Onjuku Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Nestled in a sweeping bay, Onjuku is one of the best-known small towns on the Pacific coast of the Bōsō peninsula. The regional industry of commercial diving for abalone and lobster started around here, though yields have declined. Until the 1960s, the abalone diving was done by young women called "ama" who dove with no breathing apparatus, and bare-chested. You can see statue of an ama on the Onjuku station platform.

The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site, ここどこ御宿.

Onjuku is on JR's Sotobō Line. Most Wakashio and View Wakashio limited express trains from Tokyo station stop here. These trains, which depart from the underground Keiyo Line platforms, make the run to Onjuku in about 80 minutes (¥3700). All of these trains, which can be taken at no charge with the Japan Rail Pass, also stop at nearby Ohara and Katsuura stations.

Local trains from Tokyo cost only ¥1890 and take about two hours if your train connections are timed right, otherwise you may face a hefty wait and the travel time could be up to three hours.

Highway buses depart from the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station, taking the Aqua Line tunnel under Tokyo Bay, and winding through the mountains across the peninsula. Travel time is around 2 hours and 10 minutes. Three per day, with an additional three going to Katsuura, the neighboring train station.

• The Tsuki no Sabaku (月の砂漠, "Desert of the Moon") statue is Onjuku's landmark. Located on the beach, it depicts a prince and princess in Arabian garb on camels, and was erected in 1969 to commemorate a 1923 song inspired by this beach.
• The Mexico Commemorative Tower (メキシコ記念塔) is on the promontory north of the town. It commemorates an event in 1609, when a Spanish ship bound from Mexico to the Philippines was shipwrecked and the crew were rescued by the people of the village. That historical event led to a modern-day friendship with Mexico, and Onjuku is a sister city of Acapulco. Erected in 1928, the obelisk was painted black during World War II to foil American B-29s who used it as a landmark on their way to bomb Tokyo.

Summertime in Onjuku means enjoying the beach and surfing. Young surfers from Tokyo come out year-round, though the waves are quite tame by world standards.

There are a number of restaurants and coffee shops on the main street leading out from the train station. If you're feeling rich, pop into a sushi shop and try some spiny lobster (伊勢海老, ise-ebi), sushi or abalone (あわび, awabi).

During the tourism season, there are plenty of small inns and private homes with rooms to let. Many of these offer lodging only (素泊まり, sudomari), with no meals. There is a small tourism office to the left as you exit the train station.

• Umi no Hotel (海のホテル) (on the beachfront), ☏ +81 470-68-2121. 

• Katsuura
• Isumi
• Otaki
• Mutsuzawa
• Ichinomiya
• Kamogawa
• Minamiboso
• Tateyama
• Chosei