We had a three-day weekend in July, and this year, we decided to go on an out-of-town trip. Nothing fancy; the plan was just to spend two days and one night somewhere we’d never been before, but close enough to Tokyo. On the first day, we would explore the city, and on the second, we would rent a car and drive around nearby areas.

This time, we decided to visit Choshi City in Chiba. The station looked major enough, with limited express trains going there directly from Tokyo. A quick look at the map also seemed to show enough places to keep us entertained for the first day, and the city was close enough to the Pacific that we could drive around the coast on the second.

We used ChatGPT to plan our two days in Choshi. It was so much easier than reading through reviews on Google Maps, and we could tweak the plan easily just by talking to it.

We took the morning Limited Express Shiosai from Tokyo to Choshi so we could make it there just in time for lunch. Upon arriving in Choshi, we walked straight to Yoshiwara Shokudo, just as ChatGPT recommended.

The place was full, which we took as a good sign, so we didn’t mind having to wait outside under the scorching July sun to get seated. We had one of those summer umbrellas, so it was bearable.

The food was amazing, and the service was on point. It’s the kind of small, family-owned place that seems to serve mostly locals. They offer that old-school Japanese hospitality that we love but that is starting to become rare in the cities, especially Tokyo.

We still had time before the 3 p.m. hotel check-in, so we decided to walk around the city and maybe grab some coffee at a local coffee shop. Symbol Road seemed to be the main street of the city, and we expected to see it alive with shops and people, especially since it was a three-day weekend in Japan.

Unfortunately, the street was mostly empty. There were very few people, and most of the shops were closed. It was the classic shutter-gai, which is becoming all too common, especially in rural Japan. Even the main hotel on the street, the Choshi Plaza Hotel, looked old and empty. We actually thought it was closed.

There was a Machi no Eki produce market that seemed to be the only place with some life, and next to it was a coffee shop, Pon Cafe, where we decided to stay while waiting for our hotel, Hotel Route Inn Choshi Eki Nishi, to start accepting check-ins.

After we checked in, we took the local train, the Inubo Gakeppuchi Line, toward Inubosaki Lighthouse, which seems to be one of the main attractions of Choshi. We got off at Kimigahama Station so we could walk along Kimigahama Beach toward the lighthouse.

The beach was actually massive, although, at least on that day, the waves were pretty strong, so it wasn’t ideal for taking a quick dip in the water. That was fine, as we didn’t really plan to do that anyway.

We took some pictures and took our time enjoying the scenery. Maybe a little too much, because by the time we arrived at Inubosaki Lighthouse, it was already past 5 p.m. and it had closed for the day.

Luckily for us, the walkway around the lighthouse was still accessible, and the nearby shops and rest areas were still open. We went inside to get some rest and use the washroom before walking toward Inubo Station for the ride back to Choshi and dinner.

ChatGPT initially recommended a local izakaya for dinner, but I asked it to tweak the plan to better fit a date night. It then recommended Savarin, a French restaurant it said was loved by the locals.

So, French night it was.

We were able to reserve the course meal, and it was indeed a treat—maybe even better than some of the French restaurants we visit in Tokyo. It also helped that it cost only about ¥5,000 per person for a hearty, full-course meal.

The next day, after checking out, we went to Nico-Nico Rent-a-Car, which was close to our hotel. We picked up our rental car and headed to our first destination, the Byobugaura Cliffs, south of the city.

We made a mistake, though, and simply put “Byobugaura” as our destination. Apple Maps incorrectly took us along a road at the top of the cliffs, so we couldn’t actually see them.

My wife did a quick Instagram search and found out that we should have put “Choshi Marina Beach” as our destination. That correctly took us to a local beach with views of the cliffs. There were even pathways where we could walk along them.

We then got back into our rental car and headed to our next destination: Itakomaru.

ChatGPT recommended that we arrive early, as there would definitely be a long line at this popular seafood restaurant. We arrived at around 11:10 a.m., and true enough, there was already a long line outside. There were maybe 30 people ahead of us, and we had to wait almost two hours under the scorching Chiba sun.

Our trusty summer umbrella to the rescue yet again.

When we finally got in, I ordered the sashimi and fried oyster set meal, and I have to say, those were probably some of the best fried oysters I’ve ever had. I would definitely recommend the place to anyone visiting Choshi.

We then got back in the car and drove for about an hour toward our next destination, Sawara, in nearby Katori City.

I had seen Sawara before in an NHK documentary, and when ChatGPT recommended it, I was more than happy to oblige. It also suggested that we take the more scenic inland route instead of the riverside route.

We drove through hills, farms, and lots of wind turbines. It was quite surreal to see these beautiful natural landscapes dotted with massive wind turbines.

When we arrived in Sawara, we had to look for parking, which proved to be quite a challenge. There were only a few parking lots, and they were all full. There seemed to be more people here in little Sawara than in big Choshi.

After circling the town maybe four or five times looking for parking, we were finally able to find a spot.

We then walked toward the main attraction: a little river lined with traditional Japanese architecture, restaurants, and shops. It’s a cultural treat that wouldn’t feel out of place in Kyoto. We even took a short boat ride along the river, like the true tourists that we are.

At around 5 p.m., we drove back toward Choshi, this time taking the shorter, less scenic riverside route. That was fine, as we just wanted to get back to Choshi in time for our bus back to Tokyo.

The bus route had many stops, but the ride was relaxing, and it brought us straight back to Tokyo Station. It was a good way to end our two-day trip.

Despite Choshi being mostly empty, we really enjoyed our two-day escape from our usual routine in Tokyo. We had great food, a scenic drive, and an amazing experience discovering a place we’d never been to before.

As we’ve gotten older, we’ve realized that these are the kinds of short trips we like. We like staying at a small hotel close to the city center and using it as our base while we discover the city and nearby areas. Our main focus is finding great places to eat and simply enjoying each other’s company.

We still take a lot of pictures, but not as many as we used to.

Looking forward to our next trip.

ChatGPT says Ine in Kyoto might be a good choice, based on what it learned about us from our Choshi trip.

Ine, here we come.