Japanese highway (because i like it) and stopping at service points is also fun thing to enjoy.
surreal experience. the countryside, the rail service, the packaged bento sushi meal that is so convenient quick bite across Japan railroad routes. little disruptions or hassles make you realize that after all you are in a normal inhabited planet of humans. amazing video as usual.
I actually just took this exact route when I was in Japan a few weeks ago! I took a couple days trip up to Toyama and Kanazawa and then back to Tokyo. The journey was extremely simple and I actually really liked Toyama station. Plus the views of the mountains on the way back to Tokyo were amazing!
True story: A student from Brazil walked up to the Shinkansen ticket counter at Osaka Station, asking for a ticket to Okinawa. "Okinawa?!" replied the agent. "There's no Shinkansen or any other train to Okinawa. It's an island, far off the mainland." The student took out a small piece of paper and re-read it... "No, no, I need to get the Shinkansen to Okinawa!" Ticket agent: "Let me see the note... Ah, it says Okayama!" "Yes," she replied. "That's what I said!"
Thank you for another enjoyable video. I have just had my 2 year anniversary of watching your videos. I always enjoying your content, it's relaxing and informative and will help me plan a trip to Japan in the future.
This video arrived perfectly! Was planning to do the Hokuriku arch for my trip this year.. was gonna go Tokyo - Osaka - Kanazawa then Tokyo via the Hokuriku Shinkansen + Thunderbird didn't know they have changed the route
On my last trip to Japan we got the Hokuriku Arch Pass as an alternative to the national JR pass and stayed in Kanazawa. Nice little city. We took the Thunderbird Express for a day trip to Kyoto (covered by the Arch Pass). We accidentally got on the non-express train though and stopped in Fukui to change train. We took pictures of the dinosaur animatronics out fronts (getting to the dino museum is kinda stupid complicated for a major attraction?). On the way back the Thunderbird Express only stopped in Fukui before getting back to Kanazawa. I forgot to try the curry at Kanazawa station :( Next time you are in Kanazawa you should try the Yukizuri pastries by Le Musée de H. It is this flaky pastry flavored with local plum wines! It's a good omiyage. On the way to Kanazawa we spent a day in Nagano and I ate delicious toasted sesame pudding by the Zenkoji temple and we went for creamy tonkotsu ramen at a random place that was open mid afternoon. I was called Hakata Yattai.
Very nice video. I lived in Sapporo for 15 years, and I loved it. Currently I am living in Malta where I was born. Here we have busses for public transport, traffic jams everywhere and everyday 😢. Construction on dirty streets. Now watching this video of prestine streets, beautiful trains and well behaved people, makes me want to go back to Japan. You guys don't know how lucky you are living in a clean and amazing country, with first class transportation , excellent customer service, and fantastic food. Ciao from tiny Malta 😊. Oh, and my student Yurie Chan is from Fukui.
I rode the Thunderbird from Kyoto to Kanazawa last March 2024. However, I did take a day trip from Kanazawa to Fukui(round-trip) and was wondering why the Hokuriku Shinkansen was an option. I guess the extension explains that. Love and miss Japan already 😍
I’m so jealous! Even though I’m only 100 miles from NYC it can take 3 hours to get there on commuter trains. The “high speed” Acela averages about 40 mph in my state. Thank you for sharing your trip with me!🙃
I made the transfer in Tsuruga the other way around just a few days ago and did not think it was a hassle. Certainly, it can be a bit crowded at the escalator, but that most likely was also the case in Kanazawa before. It is a shame that the local train service had to suffer because of this train, and I think that that in itself is the bigger complaint. For anyone in between Kanazawa and Tsuruga, it has now become more difficult and often either slower or more expensive to travel towards Kyoto/Osaka compared to before the extension, and it will be even worse when the line is ultimately extended all the way to those cities.
I would love to see videos about shinkansen that go from Tokyo to Hokkaido. Partly because I plan on doing that myself, and partly because I just enjoy watching these types of videos.
Thanks for sharing this route. I don’t think this route is “controversial”, per se, rather it is unusual but an effective alternative. Cheers. By the way, I am also thinking about visiting Kanazawa this winter. I am very intrigued by the GranClass product.
You could start a grass-roots cleaning association in your own country. Or just start yourself, go to your local city council, and ask them if they will help you set it up.
