Follow along as I investigate the first six stations of the little-known JR Kansai Line in central Japan, which runs from near Nara all the way to Nagoya. The section represented in this video passes through far southern Kyoto Prefecture and part of Mie Prefecture.
THE LOCATIONS.
The area looks blank and boring on a map. But maps lie — as a traveler you can always find plenty to be interested in, and this video is about that reality as it unfolds along the Kansai train line. That’s true of this area too. So, in this video we’ll visit these stations to explore at least one site or activity at each one:
• Kamo Station (加茂)
• Kasagi Station (笠置)
• Okawara Station (大川原)
• Tsukigaseguchi Station (月ヶ瀬口)
• Shimanohara Station (島の原)
• Iga-Ueno Station (伊賀上野)
WHAT I FOUND THERE.
There turns out to be quite a lot to do on this virtually unknown train line. (Even locals I talked to didn’t know much about the area!) I found a weird museum dedicated to bats, a mystical mountaintop Buddhist complex at sunset, a scary walking bridge suspended high over a river, an unusual Italian cafe hidden in the forest, a traditional Japanese hot spring full of weird characters, and much more.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH.
Come along as I venture to each place, getting to know this part of the JR Kansai Line, its stations, its unusual sites, and its people. It’s a great trip to a strange mountain area, and it was very rewarding. See if it makes you want to check out the area yourself.
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