Experience Chiba, Japan, With secret hiking spots.
I hope this travel plan can serve as a reference for you.
Enjoy!
Ubara Ideal Village / 鵜原理想郷（南房総国定公園）
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UK8sLkuyzZ4xwPuo9
Taoyamedaira / 手弱女平(鵜原理想郷)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hbzhUNMv5LBLdPVr5
Tsukisaki Tunnel / 月崎トンネル
https://maps.app.goo.gl/diues7fqxjUeKvkH7
Tojo Coast / 東条海岸
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TxX2wTsbmKGdxsjZ8
Unnamed Field
https://maps.app.goo.gl/tguDBRuGCmQuQ6tb8
00:00 Intro
01:42 Introducing Ubara Ideal Village
02:54 Entering Ubara Ideal Village
06:10 Entering Tsukisaki Tunnel
09:25 Tojo Coast
09:38 Unnamed Field
#trip #hikingadventures #japaneseculture
Today, I plan to take a day trip to some unique hidden travel spots in Chiba, Japan. Chiba is one of the three prefectures in the Kanto region located southeast of Tokyo It has many infrastructures serving Tokyo such as Narita International Airport and Tokyo Disneyland. Yes, you heard right. Tokyo Disneyland is actually in Chiba Prefecture. Chiba is surrounded by the sea on three sides forming the Boso Peninsula This is Chiba’s most significant geographical feature Additionally, it has no mountains over 500 meters The northern part is part of the Kanto Plain with large fields and residential areas Overall, Chiba is quite large On this day trip, I plan to visit three places and hope to see them all I will put Google Map links for all locations in the video description. Chiba has a typical peninsula feature, surrounded by the sea on three sides. To the west is Tokyo Bay, and to the east is the Pacific Ocean, with a very long coastline. One of the most famous is Kujukuri Beach the longest beach in Japan, where the surfing competition of the 2020 Olympics was held. But to avoid the crowds I searched for a place where only locals go So I come to the seaside of Ubara Risoukyou. Ubara Risoukyou is located in the southeastern part of the Ubara area, near the Ubara coast. It is on the west side of Katsuura Bay along the Pacific Ocean with rugged capes forming a complex coastline known as a rias coast. This area has a beach selected as one of Japan’s top 100 beaches Ubara Beach, which is a famous scenic spot and part of the Minami Boso National Park. The bay is covered with trees and coastal plants extending to the tip of the cape The complex natural scenery has attracted many literary figures, leaving many works behind It is a breathtaking natural beauty. Due to its beautiful scenery it was planned as a villa area in the Taisho period hence the name "Risoukyou," meaning "Ideal Village." From JR Ubara Station, walk about 150 meters towards the sea. At the T-junction, turn left towards the tunnel After passing the first and second tunnels, turn right and walk about 170 meters along the gentle slope to the entrance. While passing through the tunnel you can see red crabs in the stream next to it. I’m not sure what type of crabs they are, but they look like sea crabs. By the way, today I come here with my girlfriend LN She has low stamina and is not good at hiking. After passing through the second tunnel, there is a steep uphill road that exhausted her. But along the way the sunlight passing through the small forest and creating Tyndall effects on the hiking trail made us feel it was worth it. After passing through the small forest and the sea rocks eroded by the waves you will reach the top. On the way up, you can always hear the sound of waves hitting the rocks. 手弱女平（Taoyamedaira） From the entrance, walk about 700 meters uphill to reach an observation deck At the top of the deck, there is a monument with a bell known as the Bell of Happiness. In December 2017, the Ubara Risoukyou Yamayuri Association discovered fragments of Jomon pottery and registered it as a site in Chiba Prefecture in March 2018, named the "Ubara Taoyamedaira Site." Due to its special terrain, you can capture mountains, the sea, and forests all at once I take out my Fujifilm camera and shot these photos. To the east, there is an underwater observation tower. （Katsuura Marine Park Underwater Observation Tower） You can enter and visit by a ticket for 980 yen（≈ $6.2） there is mist floating over the sea. I take out my drone and capture this scene. Going further would lead to Twilight Hill, Shirafusa Cape, Myojin Cape, and other place. If you like hiking and want a less intense climb, these routes might be very well. But for us, LN is already tired, and the temperature reach 35 degrees Celsius today. So I decided to return to the car the same way we came. Then I went to Tsukizaki Tunnel, a spot recommended by locals. If you take the train, you can take the Kominato Line and get off at Tsukizaki Station then walk 15-20 minutes to reach a fork in the road. This place is not well known After entering, you are on a Japanese forest path so the road is narrow and not suitable for cars. There are also no-entry signs at the entrance. So I park the car and walk There is a stream along the road, giving you a sense of being in the mountains. The path is mostly flat, with no steep slopes, making it not too difficult for beginners like me. I even saw someone riding a motorcycle. Many Japanese people come here for sightseeing. Deeper in, on the left, there are tall trees and fallen branches. On the right, a huge rock wall extends upward, with the sounds of birds all around. After passing through, you will see Tsukizaki Tunnel. It is a tunnel with no waterproofing or support. Water constantly drips from the walls to the ground. Even though it looks unsafe, it feels like being in a magical mountain forest. The second part of the tunnel is longer and dark. With the sound of dripping water inside, it feels a bit scary to walk through, but once you pass through, you reach the end. Overall, if you want to visit Chiba and go to places only locals know, and you like original mountain forests, this is a good choice. Also, because Chiba is mostly flat, there are no bears here which is rare in Japan. Even in Tokyo’s mountains, you might see bears. Japan does quite well in nature conservation. I originally planned to visit the third spot Kujukutani Observation Park on Mt. Kanozan, where you can see a sea of clouds at sunset. However, while on the way, I realized it would take another hour to get there and it was already almost 6 PM. Since I planned to return on the same day, I decided to head back. Although it was a pity not to reach the last spot, trips are like this, full of uncertainties. Sometimes, the unexpected surprises are also part of the trip’s charm. On the way back, I noticed the nearby scenery was getting beautiful, like this seaside. Sunset and the beach are always the best combination. Finally, I come across this unnamed field. Its quiet atmosphere attracted me. As the sun was setting, I decided to fly my drone here and captured this scene. These shots made me very satisfied. The mist enveloped the fields and ponds, reflecting the sunset’s afterglow. If you also plan to come to Chiba and have time to visit Kujukutani on Mt. Kanozan remember to take a photo and tag me. I will give it a like 👍 So, that’s all I want to share. Thank you for watching and see you next time.