ADVENTURES IN KYUSHU ISLAND OF JAPAN - ONSEN SPA WONDERS - KAGOSHIMA, IBUSUKI, KUMAMOTO and back to HAKATA Part 3 of 4

 Today is a Thanksgiving Day Holiday in the USA.  Back when I was still travelling in Kyushu, I was amazed with all the hypes about Halloween.  Everywhere from train stations, retail stores, local 7-11, etc, were advertisement for the Halloween.  I saw parents and children searching for their favorite candies and costumes.  And there I was - wondering and pondering, what is going on...   I recall back in 1992 or 1993 when I visited Japan before the earthquake, bakery stores were selling pumpkin pies for the Thanksgiving Day.  I am not sure what kind of feeling I had, but it was like... amazed? But we have many things to be thankful for throughout our lives.  Everyone can have their own Halloween and Thanksgiving Day just as much as we do in the State. Onward... after the last tour stop on the way down to Kagoshima, we stopped at the "Japan's Number 1 Beautiful Cave" - Furen Cave and a pit stop where I saw the million $ "MELON", we were well on our way to reach KAGOSHIMA.  *By-the-way, I only remember calling that Persian melon as "MELON" in Japanese.  How revered this MELON is can be seen in JapaneseTV Drama "Doctor X".  I shall buy one on my next visit to Japan and enjoy it to the fullest.

This time, the Hotel FUKIAGESO's room is larger.  The hotel has been around for a long time. The parking lot is small.  Enough for 12 or 14 cars to park (for fee) in front of the building.  The lobby is large.  Various local tour information & brochures are available.  Large waiting seating room.  The restaurant where our breakfast is served is nice and pleasant.  As soon as you present your meal tickets, you are free to any seats, then, a trayful of beautiful breakfast is presented. 

 

Beautiful evening view from our hotel room - eighth floor.  We can see the famous Mountain.

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

Bedroom hall way with Credenza for coffee maker and mini refrigerator.

 

The hotel's ONSEN spa is right across from our room.  Very convenient. 

 

 

Breakfast at 7 am.    

 

What is that in the container?  It's NATO.

Hmmm.... interesting pouched dessert.

TSUKEMONO

Wow, grilled fish, tsukemono, and TAMAGO YAKI.

Some salad with ham

Oh, Oh... SUSHI... Not sure if I can ... but will try...

Hmm... MOCHI

Very tasty.

 

Second day's Breakfast.   Wow, there is the MELON slice.

 

Woooo.... MELON and Muscat grape 

 

Time to venture out to Mount KAIMON.  But look how lush and dense the forests are.

There it is.  Mount Kaimon.  It does not look like the normal Hiking type that I am used to seeing in California... it reminded me of a scary Japanese movie... silly me.

Getting closer now.

KAIMON SAN looks very steep.

And a dense forest.

I need a compass and map for this hike.  Totally unprepared.

The entrance to the park looked just like in the California national park.  A sign stating that it is a park, and a sign to tell you which way is to the camp ground, parking, store, trail head...

Interesting plants.

This is actually a Go-Kart driveway.

A sign for Mini-Golf course entrance.

Parking lot with many different cute cars that we do not see in the US.

There it is.  After observing the area and seeing how dense the forest is, I chickened out.  I decided not to hike up this time round since I am so ill prepared.   No topo map, no trail map, even.  I saw a couple of hikers that went in.... and somewhere in the tour guide site I read "The hiking trails are marked and are not too challenging."--who wrote that?  If I cannot find a bit of bare spot that means "No One Can Find Me" or see me once I hike in.    I have to  join a hike group or find a guide to escort me up once the next time.

It does say, today is closed. (bottom right)  I did not know that. 

Time to leave for the next destination.  To the famous "Running Noodle" lunch. in IBUSUKI.

We made a mistake and tried to return to KAGOSHIMA.  After 7 to 8 mile drive, made a UTurn... wasted an hour and half... but there it is through the field .... unimaginable right? the famous TOSENKYO "SOMEN NAGASHI".

Yay! I found the entrance just the way I found it in the tour website.

Interesting.  The restaurant is down below in cool forest area. Smart.  Natural A/C.

Menu

Beautiful garden.

Interesting varieties of fish - sturgeons and rainbow trouts...?

This place open 365 days? wow...  Pay attention to the number flag sign. "1" means, station #1 that you need to go first to pay.  Then, to Window station #2 to pickup food or submit order.  They bring out most of the food to you by your number flag you place at your table.

This is Window staton #2.

Now pick a table and sit.  Notice the Green and Blue Motorized Noodle Water Well.  They don't stream noodles down the split bamboo any longer (since COVID.) The web site still show the noodles running down the split bamboo.   Green ones are the single tier and water circles counter clockwise for the right handed guests.  Blue ones are two tiers noodle server.  Bottom circles counter clockwise and the ones on top tier circles clockwise for the left handed guests.  Pretty engenius.

 

There is Window Station #3 to pick up your drink orders.

We got just in time before the rush hour and tour bus arrival.  This place is packed with tourists during the summer months.  Here is the Blue 2 tiers noodle server. 