Honestly, it’s sort of clean. There’s a lot of things you don’t see in videos. People burn plastic garbage and it smells. People use chemicals that we’d not use in other countries. People dump appliances in ditches by paddy fields. Companies dump chemicals and hide it until they’re caught. And whistleblowers are not appreciated. In addition, a lot of natural places are ruined by concrete. It’s hard to find a natural seashore that doesn’t have giant concrete caltrops on it. So, clean, yes, sort of, but natural, no. And don’t get me started about the noise pollution. That said, they’ve done a better job with 125 million people in a small space than most countries would have.
I’ve always been under the impression that things are expensive in Japan. Your videos have proven this wrong. The tickets seem very reasonable, the food you get seems like an absolute deal compared to the cost of food when traveling in the USA. Also, the accommodations in the videos are far above what I would expect for the prices you pay. Great videos!
3-4 weeks holiday in japan from Melbourne Australia for a couple including airfare return from Melbourne , transport( Shinkansen , train , bus…) hotels 3-4 stars and food totally around 8000-10,000 aud ( 6500usd ) or less .
I grew up with Dean & Deluca as a high-end deli with the most expensive cup of coffee in NYC ...always amazes me to see it has cornered the Western Menu for Shinkansen. And the coffee wasn't that great. But your videos are! Arigato, STJ!
I took this trip from Osaka to Kanazawa March 28th. Your Thunderbird was delayed by 8 mins im assuming because of fog. We only had a 12 min transfer so it was 4 mins. There were plenty of staff to directed us and help people who needed assistance and of course they held the Shinkansen for us to arrive. Very nice trip up to Kanazawa Kanazawa
I decided to take the Hokuriku Shinkansen route during Golden Week this Spring, and it turned out to be a great idea, avoiding the crowds that were going along Tokaido route. I wanted to visit Fukui but will have to do that another time. Both Fukui and Tsuruga will benefit from more tourism from now on, which is what they are hoping for.
One thing I really appreciate about Japan is that it feels comfortable at every instances. The attention to details and pursuit of beauty makes it possible to craft a tranquil experience for every one, not just tourists.
No, it doesn’t. With the shinkansen now going all the way to Tsuruga, the Thunderbird will only travel between there and Osaka. Though I guess eventually, the shinkansen route will extend down to there as well.
Wait. What if JR ever ran a “loop line” Shinkansen? Tokyo -> Kanazawa -> Tsuruga -> Shin Osaka -> Nagoya -> Tokyo (it’ll probably never happen but just imagine what could happen with a loop line Shinkansen)
16:55 In Minnesota we'd say "It's different." It's the sort of food you would eat when it's put in front of you, but you'd never get if you're paying for it.
Here in a town in Russia they added a fee plan that you can change buses once for free, and now eliminate some direct buses, so people have to change at some midway station too. Many don't like it either. But I think it is reasonable in general, after all it's not possible to always have a direct bus from anywhere to anywhere.
The loss of the Thunderbird to force people onto the Shinkansen is hugely disappointing. I've only taken the Thunderbird all the way to Kanazawa once, last year. The only loss of service worse from my own personal perspective was the discontinuing of the Limited Express Kamome between Fukuoka and Nagasaki.
From here, it seems more of an inconvenience than ‘controversial’. Sure, a straight train is better. GranClass is absolutely luxurious & beautiful 👍👍👍 And what I would do at the overcrowded escalators, go first or go last. Overall - Beautiful in God’s own country, Japan ~ 🇯🇵
Thank you for this great video! I rode the Thunderbird from Kanazawa to Kyoto last year. It was really fast and comfortable. Does it still go all the way to Kanazawa? I don't believe that having to change trains in between really improves the journey.
Did the trip recently. I loved it but you may want to consider a pit stop along the way. On the way to Osaka, I spent the night in Kanazawa (and recommend it over Kyoto), before proceeding to Osaka the following day. On the way back however, I had scheduled not one but 2 meetups with friends and had to take this exact route back to Yokohama non-stop. Be aware that it’s 3 different transfers in the AM (Thunderbird to Tsuruga, Tsuruga to local Shinkansen to Kanazawa, then one Express Shinkansen train from Kanazawa back to Tokyo), and the transfer windows are as little as 10 min. It took 5hr 35min on the way back, plus the 30 min ride to Yokohama after Tokyo arrival. Suffice to say, unless you’re dead set on the Hokuriku Arch pass to get between Tokyo and Osaka (the pass will paid for itself after day 2), or you are able to squeeze an overnight stay in Nagano, Toyama, and Kanazawa, stick to Tōkaidō Shinkansen.
