2 hours sightseeing in Kurashiki and riding 500 Type EVA Shinkansen, Trip to Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku in 2016 winter – Part 11

2016 winter Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku
Kurashiki Bikan area is 15 minutes away from Kurashiki station.
Kurashiki Bikan area
Kurashiki Bikan area

This post is continued from the previous post, Trip to Tohoku, Chubu and Chugoku in 2016 winter – Part 10, Trip from Nagano to Tokyo and taking Sunrise Seto.

On the last day of my trip, I disembarked from Sunrise Seto at Okayama. After that, I visited Kurashiki and went back to Shin-Osaka by specialized Shinkansen train, “500 TYPE EVA”.

Trip from Okayama to Kurashiki and walking Kurashiki Bikan area

(Sunrise Seto) 06:27 Okayama 07:05 (Limited Express Yakumo 1) 07:16 Kurashiki

Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumo arrived at Okayama station just beside Marine Liner. Marine Liner is the rapid train that connects Okayama and Takamatsu.
Sunrise Seto and Sunrise Izumo arrived at Okayama station just beside Marine Liner. Marine Liner is the rapid train that connects Okayama and Takamatsu.

I hopped off Sunrise Seto at Okayama. I supposed to take Sunrise Izumo and get off at Kurashiki. But I could not book single compartment on upper floor. I wanted to stay on upper floor. So I picked Sunrise Seto to Okayama. Both “Sunrise” trains runs together between Tokyo and Okayama. Sunrise Seto passes Seto Ohashi bridge to Takamatsu, Shikoku. Sunrise Izumo goes to Izumoshi. Only Sunrise Izumo goes through Kurashiki.

Anyway I was hanging around Okayama station for a while and I took Limited Express Yakumo to Kurashiki. It was only 11 minutes ride. I could take an earlier local train. But JR pass covers it anyway. I took this train.

Limited Express Yakumo connects Okayama and Sanin area.
Limited Express Yakumo connects Okayama and Sanin area.

Walking in Kurashiki Bikan area for 2 hours

After arriving Kurashiki station, I started to explore Kurashiki.

Kurashiki station south side
Kurashiki station south side

Kurashiki is well known as the preserved canal town. You can feel Edo era atmosphere that is Samurai period in Japan. This preserved area is only 10 to 15 minutes away from Kurashiki station by walk.

I took the route via shopping arcade.
The route via shopping arcade.

There are several routes but it is very easy to find the route. I went through shopping arcade. But if you go down main street, “Motomachi-Dori”, it is much easier to get there. There are many signage anyway. You cannot miss it.

When I got Kurashiki Bikan area, it was early morning and very quiet. Nobody bothered me. I really enjoyed this scenery in morning fresh and crisp air.

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I went back to Kurashiki station and proceeded to Shin-Kurashiki station.

Trip from Kurashiki to Shin-Osaka via Shin-Kurashiki by Shinkansen 500 TYPE EVA

Kurashiki 09:11 (Local train) 09:20 Shin-Kurashiki 09:35 (Kodama 730 / 500 TYPE EVA) 11:14 Shin-Osaka

Kurashiki is located in the middle of Okayama station and Shin-Kurashiki station. Both stations are Shinkansen station too. But all Shinkansen trains stop at Okayama. Many Shinkansen trains skip Shin-Kurashiki. If you go to Kurashiki by Shinkansen, Okayama is the gate station.

I could go back to Okayama after visiting Kurashiki. But I had a reason to go to Shin-Kurashiki station. I took a local train for 10 minutes to get Shin-Kurashiki station.

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And I went through Shinkansen ticket gate.

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When I was the platform, many Shinkansen trains were running in front of me.

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But the train that I wanted to take was this.

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This is called “500 TYPE EVA”. This is very popular Japanese Anime “New Generation Evangelion” theme train. There are lots of decorations of this anime in the train.

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I wanted to be on this train as much as I could. That is why I went to Shin-Kurashiki and caught this train.

If you are interested in this train, please refer the post, Limited time operation. Specialized Shinkansen train 500 TYPE EVA

When I got Shin-Osaka station, everyone looked at this train and took a photo.

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My trip came to the end at Shin-Osaka station.

I really enjoyed this trip. But I got sick right after this trip. I think it was too busy. As I mentioned several times in this trip report posts, DO NOT COPY THIS TRIP!!! Otherwise you will be sick! LOL

Thank you very much for reading my long long train trip report!

Comments

  1. Amalia says:

    Hello Takeshi-san,
    what a fascinating trip! I might copy one of two items for my own itinerary ^^
    I have a question regarding the Shinkansen 500 Type EVA. As I will land in Haneda, can I book tickets for the train in Midori no Madoguchi in the airport/Tokyo station, or should I book as soon as I get to Osaka or any JR West stations?
    I’m afraid Midori no Madoguchi will not take my reservation as it’s part of JR East and I’m booking for a JR West special train ^^;

    • Hi Amalia san,

      Actually you can book all JR trains at any Midori no Madoguchi throughout Japan. So you can book Eva train at Haneda or Tokyo if you like. I booked it at Narita airport station.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  2. Ana B says:

    Hi Takeshi-san,

    This was an excellent report, had a great time reading it. Definitely cannot copy, but got some very good ideas for future trips, maybe copy the itinerary from 1 or 2 days.

    One question, how crowded was the EVA shinkansen bound for Osaka? I’m guessing not very much since it runs early in the morning, compared with the train bound for Hakata?

    Thank you for sharing your experience.

    • Hi Ana san,

      It was very slow when I took the train. It was a weekday and not peak season either. If you take this train in peak season, it may be a bit busier. I’m sure bound for Osaka is much slower than bound for Hakata.
      Now anyone can go EVA exhibition car. I think it’s much easier to take this train than before.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

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