[Japan tour 2026] Heading to Tottori: the limited express train Super Hakuto, Hotel Monarque Tottori & Gottsuo Ramen

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Date: 15~16th January 2026 (Thursday~Friday)
 
 
After wrapping up our brief stopover in Osaka, we officially set off towards our main destination – Tottori (鳥取).
 
In Japan, there are three station networks famously known for their complexity: Shinjuku Station and Tokyo Station in Tokyo, and 'Osaka-Umeda Stations'. Personally, I find Umeda (梅田) even more complicated than the other two. The entire network is made up of multiple stations, some sharing the same name and others different, all independently operated yet interconnected. These include JR Osaka Station, JR Tôzai Line Kitashinchi Station (北新地駅), Osaka Metro Midôsuji Line Umeda Station, Yotsubashi Line Nishi Umeda Station (西梅田駅), Tanimachi Line Higashi Umeda Station (東梅田駅), Hanshin Railway Osaka Umeda Station, and Hankyû Railway Osaka Umeda Station – forming a highly intricate interchange hub.
 
In 2023, the JR Osaka Freight Line (大阪貨物線) was moved underground, and a new station was opened in Umeda for limited express services such as Haruka (はるか), Kuroshio (くろしお), and the Osaka Higashi Line. During construction, it was temporarily named 'Umekita Station', but it was eventually integrated into Osaka Station as the 'Osaka Station Umekita Area', making the layout even more complex. Thankfully, Japanese railway operators provide detailed station maps on their websites, so as long as you do your preparation in advance, it is still manageable and you are unlikely to get lost.
 
Super Hakuto train (Chizu Express Series HOT 7000 DMU)
 
Tickets (basic fare ticket & limited express surcharge ticket)
 
Inside the train compartment (standard class)
 
Although our only activity this morning was visiting the shrine, Hachimangû, we actually started quite late, so the schedule felt rather tight. We returned to Namba from the shrine at around 15:00, had our 'lunch', Todd bought his tattoo covers, and by the time we got back to the hotel it was nearly 16:30. We then rushed straight to Yodoyabashi station, took the Osaka Metro Midôsuji Line to Umeda, and arrived at the platform at JR Osaka station just as the train was already pulling in while we were still trying to find where our coach would stop on the platform... Picking up the tickets in advance at the airport the day before turned out to be absolutely the right decision.
 
We took the limited express Super Hakuto departing Osaka station at 17:04, arriving at Tottori station at 19:38. Super Hakuto is currently the fastest way to travel between Kansai and Tottori, and also one of the fastest diesel-powered limited express trains in Japan. The journey takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes (from Osaka), and the ticket (including the limited express surcharge) costs JP¥7,320 per person. The train runs along the JR Tôkaidô Main Line (東海道本線) and Sanyô Main Line (山陽本線), then enters the Chizu Express Chizu Line (智頭急行智頭線, operated by a different railway company), before returning to JR lines via the Inbi Line (因美線) and San'in Main Line (山陰本線).
 
The name 'Super Hakuto' comes from a local legend in the Tottori area – the 'Inaba's White Rabbit' (Inaba no Shiro Usagi), but uses the alternative pronunciation 'Hakuto' for the Japanese word '白兎' (white rabbit) instead of the more common 'Shiro Usagi'. The 'Super' prefix comes from the fact that there was originally a semi-express service called Hakuto, while the limited express version was branded as 'Super'. The train stops at Sannomiya (三ノ宮), Akashi (明石), Himeji (姫路), Kamigôri (上郡), Sayo (佐用), Ôhara (大原), Chizu (智頭), and Kôge (郡家). Some services extend to Kyoto and Kurayoshi (倉吉), and may additionally stop at Kobe (神戸), Nishi Akashi (西明石), and Kakogawa (加古川).
 
