Guided by stars.

Omiya is the train hub of Saitama. This sign is from the "new shuttle" line.

Washinomiya in Saitama is famous for being the setting of the anime, Lucky Star! The images of the characters are ever present all over the town, and you can even visit the shrine seen in the opening! As it is a functioning shrine though, please visit with respect.

Tatebayashi is a place home to the Japanese fairy tale "Bunbuku Chagama". Don't miss the tanuki shrine at Morinji temple!

Yabuzuka is a station in Ota, Gunma, close to a few crumbling, deserted tourist attractions that I do not recommend.

What, there's ANOTHER one?! I already transferred at a station with the same unpronounceable name in Hyogo. This one is in Gunma.

Minakami is Gumna has a nice onsen I've heard. I transferred here for the local to Takasaki

Kiryu in Gunma manufactures textiles, I hear.

Shimmaebashi is a station in Maebashi, capital of Gunma.

Takasaki is Gunma's train hub. It is also the home of the daruma doll.

Echigo-Yuzawa is famous for being the setting of the classic Japanese novel, Snow Country. Here I am holding up the English copy of the book which I read on the train.

Niigata City, capital of Niigata prefecture.

Nakagawa!! Okay, so the only reason I took this picture is this: In Mie there is a station where people often transfer called Ise-Nakagawa. Whenever two train stations have the same name, they always qualify one of them with a regional area and often hyphenate it. So I knew somewhere out there, there had to be another Nakagawa and I found it! It's in Yamagata.

Morinjimae is the station closest to Morinji temple, which is famous for the story of "Bunbuku Chagama", about a tanuki that turns into a teakettle. You can read the story in installments following signs leading up to the temple, which is covered in nothing but tanuki.

Yamagata city, Yamagata prefecture! My main impression of this general area was wow, it snows a lot.

Another fake one! This train sign is at a bar outside of Yamagata station.

Humble little Shinjo station in Yamagata is the end of the line for the Shinkansen. It doesn't even have an automatic ticket gate. But it does have some awesome cherry omiyage.