Christmas Gift Ideas

Christmas is Christmas and every year we celebrate Christmas with lot's of new gifts beside traditional Christmas items. This is the season to radiate love and show appreciation to those who made us or shaped our lives and businesses. Just recently, I was pondering on the best Christmas gifts to buy in order to show appreciation to my business associates and allies. After critically carrying out some research, I was able to come up with a list of special gifts ideas for Christmas, so I decided to share it with you.


Calendars
When giving a business executive a calendar, don’t make the mistake of giving a low quality calendar because it might end up in the waste bin. You can give a customized calendar branded with your company logo or better still, you can send in an electronic calendar engraved with an art work.

Gift certificates for restaurants

Is there an exclusive high class restaurant in town where the big boys of the society hang out? If yes, then you may consider giving a gift certificate for redeemable at such restaurants.

Gift basket

Gift basket is another good option you may consider because the size of the basket and the type of items in it can catch the attention of your recipient. You may choose to send a chocolate gift basket, gourmet gift basket, wine gift basket, etc.

Lip balms

Lip Balms includes such luxurious natural flavors as Vanilla Bean, Pink Grapefruit, Pomegranate, Wild Cherry and Coconut and Pear, providing naturally rich sources of antioxidants, Vitamin E, Omega oils and more. This might be something that people love to receive during cold winters.

Flowers

Another favorite corporate Christmas gift is a bunch of flowers. But before you send flowers to a business executive or anyone, you must make sure you understand the person’s beliefs because flowers mean different things in different cultural environment.

Wine or liquor

Christmas is a season of celebration and most business people drink wines during happy occasions. Therefore, a bottle of wine printed with company’s logo can serve as a corporate Christmas gift but you should ensure the wine you send is of good quality. Or better still, you can spare a few minutes to find out the favorite brand of your recipient.


Some Christmas Gifts Ideas for Business Executives

There are endless corporate gift items you can choose from, just make sure they are made of the finest materials that will last for a lifetime. Most of these items can be found on Amazon by clicking on the links. 

Corporate secure 8GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive
Wine Carrier bag
Glass or Crystal globe
Leather writing pad
Shaker and Martini set
Office wall paper
Miniature desk stand compass
Corporate wall clock
Digital Camera
Kindle Wireless Reading Device
iPad or iPhone carrier bag
Electronic Photo Frame
Coffee Mug
Boxed stationery sets
Business card holders
Crystal plague award
Sticky note organizer
Desk accessories
Executive wallet
Executive suitcase or laptop bag
Engraved Executive Pens
Leather Bonded Diaries

Crane Axis Gimbal

Important Things You Need to Know Before Buying JR Pass

1. What is the Japan Rail Pass?

The Japan Rail Pass (also known as the JR Pass) is a flat-fee pass that allows you to ride any train in the JR networkat any time without having to pay for tickets. It’s ideal for long-distance travel and is a great value.

Get this: Even Japanese citizens don’t get the same discounts on train travel that foreigners do on the Japan Rail Pass!

2. Conditions/Eligibility for using the JR Pass

Who can use the JR Pass?

Bookmark Japan Rail Pass Website

The JR Pass is available only for tourists visiting Japan on visits shorter than 90 days, and for Japanese citizens who are living abroad permanently.

Who can’t purchase a JR Pass?

If you are a foreigner but live and work in Japan, we’re sorry to say you are not eligible for a JR Pass.

Similarly, if you are a foreigner visiting Japan for non-tourist purposes, such as for research, for the military, for a work trip, etc., then you’re not eligible for a JR Pass.

3. Japan Rail Pass types and prices

Adult JR Passes

There are three different durations of the Japan Rail Pass. They are available for travel on consecutive days, for one, two or three weeks.


Here are how the prices break down for one adult (12 years of age or older) pass:

1 week (7 consecutive days) JR Pass: US$277
2 week (14 consecutive days) JR Pass: US$442
3 week (21 consecutive days) JR Pass: US$566

Children JR Passes


Japan Railways offers discounted passes for children from 6 to 11 years old.

The validity duration is the same as the adult pass, and prices break down as follows:

1 week (7 consecutive days) Child JR Pass: US$138
2 week (14 consecutive days) Child JR Pass: US$220
3 week (21 consecutive days) Child JR Pass: US$282

Japan Rail Green Passes


Japan Railways also offers a first-class Japan Rail Pass option for both children and adults, which is called the JR Green Pass.