Cockpit, very much like Train Simulator
 
Arrival at Tottori station, with a San'in Main Line train (JNR KiHa Series 40 DMU) on the opposite platform
 
The staircase from the ground floor concourse to mezzanine at Tottori station features as a 3D design of the Tottori Sand Dunes
 
Although both the starting point and destination are JR stations, it is actually the Chizu Express that makes Super Hakuto the fastest option between Osaka and Tottori. The trains use Chizu Express Series HOT 7000 tilting diesel multiple units, which can lean into curves for higher speeds. The line itself was also designed specifically for express services. Compared with the JR Bantan Line (播但線) route used by the limited express Hamakaze (はまかぜ), which takes over four hours between Osaka and Tottori, the difference is very clear.
 
Chizu Express is a third-sector railway, yet thanks to Super Hakuto, it is one of the few such operators that is financially successful.
 
Third-sector Railway
 
Third-sector railways (第三セクター鉄道) are typically found in areas where there is a strong need for rail transport, but the population is too small for the railway to be profitable. Some are newly built lines, while others were previously operated by JR or private railway companies but were unprofitable or running at a loss and faced closure.
 
With support from the central government or local prefectures, and funding from municipalities and regional banks along the route, a 'third-sector railway' is established to build or take over the line. These companies are usually not profit-driven, but instead aim to break even while providing essential transport for local resident.
 
On Super Hakuto services, JR and Chizu Express sections are operated by their respective drivers and conductors, with crew changes taking place at stations Kamigôri and Chizu. In addition, the timetable at Himeji is coordinated with the arrival times of the Shinkansen (bullet train) Nozomi from Tokyo and Nagoya, making it the fastest land route between Tôkaidô corridor and the San'in region.
 
'TOTTORI' sign at the north exit of Tottori Station
 
Dream Clock 21
 
Snow piled up along the street
 
Like most trains in Japan, the cockpit (railway professionally wording should be 'cab') of the Series HOT 7000 is separated from the cabin by glass, allowing passengers to enjoy a clear forward view and observe the driver at work – very much like the Train Simulator games produced by Ongakukan (even more realistic than Dansha de GO, which uses animation). We were seated in the second row, and the passenger in the front row had his phone pressed against the glass the entire time, recording the journey. He was probably a railfan. In fact, there are quite a few full front-view journey videos like this on YouTube.
 
Super Hakuto is not without its drawbacks, though they are all quite manageable. As the train runs through many rural areas, mobile signals are often lost. Although free Wi-Fi is provided on board, it relies on the same signal as mobile networks, so it drops out just as often. My portable Wi-Fi router also ran out of battery early because it was constantly searching for a signal. In addition, as the Series HOT 7000 dates back to 1994, the interior does feel a bit dated, and the seats show some signs of wear.
 
The train arrived at Tottori station on time at 19:38. The temperature in Tottori was noticeably cooler than in Osaka. For someone like me, who is used to the weather in the UK, it was just 'cool', but for Todd it felt 'cold'. Although the temperature was not as low as in the UK, there were piles of snow along the streets – something far less common in Manchester. With my Wi-Fi device out of battery, luckily my phone still had a cached map of the area from earlier searches, which was enough to find our hotel.
 
Hotel drop-off entrance, with a Coat of Arms style logo
 
Hotel Monarque Tottori, the name of the hotel
 
Main entrance
 
For tonight and tomorrow night, we stayed at Hotel Monarque Tottori (ホテルモナーク鳥取) – the only hotel in the trip where we stayed for consecutive nights. It is about a 5-10 minute walk from the north exit of Tottori station. As there is no Dormy Inn in Tottori, I searched for accommodation on Jalan while planning the trip. Since we had not rented a car yet and public transport in Tottori is not particularly convenient, I focused on hotels around Tottori station.
 
I personally wanted a hot spring, but did not want to stay in a one-night-two-meals onsen ryokan (traditional Japanese hot spring inn) for two consecutive nights, so I narrowed my options to regular hotels with hot spring facilities, similar to Dormy Inn. In the end, I chose Hotel Monarque Tottori, which ticked all the boxes – it has a hot spring bath, is close to Tottori station, and the price is quite reasonable.
 
