[Full Reservation] Troubles and Solutions for Accessing Nijigen no Mori [Don’t Give Up]

*This article is based on the visiting experience in October 2023.

I went to Nijigen no Mori, an experiential facility themed around anime, games, and other two-dimensional contents, located on Awaji Island!

I was able to enter the facility on time and fully enjoy the park on the day of my visit. However, even as a resident of Osaka, I found the access to be challenging and anxiety-inducing, and I encountered some difficulties on the day of the visit. Here, I will share my experience!

About Nijigen no Mori

Nijigen no Mori is a theme park located within the Hyogo Prefectural Awaji Island Park. It features attractions themed around Dragon Quest, Godzilla Counterattack Strategy, NARUTO&BORUTO, Crayon Shin-chan, and also hosts collaborative events such as CITY HUNTER and Demon Slayer on a limited-time basis.

For fans of games and anime, it’s a captivating facility where you can immerse yourself in the worlds depicted and a must-visit place where you can also get limited edition merchandise.

Access

The official website provides access information for both car and public transportation. Public transportation options include access from Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, and Akashi, with “highway buses” being the main mode of transportation, except for a few alternatives.

Experience: Highway bus fully booked, unable to board…

I had previous experience taking a highway bus to Awaji Island, and since there are many buses operating throughout the day, I attempted to purchase a ticket at Osaka Station on the morning of the visit. However, I was told, “There are no available seats today as it’s fully booked.”

Upon further investigation, I found that while there are a considerable number of buses heading towards various interchanges and Sumoto on Awaji Island, there are only three buses departing from Osaka Station to Nijigen no Mori (Awaji Highway Oasis) each day.

Since I was told this around 8:30 am on a Saturday morning at the counter, I assume others had made reservations online or at the station in advance.

What to do then? First, head to Sannomiya Station via JR

Upon consulting with a station attendant, I was advised, “Go to Sannomiya by train and look for a direct bus that doesn’t depart from Osaka Station, or take a bus where you can line up without a reservation.”

Since I had reserved entry tickets for Dragon Quest Island at Nijigen no Mori for the afternoon, I figured I had to figure something out. So, I decided to take the JR Tokaido/Sanyo Main Line Rapid Service bound for Himeji from JR Osaka to JR Sannomiya.

Fully booked reservations, can we board by queuing?

After arriving at Sannomiya Bus Terminal by train, I checked if I could make a reservation for the bus. However, even here, all buses heading to Nijigen no Mori were fully booked. I was informed at the counter that I could take a highway bus (where you line up without a reservation) to Awaji IC and then transfer to the North Awaji Circulating Bus to get there.

Although the bus stop pointed out by the counter staff already had people lining up, I managed to board the bus safely. However, since all the auxiliary seats were occupied, it seems not everyone who lined up managed to board.

From Awaji IC to Nijigen no Mori by North Awaji Circulating Bus. No Japanese guidance.

Upon getting off at Awaji IC, almost everyone else besides me appeared to be foreign tourists. The stop was on the highway with no staff around, so I looked at the signs posted on the wall to find the next bus stop.

There was only English guidance, but since Nijigen no Mori was mentioned, I headed in that direction.

Subsequent signboards had English guidance, and the QR code linked to an English timetable. As shown in the photo, it seemed that the bus would come to the roadside without crossing the pedestrian bridge.

Uneasiness as the bus didn’t come on time

There were no clear signs at the bus stop, which made me anxious while waiting. Also, buses bound for vocational schools or other facilities stopped around the same time, so I had to confirm each time with the bus information display or the driver if it was the bus to Nijigen no Mori.

It’s a common occurrence with buses, but the bus to Nijigen no Mori didn’t come on time as scheduled, which added to my anxiety about whether I was waiting in the right place. However, since there were other foreign tourists around, we all waited together.

Uneasiness due to the lack of a disembarkation button

When the bus arrived, it wasn’t the easily recognizable Nijigen no Mori wrapped bus, but a smaller one like a shuttle bus, so I wasn’t sure if it was the right one. However, since the route mentioned “Nijigen no Mori F Parking Lot,” I boarded.

My relief was short-lived as there was no disembarkation button, and I didn’t know how to indicate when to get off. As I looked around confused, I found a notice that read, “Please inform the driver of your desired disembarkation point upon boarding.”

When the time came for “Nijigen no Mori F Parking Lot,” someone spoke up, “I’m getting off here!” so the bus stopped safely, and we arrived at Nijigen no Mori.

Perhaps the bus stops at every request because many passengers want to get off, but I felt uneasy throughout the journey.

Definitely better to make reservations in advance

The above was my experience of how to get to Nijigen no Mori when the bus from Osaka Station was fully booked on the day of the visit.

I spent the entire train and bus journey feeling anxious while constantly Googling, which led me to share this experience in an article. Gathering information such as the location of the bus stop and timetable didn’t go as smoothly as I thought, and it was a journey where I wasn’t sure if I would arrive on time until I actually got there.

My conclusion is, “If you have a set date for your visit, it’s definitely better to make reservations for the direct bus in advance.”

Since I traveled with only adults this time and was able to research and ask station staff with ease, it might be challenging to manage with children or items like strollers. Nijigen no Mori itself was very interesting, so I hope this experience can be helpful for future visitors.