Day 1: Tokyo （東京）→ Echigo Yuzawa （越後湯沢）

Our first stop is Echigo Yuzawa （越後湯沢）, the first shinkansen stop in Niigata （新潟）on the Toki line. It is famous for Fuji Rock and Ski Resorts such as Naeba. Toki is a rare bird found in Sado Island.

To get there, head to Tokyo（東京） Station. If you had bought the JR Pass online, you will have to exchange your online ticket for the JR Pass at the designated offices. We went to the JR East Travel Service Center near the Marunouchi North Exit 丸の内北口. Given there were a lot of tourists, JR opened up two offices when we were there, so look out for the shorter queue. At the office, you will need to determine which days to cover. We got the JR East Pass for 5 Days. It nicely covered our 5 day-4 night trip in Niigata.

I recommend to get the reserved seat tickets for all your subsequent train rides at one go. There are still options for you at the other Shinkansen stations, but it will be less worrying if you get it at this point.

It was a Thursday when we travelled to Niigata, so there were two trains that we could take:

• Departs 10:16AM Jōetsu Shinkansen Toki 315 to Niigata （新潟）、reach 11:31AM – 1 hr 15 min (5 stops)
• Departs 11:40AM Jōetsu Shinkansen Toki 319 to Niigata （新潟）、reach 12:58PM – 1 hr 18 min (5 stops)

10:00AM We decided to grab Ramen at the Ramen Street in Tokyo Station. Tokyo Dried Sardines Ramen Gyoku 東京煮干しらーめん玉東京駅店 had a unique fish-based broth. If you are earlier or have more time, you can have ramen as early as 8:30 AM or consider other ramen options which had long queues.

11:10AM We did not reserve seats online beforehand, so we could only use the unreserved seats. As Tokyo is the first station for the Toki line, we managed to secure seats by queuing early at the platform. Take note of the queue lines – one is for the next train, and one is for the subsequent train. Even though we reached 30 minutes before the train departure time, there was already a queue. I recommend heading to car 2 where there are more seats compared to car 1.

11:40AM Riding the train to Echigo Yuzawa station

12:58PM After reaching Echigo Yuzawa train station, our first stop is the Kiyotsu Gorge. As there was only 12 minutes before the bus departs, we used the luggage lockers to hold our luggages before heading to the Kiyotsu Gorge. Note that there are not many buses, only one in the morning and 3 in the afternoon at 2 hour intervals (as of October 2023).

1:10PM Based on the bus schedule, we managed to catch the 1:10PM bus from 越後湯沢駅　東口. Look out for the East exit and walk towards the bus terminal – Lane 4, bus number 5 towards 桃宮野原　Momomiyanohara. On the timetable, the bus times are on the right most column. It costs 500 yen to get to Kiyotsu Gorge 清津峡. When boarding the bus, you might not need to take a ticket. This means that you will pay the amount indicated on the bus board where there is no number indicated. This bus did not accept Suica or Pasmo, but you can combine your payment and pay with notes if you do not have sufficient change.

1:34PM After arriving at the Kiyotsu Gorge stop, we embarked on a leisure 20-30 minute stroll. Of course, being avid photographers, we just had to stop every few steps to capture the breathtaking scenery. The autumn colours were just starting to show, like they were putting on a slow fashion show. It seemed like we were a tad early for the grand spectacle by about 1-2 weeks, but hey, at least we didn’t have to fight for tickets! Pro tip: If you’re planning a visit during the peak season, make sure to secure entrance tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.

Address	新潟県十日町市小出癸2119-2
Directions	Bus from Echigoyuzawa Station (East Exit) bound for Morimiyanohara Iriguchi Station. Alight at Kiyotsukyo Iriguchi Station
Car Park	Available
Opening Times	8:30AM to 4:30PM(March-November) 9:00AM to 3:30PM(in winter)
Website	https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/

Kiyotsu Gorge 清津峡

Kiyotsu Gorge, also known as the Tunnel of Light, is a remarkable attraction located in Niigata, Japan. Designed by MAD architects, the Gorge is truly a sight and visual experience. It is almost like an art exhibition in itself. The gorge features a long tunnel that creates a surreal atmosphere with its play of light and shadows. At the end of the tunnel, there is a reflective water area where you can capture stunning photos.

It costs 1000 yen to enter the tunnel. Depending on the crowd, I suggest going right to the end where you can take photos in the tunnel over the reflective water. When we got in, there was already a short queue but by the time we were done, there were a lot more tour groups queuing to take pictures. Big poses are recommended.

After exploring tunnel, we had some ice cream at the shop right at the entrance of the tunnel, and had a foot bath. Aim for the 3:57 PM bus ride back to Yuzawa（湯沢駅）. Otherwise, the last bus will come at 5:57PM.

Be careful if you decide to wait for the last bus. There might be scams and people targeting Japanese speaking tourists when the night falls.

3:57PM Bus from Kiyotsu Gorge to Yuzawa（湯沢駅）. Bus ride costs 500 yen. There was no option to use Suica or Pasmo this trip, so prepare some cash on hand. For the return, remember to take a ticket when boarding. The number will determine how much you pay! If you lose it, you will have to pay the full price.

Ryokan Shosenkaku Kagetsu 松泉閣　花月

5PM First day ended with us checking into our Ryokan Shosenkaku Kagetsu 松泉閣　花月, 5mins from Echigo Yuzawa station. Beautiful onsen ryokan, with very friendly staff. The ryokan has a bit of rustic feel, very clean and comfortable. Loved the smell of the tatami and enjoyed the sight of koi swimming in a stream as we walked into the ryokan. We had dinner at the ryokan that night and it was a wonderful spread from the lands of Niigata.

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Itinerary

• 10:00AM Brunch at Ramen Street in Tokyo Station
• 11:40AM Train to Echigo Yuzawa on Joetsu Shinkansen Toki 319
• 12:58PM Arrive at Echigo Yuzawa Station
• 1:10PM Bus to Kiyotsu Gorge Entrance stop　(清津峡入口 Kiyotsu kai iriguchi)
• 1:34PM Reach Kiyotsu Gorge Entrance stop
• 2:00PM Reach Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel of Light
• 3:30PM Leave Kiyotsu Gorge
• 3:57PM Bus from Kiyotsu Gorge to Yuzawa（湯沢駅）
• 4:25PM Reach Echigo Yuzawa Station
• 5PM Dinner and onsen at ryokan