I will be traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto in August. Is there anyway to book the GranClass online (in English)? Thank you for your videos they are so much fun!
Seems like changing trains at Tsuruga isn't as smooth as the new(ish) shinkansen line to Nagasaki, where the Relay Kamome trains are times perfectly and you just have to walk across to the other side of the platform. Still, I'd love to try Gran Class one day!
Thank you for visiting Japan. However, there are now too many foreign tourists in Japan, and it is becoming difficult to maintain good public safety and high quality service. Therefore, I would like the number of foreign tourists allowed in to be limited to 20 million per year, and foreign immigrants, refugees, and workers (excluding international students) to be limited to 1.5% of Japan's total population combined. I think this is the best balance to allow Japanese people and foreigners to enjoy themselves. Many Japanese people are becoming stressed out by the increasing number of foreigners. An unrestricted increase in the number of foreigners in Japan does not fit in with Japan's culture, so most Japanese people would be opposed to increasing immigrants, refugees, and workers at the behest of the West.
I rode the KTX train in south Korea recently, and high speed train is now my No.1 form of transport. Better than planes in a country that's short and fat, like Korea!
Similar thing to express busses in Hawaii when the Honolulu Skyline opened up for service. The A express busses used to go all the way from Downtown Honolulu all the way to Waipahu. This is the bus I would use when I wasn’t driving. Now that the Skyline has opened, the A express buss stops at the Skyline and Bus station near Aloha Stadium. People heading to Waipahu would need to depart the bus and transfer to other busses or ride Skyline. It’s inconvenient during low traffic hours like between 9:30 am to 3:30pm. But during heavy traffic, it helps some people by going over it. But then they would still need to transfer to another bus at the Skyline/ bus station they depart. The train will eventually get to Honolulu in 2025, downtown Honolulu in 2031 (construction is expensive and slow here). Trains in town will feed the train with passengers during rush hour rather than getting stuck in traffic. So it’s a good thing in the long run. Good thing Japanese people don’t have to worry about safety. I hated having to wait at bust stops at night. I was called out for fights a couple of times by punks and nearly mugged once, that was many years ago. It’s even worse now because now they pull out guns. There have had people held at gun point and even shot. It doesn’t get much news because it’s America.
Kyoto Station is, to me, mind-boggling. My first visit to Kyoto was in December of 1983 and, due to miscommunication, I spent several hours waiting to meet my girlfriend. I had arrived at Narita the night before and, since my plane arrived late, I missed the last Shinkansen from Tokyo and, instead, rode a sleeper train kakko ecki densha that took 14 hours and I didn’t sleep. So my first hours in Japan are burned in my memory. Back then, Kyoto Station was much smaller and there were no real indoor spaces. I remember being quite chilled by the time we finally connected. Last October, I returned to Kyoto, this time on a Shinkansen and the size and crowds of people completely surprised me. It had been almost exactly 40 years between visits and I was quite shocked that my memory didn’t match very well with the reality of current-day Kyoto. It was, however, wonderful to be back.
I guess they will eventually extend it from Tsuruga to Kyoto. Doesn't really make sense to not close this small gap to offer the citizens of Kanazawa and Tsuruga a fast connection to Kyoto.
I just did this exact route, including Gran Class yesterday. Came off the shinmoji to Izumiotsu overnight ferry. Yes it is a little annoying to do the change at Tsuruga but you get longer in Gran Class!!! i did not have a Shinkansen ticket, just a limited Express ticket, so at Tsuruga i needed to buy a shinkansen ticket. I did not see the shinkansen/limited express machines near the Shinkansen transfer gates, so instead, exited the entire station to buy my shinkansen ticket. BIG Mistake!! It was quite a walk to and from the main station. I wish i'd seen the machines near the transfer
It's so cool to see high speed rail, and with such comfortable seating. It's pathetic that the transportation system in the U.S. is so archaic and that we haven't invested to modernize our rail systems.
Was the Hokuriku Shinkansen controversial? From what I heard it was very popular with the people in the towns and cities it serves, providing them a direct and fast link to Tokyo and booksting tourism (both domestic and international) to those prefectures. The change at Tsuruga might be annoying, but it's temporary, the ultimate plan is to extend the Shinkansen to Kyoto, meaning a direct train again.
