My last adventure in Japan was to Kyushu, more specifically, Kumamoto, Takachiho, Hyuga, and Miyazaki. Ever since I moved to Japan, I had Takachiho Gorge on my bucket list of must-go places. The waterfall there is ranked one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan. After a lot of researching, planning, and strategy, Erin and I came up with a plan to hit four places in four days.
Day 1:
We had an early morning flight from Narita to Kumamoto so I left my grandparents place around 5 AM. If you’re staying in Tokyo, there is a convenient airport limousine bus (Keisei Bus) that runs from Tokyo Station to Narita for only 1,000 yen. Narita is pretty far from the city, so if you book early morning flights on a budget airlines, make sure you can make it in time to catch your flight! If you need to, you can sleep at the airport - they even have tatami rooms specifically for overnight guests. Since it was a domestic flight, security was really fast and I made it to the gate in no time. Erin missed some of her train connections but luckily made it just in time for boarding.
Our first stop was to Kumamoto City. It was cheaper for us to fly in and out of different cities, and made it easier for us to explore all the places on our list. Once we landed in Kumamoto, we caught the bus to the city and walked around. In the city center, there is a big shopping street that has all of the major stores and restaurants. You can easily see the city in a day. By the time we arrived, the air was muggy and incredibly hot despite only being around 10 am. We decided to stop for some kakigori (shave ice) which is a must-eat in the summer in Japan. After stopping by, we walked around, peeked into stores, and made our way to try Taipiien, a Chinese dish with a Kumamoto flair. The broth was very light, making the meal quite refreshing. After lunch, we decided to go to a clinic to check on some things and spent the rest of the day there. I’ll spare the details here, but basically we were low on time, and nearly missed our bus to get to Takachiho. If you cannot rent a car, than you can catch one of two buses daily from Kumamoto to Takachiho. After finishing at the clinic, we called a taxi, realized we wouldn’t make it on time, ran to a nearby bus stop, and hoped that there was still a bus that goes to Takachiho. If not, we would’ve had to rearrange our plans, cancel our guesthouse and find a new place to stay in Kumamoto. I was covered in sweat from sprinting to the bus, and we were worried as we waited at the bus stop for the right one to come. Finally, we got on the bus and luckily it was the bus we were supposed to catch and thought we missed. With that, we went on our three hour bus journey to Takachiho.
The drive towards the countryside was absolutely beautiful. Finally, we arrived at Takachiho Bus Center around 7 PM. Since it was summer, it was surprisingly bright while we walked to our B&B. We booked a room at Takachiho B&B Ukigumo which was a 20 minute walk from the station. Takachiho is a very small town, with a few restaurants and shops, surrounded by beautiful green mountains. Once we checked in, we dropped our stuff, walked down to see the gorge at night, and then made our way to grab dinner together. We went to a recommendation from our host, to a local izakaya nearby the bus terminal. We got grilled shishito peppers, agedashi nasu (deep fried eggplant in a shoyu sauce), tofu steak, whole grilled garlic cloves, yaki onigiri (grilled rice balls), and takachiho steak skewers (for me to try). The food here was excellent, flavorful, and so filling. The chef checked on us every so often to ask us how we were enjoying the meal. It was a perfect end to a chaotic first day.
Day 2:
The next morning, we decided to make our way up to Kunimigaoka which is a scenic lookout that is popular for watching the sunrise as well as viewing the “sea of clouds” which happens during the fall season. Since we didn’t have a car, we hired the local taxi to pick us up around 5:15 AM. While it was a bit cloudy, the views of the town were still beautiful and we were happy we woke up early to see it. The taxi guide gave us a little explanation (in Japanese) about the history of the area, then let us have around 30 minutes of free time to take pictures and walk around. The tour lasted around 1 hour total for 3,000 yen roundtrip. Since we woke up so early, we got back to the hotel, ate some bread for breakfast, and slept until check-out time to rest up for the day ahead of us.
At 10, we checked out and the host drove us to the bus terminal to drop off our bags in the coin locker. Since we had a full day ahead of us, we didn’t want to lug around our full backpacks while exploring the town. Unfortunately the B&B was closed for the day and couldn’t hold our stuff for us, but our host graciously offered to take us to the station in the morning to drop our bags, and then drove us down to the shrine to start our morning. Takachiho Shrine is one of the must hit spots while you’re in the city. While the temple itself is not so impressive, the serenity of the area puts your mind at peace. We also spent at least an hour looking at all of the different omamori (good luck charms), before deciding what to buy! It was a great place to stop for souvenirs and gifts for our friends and family. I picked up a Goshiun chou or Temple Stamp Book with a beautiful embroidered image of the gorge on one side. Japanese take these books to the temples, and get a temple stamp everywhere they go.