As we arrived at around 20:00, there were few guests checking in at that time. There were only two staff members at the reception, and they proactively used a translation app to communicate. The exterior and the lobby on the ground floor felt quite grand. Next to the lift lobby, there was even a Jamaican flag on display. It turned out that the Jamaican national athletics team stayed at this hotel while preparing for the 2015 World Championships. The flag is covered with the athletes' signatures and was given to the hotel as a souvenir.
 
Reception lobby
 
Hotel souvenir shop
 
Cafe and lounge area
 
Self-service area for tea bags, yukata, and toiletries
 
Lift lobby on the ground floor, with the signed Jamaican flag
 
During check-in, there was also a rather amusing exchange:
 
Staff: 'Are you driving? Do you need a parking space?'
Me: 'Not today, we're renting a car tomorrow, so we'll only need it then.'
Staff: 'Only for tomorrow, that's fine. The parking fee is 500 yen per night. Is that okay? Could I have your car plate number in advance?'
Me: 'That's fine, but since we're only renting the car tomorrow, so I don't know what the plate number is.'
Staff: 'Hmm... the plate number means the number on the number plate. Could you provide it now?'
Me: 'Sorry, what I mean is that we'll only be picking up the car from car hire company tomorrow, so we don't know the number yet.'
Staff: 'Oh... in that case, you can let us know tomorrow.'
 
At the reception area, there are two cabinets. The staff explained that there are no yukata or sleepwear provided in the rooms, so guests need to take them from the cabinets if required. The rooms and bath area only provide basic bathing amenities, while personal care items such as toner, cleansing lotion, moisturiser, cotton pads, and cotton buds are placed in the cabinets for self-service. Tea bags also need to be collected there.
 
Lift lobby on the guest room floors
 
Guest room corridor
 
Our room door
 
The hotel has 7 floors with around 108 rooms in total, and our room was assigned on the 4th floor. In addition to guest rooms, the 4th floor also has two meeting rooms, which is why there are toilets along the corridor as well.
 
This hotel offers a wide variety of room types, far too many to go through one by one. The room we booked was a 'Stylish Twin (Hollywood Type)'. Personally, it feels somewhat like a Japanese-Western style room (although the hotel actually has another room type specifically called 'Japanese-Western room'). The layout is quite similar to Onyado Nono. The entrance area allows you to wear shoes (of course, you still need to take them off before stepping up onto the raised floor). A 'Hollywood Twin' means two single beds placed side by side, but each still has its own separate bedding.
 
Although the concept is very similar to Onyado Nono, to be honest, the space is smaller. There is no wardrobe in the room – only a set of hooks in the entrance area – and there are just four hangers. With so many layers of clothing in winter, this is clearly not enough. In the end, we simply hung our coats over the backs of the chairs.
 
Entrance area
 
Bedroom
 
Television and desk
 
Fridge under the desk
 
As for tea facilities, the room only provides a kettle and teacups, while tea bags need to be collected from the cabinet next to the reception. However, there is a UCC coffee machine with coffee capsules provided.
 
To be fair, although the hotel's exterior and decor feel quite grand, it was renovated and reopened in 1996, which means it already has around 30 years of history. Inevitably, there is a slight sense of age, and some facilities show signs of wear. Overall, I think it is still quite good. The only thing I found slightly inconvenient is the charging setup by the bed. Since it is a 'Hollywood Twin' with the two beds placed together, you would expect power sockets on both sides. In reality, however, there is only one side with sockets, meaning the other person cannot keep their phone by the bedside.
 
Hotel Monarque Tottori does not offer as many complimentary services as Dormy Inn – there is no bottled water, no snacks, and no drinks bar. However, the price is quite reasonable. For two people staying two nights, it cost a total of JP¥47,500 (including breakfast), making it the cheapest hotel of the entire trip.
 