The server place the noodle basket in the center.  Then, you scoop them into the noodle runner filled with cold water.  It's fun to fish for the cooled noodle.

 

You dip the scooped noodle into your bowl filled with very tasty dipping sauce. 

The location on the map.

I ordered extra food. 

Imprinted n the back of the chop stick package is a song. YUME NO TOSENKYO, Dream of Tosenkyo.

Here is my ONSEN Cider made from IBUSUKI area's Natural ONSEN thermo water.

After lunch, you can stroll through the beautiful garden.  It looks like a sturgeon.  They call is Bester from Russia, it says.  I think it is sturgeon...

Time to leave for the next adventure.  That was a good lunch.  Fresh air and a beautiful drive.

 

Next, we are heading to the SAND ONSEN in IBUSUKI beach.

 

Looks like we are getting real close to the beach.

Yay! SAND ONSEN is our next destination. 

The whole beach is on top of thermo bed. The SAND ONSEN is way out and down there on the left.

We couldn't take picture while we were in there with us buried in the sand bed, but I managed to take telephoto with my phone.

After you pay for the towel and for SAND Spa, you are handed YUKATA and directed to take elevator to the bathroom area to change.  You wear your YUKATA and take your towel with you.  After you lock up everything, you head out through a back door that leads you outdoor to the beach.  They will give you a pair of sandal to wear.  You walk out the back door of the bath house to outdoor.  See above photo, then, go down stairs to the beach where I pointed out above about where the SAND ONSEN area is to the left.  You line up and wait for the worker to guide you which spot to go.  After you sit down, they take your towel and wrap your head and neck area with it and ask you to slowly lie down on the sand.  They ask you to be in a comfortable position, then, they start shovelling the warm sand onto your body.  No you do not go bare.  The warm sand is placed on top of your YUKATA.  I was hoping that we get to be on the beach under the sun and use the sunbrella, but we were under this shaded area.   Maybe next time in the summer instead of late October.

At the sand onsen - they advice you 10 min to 15 min relaxation, but you can stay in there as long as you are alert and feeling comfortable.  You are welcome to getup and leave at will. LOL.  I heard a lot of snoring going on while I was covered in sand.  The sand weighed very heavy on my body when the worker begin to shovel them on me.  It felt like if a 15 pound blanket got placed on my chest. The sand is hot.  Part of my inner thigh felt slightly 'burnt'.  (Later I checked my thigh, and it was red.)  After good 30 min, I walked back the same way I came or the return entrance.... hmmm...can't remember ....  LOL.   You return your sandal.  Then, brush off slightly the sand off YUKATA, wash off the sand on feet and body.  There is  rinsing tub with scoopers available to everyone.  You use that to rinse off your body.  Yes, it's public.  And you head into the ONSEN bath house area.  There is a sauna, cold water bath tub, hot water bath tub, warm rinse water tub with ladle bucket; shampoo, conditioners, and body soap available.  Everyone is just quietly enjoying the relaxation.  When done, you return to your locker room, change, dry your hair... make up ,,, and take home your small onsen towel  (it's yours to keep as a gift).

Outside the warm beach air felt really good.  Beautifully decorated stairways.  Am I in Hawaii??

 

Be sure to take the funny picture. And visit the gift shop back inside.

It says KAGOSHIMA'S ROMAN STRIP.  Not sure if the "roman" they are referring to means "romantic".  Time to return to KAGOSHIMA.. where my hotel is.  I would have reserved a hotel in the area but the affordable ones were all fully booked.  Be sure to book hotel 2 to 3 months ahead.  Not 3 weeks before your arrival.

Just a photo of my favorite car maker Toyota.  Thet call it "TOYO PE'TO".  Cute.

On our back to KAGOSHIMA.  We saw SAKURA JIMA's blowing its steam.  I thought it was a low cloud formation.

It was a great day trip today. 

I found out that from our hotel, there is an entire DIY "walk tour" to trace all the historic buildings and people of KAGOSHIMA area, especially my favorite SAIGO DON.  Sadly, even though I found out in the evening after returning from the SAND ONSEN while walking down the street near the hotel that there are tons of historic streets, shrines, all around.  I could have done these if I had timed the departure from the Beppu area tour much earlier.  So I missed my mission #3 on my what-to-see in KYUSHU.  I did a short 45 min walk around of the hotel surrounding the next morning to visit SAIGO DON's memorial garden about 1/8 mile down the street.  That's about it, and we had to return to the hotel for breakfast, then, pack, and head back up to HAKATA (north), stopping at KUMAMOTO Castle on the way.

A tour direction sign of the area clearly tells you what's in the neighborhood.

Got to see the KOI in the pond where SAIGO DON's statue is.

I think he looked more handsome when he was wearing the hakama.

So, if you are travelling in KAGOSHIMA, look for the Walking Tour guide pamphlet in the hotel lobby.  It will tell you the streets to go and buses to take.

This one was not open at 7 am.

And Don't forget to look up and check out the signs.

