Chiba's Spiritual and Scenic Wonders: A Weekend Itinerary

Not many people put Chiba on their Japan itineraries, unless it is to visit Tokyo Disneyland or Disney Sea (correct, it is not actually in Tokyo!). But living in Japan, it makes an easy weekend trip to get outside the bustling city. I was mainly interested in visiting the big Buddha, considered to be one of the largest in Japan, but realized there was more to Chiba.

I did this trip with another friend, from a Saturday to Sunday in late September.

Day 1: Hiking up Mt Nokogiriyama

The cheapest way to reach Mt Nokogiriyama of Chiba, where the buddha is located, is by bus. We took it from Shinjuku Busta Station to Kisarazu station (1.15 hours), and then changing to Uchibo line to Hota station (1 hour), costing around 2200 yen one-way.

We followed the signs to the start of the trail to the mountain. There is also a ropeway (1200 yen roundtrip), but we chose to hike up. There was another american solo traveller and we joined forces as we hiked up steep stairs, I have to say it was harder than I thought, even if we made it up in about an hour. I would recommend leaving the backpack at a locker to avoid getting back pain like I did, or go to an onsen soon as it has become my remedy in Japan.

The mountain is 330 meters tall, and once you reach the top, access costs 500 yen. We were greeted by a large buddha carving. There were even some students preparing for a concert.

There are several viewpoints at the peak, such as "Jigoku Nozoki" (Hell Lookout) offering views from a rock jutting off of a sheer cliff, you have to queue for the picture but everyone was so respectful waiting their turn.

Of course, the main attraction is the Daibutsu, the 31 meter tall Big Buddha, carved in 1780. Unlike the one in Kamakura, this was had much less visitors and mainly locals. Plus, finding it on top of a mountain has an added charm.

We walked back down the mountain from the other side, passing by several temples and shrines, to Hota station. It was about 3.30 PM at this time, having spent about 4 hours at the mountain.

From there we took the Uchibo line to Tateyama station (20 minutes), a coastal city in the Boso Peninsula of Chiba, where we were spending the night at tu.ne. hostel. As we were starving we first had some ramen at Kurumaya ramen, next to the beach, as not many places were open. I couldn't help myself but to have a swim in the sea afterwards as we saw the sunset. There was hardly anyone around the shore, as if it was our private beach.

This coffee shop (アペリティーボ アンネッソ) had a wonderful ice lattte and rooftop terrace, I am sure in the summer it must be crowded but not this time.

After checking in the hostel we went for dinner at Casa Fresca, an italian next to the hostel.

Day 2: Tateyama coast

It was sunny and warm, the perfect day to explore the coast of Chiba. We took an early bus to Sunosaki Lighthouse on the west edge of Chiba, to later continue to Okinoshima, an uninhabited island connected to Tateyama by a sandy beach. There were several families there swimming and playing in the sand.

Even if it is small we spent about an hour exploring the island, its rocks and shrines.

Finally we walked towards Tateyama Castle, located in the peak of a park. While small, the location enhances its beauty. We did not go inside due to lack of time, but we could appreciate the views of the city and the shore.

At about 5.30 PM we headed back to Tateyama station to take a direct bus back to Shinjuku. I was pleasently surprised by Chiba, due to its combination of beach and mountains. It is larger than I thought, as there are even more scenic beaches more south, maybe for summer. We also travelled by bus around Tateyama, but had to check carefully the timetables as they were infrequent - taking a car could expand your possibilities.