The Green Pass allows you to sit in the first-class “Green Car” on all Shinkansen (bullet trains) and other applicable fast lines. The Green Car offers more legroom, comfortable seats, a hot towel, and on some lines, free beverages.

If you are traveling during the peak tourist months of May, August and September, we recommend getting a Green Pass, as the Green Cars are much less crowded.

Where to Purchase the Japan Rail Pass?

There’s a catch to purchasing the JR Pass: you MUST buy it outside of Japan (except at a few locations that are offering them on a trial basis in 2016; more info on this below).

The most convenient place to purchase a Japan Rail Pass is in your own home, online, at the click of a button.

In Japan

Starting in 2016, Japan Railways is making the purchase of JR Passes available at these three airports in Japan on a trial basis: Narita Airport, Haneda Airport and Kansai Airport.

But the most convenient way to buy a Japan Rail Pass is to do it from abroad, before arrival on Japan territory.


Outside of Japan

If you don’t want to purchase your JR Pass online, you can also purchase it at some agency offices in your home country, please check the links below:

North America
Europe
East Asia
For other countries, see this helpful page.

4. Validity of the Japan Rail Pass

The validity of the Japan Rail Pass is counted by calendar days, rather than by the hour.

So, if you start a 7-day pass at 5 p.m., it will expire at midnight of the seventh day, rather than at 5 p.m. on the eighth day.
For which transport can you use your Japan Rail Pass?

The JR Pass is good for travel on the following trains and transport:

All JR trains nationwide, including the Shinkansen, express, limited express, local and rapid trains.
All local JR buses, but not highway buses
A select number of non-JR train lines in remote areas that connect to isolated JR stations. These include certain sections of the Aomori Railway, the Ishikawa Railway and the Ainokaze Toyama 

Railway.

The JR Railway Ferry to Miyajima (return trip valid)
The Monorail from Haneda Airport to Tokyo (return trip valid)


Invalid routes

The JR Pass is not good for travel on the following trains and transports:
JR trains that use tracks owned by other private companies. There are only about a dozen of these.
The Nozomi Shinkansen along the Tokaido/Sanyo line and the Mizuho Shinkansen along the Sanyo/Kyushu line. These are the fastest Shinkansen trains on these lines, but other valid Shinkansens run these routes and are only slightly slower.
Suburban “liner trains,” which require “liner” tickets. But foreign tourists are unlikely to use these, as they exclusively service suburban areas.
Berths on night trains and other special compartments.


5. How To Use the JR Pass?

When you purchase your pass, you will be given a voucher that must be exchanged at major JR train stations in Japan for an actual pass.

For example, you can exchange your voucher for the pass at the JR stations at Narita or Kansai International Airport. The voucher must be exchanged for a pass within three months of the purchase date.

To exchange your voucher, you’ll have to show your passport, fill out a form, and choose your pass start date. Remember, your pass is only good for consecutive days from the start date.

You can reserve seats with your Japan Rail Pass for free at any JR ticketing office in Japan. Seat reservations are purely optional, but they can be nice to have if you’re planning on traveling during a busy season.

When it’s time for your train journey, be mindful that you cannot use the automated ticket gates. To reach your platform, you will have to present your Japan Rail Pass to the ticketing officer manning the non-automatic gate.

Here is an amateur video showing how to use your JR Pass.

6. What Are the Benefits of the Japan Rail Pass?

Aside from its cost-effectiveness, convenience and wide access to Japan’s best cities and attractions, the Japan Rail Pass offers a few more benefits:

You can make seat reservations for free
It’s good for most Shinkansen (bullet train) rides, saving you valuable travel time
Train travel is an excellent way to see vast areas of the country
You can ride in luxury if you opt for the JR Green Pass.


7. Regional Train Passes in Japan

If your travels are limited to a specific region of Japan, JR also offers region-specific passes: JR East Pass, JR Hokkaido Rail Pass, JR Kansai Area Pass, JR Kyushu Rail Pass and JR Sanyo Area Pass.