Kettle and tea set are also located under the desk
 
Tea set (tea bags must be collected from the lobby on the ground floor)
 
Capsule coffee machine and UCC coffee capsules provided in the room
 
The bathroom facilities are fully separated into dry and wet areas, with the washbasin, bathroom, and toilet all in separate spaces. The toilet, of course, is the typical Japanese bidet-style toilet. Since we would be using the hot spring baths, the bathroom in the room was not particularly necessary.
 
After checking out the room and settling our luggage, it was already around 20:45. It was getting quite late, so naturally, it was time to head straight out for dinner.
 
When planning the itinerary, I actually felt that dinner timing for today would be a bit awkward. I had previously considered taking a later train (departing Osaka at 19:06) and buying an ekiben (rail meal box) at Osaka station before boarding. I noticed that the ekiben sold by Awajiya at Osaka station looked quite interesting, but eating a cold meal box in winter felt a bit harsh on Todd, so in the end we decided against it.
 
Washbasin
 
Bathroom
 
Toilet
 
Suehiro Onsenchô (末広温泉町), located in front of Tottori station, is the city's main entertainment district, and it is actually right next to our hotel – less than a five-minute walk away. Many people might assume that Tottori is a quiet city with little nightlife, but in fact, Suehiro Onsenchô is full of izakaya, seafood restaurants, yakiniku and yakitori places, as well as even a few so-called 'free information centres' (無料案内所), which provided information on adult entertainment venues. Just like in Tokyo and Osaka, restaurants here do not close particularly early. It is a place where locals and business travellers come to relax after work. Staying here, you really do not have to worry about finding something to eat.
 
By the time we went out, it was already past normal dinner hours and almost late-night snack time, so ramen felt like the most convenient option. Many regions in Japan have their own signature ramen styles – Tokyo soy sauce, Sapporo miso, Hakata pork bone... and in Tottori, it is beef bone. We had pork bone ramen for lunch, and now beef bone ramen for dinner – a whole day filled with ramen! In Chinese-speaking regions, ramen is often seen as a type of 'Japanese cuisine', but in fact, Japanese people generally regard ramen as Chinese cuisine.
 
In Japan, noodles only became widely popular after the WWII. Before that, rice had always been the staple food. Although noodles had already been introduced to Japan, they were not widely consumed. After the war, however, Japan's economy was severely damaged, and the United States provided aid in the form of wheat flour, its staple food (similar to what happened in Taiwan). As a result, soldiers and civilians returning to Japan from China and Manchuria brought with them northern Chinese eating habits. Noodles became a cheap, filling, and tasty new food, and ramen street stalls gradually became widespread, eventually developing into a style of noodles quite different from those in Chinese-speaking regions.
 
Beef bone ramen restaurant 'Gottsuo Ramen'
 
Free iced barley tea and cola
 
We chose Gottsuo Ramen (ごっつおらーめん), a chain based in the San'in region. In addition to this beef-bone ramen brand, the group also operates other ramen brands serving pork-bone and chicken-bone broth. 'Gottsuo' (ごっつお) is a well-known San'in dialect word meaning a feast or treat, equivalent to the standard Japanese 'gochisô' (御馳走). Last year, we visited a crab all-you-can-eat restaurant in Tokyo, also have same name 'ごっつお' (but it spelling as 'Gozzo' instead).
 
The beef bone broth looks clear, but is actually richer than pork-bone broth, without the greasiness or stickiness. It feels clean and refreshing, and even after finishing the noodles, you feel tempted to drink the entire bowl of soup. Personally, I think adding a bit of pepper enhances the flavour even further.
 
So far, I would say Tottori beef bone ramen is the best ramen I have had – even more appealing than Hakata pork bone broth or Hiroshima seafood broth. In addition to the ramen, we also ordered two side dishes – pork kimchi and gyoza dumpling. The pork kimchi is made by stir-frying kimchi with braised pork belly, then topped with mayonnaise and chopped spring onions. The kimchi helps cut through the richness of the pork belly, while pork absorbs the spicy, tangy flavours of the kimchi, making it a very well-balanced combination.
 
