We got up at 4:30AM to head to the Tokyo Station to catch the early Tohoku Shinkansen (bullet train). With the JR Rail Pass, all of our trains on the Japanese Railroad were free.
Since we were about 30 minutes early, we got to peruse the bento box 🍱 selection at Ekibenya Matsuri, which has an extensive selection of over 150 bento boxes for various diets and price points.
Since we intended to sleep on the train, we got the first class tickets, which were very comfortable and clean. Each seat had adjustable leg rests and reclining, as well as spacious trays for eating or working.
We got to watch the sun rise above Tokyo on the train. This train accelerated so quickly, you could feel it in your chest.
I won’t bore y’all with the multiple train/bus transfers, so here’s a map. Props to Anderson for not missing a single transfer!
The population became more sparse as we traveled north. Once we got to Hokkaido, we passed many fishing and farming villages, as well as some sleepy towns advertising their hot springs. The snacks at the northern train stations showcased regional goods like dried squid, specialty kanimeshi (crab rice) bento boxes, and sweet cherry tomatoes.
(To be continued cuz we are gonna go explore now)
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