Kuwana

Introduction

Kuwana is a city in Mie Prefecture, Japan, spread across roughly 137 square kilometres. It is a sizable, densely settled place, with a population density of about 1,000 people per square kilometre.

Getting there

Kuwana sits close enough to Nagoya that the train is the obvious way in. Two competing lines connect the two cities: the JR Kansai Line runs local and rapid services throughout the day, taking between 20 and 30 minutes, while the Kintetsu Nagoya Line offers Express and Semi-Express trains on a similar timing, plus non-stop Limited Expresses that make the trip a little quicker. If you are coming from Tokyo, you can reach Kuwana by changing at Nagoya onto either line, and Kintetsu also runs a direct Limited Express from Osaka-Namba; a slower all-stops Kintetsu option from Osaka costs considerably less. The JR Nanki Limited Express also calls at Kuwana a few times a day, useful mainly if you are arriving from Owase, Kumano, Shingū or Kii-Katsuura rather than from Nagoya. Note that between Yokkaichi and Tsu, Nanki Limited Express and Mie Rapid trains run on the Ise Railway, where Japan Rail Pass holders must pay a surcharge.

By air, Nagoya-Centrair is about an hour away by car. Mie Kōtsū (Sancō) buses link the airport with Nagashima Onsen and Kuwana Station, though the service has been suspended; otherwise take a Meitetsu train into Nagoya and change there to Kintetsu or the JR Kansai Line. Kuwana also sits at one end of the Yōrō Railway, which runs to Ōgaki via Kaizu and Yōrō — cheaper, if slightly slower, than going through Nagoya. Overnight buses serve Tokyo and Ōmiya, and a separate service runs to Tokushima, Takamatsu and Matsuyama, but Kuwana is the first of many stops in Mie, so departures and arrivals are at awkward hours; taking an overnight bus to Nagoya and continuing by train may suit you better.

Getting around

Central Kuwana is compact enough to cover on foot. The city grew up as Kuwana-juku, a post station on the Tōkaidō, and as a seaport where travellers crossing Ise Bay stopped for the night; its inns and restaurants clustered together, and that core remains the natural area to explore on foot. The main rail stations put you within reach of the centre, where shops, food and transport connections are concentrated. For sights further out, such as Mount Tado or the Nagashima area, you will want a train or bus rather than walking.

There is no metro or tram system. Trains are run by separate regional companies, so tickets are bought per operator rather than through a single unified system. Buy your fare at the station you start from on the Yōrō and Sangi lines; for JR and Kintetsu, ordinary tickets are purchased at the station or by IC card where accepted. Note that some JR services between Yokkaichi and Tsu run over the non-JR Ise Railway, so Japan Rail Pass holders must pay a surcharge on those stretches.

• JR Tōkai (Kansai Main Line) – links Nagashima and Kuwana, continuing toward Nagoya in one direction and the Yokkaichi area in the other.
• Kintetsu Railway (Nagoya Line) – connects Kintetsu Nagashima and Kuwana, and is the other main route into Nagoya.
• Yōrō Railway (Yōrō Line) – starts at Kuwana and runs out through Harima, Shimo-Fukaya, Shimo-Noshiro and Tado, heading eventually to Ōgaki via Kaizu and Yōrō.
• Sangi Railway (Hokusei Line) – a small local line serving the western side of the city, with stops at Nishi-Kuwana, Umamichi, Nishibessho, Rengeji, Ariyoshi, Hoshikawa and Nanawa.
• Mie Kōtsū (Sancō) – local buses fill the gaps the railways leave, particularly for reaching Nagashima Onsen and the attractions on that side of the city.

Kuwana is also a stop on overnight long-distance buses, including services toward Tokyo and Ōmiya and a separate service toward Tokushima, Takamatsu and Matsuyama on Shikoku. These are aimed at long-haul travellers rather than local movement, and the times are inconvenient — buses leave late at night and arrive in the early morning. If your goal is simply to reach Nagoya, the train is the more sensible choice. Taxis are generally available at the main stations and are the option to fall back on for trips that buses and trains do not cover conveniently.

Where to stay

Food & drink

Kuwana has its own local dish to seek out: Kuwana Curry, which is served with beef curry and pork curry separated by a mound of rice, so you get two distinct curries in a single meal. Look for it at restaurants around the city when you want something specific to the place.

What to see and do

Kuwana's sights are compact and easy to reach on foot from Kuwana Station. Head east for about twenty minutes and you reach Kyūka Park, laid out on the site of Kuwana Castle, where a water course runs through the grounds and an outdoor sumo rink gives the park its own distinctive character.

• Kyūka Park — castle-site park with a water course and an outdoor sumo rink, roughly a twenty-minute walk east of the station.
• Rokkaen — an Important Cultural Property about fifteen minutes from the station's east exit, closed Mondays. Built for the local businessman Seiroku Moroto and completed in 1913, it pairs a Japanese-style building with a Western-style one; the latter is the only example in the area of work by the British architect Josiah Conder.
• Nagashima Spa Land — an amusement park and shopping outlet mall reached by bus from the station, with one of the world's largest rollercoasters and waterslides in summer; buses also run from Nagoya.

When to go

Kuwana has a humid subtropical climate, so your timing mostly comes down to how you handle heat, chill and rain. Summers are warm and peak in August, the hottest stretch of the year, when the heat will shape how much you want to do outdoors. Winters are cool with little to no snow, and January is the coldest month, so snow is rarely a concern but the air is chilly enough that you should pack for cold.

September stands out as the wettest month, and it has also recorded the heaviest single-day rainfall and the strongest winds, so a visit then should be planned around significant rain.

Three days in Kuwana

Day one: Arrive in Kuwana, a city in Mie Prefecture, Japan, and use it as your base for exploring the region. It is easily reached from Nagoya by the JR Kansai Line or the Kintetsu Nagoya Line, with Express, Semi-Express and Limited Expresses serving the route. If you are coming from Tokyo, take the Kintetsu Limited Express; from Osaka, the Kintetsu Limited Express from Namba is an option. The JR Nanki Limited Express continues on to Owase, Kumano, Shingū, Kii-Katsuura and other points, so note that Yokkaichi and Tsu lie along the way. The Nanki Limited Express and Mie Rapid also serve the area, and the Ise Railway is another connection. A Japan Rail Pass can be useful for rail travel here. By air, Centrair is the nearest gateway, with Mie Kōtsū and Sanc providing access.

• Base yourself in Kuwana and get oriented around Kuwana Station.
• Use the Meitetsu, Yōrō Railway and Kintetsu networks for local connections.

Day two: Head out to Nagashima Onsen, a hot-spring area within reach of Kuwana, and spend the day relaxing in its baths. The Meitetsu and Yōrō Railway lines serve the surrounding region, making it easy to combine a soak with a look around the area.

Day three: Take a day trip toward Kaizu and the Yōrō area, using the rail connections from Kuwana as your starting point. Return to Kuwana Station in the evening for your onward journey, whether back to Nagoya or farther along the JR Kansai Line and Kintetsu Nagoya Line toward Osaka or Tokyo.