To purchase JR pass -->; click here

To purchase JR Subway pass --> click here

The best hair dryers out there

Hair dryers are like good bottles of red wine! Some cost $15, some cost $500, and it's often unclear whether or not you're truly getting what you pay for. Most of time we look for good deals and lets say value for money. However, good quality and long lasting hard dryers better than cheap and short lived ones. Price does not tell you everything, in some cases cheap hair dryers might be better than expensive ones as consumer often pay for brands. Some hair dryers can leave your hair damaged and frizzy not exactly what you set out to achieve when doing your blowout. And that's where this list of the best hair dryers comes in. Often people say this their hair dryer is the best but as a matter of fact, not every hair dryer suits specific type of hairs. We scoured the best hair dryer reviews to see which ones left our readers with shiny hair, cut down on drying time and tamed frizzy hair.

The Conair Ionic Turbo Styler

The Conair Ionic Turbo Styler

Why it's great: The Conair Ionic Turbo Styler is a thrifty find that readers love for its quick-drying action and gorgeous effect on hair. "I absolutely love this hair dryer!" gushes one fan. "This product dries your hair very quickly, leaving it shiny and healthy-looking." Other users adore how the tool is dependable and user-friendly. "I needed an update on my blow-dryer," says one reviewer. "Wow, was I impressed at what this one can do. I can dry and style in half the time and the cool shot function sets the style. Fast and easy to handle." 

The Conair Turbo Styler delivers your favorite hair style, with a chrome barrel and a black sparkly finish it=E2=80=99s sure to turn some heads. Conair's ionic conditioning minimizes static electricity in your hair, making it silky and shiny without overheating it. This dryer is run by DC motor complete with 3 heat and 2 speed settings, which guarantees speedy and custom styling. The cool shot button allows you to lock in your style while the concentrator is for pin-point styling.

Conair Ionic Cord Keeper Styler

Conair Ionic Cord Keeper Styler

Why it's great: Readers rate this Conair dryer highly for its fast action, portable size and convenient, retractable cord. "I love the attachments and the cord keeper," one reader explains. She also loves that her hair "doesn't frizz with this dryer." Similarly, another reader reports, "This dryer dries hair quickly when you are in a hurry, and is convenient to travel with! Packs nicely in suitcase." 

It's a simple and compact hair styler. Definitely not to underestimate and real value for money. Conair's Ionic Cord Keeper Dryer has 1,875 watts of ionic conditioning to promote healthier, shinier hair. The dryer has a cool shot button, 3 heat settings and 2 speed settings to make it easier to work with any type of hair.

Conair Ion Shine

Why it's great: If you have fine or thin strands, readers say you'll love this hair dryer. "I have very

The Ultimate Conair Ion Shine

fine hair, but when I use this dryer, my hair seems to look thicker, and I'm able to style it with very little effort," gushes one reader. "The attachments are great, and I am even able to get my hair to lift and look stylish. It's a must for people with thin hair."

Others agree, saying the 2-in-1 hair-dryer really does "give your hair so much volume" and adds some shine to a lackluster mane. "I love that I don't have to juggle a brush and a blow-dryer," says one user. "It only takes me about five minutes to add volume and shine to soaking wet hair with this blow-dryer." The negatives are that the bristles might be a little bit stiff.

Remington T-Studio Professional AC Hair Dryer

Remington T-Studio Pearl Ceramic Pro

Why its great: One satisfied reviewer calls this blow-dryer "the best affordable hair-dryer." Another reviewer loves how this dryer leaves her with shiny hair that has "so much volume."

"The airflow is stable and strong, which allows for faster drying time," explains one reviewer. "I've found that my hair stays straight for longer and is softer and smoother when I use this dryer." Another reviewer reports that this dryer leaves her hair "incredibly soft" and has "cut her drying time to about 10 minutes." Get a smooth salon finish with the Remington T|Studio Pearl Ceramic Professional AC Hair Dryer. Featuring a salon-quality motor boosted by ceramic pearl technology, this powerful dryer works fast and helps seal cuticles to deliver shiny results. Three ceramic heat settings, dual speeds, and an ensemble of included styling tools let you create a variety of professional-looking styles from your own home.