 

Hotel FUKIAGESO to the left (they need to shampoo the carpet.)  Otherwise, the location is great. Parking lot is very small.  Only allow 12 cars?  and you need to pay the fee to park.

Right next to our Hotel FUKIAGESO is this huge shrine.

Time to head out to KUMAMOTO Castle back up north.

By-the-way, if you rent a car in Kyushu, be sure to get the prepaid TOLL card or like in California - FASTrack.  I can't believe how many times we had to pay for the toll going around from north to eastcoast to south, then, back north through westcoast. 

A commute traffic jam.

In Japan, some drivers are using emergency flash signal of the car to indicate "Thank You" when you let them cut in front of your car.  Go figure.

Heading to KUMAMOTO.  Here we go.

 

KUMAMOTO to the right.

I finally figured out why it was taking so long to get to our destination.  They only drive 80km/hr! 

They have many tunnels.  Do Not Fall Asleep!!

This is another story...

Turn on the "Privacy" music.

Woooo... grilled CHIKUWA like... a "corn dog"?

Found a great map at the rest stop.  This map is better than the ones I find on the Internet. It got all the sight seeing destinations of the area.  Why can't they have it online just like this one?!!!  This is so much more easy to know where I want to go.(I am so visual.)

I want to go pick chestnuts, go boat riding, go eat tangerines... missed them all...

There's thevplace growing mandarins  and the MELONs... crossing crabs!?  Undistinguishable Forever Fire!?

Finally found the famous SATSUMA IMO my friend bought - only one?!!  I would have bought 10!

Almost there to see KUMAMOTO Castle.

(to be continued)
 

ADVENTURES IN KYUSHU ISLAND OF JAPAN - ONSEN SPA WONDERS - on the way to KAGOSHIMA Part 2 of 4

Adventures in KAGOSHIMA, KYUSHU

Driving down from Beppu, Kyushu to Kagoshima was a long drive.  Although I wanted to check out MIYAZAKI area, the complete adventure of 7 Hells of BEPPU hydrothermal formations took us full day and half to complete - unrushed leisure pace... but I think we could have hastened it a bit.   We left Beppu late afternoon around 3:30 pm hitting after work traffic jam.  Yep, they have traffic jam just as bad.  We arrived Kagoshima around 7:30 pm..  I wanted to stop by to view the wonderful TAKACHIHO Gorge in Miyazaki and even paddle the boat thru the gorge, visit some beautiful caves in the area - Udo Shrine, on the coast of Miyazaki south of Aoshima, etc. but that didn't happen, and they are in my next bucket list.  But we visited FUREN Limestone/Stalactite Cave, Usuki, Oita.  https://www.furen-shonyudo.com/  A beautiful limestone cave.  We almost thought the site was abandoned when we arrived, though.  We were the only car parked.  Nevertheless, we ventured in.  And here is my photo journal on it. 

 

Information desk at the visitor center showing mini rock formation through the cave.

The arrow to the left points to the "original" cave entrance discovered.  It is a spelunking size entrance.  I almost thought I had to craw in through there for a moment to get in.  The actual cave entrance is to the right.

This one is much larger entrance.

The cave maintained a cool temp.  I am glad I had my sweat jacket.

Although I have never gone through a cave without a group of 'tourist', this cave has some interesting formation.  These formations seem similar to the ons I've seen in the caves along the westcoast of USA..

Looking straight up.

 

Interesting formation.... kind of 'Alien'ish

Interesting, found mosss(?) growing in one of the rock.

I think this cave would be far more interesting if there is a volunteer docent that would take us down and explain the history of the cave. 

I will save to visit some other caves in the area for the "next" time.  It's time to move on down south.

Trees are always growing straight.... Cedar?

Beautiful scenery every way you turn your head.

Time for Rest area.  Hmm... interesting, this rest area has a mini market.  Oh, Yes! Found the Japanese Melon.  I wanted to taste it so badly... but did not have kitchen tools to slice nor plate, and doesn't look like it is fully ripe, either... okay, another for the next time.

Giant Chest Nuts in season.

Right outside the market is dry Salt Grill Fish on the stick.

I was told that you can eat the Entire fish from Tail to the Lips.

And I go

Ate this, too.  So far so good.  No problem with those spiky bones. 

And I ate it all!  Well, almost all.  I left the head part alone.

YOMOGI DANGO - MOCHI is always good to end the salty snack. 

Hello! SAIGO don.  One of the main reason why I came to Kyushu Adventure.  To dive into SAIGO don's history.

Found local map on the board.  Wow! there are so many things to see and do in the area.  But, that will be for next time, too.

Time to leave and move onto to MIYAZAKI and to KAGOSHIMA.

The sun is already set... Interesting.  They have all these police figurine as road block cone.

Interesting tart orange I picked up at the rest stop market.  "HEBEZU"

Finally arrived KAGOSHIMA late at time. Rested in ONSEN.  Then bed time.

Wake at 6 am. Morning view out of our bedroom 8th floor window.

New Adventure begins!  For now,  morning ONSEN. Then to breakfast.