Travel time (Kanazawa's westside) is roughly the same while the fare price went up. Plus a mandatory transfer. The Hokuriku Main Line is transferred to third-sector companies meaning the local trains' fare also went up. The "ultimate" extension is still on paper with feasibility research far from being completed.
The seats look very comfortable, but the food other than the dessert didn't look like it was something I would order. The ekiben looked tastier to me. 🙂
Great trip. Positive side is, Tsuruga can be accessed by Shinkansen but negative side the Thunderbird route going shorter than before. Can't imagine if this line is extended until Kyoto, how about the future of Thunderbird?
Is the layout of the Tsuruga station really considered "that bad"? Also, not sure if this is correct or not, but from what I've read, that Shinkansen line is set to be completed at some point in 2028, when the last section (Tsuruga-Kyoto) of the route is finished.
Finding YT videos with only the ambient noise and no added audio is becoming increasingly rare these days. Love hearing the sounds of places as well as the views. This was very enjoyable.
Cheers.
I agree. I find his videos really relaxing, especially without having to listen to someone talk
About tickets on this trip
Basic fare ticket from Kyoto to Tokyo via Kanazawa: 10,010 JPY / 67 USD
Super express ticket (GranClass with service) from Tsuruga to Tokyo: 23,460 JPY / 156 USD
Limited express ticket from Kyoto to Tsuruga: 1,730 JPY / 11.50 USD
*Important Note*
You are watching Solo Travel Japan. My second channel is "Solo Travel Japan / Food Tour".
I have nothing to do with others. Thanks.
STJ
Seems like you save about 1600 JPY or about $10 USD taking the route through Kanazawa, basic Shinkansen ticket plus the Thunderbird. The Thunderbird was a very nice train. Took it from Kanazawa to Osaka last year. I assume that since part of the journey is now on the Shinkansen, the fare between Osaka and Kanazawa has increased, in addition to probably increasing the time it takes because of the transfer. When’s the Tsuruga to Shin-Osaka leg supposed to be completed?
The one thing from train travelling in Japan that I don't miss is the convoluted ways you have to get different train tickets for different sectors. Everything else is great!
Actually, at the ticket office, the staff sorted out all these issues for you. All you need to do is just place all the (related) tickets at the gate.
@@ColinGallagher I must say the system is more logical than the german one, where you can pay for the same ICE ride from Hamburg to Munich between 29 to 180 Euro, depending on when you book, how much seats are still available etc.
I feel bad for all the people that were used to Thunderbird. While I think that the Shinkansen is overall positive, it should have been finished to Kyoto and then opened. With this for years people will be stuck with this hybrid system that makes no sense and takes the same time if you count the train switching.
Travelling with shinkansen is always a cool experience for me, even though i only ride it for once when i was a university student in japan (Bought regular seat, green one is quite expensive for a student like me). It is fast but sometimes packed with peoples. I prefer traveling by bus to be honest. It does take a lot of time (around 6-8 hours, osaka to tokyo) but we can enjoy the scenery of Japanese highway (because i like it) and stopping at service points is also fun thing to enjoy.
surreal experience. the countryside, the rail service, the packaged bento sushi meal that is so convenient quick bite across Japan railroad routes. little disruptions or hassles make you realize that after all you are in a normal inhabited planet of humans. amazing video as usual.
Thanks for the video. I am traveling from Osaka to Kanazawa via Tsuruga soon so it is good to know what to expect.
I actually just took this exact route when I was in Japan a few weeks ago! I took a couple days trip up to Toyama and Kanazawa and then back to Tokyo. The journey was extremely simple and I actually really liked Toyama station. Plus the views of the mountains on the way back to Tokyo were amazing!
True story: A student from Brazil walked up to the Shinkansen ticket counter at Osaka Station, asking for a ticket to Okinawa. "Okinawa?!" replied the agent. "There's no Shinkansen or any other train to Okinawa. It's an island, far off the mainland." The student took out a small piece of paper and re-read it... "No, no, I need to get the Shinkansen to Okinawa!" Ticket agent: "Let me see the note... Ah, it says Okayama!" "Yes," she replied. "That's what I said!"
Here in the west, I’ve heard tales of clouds of people staring at crowds in the sky.
Thank you so much STJ ❤for another great video. I never thought of visiting Japan, but now I’m rethinking my thinking 🤔 😅❤
Thank you for another enjoyable video. I have just had my 2 year anniversary of watching your videos. I always enjoying your content, it's relaxing and informative and will help me plan a trip to Japan in the future.
Sitting here after a long day at work and your traveling videos are always a calming experience.