BaByliss PRO Tourmaline 5000 Dryer

Why it's great: Reviewers are head over heels for the fast action and efficiency of the BaByliss Pro

Babyliss Pro Tourmaline Dryer

TT Tourmaline 5000 Dryer. "This hair-dryer is amazing; it takes me 10 minutes to do my hair now," one reviewer exclaims. Users also love that the dryer makes hair appear "healthier and shinier" after use. "It does a fantastic job drying my very thick hair," a Babyliss user says. "And I absolutely love the cool shot. It's worth the cost." Tourmaline Titanium provides exceptional heat conductivity. The ionic generator emits higher concentration of ions, enhancing tourmaline's natural ions, to more effectively eliminate frizz and close hair cuticles. The dynamic combination of tourmaline and titanium allows stylists to achieve professional results on any hair type or texture.

BaBylissPRO is a world leader in hair care and styling tools, known for creating endless possibilities. These professional tools help you get salon-quality results at home.

Harry Josh Pro Dryer

Why it's great: "This dryer was an investment, but it was a good investment," one reviewer says of

Harry Josh Pro Dryer 2000

this high-end find. "It uses less energy, it has magnificent power and it cuts down my drying time, which is great for me and the health of my hair. I also love the ion button to keep frizz under control and the cool shot button to finish off the look."

"It was a bit shocking to see the price of this dryer, but I have to tell you that I have been using it for the past few days and it's incredible," another user explains. "I have long, thick brown hair that usually takes 40 minutes to dry. With the Harry Josh dryer, it took no more than 15 minutes." (We even conducted our own in-house test of the hair dryer. This blow dryer is amazing. It has the option to turn on or off the ionic blowing drying componet. When I use blow drying with the ions turned on I notice my hair has less frizz and it blow drys ALOT quicker. I live in hawaii and frizz is common with humidity.

Ski and Snowboard Wax Review

Rossignol Ski's and Snowboards

No matter what level of skier or rider you are, or what type of skis or board you ride, everyone needs wax. From ski racers to nobs lapping the bunny slope, wax is the common thread connecting all manner of winter alpine snow sliders. Unless you are in the racing community, the type of wax that you use is often overlooked — but it shouldn’t be. You can buy a $1,600 snowboard and expect to be the fastest man on the mountain (assuming a certain level of skill and courage) but without the right wax, you might as well be riding an original Surfer. These waxes will help keep your skis and boards operating at peak performance and increase their longevity. Johannes Scheffer in 1673 gave what is probably the first recorded instruction for ski wax application. He advised skiers to use pine tar pitch and rosin. Ski waxing was also documented in 1761.

Beginning around 1854, California gold rush miners held organized downhill ski races. They also discovered that bases smeared with dopes brewed from vegetable and/or animal compound helped increase skiing speeds.

This led to some of the first commercial ski wax (even though they contained no wax at all), such as Black Dope and Sierra Lighting; both were mainly composed of sperm oil, vegetable oil and pine pitch. However, some instead used paraffin candle wax that melted onto ski bases, and these worked better under colder conditions.

Below listed some of the best ski and snowboard wax that are currently in the market:

Hot Sauce Hertel Wax

Hertel Hot Sauce 

One wax. All conditions. Out-performs waxing with colors. Other waxes try to match paraffin hardness to temperature and moisture. Super HotSauce Ski Wax is made like no other wax available today. Our research department has developed a new and totally unique wax formula that delivers unmatched riding. Super Hotsauce Ski Wax has a unique microencapsulation formula with patented surfactants that work in all temperatures and weather conditions. No other wax has it and no other wax works like it. Super HotSauce all temperature wax since 1974. Give it a try, you won't regret it!

Swix made in Norway

Swix Racing Wax

When the temps drop and you are lined up in the gatehouse, you best have your skis waxed with Swix’s HF4. The Norwegian company’s best cold-weather race wax is intended for temperatures ranging from 10 down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Racing Wax also features a new nanotechnology developed specifically for snow with dry friction conditions that are frequently experienced in the Rockies and Wasatch mountain ranges.

Zum Wax made in the USA

Zum Wax

I have switched to ZUMWax High Fluoro Ski/Snowboard Wax for price reasons this past year and couldn't be happier. It's High Fluoro, perfect for alpine racing. They have only 3 temperature waxes to cover what we needed, we mixed colors to get boarder line temps,and it worked out great. We are very happy with the speed this wax gave us for racing.

F4 Fluoro Wax

F4 Fluoro Wax by Swix

I love this wax because it's simple and effective. It's not like hot waxing, but it only takes a minute to apply. I ski 3-4 times a week and hot-wax my skis every other week or so. This stuff is great for putting on top of the hot-wax to make it last longer. 

