From North to South! I took two Shinkansen and travelled over 2700kms through 21 prefectures to return home to Saga!
I’m sure most readers can relate to the frustration of a cancelled bus or train; it’s annoying and can cause a lot of stress. However, the stress of a cancelled flight can be an entirely different headache. During my trip to Hokkaido, the weather combined snow and wind, resulting in chaos at New Chitose Airport, where 91 flights were cancelled. Many passengers ended up sleeping at the airport that night.
While enjoying another delicious bowl of soup curry, I received the alert: my flight home had been cancelled, and the only available replacement was on Friday. My days off are like gold dust and I was tight on money for booking an additional two nights at a hotel.
After some deliberation in the airport, watching the snow fall heavier and heavier, I reached a decision. A sense of dread began to set in as I panicked about how I would even get back to Sapporo. Everyone was in the same boat; the taxi area must have been crowded. I wondered if I could even leave the airport. Out of curiosity, I asked Google how to get back to my house, expecting a sarcastic response or a suggestion to take up swimming. To my surprise, it suggested a route that would have me back at my house the following evening.
Realizing I had to commit to a decision, I stood up and headed for the subway. The situation felt increasingly daunting, as more flights were being cancelled and more people scrambled for a way out of the airport. Every airline desk was overwhelmed, with lines that would make any Brit proud.
Acting quickly, I asked Google for directions to the main train line and found a bus option, which I decided to take. It was the cheapest part of my journey, covering 2,700 kilometres. However, the bus section was chaotic; everyone was scrambling for a ride, and taxis were making a killing. I managed to catch a bus and waddled over to the train ticket machine, where the reality of the situation hit me. This small, unassuming station was in for a long night.
The queue of people stretched all the way around and down onto the platform. Everyone was hoping to catch a train to Hakodate and then grab the Shinkansen in the morning. After about half an hour, I finally purchased a ticket to Shin-Hokuto, but panic began to set in. Was it even possible to get everyone on the train? What if I ended up stranded? This was perhaps the first time I truly felt out of my depth. I couldn’t understand the multiple announcements being repeated. I could hear “Hakodate” and my train number being called, but my Japanese wasn’t good enough. As a result, frustration joined the overwhelming panic.
I decided to head down to the platform and wait in the small queue forming for the last carriage. Unknowingly, this decision may have saved my night. The platform was covered in snow and bustling with people, many of whom were carrying heavy suitcases. When the train arrived, what happened next would have given health and safety officials in the UK a heart attack.
Have you ever seen those crowded Tokyo train videos? You know, the ones where people must physically push others in? Imagine that scenario, but with a mountain of suitcases and several people still determined to move through the sardine can. The train was packed; it was impossible to move. I don’t have claustrophobia, but that train ride triggered something in me that I will never forget. I spent three hours standing, feeling a pain in my leg that only worsened as the journey progressed.
People were stranded at the station that night. It may have been the worst train ride ever, but at least I was on the move. The train ended up being delayed by 53 minutes, and every stop became a painful ordeal as we halted for over ten minutes to let just one or two people off.
Somehow, my leg didn't fall off by the time Shin-Hakuto was called. This is a small town with only two hotels, and neither was prepared for the influx of people about to arrive. It took about half an hour to fumble through check-in amidst the sea of travellers seeking refuge. The hotel had two tiny lifts, both with long queues forming, and the two vending machines also had lines.
By the time I flopped onto my bed, I wanted nothing more than to curl up and avoid people for as long as possible. As I looked out the window, I thought to myself, "I am about to wake up in Hakodate, and tomorrow I will pass through 21 prefectures, this is insane!" My plan was to grab the earliest Shinkansen possible and hope that the rest of the itinerary fell into place.
The next morning arrived quickly, and I felt anxious as I left the hotel, wondering what the situation at the station would be. The prices on the screen were intimidating, and I kept questioning whether this was really the right choice. With no available seats on the Shinkansen, I found a corner to sit in, and the journey began. Hokkaido is connected to mainland Japan via a tunnel accessible only by Shinkansen.
I had mentioned that my plan was to see as many prefectures as possible, but I never realized how quickly I would be adding 21 prefectures to my list! As the Shinkansen travelled south, I began to feel less stressed. The prefectures I passed through had progressively less snow, except for Aomori, which had been blanketed by heavy snowfall in the past week. By the end of this journey, I concluded that I didn’t want to see snow or the Shinkansen again for a long time.
I arrived at Tokyo Station by midday and decided that I had had enough of trains for now. Wanting a break, I chose to make the most of this unexpected journey! I spent two hours in Tokyo before catching the second Shinkansen that would take me back to Hakata.
My Tokyo bucket list was extensive, but I was able to check off something I had been wanting to do since I first arrived. I wanted to cross the most famous intersection in the world, the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, which has appeared in various forms of media. I knew I needed to experience it at least once. So, I embraced my unexpected stop in Tokyo.
The crossing was smaller than I had imagined, but it felt surreal to think I had woken up in Hokkaido and was now standing at the busiest crossing in the world. I snapped a picture of Hachiko and then took the metro to find Ben's Cookies. I was surprised to learn that a handful of British stores had made it to Japan, with Ben's Cookies being one of them! I usually indulge in a box whenever I visit London, as they can be found in multiple locations throughout the city. They are some of my favourite cookies in the UK, and I was over the moon to find that they tasted identical here. The Japanese stores in Tokyo import the frozen dough. I also tried a new flavour, lemon, and it was delicious!
After this unexpected wave of nostalgia, I set out to find dinner before catching the next shinkansen. During my trip to Los Angeles in 2018, I fell in love with IHOP and Outback Steakhouse. Unfortunately, IHOP has not made it to Japan, but Outback has! There are a few locations here, and my dinner was fantastic. I truly enjoyed the familiar flavours of dishes I didn't realize I had missed so much.
After indulging in those culinary delights, it was time to complete my journey!
The second Shinkansen journey was much less chaotic, and I was able to book a seat for this leg of the trip. This train made stops at several famous tourist destinations, including Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagoya—all places on my bucket list. It felt surreal to whiz through these cities, stopping for only a few minutes. It was like a movie trailer, offering a glimpse of future experiences.
The journey continues and I hope to visit all the places I breezed through. But indeed, this was one hell of a trip that will be remembered for years to come. The weather is uncontrollable and it’s a risk we take when we travel. I am glad I could make the most out of a bad situation and I am thankful to have gotten home.