Soooo excited to watch this new one later tonight! Arigato, STJ-san!
This video arrived perfectly! Was planning to do the Hokuriku arch for my trip this year.. was gonna go Tokyo - Osaka - Kanazawa then Tokyo via the Hokuriku Shinkansen + Thunderbird didn't know they have changed the route
I just found you a few days back and I really enjoy your journeys
On my last trip to Japan we got the Hokuriku Arch Pass as an alternative to the national JR pass and stayed in Kanazawa. Nice little city. We took the Thunderbird Express for a day trip to Kyoto (covered by the Arch Pass). We accidentally got on the non-express train though and stopped in Fukui to change train. We took pictures of the dinosaur animatronics out fronts (getting to the dino museum is kinda stupid complicated for a major attraction?). On the way back the Thunderbird Express only stopped in Fukui before getting back to Kanazawa. I forgot to try the curry at Kanazawa station :( Next time you are in Kanazawa you should try the Yukizuri pastries by Le Musée de H. It is this flaky pastry flavored with local plum wines! It's a good omiyage.
On the way to Kanazawa we spent a day in Nagano and I ate delicious toasted sesame pudding by the Zenkoji temple and we went for creamy tonkotsu ramen at a random place that was open mid afternoon. I was called Hakata Yattai.
Thank you for sharing your adventures with us. I always look forward to them!
21:00: Nice Meniscus!
Looking forward to a food video, I love those.
Always lovely videos. Really appreciate the lack of background music, talk-over or selfie. Classy and understated.
Very nice video. I lived in Sapporo for 15 years, and I loved it. Currently I am living in Malta where I was born. Here we have busses for public transport, traffic jams everywhere and everyday 😢. Construction on dirty streets. Now watching this video of prestine streets, beautiful trains and well behaved people, makes me want to go back to Japan. You guys don't know how lucky you are living in a clean and amazing country, with first class transportation , excellent customer service, and fantastic food. Ciao from tiny Malta 😊. Oh, and my student Yurie Chan is from Fukui.
Thank you for taking us along :) Enjoyed it, greatly:)
Very interesting, thank you. Am looking to do this to get to Kanazawa early on my trip. I wanted something simple :(
I rode the Thunderbird from Kyoto to Kanazawa last March 2024. However, I did take a day trip from Kanazawa to Fukui(round-trip) and was wondering why the Hokuriku Shinkansen was an option. I guess the extension explains that. Love and miss Japan already 😍
That music on the first shinkansen was actually kinda cool. I thought you were about to end up in an anime opening.
That wasn't a shinkansen. It's Thunderbird, a limited express Train. It previously went from Osaka to Kanazawa but now only Osaka to Tsuruga :(
I’m so jealous! Even though I’m only 100 miles from NYC it can take 3 hours to get there on commuter trains. The “high speed” Acela averages about 40 mph in my state. Thank you for sharing your trip with me!🙃
We experimented with Hokuriku route last september and we loved it. Osaka to Kanazawa and after 2 nights in Kanazawa we went to Tokyo❤
Thanks, STJ! Loved the journey! ❤
Always a pleasure to watch this channel. Boy, that icecream was sure hard!
japan tourisim really needs to hire you god your videos are great and give the best ideas
I made the transfer in Tsuruga the other way around just a few days ago and did not think it was a hassle. Certainly, it can be a bit crowded at the escalator, but that most likely was also the case in Kanazawa before.
It is a shame that the local train service had to suffer because of this train, and I think that that in itself is the bigger complaint. For anyone in between Kanazawa and Tsuruga, it has now become more difficult and often either slower or more expensive to travel towards Kyoto/Osaka compared to before the extension, and it will be even worse when the line is ultimately extended all the way to those cities.
Woah!! I remember learning abt that station when it was being built in my Japanese Class in school!
I miss japan so much
"I miss Japan" is a phrase my friends and I routinely say
I would love to see videos about shinkansen that go from Tokyo to Hokkaido. Partly because I plan on doing that myself, and partly because I just enjoy watching these types of videos.
Feels like the interior of the NCC-1701D Enterprise from Star Trek , truly beautiful trains inside and out.
Thanks for sharing this route. I don’t think this route is “controversial”, per se, rather it is unusual but an effective alternative. Cheers.
By the way, I am also thinking about visiting Kanazawa this winter. I am very intrigued by the GranClass product.
Yeah. I was gonna say, what's so controversial. Seems rather mundane.
