Shogatsu this year was particularly good since the holiday started on Tuesday, December 31st, and lasted all the way to Sunday, January 5th. Some companies, like my wife’s, even had December 30th off, giving them a full week of holiday.

For us, we decided to stay home, do some household chores, and take it easy. We did, however, allocate one day to rent a car and drive somewhere close to Tokyo. Having already taken recent trips north to Nikko and south to Hakone, we decided to head east to Chiba, particularly the southern tip, in Minami-Boso. It was our first time visiting the area.

Our plan was to rent a car in Tokyo, drive across the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, and head straight to Tateyama City, which would serve as the starting point for a leisurely drive along the Boso Flower Line. We planned to grab lunch at one of the restaurants along the scenic route. On the way back, we hoped to stop by Nihonji, then wrap up the day with a visit to Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu before returning to Tokyo via the Aqua-Line.

For the most part, we stuck to our plan. Our first stop was Umi no Hotaru, a popular service station on the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, located in the middle of the bay. We grabbed some food and coffee to stay alert, as it would take another hour of driving to reach Tateyama City. In hindsight, we might have been better off having breakfast at one of the smaller michi no eki (roadside stations) in Tateyama. Those spots would have felt more authentic and local compared to the overhyped service station.

Next, we debated between visiting Tateyama Castle or Sunosaki Lighthouse. Since we’d seen plenty of castles in Japan, we opted for the lighthouse. After parking, we climbed a small hill to reach it. The area reminded us of Batanes in the Philippines, where we visited a similar lighthouse in 2017. This one, however, was smaller and surrounded by houses rather than Batanes’ scenic rolling hills. On a clear day, Mount Fuji is visible from the lighthouse, but unfortunately, it wasn’t when we were there.

We then proceeded to our lunch destination, about a 30-minute drive along the Boso Flower Line. During warmer months, this road is lined with flowers and greenery, but since it was mid-winter, we didn’t see much of that. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant drive. We decided that next time, we’d visit during summer, stay at one of the beachside accommodations, and enjoy the beach.

Our lunch spot was Odori Kitchen, an Italian restaurant we discovered through a Google search for local eateries. We chose it for its special lunch course and its story: both the chef and pastry chef are locals who trained in Tokyo before returning to their hometown. Situated on top of a hill, the restaurant offers ocean views, though partially obscured by houses on the hillside. The food was excellent, the staff were friendly, and the other guests added to the warm atmosphere.

After lunch, we debated whether to visit Nihonji or head straight to Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu on our way back to Tokyo. Since it was winter and the sun would set early, we decided on the latter to maximize our time at the outlet park. We’ll save Nihonji for another trip.

Overall, it was a great day trip to a less touristy part of the Kanto region. While many foreign tourists flock to Hakone, Nikko, or even Chichibu, Minami-Boso feels quieter, with more Japanese visitors than foreigners. In hindsight, winter might not have been the ideal time to visit, as the flowers weren’t blooming and the water was too cold for swimming.

Next time, we’ll go during summer and spend a relaxing day at a beachfront hotel. Of course, we’ll return to Odori Kitchen for another meal and finally visit Nihonji.

That would be nice.