Pork kimchi
 
Gyoza
 
Gottsuo ramen (the signature ramen)
 
It is said that beef bone ramen originally traces its roots back to Manchuria. In its early form, both beef and pork bones were used together to make the broth, but over time the use of pork bones gradually declined. On the other hand, in the post-WWII period, with the economy in collapse, there was a need to make full use of inexpensive ingredients. Chicken bones had to be purchased, whereas beef bones were generally treated as waste and could be obtained for free. Moreover, even after simmering for more than ten hours, beef bones could still produce a rich stock, making them far more economical than chicken bones. In addition, Tottori has long been an important cattle-producing region, making beef bones even easier to obtain. All of these factors contributed to the development of beef bone ramen in Tottori.
 
The idea that 'ramen should naturally be made with beef bone broth' became deeply ingrained in the minds of people in Tottori. Combined with the region's relatively limited transport connections and less interaction with other prefectures, people were not even aware that beef bone ramen was a distinctive local style. It was not until 2010, when it was ranked second in the Nippon TV programme SUPER SURPRISE – 'Top 50 Local Specialities' – that its representative status was more widely recognised.
 
That is quite normal – people in Hong Kong only realised around the same time that Tempo tissues, Demae Iccho instant ramen (出前一丁, apart from the sesame oil flavour), and Schweppes Cream Soda are considered 'Hong Kong specialities' by the Japanese!
 
There were quite a few office workers in the ramen restaurant after work, some arriving in groups of colleagues, including managers and their juniors. As we were leaving, we noticed that there was still a large crowd waiting outside. It seems this place really gets livelier as the night goes on!
 
Hot spring bath located on the ground floor
 
Own-source hot spring 'Oshidori no Yu'
 
Men's bath entrance
 
Back at the hotel, after a short rest, it was of course time for a shower and a hot spring bath, The hot spring bath at the hotel – the in-house source 'Oshidori no Yu' (おしどりの湯) – is located on the ground floor. There is a dedicated lift from the guest room floors (which is slightly more convenient), and there is also an entrance next to the lift lobby on the ground floor. The bath is divided into men's and women's sections, each with an indoor bath and a sauna. There is no open-air bath. Opening hours are 06:00-09:30 and 12:30-00:00. In addition to hotel guests, day visitors are also accepted, at a fee of JP¥1,200, with access available from 12:30 to 17:00.
 
Many onsen ryokans provide facial cleansers, skincare products, and even grooming items such as combs and cotton buds in the changing room – even Dormy Inn offers these. However, the facilities here are relatively basic. Essentially, only body wash, shampoo, and hair conditioner are provided in the shower area, and even facial cleanser is not available there. It is not that these items do not exist, but rather that they need to be collected in advance from the cabinets near the reception. Realising you have forgotten to take them only after getting undressed can be rather inconvenient. In addition, they are all provided in single-use sachets, which can feel slightly impractical (though some may consider them more hygienic).
 
The most important thing to prepare when staying at this hotel is – 100-yen coins. They are needed in quite a few places, including the lockers in the changing room. Although they are free to use, you still need to insert a 100-yen coin to lock them and retrieve the key, and the coin is returned when unlocked – just like supermarket trolleys in the UK. Not having 100-yen coins is not a big problem, as the reception can provide change (after all, they collect quite a lot of coins themselves), but if you have left your wallet in the room, that becomes another inconvenience altogether.
 
Ice-cream vending machine and ice machine
 
Snacks, instant noodles, and drinks
 
Of course, milk – and even glass-bottled milk!
 
Glass-bottled milk, 'White Rose' milk from Daisen Dairy, with a rich milky flavour
 
Tottori Onsen is one of the few hot spring sources located within an urban area in Japan. It was discovered in 1904, when a local merchant, IKEUCHI Genroku (池内 源六), was digging a well for drinking water at his home in Yoshikata (吉方, now Yoshikata Onsenchô), and hot spring water at 80°C gushed out. As the hot spring was developed, the Yoshikata area gradually transformed from farmland into a lively district, with teahouses and restaurants opening one after another.
 