Confusing would be a much better word to describe the chaotic transfer
I very much would love to visit Japan.
The thought of going somewhere that is clean as far as the eye can see....
You could start a grass-roots cleaning association in your own country. Or just start yourself, go to your local city council, and ask them if they will help you set it up.
Honestly, it’s sort of clean. There’s a lot of things you don’t see in videos. People burn plastic garbage and it smells. People use chemicals that we’d not use in other countries. People dump appliances in ditches by paddy fields. Companies dump chemicals and hide it until they’re caught. And whistleblowers are not appreciated. In addition, a lot of natural places are ruined by concrete. It’s hard to find a natural seashore that doesn’t have giant concrete caltrops on it. So, clean, yes, sort of, but natural, no. And don’t get me started about the noise pollution. That said, they’ve done a better job with 125 million people in a small space than most countries would have.
I’ve always been under the impression that things are expensive in Japan. Your videos have proven this wrong. The tickets seem very reasonable, the food you get seems like an absolute deal compared to the cost of food when traveling in the USA. Also, the accommodations in the videos are far above what I would expect for the prices you pay. Great videos!
3-4 weeks holiday in japan from Melbourne Australia for a couple including airfare return from Melbourne , transport( Shinkansen , train , bus…) hotels 3-4 stars and food totally around 8000-10,000 aud ( 6500usd ) or less .
Wonderful than you for posting
A very nice route through the mountains. I had to take it once last year, when there were huge delays due to fire on the Tokaido line.
Good video. Interesting. I always look forward to your new videos. Thanks for sharing.
I grew up with Dean & Deluca as a high-end deli with the most expensive cup of coffee in NYC ...always amazes me to see it has cornered the Western Menu for Shinkansen. And the coffee wasn't that great. But your videos are! Arigato, STJ!
That train is nicer than any house I've ever stayed in 😮
Great video. Thanks. 🥰🥰🥰🥰
That was such a nice trip, the seats looked very comfortable
I took this trip from Osaka to Kanazawa March 28th.
Your Thunderbird was delayed by 8 mins im assuming because of fog.
We only had a 12 min transfer so it was 4 mins. There were plenty of staff to directed us and help people who needed assistance and of course they held the Shinkansen for us to arrive.
Very nice trip up to Kanazawa Kanazawa
11:24 This sounds so good. I need a 8h version of this immediately
I bet they'll update that station. Thank you for the video.
❤❤
Thanks for your continuous support :)
I decided to take the Hokuriku Shinkansen route during Golden Week this Spring, and it turned out to be a great idea, avoiding the crowds that were going along Tokaido route. I wanted to visit Fukui but will have to do that another time. Both Fukui and Tsuruga will benefit from more tourism from now on, which is what they are hoping for.
Beautiful ❤
One thing I really appreciate about Japan is that it feels comfortable at every instances. The attention to details and pursuit of beauty makes it possible to craft a tranquil experience for every one, not just tourists.
I just visited Japan. I missed all this so much...
Hmm they did have a brochure on the first train , explaining how to transfer :-) Might have helped reading it :-)
I'll wait until the connection is complete. No Mount Fuji on this trip but the coastline seems decent
The foot traffic doesn't look that bad, but then again I'm used to London foot traffic so nothing is busy to me anymore.
Does this mean the Thunderbird no longer goes to Kanazawa? It's a great trip. GranClass looks so cool. Thank you!
No, it doesn’t. With the shinkansen now going all the way to Tsuruga, the Thunderbird will only travel between there and Osaka. Though I guess eventually, the shinkansen route will extend down to there as well.
Thank you.
Tip: wrap your ice cream in something (e.g. napkin) to warm it up more evenly (less melted at the sides).
Wait. What if JR ever ran a “loop line” Shinkansen? Tokyo -> Kanazawa -> Tsuruga -> Shin Osaka -> Nagoya -> Tokyo
(it’ll probably never happen but just imagine what could happen with a loop line Shinkansen)
16:55 In Minnesota we'd say "It's different."
It's the sort of food you would eat when it's put in front of you, but you'd never get if you're paying for it.
Here in a town in Russia they added a fee plan that you can change buses once for free, and now eliminate some direct buses, so people have to change at some midway station too. Many don't like it either. But I think it is reasonable in general, after all it's not possible to always have a direct bus from anywhere to anywhere.