After the shrine, we walked down to Takachiho gorge. While walking is definitely a hassle, we got to explore and enjoy the beautiful path down to the gorge. When we reached the gorge viewing area, we were disappointed as the tide was high from rainfall and the water was a bit muddy and brown compared to the crystal clear blue waters you see in all of the pictures. Nevertheless, it was still a beautiful and serene place to explore. For lunch, we stopped by Chiho No Le, a popular spot to enjoy Nagashi Somen which is a popular summer game where you stop floating somen noodles and eat as you play! We also shared a combo with a broiled fish, onigiri, and some picked and simmered vegetables. The food was good, not great - It is definitely designed for tourists, but it was fun to experience Nagashi Somen for the first time.
We spent the rest of the day walking around the gorge area, and made our way back to town for some last minute shopping and exploring. There was a cute local bakery that sold Cheese Manju, a local specialty in Takachiho. We ate some pastries, and then stopped by a souvenir shop to get Takachiho tea, another popular item in the area. To continue on our eating streak, we also stopped by for mango snow ice!
As it was getting closer to our time to leave, we explored the area around the bus station, ventured out to a small, nearly abandoned shrine, and had our last meal in the city at another small Izakaya. We shared a sashimi plate, fried satoimo (taro balls), agedashi tofu/eggplant/mochi, and a huge hokke (grilled fish). And with that, our Takachiho journey ended and we were off to the next stop! We caught the last but to Nobeoka Station which took around 1 hour from Takachiho. Once we arrived in Nobeoka, we caught the local train to Hyuga-shi Station where we met our next host for our accommodation in Hyuga Cape. Our guesthouse was a bit inconvenient to access, but it was in a wonderful location to enjoy and unplug. Guest House & Beach Cafe fuego is around 30 minutes walk from Minami-Hyuga Station. Since we arrived late at night, our host picked us up from Hyuga Station and drove us down the coast to the B&B. A cute Japanese couple run the inn where they have wonderful views of the ocean, and a trendy cafe/bar to enjoy. After checking in, we showered and went to sleep after a long day of exploring.
Day 3:
Like all of our other days, we woke up early to watch the sunrise from across the street of our place. The ocean lookout was incredibly beautiful, and we were so lucky to have an amazing view. After the sun rose, we made our way to Minami-Hyuga Station on foot to get to Hyuga Cape!
After arriving at the station, we searched for food to start off our day. There was not much in Hyuga, but with the recommendation of a local, we decided to get a Japanese seafood teishoku meal. The spread was amazing and came with sashimi, tempura, rice, miso soup, picked veggies, and some chicken for less than 2,000 yen. After finishing our meal, we stood up to pay and noticed a huge tank in the middle of the restaurant where they held some sea animals which you could look at while eating if you were sat on the counter. The saddest part was that they had a huge sea turtle in the tank. I would not call myself an animal lover or activist by any means, but it was definitely horrible to see a sea turtle captured and used for entertainment purposes. We were disappointed to see the lack of concern for this as the restaurant workers and other guests seemed to enjoy the company of the turtle.
After lunch, we walked back to the station area, and caught a taxi (1,000 yen) to the first look out point on our list, Umagase. The city offers taxi tours for a discount if you’re a foreigner, but we decided it would be better to just explore on our own time without any time constraints. Once you get dropped off or park in the area, you can follow the path down to Umagase Lookout or to the Lighthouse. It was super hot outside, and I immediately started sweating…hard. The sun was beating down on us, but the views were amazing. Umagase is a viewpoint that reminds us that the world the spherical, not flat. You can look 360 degrees and see mountains and valleys on either side. The water below was so blue, and the greenery surrounding was so lush. I was so sweaty, I had to stop and wipe my sweat multiple times in order to fully enjoy the scenery. By the time we were done hiking, I took off my bodysuit and just wore my swim top since it was so damn hot. But honestly, I would do it again just to see that view again! To cool off, we got some kakigori at the souvenir shop in the parking lot, sat in the air conditioned room for a bit, and then made our way back into the heat for more hiking.
