Taking the JR Train from Nagoya to Gero Hot Springs

2015-04-09 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

I rushed back to the hotel in a frenzy to grab my stored luggage and headed straight to Nagoya Station. Thankfully, getting lost for ages yesterday while looking for a restaurant paid off—I found the JR line on my very first try. I guess all that suffering yesterday was worth it after all.

Ceiling sign inside Nagoya Station directing to the Shinkansen and JR Line ticket office, and people passing by.

Entrance to the Shinkansen and JR Line ticket office and people buying tickets inside.

Passengers coming and going at the entrance of the Shinkansen and JR Line ticket office. — This is where they sell tickets.

The problem was buying the tickets... Would I be able to catch the fastest train to Gero?

Passengers buying train tickets with the guidance of staff at the ticket counter, and a departure information board above. — My lifesaver.

To my immense relief, the staff member looking down solemnly from above spoke great English and was super friendly, making it incredibly easy to buy the tickets. He even told me which gate to board at, which gave me a little breathing room.

Before coming, I heard there were several trains from Nagoya to Gero. I had even done my research, learning about the scenic Wide View Hida No. 5 and various cheaper options, planning to buy based on price. But I was worried about when I'd actually arrive in Gero if I took my time, so I just bought a ticket for the earliest departure. I still had a comfortable 30 minutes or so left, and all my tension just melted away. Phew~

Ah... Now that I felt a bit more relaxed, it was time to go get some lunch.

Large mural of a person in uniform painted on the exterior wall of a building, with a Starbucks sign below it.

I decided on Yabaton (miso pork cutlet), one of the eight famous local specialties (Nagoya Meshi). Pork cutlets were something I ate every day in high school, but I headed to the top floor of the department store at Nagoya Station specifically to try Nagoya's unique miso sauce cutlet (miso katsu).

H. O. W. E. V. E. R.

Restaurant waiting line stretching down the hallway and a bento (box lunch) stand displayed in front.

They told me there was a 15-minute wait. Factoring in eating time, waiting meant I would definitely miss my train. I paced around wondering what to do before finally giving up... Seriously, just how good is it that this many people are lining up for it? Seeing that long line and the department store staff managing it only made me want to eat it more. Everywhere else was completely empty, yet this place was packed. It was my first bitter taste of defeat on this trip.

I still had to eat, though, so I decided to look for a bento box (ekiben) in the department store basement to eat on the train. Yeah, train travel is all about bento boxes anyway. I'll just buy a similar bento and enjoy it even more.

Once again, H. O. W. E. V. E. R.

Staff member displaying various colorful Japanese bento (box lunches) on a stand.

The quality of these bento boxes was no joke. Honestly, I came down expecting something like a triangle kimbap (onigiri), but these were so well-made it was mind-blowing. I had momentarily forgotten that Japan is the home of the bento. This wasn't just a packed lunch; it was like a full-course meal packed into a basket. Considering Japanese prices, they looked like they would cost 2,000 to 3,000 yen, but the most expensive one was only 1,000 yen.

Staff member handing an item to a customer at a store displaying various types of onigiri (rice balls) and bento (box lunches). — If nothing else, grabbing a bento when taking a train in Japan is the absolute truth.

Several young people gathered in a circle holding hands in the middle of the street.

They sell them in the department store basement, but you can also find bento boxes of the same quality inside the train station. Hard-boiled eggs and kimbap might be the standard for Korean train trips, but these just looked incredibly delicious.

Passengers passing through the JR Line central ticket gate equipped with an electronic display board. — I told him I was in a hurry because time was up, and he just marched right in without a word.

Passengers pulling suitcases and walking down the platform corridor where a train departure information board is installed. — Heading to Gate 11, which they told me about when I bought the ticket.

Train stopped at the station platform and people walking past it. — Right on time, our Hida train arrived. I couldn't tell if it was the right train or not, so I asked everyone who walked by. Personally, out of all forms of transportation, trains are the hardest.

Back of a person entering through a sunlit train door. — Entering gracefully as it caught the light.

Interior of a train cabin with passengers sitting in their seats. — This is what the inside of the train looks like. The windows feel a bit wider compared to Korea. There was also an older woman wearing a kimono, so it felt like a Korean train but with a distinctively different vibe.

Octagonal bento box containing rice, chestnuts, salmon, rolled omelet, and various other side dishes. — Opening the bento as soon as the train departed!

Another octagonal bento box containing grilled salmon, onigiri (rice balls), and rolled omelet. — This is Chef Kim's bento.

If I had to describe the taste of the bento...

"I was completely fooled by how it looked."

That's how I'd put it...

First of all, maybe because it's a packed lunch, all the food was salty. And once it actually went into my mouth, the texture and taste were totally different from what I expected visually. I was so hungry that I ate it all, but it was really nothing like it looked. This just made the Yabaton miso katsu flash before my eyes all over again...

While eating, I suddenly realized the train was moving backwards. It definitely started out moving forward, but now it was going in reverse. I looked around wondering what was going on, then checked the route online and figured it out. The train stops in Gifu before heading to Gero, but Gifu is in the opposite direction. In this case, instead of turning the train around, it just reverses all the way to Gifu and then resumes normal operation. It's no big deal, but actually being inside the train made me wonder what on earth was happening.

Various shapes of baked breads and pastries placed inside a display case.

Long breads and a container of fried rice inside a display case. — Gifu. Gifu Castle is such an important place that you could call it the main early stage in the historical novel 'Taiko' (Daemang). I'm glad I got to see it, even if just like this.

The road to Gero. Every now and then, it offers scenery that's a bit more stunning than your average train tracks. Plus, even though I couldn't understand it, the conductor gave explanations along the way, so everyone looked out the same window and enjoyed the sightseeing together. After riding for about two hours like that,

Gero Station sign standing on the train station platform and buildings visible behind it. — We arrived in Gero, the city of hot springs!

People sitting and resting in a waiting room with wooden chairs. — The older woman in the kimono was also heading to Gero. Her kimono was so flashy, she looked like she might be the owner of a local ryokan (traditional inn).

Running around frantically since the morning had left my mind and body completely exhausted. I just want to soak my body in a hot spring right nowww~

#TrainWasMoreComfortableThanExpected #NeverEatTheBento #CompletelyFooledByPrettyLooks