The loss of the Thunderbird to force people onto the Shinkansen is hugely disappointing. I've only taken the Thunderbird all the way to Kanazawa once, last year. The only loss of service worse from my own personal perspective was the discontinuing of the Limited Express Kamome between Fukuoka and Nagasaki.
You sure? I just took the kamome from Fukuoka to Nagasaki last week (via Takeo-onsen. Is that what changed?)
This line is known if you want to visit Shirakawago because it is quite close to Kanazawa rather than Nagoya
Matcha ice cream with red wine is certainly not a pairing I've had the pleasure to experience. Perhaps it is as unique as the light meal you had!
From here, it seems more of an inconvenience than ‘controversial’. Sure, a straight train is better.
GranClass is absolutely luxurious & beautiful 👍👍👍
And what I would do at the overcrowded escalators, go first or go last.
Overall - Beautiful in God’s own country, Japan ~
🇯🇵
Champions league game is over
Now new STJ video
Great timing 👌😃
Thank you for this great video! I rode the Thunderbird from Kanazawa to Kyoto last year. It was really fast and comfortable. Does it still go all the way to Kanazawa? I don't believe that having to change trains in between really improves the journey.
Love your videos.
7:50 i love that annoucement
It's also my favorite JR announcement melody! It's called "北陸ロマン" (Hokuriku Romance)
There is a noise when a train is going 300kph, and I love it!
Did the trip recently. I loved it but you may want to consider a pit stop along the way. On the way to Osaka, I spent the night in Kanazawa (and recommend it over Kyoto), before proceeding to Osaka the following day.
On the way back however, I had scheduled not one but 2 meetups with friends and had to take this exact route back to Yokohama non-stop. Be aware that it’s 3 different transfers in the AM (Thunderbird to Tsuruga, Tsuruga to local Shinkansen to Kanazawa, then one Express Shinkansen train from Kanazawa back to Tokyo), and the transfer windows are as little as 10 min. It took 5hr 35min on the way back, plus the 30 min ride to Yokohama after Tokyo arrival. Suffice to say, unless you’re dead set on the Hokuriku Arch pass to get between Tokyo and Osaka (the pass will paid for itself after day 2), or you are able to squeeze an overnight stay in Nagano, Toyama, and Kanazawa, stick to Tōkaidō Shinkansen.
Six nonstop hours with rushed points inbetween sounds brutal. Makes sleeping at an airport without a proper pillow seem easy.
I will be traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto in August. Is there anyway to book the GranClass online (in English)? Thank you for your videos they are so much fun!
Looks at his food, "Burdock...something?" 😁😁😁
9:40 that is my favorite drink!! Lol couldnt get enough
Seems like changing trains at Tsuruga isn't as smooth as the new(ish) shinkansen line to Nagasaki, where the Relay Kamome trains are times perfectly and you just have to walk across to the other side of the platform. Still, I'd love to try Gran Class one day!
My wife and I used Thunderbird 10+ times and was our favorite train because of comfort and you lose the crowd.
Thank you for visiting Japan.
However, there are now too many foreign tourists in Japan, and it is becoming difficult to maintain good public safety and high quality service.
Therefore, I would like the number of foreign tourists allowed in to be limited to 20 million per year, and foreign immigrants, refugees, and workers (excluding international students) to be limited to 1.5% of Japan's total population combined.
I think this is the best balance to allow Japanese people and foreigners to enjoy themselves.
Many Japanese people are becoming stressed out by the increasing number of foreigners.
An unrestricted increase in the number of foreigners in Japan does not fit in with Japan's culture, so most Japanese people would be opposed to increasing immigrants, refugees, and workers at the behest of the West.
I rode the KTX train in south Korea recently, and high speed train is now my No.1 form of transport. Better than planes in a country that's short and fat, like Korea!
Similar thing to express busses in Hawaii when the Honolulu Skyline opened up for service. The A express busses used to go all the way from Downtown Honolulu all the way to Waipahu. This is the bus I would use when I wasn’t driving. Now that the Skyline has opened, the A express buss stops at the Skyline and Bus station near Aloha Stadium. People heading to Waipahu would need to depart the bus and transfer to other busses or ride Skyline. It’s inconvenient during low traffic hours like between 9:30 am to 3:30pm. But during heavy traffic, it helps some people by going over it. But then they would still need to transfer to another bus at the Skyline/ bus station they depart. The train will eventually get to Honolulu in 2025, downtown Honolulu in 2031 (construction is expensive and slow here). Trains in town will feed the train with passengers during rush hour rather than getting stuck in traffic. So it’s a good thing in the long run.
