Starting the Western Japan Segment! The Journey in Wakayama is Rural and Long【29】

The day after climbing Mt. Fuji, I returned to Aichi from my hometown Shizuoka.

The departure for the Western Japan segment is from Toyota City Station.

First, I aimed for JR Kariya Station where the 18-ticket can be used.

Kariya Station in the morning was in the midst of the commuting rush.

From Kariya, I headed to Yokkaichi Station via Nagoya.

I got off because I had heard the name before, but there didn’t seem to be any notable tourist spots, so I idly waited for the next train to come.

The weather was good, and there were few people around, making it an uncertain but peaceful start to the Western Japan segment.

The next stop was Tsu Station.

I got off because it's the capital of Mie Prefecture, but it didn’t seem like a tourist spot. It was really peaceful with few people around.

Having already traveled halfway around Japan, I felt like I was seeking more excitement than peace in my journey.

The next stop was Matsusaka Station.

There wasn’t much around the station here either. Maybe I shouldn’t have expected to find tourist spots around every station...

Hurrying on, I changed trains at Taki Station and headed towards the Kii Peninsula.

It took about 3 hours and 30 minutes from Taki Station to Shingu Station.

I could see the sea and the mountains from the train window, which I personally enjoyed. At the stations along the way, there were unique rural rest times, and I could get off at empty stations for a change of pace.

I changed trains at Shingu Station and went to Kii-Tanabe Station, but this section also took about 2 hours and 30 minutes, resulting in a big move from the first day.

I stayed overnight at a manga cafe near Kii-Tanabe Station.

It was about a 20-minute walk from the station to the manga cafe (Comic Buster). It was quite rural, so I was really anxious whether there was actually a manga cafe in such a place. I vividly remember the first night of restarting the journey, briskly walking on the unfamiliar night road, prepared for the possibility of sleeping outdoors.