Winkwax made in the USA

Universal Glide Wax by Winkwax

This biodegradable ski wax is different from other ski wax. You will wait until the wax cooling down. The wax is designed to stay together instead of spreading everywhere. Scrape it off as much as possible. It works great on the slopes. The fact that it is eco-friendly is also a huge plus! It performed much better than many expensive competitors at an unbeatable price. This wax's formulation is really special.

Scenic train journey's in Switzerland and Japan

Trains have always inspired me since young! It's an ultimate fascination that you can't imagine a life without train technology. I distinguish two categories of trains, one is the fast bullet train that people need to commute whereas the other category is sort of view train. Exciting slow trains to enjoy panoramic views for old and young. Especially tourists tend to rather book journeys selecting an enjoyable view train experience. The countries that are popular for viewing panorama's are Japan and Switzerland. Both countries share cutting edge railway technology that is unbeatable. Tourists from around the world visit Switzerland for spectacular panorama trips through the Swiss Alps. Switzerland is famous for two epic train lines which is the Glacier Express and Bernina Express that goes from Italy to Switzerland. Many people in Switzerland think that the trains are comfortable and definitely recommended over flights. If you travel by train in Switzerland, I would recomend to buy a Swiss Travel Pass which allows unlimited traveling throughout the country. I think that is the best choice for worry free traveling. The Glacier Express train runs from St. Moritz to Zermatt and takes about 7,5 hours. It passes through 91 tunnels and crosses the 2033m high Oberalp Pass, as well 291 bridges.

Popular among commuters - Swiss milk chocolate bars

When is the best time to visit Switzerland

September and the first half of October usually have great weather. Not for nothing that the grape harvest happens in early October each year!! I would suggest any time from mid September to mid Oct as being a really good time to visit.

I personally frequently travel in the mountains - this year I was in the Engadine - in the first two weeks of October. the trees are beginning to change colours, the nights are cool and crisp in the mountains and the days warm and sunny. Perfect! For the lakes and the towns any time to the end of October is usually fine.

In the ski resorts in the mountains everything will be open and "humming". Christmas is a very very busy period. If you are considering this Christmas it may well be too late to get a reservation - and in any case most hotels want bookings of 7 nights, from Sat to Sat. (21-28 or 28 Dec - 4 Jan)

The Bernina Express is a direct train from Chur to Tirano in Italy.

The Bernina Express crosses the beautiful canton of Graubünden from the north to the south. Chur to Tirano is the classic route, but in Summer there are more options: there is a Bernina Express from Davos and St. Moritz as well. All trains have in common that they cross the Bernina Pass and end in Tirano.

The journey from Chur takes about 4 hours. From Davos it takes 15 minutes less. The route from St. Moritz is shorter, about 2 hours, and does not include the north of Graubünden.

Popular Female Camping Urination Device

The Bernina Express route is an impressive piece of railway engineering: the train reaches an altitude of 2253 m, even higher than the Glacier Express, and without the help of cogwheel track. It requires lots of spiral loops, 55 tunnels and 196 bridges to accomplish this.

The landscape varies greatly, from high alpine scenery on the Bernina Pass to Mediterranean scenery in the Poschiavo valley to Tirano.

In Summer, there is a connecting Bernina Express bus from Tirano to Lugano, that adds another 3 hours to the journey. All sections are beautiful in their own way. Most of the route is really worth it. If you ask us, it's only the tunnels and the area just outside Chur that is less pretty. In all that's perhaps half an hour of the total trip. If you don't have the time to do the complete Bernina Express route, just pick the section that is closest to your base town. Visitors will be able to see a vast and beautiful panorama when the sky is blue and no clouds in sight. The food in the Bernina Express route is excellent too. 

The famous Aescher Cliff

Train Travel in Japan

Another fascination are the incredible trains of Japan. Needless to say, Japan has more than 15 railway companies. The largest Japan railway company is Japan Railways JR. JR stands for Japan Railways. There are several branches of the Japan Railways Group depending on the location–for instance, Japan Railways East (JR East) covers Tohoku and Kanto, where Tokyo is. Likewise, JR West does Kansai and JR Kyushu does Kyushu.