Good thing Japanese people don’t have to worry about safety. I hated having to wait at bust stops at night. I was called out for fights a couple of times by punks and nearly mugged once, that was many years ago. It’s even worse now because now they pull out guns. There have had people held at gun point and even shot. It doesn’t get much news because it’s America.
Kyoto Station is, to me, mind-boggling. My first visit to Kyoto was in December of 1983 and, due to miscommunication, I spent several hours waiting to meet my girlfriend. I had arrived at Narita the night before and, since my plane arrived late, I missed the last Shinkansen from Tokyo and, instead, rode a sleeper train kakko ecki densha that took 14 hours and I didn’t sleep. So my first hours in Japan are burned in my memory. Back then, Kyoto Station was much smaller and there were no real indoor spaces. I remember being quite chilled by the time we finally connected.
Last October, I returned to Kyoto, this time on a Shinkansen and the size and crowds of people completely surprised me. It had been almost exactly 40 years between visits and I was quite shocked that my memory didn’t match very well with the reality of current-day Kyoto. It was, however, wonderful to be back.
I guess they will eventually extend it from Tsuruga to Kyoto. Doesn't really make sense to not close this small gap to offer the citizens of Kanazawa and Tsuruga a fast connection to Kyoto.
I just did this exact route, including Gran Class yesterday. Came off the shinmoji to Izumiotsu overnight ferry. Yes it is a little annoying to do the change at Tsuruga but you get longer in Gran Class!!! i did not have a Shinkansen ticket, just a limited Express ticket, so at Tsuruga i needed to buy a shinkansen ticket. I did not see the shinkansen/limited express machines near the Shinkansen transfer gates, so instead, exited the entire station to buy my shinkansen ticket. BIG Mistake!! It was quite a walk to and from the main station. I wish i'd seen the machines near the transfer
what a fascinating place Japan is
❤❤ beautiful
I just love your videos
Loved the video! But what makes this route controversial?
It's so cool to see high speed rail, and with such comfortable seating. It's pathetic that the transportation system in the U.S. is so archaic and that we haven't invested to modernize our rail systems.
I realised that from Tsuruga station, hokuriku shinkansen used similar announcement to Thunderbird...
Was the Hokuriku Shinkansen controversial? From what I heard it was very popular with the people in the towns and cities it serves, providing them a direct and fast link to Tokyo and booksting tourism (both domestic and international) to those prefectures.
The change at Tsuruga might be annoying, but it's temporary, the ultimate plan is to extend the Shinkansen to Kyoto, meaning a direct train again.
Travel time (Kanazawa's westside) is roughly the same while the fare price went up. Plus a mandatory transfer. The Hokuriku Main Line is transferred to third-sector companies meaning the local trains' fare also went up. The "ultimate" extension is still on paper with feasibility research far from being completed.
its very informative and nice video about trip. was wondring if i can help you edits your video and also make highly engaging shorts out of them.
The seats look very comfortable, but the food other than the dessert didn't look like it was something I would order. The ekiben looked tastier to me. 🙂
Lol, fact they did placed "Transfers at Tsuruga Station" manual kind of confirms there are issues with it :D
I love the Thunderbird, sad to see it retiring.
Great trip. Positive side is, Tsuruga can be accessed by Shinkansen but negative side the Thunderbird route going shorter than before. Can't imagine if this line is extended until Kyoto, how about the future of Thunderbird?
Yonezawa beef on the Hokuriku Shinkansen? That's kind of strange. Usually Shinkansen feature foods from the areas served by that Shinkansen Line.
I want to go to Japan. ASAP
Do I need to reserve space for oversized luggage? Will be going from Tokyo to Kanazawa in a few months.
it's ony controversial for a few years. the line will be extended to kyoto, so then you'll have direct shinkansens to kanazawa again.
I don't think 13 years is "a few years".
That train exchange and station is a mess to traverse. What a bad idea they had.
The Northern Coast is so different from the Osaka-Tokyo belt
Is the layout of the Tsuruga station really considered "that bad"?
Also, not sure if this is correct or not, but from what I've read, that Shinkansen line is set to be completed at some point in 2028, when the last section (Tsuruga-Kyoto) of the route is finished.
RIP Thunderbird :(
Is GranClass seat eligible to be reserved with JR Pass ?
Well it will be very worth after I spend ¥50k worth amount of money for the pass