A visit on mid-November in Nagoya City is still too early for autumn. Where most of the leaves are still in shinning green. So heading to an off-track destination of Korankei in Toyota City is a good decision. It's almost an hour train and another hour bus away from Nagoya, but arriving there will give you magical autumn experience.
Most of the review will say that getting there is difficult since you have to change trains and buses. Traffic is terrible and the place is crowded. Well, they are all true, so you have to wake up early to catch the earliest transportation and to avoid traffic.
There are 3 options to go to Korankaei, Asuke, Toyota City, Japan:
- HigashiOkazaki Station to Kourankei via bus Meitetu Okazaki.Asuke Line (Earliest: 6:36, 8:30 Arrival 7:41, 9:36) - 55mins
- Toyota City Station to Kourankei via bus Meitetu Yanami Line (Earliest: 7:18, 9:35 Arrival: 8:00, 10:17) - 42mins
- Jyousui Station to Kourankei via Toyota Oiden Bus Sanage.Asuke Line (Earliest 7:26, 8:26 Arrival: 8:23, 9:23) - 57mins
Visit this page to help you regarding provincial buses (or Nishitetsu service) in Japan.
4 things to expect in Korankei, Asuke:
1. Taigetsukyo Bridge (red bridge) with autumn backdrop - has been a promising scenic spot and loved by photographers especially for those chasing the koyo leaves.
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| I walked across an empty land, I knew the pathway like the back of my hand. I felt the earth beneath my feet, Sat by the river and it made me complete. - Keane |
2. Street Food - for a long walk you'll never get tired or hungry as there are a lot of street food being sold in wide variety that you can imagine.
3. Local Market - you'll be enticed to glance once in a while on the intricate local items, flowers, fruits and omiyage. A bit of a tourist trap, but nice to look at.
4. Sanshu Asuke Yashiki (Yashiki Cultural Village) - an immersion on what the locals do for a living.
In text above:
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki
Ever since we began to depend on the benefits of industrial development, we forgot the many blessings of nature and the ability to make what we need from it for our daily lives.
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki, which is modeled after a rich farmer's house from the Meiji period, presents the local, traditional hand works as hand-looming, charcoal making and paper making which has once disappeared from our modern life.
Daily hours: 9:00 - 17:00 (admission until 16:30) *closed on Thursdays
Entrance Fee: 300 yen for adults, 100 yen for children
Guide and References:
The following section will cater the route from Higashi Okazaki Station to Korankei.
- Map from Sakae Station to Higashi Okazaki Station
- Meitetsu Nagoya Station Time Table (Note/Remark: f:Express from Higashi Okazaki, earliest: 5:47am, 6:05am). Keep an English copy, since those posted in train stations don't have English translation
- At Higashi Okasaki Station, exit the train concourse and find the Bus Station, Look for Stand (Stop)#4. This is where Bus#8 alights passenger heading for Asuke (last stop before Korankei)
- Check the Bus Schedule (earliest: Weekday/Weekend 6:36a, 8:30a)
Summary of 3 days itinerary in 2015 Autumn Nagoya-Toyota Trip:
Day
|
Places
to see
|
Food
and Restaurants
|
Where
to Sleep
|
Day
1
|
Korankei
at Toyota
Sanshu Asuke Yashiki Tokugawa Garden Nunoike Catholic Church Mall Hopping at Otsu Dori |
Lotteria
|
|
Day
2
|
Lotteria
Subhakamana |
Hotel
Trusty in Sakae
|
|
Day
3
|
Hotel
Trusty in Sakae
|