From Tokyo to Oze: By Highway Express Bus: Oze
A direct bus service is available from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (bus and taxi terminal) in Shinjuku, Tokyo, to the starting point of trekking in Oze (Hatomachi-Toge Bus Office and Oshimizu bus stop)!
Three services per day (including a nighttime service).
It is about 4,000 yen one way (the fare differs, depending on the day of the service), which is less expensive than taking Shinkansen or local trains. You need to make a reservation ahead of time, but if there are remaining seats available, you can make a reservation on the day of the ride. The bus service is available between the end of May and mid October only.
Get off at Kamata bus stop located close to Katashina Village Office, and you can take a local bus service bound for Mt. Nikko Shirane or for Marunuma Marsh.
From Joetsu Shinkansen Jomo-Kogen Station to Katashina Village: By local bus
From JR Tokyo Station, take Joetsu Shinkansen and get off at Jomo-Kogen Station or take JR Joetsu Line and get off at Numata Station. Take a local bus to Katashina Village. This route is available all throughout the year.
From Bus Stop 2 at Jomo-Kogen Station or Bus Stop 1 at Numata Station, bus services are available to Oze (Bound for Oshimizu/Tokura Ski Area) or to Marunuma (Bound for Marunuma Kogen Ski Area: Service during the summer season only). The bus fares vary, depending on where to get on and off. The maximum one-way fare is about 2,500 yen. This route is recommended to those who are accustomed to travelling to enjoy the atmosphere of the rural areas in Japan.
As the bus service is infrequent, it is more advisable to use a rental car available in front of the respective stations, if your group has a sufficient number of members and a good driver or two.
From Oze Tokura to the mountain trails
If you are going to the Hatomachi-Toge (pass), the main starting point of the mountain trails in Oze, you need to get off from the Highway Express Bus: Oze/local bus at Oze Tokura (Hatomachi-Toge Bus Office) and change to a shuttle bus or a shared taxi. (One-way fare of 930 yen; takes about 25 minutes).
For the conservation of the natural environment, strict regulations are enforced on private cars depending on the season. Even if you are using a rental car, you need to park it in a parking lot (Parking fee: 1,000 yen per day) near Tokura bus stop and change to a bus bound for Oze. The days the regulations are enforced differ year to year.
From Nikko to Katashina
This is a route from Nikko (from the Tobu Nikko Station/Chuzenji Onsen bus stop) to Katashina Village via the Konsei Tunnel, a tunnel located at the highest altitude in Japan.
Two round services per day are provided between early May and the end of October. If you carefully plan the trip, you can enjoy an attraction-filled tour, including Nikko, the World Heritage Site, Mt. Nikko Shirane and Oze. A ticket sold as a set with a ticket for unlimited travel on local buses within Katashina Village is also available.