If you are staying in a hotel or a hostel, there is most likely information available with directions on how to get to the nearest train station. However, I put this question here for a reason. Make sure you know if you’re traveling by metro or JR, and which line you’re using, because depending on the station, you could end up wasting your day trying to find out where you need to go. Simply asking “where is Shinjuku station” or “where is Tokyo station” could land you on the opposite end of where you need to be, and by the time you get where you need to go, precious time will have been lost.

As a tourist, I would suggest to buy a Rail Pass. Yes! If you are traveling to Japan on a tourist visa–

Universal Plug-in Adapter

which is up to 90 days, so short-term exchange students may be on a tourist visa–you are eligible for the JR Rail Pass. You buy this before you come to Japan, and you are not able to get it within the country. It begins when you want it to–so if you are in Japan for two weeks, but aren’t traveling for the first week, you can activate it when the second week starts.

I won’t go into much more detail than that on the JR Rail Pass. Instead, if you aren’t on a tourist visa, you can purchase a prepaid IC card, which you can load with money and just touch-and-go when you enter and exit through the ticket gates. It’s much more convenient than buying tickets all the time, and it removes the hassle of staring at the train map in front of the ticket machines going “@%$#& BUT HOW MUCH IS IT!?”

One of the most fascinating trains is the luxurious Kyushu Seven Stars Train! Seven Stars is the first luxury sleeper train in Japan. It made its inaugural run in Oct 2013. Seven Stars is the creation of JR Kyushu Chairman Koji Karaike and designer Eiji Mitooka. For over twenty years Karaike had dreamed of making this “Cruise Train” a reality. The result is a collaboration of designer Mitooka and local artisans, who have beautifully furnished the train with their masterpieces. Discover the island of Kyushu on Seven Stars, and look forward to an experience only possible in Kyushu. On the Seven Stars, passengers can enjoy the beautiful Kyushu scenery as it flows by their windows. The courses on the Seven Stars are highlights of the best that Kyushu has to offer. The train does not just push through the journey. At certain points passengers will alight from the train to participate in excursions, making this train a new kind of travel experience.

Japan's top 10 scenic train lines

1. Gono Line (Akita Prefecture)
2. Tsugaru Line–Aomori
3. Kurobe Gorge Railway ( Toyama Prefecture)
4. Nishikigawa Railway (Yamaguchi Prefecture)
5. Ikawa Line (Shizuoka Prefecture)
6. Fujikyuko Line (Yamanashi Prefecture)
7. Kisuki Line (Shimane Prefecture)
8. Seto Ohashi Line (Okayama Prefecture)
9. Hohi Line (Kumamoto Prefecture)
10. Take a Steam Locomotive ride (SL Trains)

Scenery from Gono Line - Shimonada Station

Gono Line

This is a JR East Japan local railway connecting from Kawabe Station in Aomori Prefecture to

Zojirushi Original Lunch Jar

Higashi-Noshiro Station of AkitaPrefecture. The line is 147.2 km long included 43 stations. The train passes the shore of the Sea of Japan, highly rated landscape such as World Heritage Site Shirakami Mountains and the Sunset view of Senjojiki which listed among "Top 100 sunsets of Japan". There is a 9.5 m long Senbokuiwa Tunnel, which is the shortest tunnel of JR east Japan line that connected Mutsuiwasaki Station and Juniko Station, it also becomes a hot photo shooting spot. Through the line you can easily access to sea-facing Furofushi Hot Spring (5 min by shuttle bus from WeSPa-Tsubakiyamae Station), blue Aoike pond, one of the Twelve Lakes (From Juniko Station take Konan bus, get off at "Okujuko") and other tourist facilities.

The special train, "Resort Shirakami Limited Express" is especially popular. The train runs between JR Aomori Station, Shin-AomoriStation and Hirosaki Station to JR Akita Station. The whole trip takes 5 to 5 and a half hours to finish. Meanwhile you can look through the window to enjoy the view and have some light snacks also enjoy the live music which occasionally performed on the train.

You can purchase a 2 day "Gono Line Pass",(adults – 3810 yen) and for "Shirakami Limited Express" a special reservation is required.

Access

Get on Ou hon-line from JR Akita Station and transfer at Higashinoshiro Station. Or get on Ou hon-line from JR Aomori Station and transfer at Kawabe Station. You can take Express Resort shirakami-Kou directly from JR Aomori Station, Shin Aomori Station and Akita Station.