In 1923 and 1925, another merchant, YOSHIMURA Kinji (吉村 欣二), believed that the hot spring vein might extend towards Tottori station. He invested JP¥520,000 to construct two roads connecting Yoshikata to Tottori station – Suehirodôri (末広通り) and Eirakudôri (永楽通り) – and successfully discovered additional spring sources along the way. This eventually led to the formation of today's Suehiro Onsenchô and Eiraku Onsenchô.
 
The vending machines here offer a surprisingly wide variety of items – instant noodles, snacks, cold and hot drinks, ice-cream, and of course milk. As the milk supplier here is a local Tottori company – Daisen Dairy – rather than large nationwide brands such as Meiji or Morinaga, glass-bottled milk is still available. The decline of glass-bottled milk is partly due to low return rates, which increase costs. If we do not want glass-bottled milk to disappear completely, we should remember to return the bottles to the collection trays after drinking, rather than taking them away.
 
Coin-operated washing machine
 
Coin-operated dryers
 
Another place where 100-yen coins are required is the laundry room. Interestingly, it is not located in the hot spring changing area, but in a corner on the 7th floor. Strangely, the lift directory does not indicate that there are laundry facilities on the 7th floor – only the Japanese hotel guide in the room mentions it, which made Todd somewhat doubtful.
 
At Dormy Inn, washing machines are free to use, and only the dryers require payment. Here, however, both require payment. Washing costs JP¥400 per use (around 30 minutes), while drying costs JP¥100 per 30 minutes – and everything only accepts 100-yen coins. I did not bring many clothes, and since this was the only place where we stayed for two consecutive nights, it was a good opportunity to do some laundry. The cost was reasonable, so it did not matter much.
 
There are only two washing machines and two dryers, and the in-room television does not show their usage status. When we first went up, we found that both machines had just been started about five minutes earlier. So we went back to the room, kept track of the time, and returned later. The second time, there were still about three minutes left. It took another one to two minutes after the machines stopped before the previous users came to collect their laundry. We ended up waiting outside the laundry room for about five minutes before we could start ours. Half an hour later, we had to come back again to use the dryer... I only dried the clothes for 30 minutes, leaving them about 80% dry – they could easily finish drying in the room the next day. After dealing with the laundry, it was finally time to sleep...
 
Breakfast ticket
 
Restaurant PATRIE
 
Buffet area
 
Cubed tuna
 
Hot dishes
 
My breakfast
 
After a good night's sleep, breakfast was a must. The reception had mentioned at check-in that only the next day's breakfast ticket would be issued, and the following day's ticket would need to be collected later. The breakfast location is the main dining restaurant – PATRIE (パトリエ), near the souvenir shop. The breakfast hour is 07:00-09:30.
 
Breakfast is served buffet-style, with both Western items such as sausages, bacon, and fried eggs, as well as local San'in dishes like pickled shallots and grated yam. Among the bread selection, I spotted something that looked very much like Hong Kong style French toast (西多士). The label described it as a Tottori speciality called 'Myfly' from a local bakery, Kameidô (亀井堂). I gave it a try... and it really was Hong Kong style French toast – except that the filling was adzuki bean paste instead of peanut butter, and without syrup. I never expected such a subtle culinary connection between Tottori and Hong Kong.
 
After breakfast, we went for another hot spring bath, then set off again to begin a new day's journey...
 
 
Article Menu
LAST: [Japan tour 2026] Iwashimizu Hachimangû (a Shinto shrine) ~ the worship for samurai regime
HERE: [Japan tour 2026] Heading to Tottori: the limited express train Super Hakuto, Hotel Monarque Tottori & Gottsuo Ramen
NEXT: [Japan tour 2026] Wakasa Station ~ a real-life 'railway museum'
 
 
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[Japan tour 2026] Heading to Tottori: the limited express train Super Hakuto, Hotel Monarque Tottori & Gottsuo Ramen

中文版請按此   Date: 15~16th January 2026 (Thursday~Friday)     ...