Walking along the coast was scorching, but also gave us time to truly enjoy all of the sights along the way. We walked around 30 minutes to the Sea Cross, where the rocks form a cross with the water. We stopped for numerous pics and had many instagramable moments despite our sweaty bodies. After another forty minutes, we hit a park where we sat down for a water and bathroom break.
It seemed like we’d been hiking for hours before we made it to our final destination of the day, Isegahama Beach. While Japanese beaches aren’t the prettiest, this beach had a beautiful reflection of the sky and clear waters. We cooled off by swimming and playing in the ocean for a while. As it got dark, we made our way back by walking another forty minutes to Hyuga Station. And then another thirty back to our hotel after reaching Minami Hyuga Station. Along the way, we stopped by a local hotel and restaurant for dinner since we were so tired from our long day. Erin and I both got a dinner set with fried fish, sashimi, rice, and soup, with a side of kaki fry (fried oysters)! Dinner was delicious, and we were absolutely exhausted from walking literally all day. The only downside to our hotel was the location if you’re traveling without a car. It was a really great value and in a beautiful spot, but a bit inconvenient if you’re planning to explore the area on foot.
Day 4:
Our trip was coming to an end, so naturally, we woke up again for sunrise and to leave our place early to get to Miyazaki. The sunrise was exceptionally pretty this morning so we were happy we got up for it. It was also Erin’s 23rd birthday, so it was a great way to start celebrating! For breakfast, we stopped by the nearby Family Mart and got some bread and drinks to eat on our train ride. Our host took us to the nearby train station around 6 AM so we could catch the first train into Miyazaki Station which is around 1.5 hours away. Once we got to Miyazaki, we quickly stored our bags in the coin lockers, ran to our connecting train and hopped on to get to Aoshima.
Miyazaki has so many fun spots to hit, but we definitely wanted to stop at Aoshima the most. Aoshima Island (not the cat island) is a small island with walkable access from Aoshima Station. While walking to the island, we stopped by for some local fresh cut mango. If you go to Miyazaki, you must try mango! For 500 yen, you get a tiny cup with a few slices of mango, which is pretty pricey for the quantity. But the mango was so delicious and fresh that almost made the price worth it. Mango is pretty pricey in Japan, but Miyazaki is the region that produces Japanese grown mangoes, so if you’re going to splurge, spend your money in Miyazaki. You’ll see tons of stands selling mango products, everything from kakigori to smoothies to ice cream!
The island itself is best known for the Aoshima Shrine and rock formation that is known as the “devil’s washboard”. The shrine was brightly painted, and is often a spot for couples to go to wish for a good marriage/partnership. Along the way, we also stopped by some local vendors selling shells and rocks for gifts. The island is much smaller than we expected and can be walked around easily in thirty minutes or less.
As you return back to the main island, there is a nice beach for families to enjoy as well as a trendy beach park with restaurants and beach shops. We wish we had way more time to enjoy everything but we only had a few hours until our flight departed. Since it was so hot outside, we took a quick dip in the ocean, ate some mango kakigori and soft serve, bought some mango souvenirs, then made our way back to Miyazaki. Aoshima can be accessed within 30 minutes from Miyazaki Station, so it is incredibly accessible for those of you who want to do a quick trip there like us!
After arriving back to the main station, we got a quick lunch at a local shop. Kyushu has great beef and I really wanted to try before we left. Since Erin is a vegetarian, we found a great place that served wagyu beef as well as some fish options so we could both enjoy! I ordered a roast beef wagyu rice bowl that came topped with an onsen egg. It was SO good and only 1500 yen. I’m dreaming of the day I can get more of that! After lunch, we rushed back to the station, grabbed our bags, and caught the train to the airport which is only 10 minutes away from the main station. Once we got there, we realized our flight was delayed an hour, so I napped while Erin called her parents. Finally, we boarded the plane, made our way back to Tokyo, ate a late dinner, and parted ways.
And with that, my last Japan trip came to an end! Kyushu was so much fun and definitely one of the most beautiful places I have visited so far! I loved how a lot of parts of Kyushu were more country-like instead of city-like. The people were nice and the food was so good. While it’s a lot easier to rent a car, we were able to pack a lot of things in the four days we were there, and traveled all along the coast from Kumamoto to Miyazaki. Hopefully I’ll be back soon to travel and have more time to explore more of the beautiful island.
Costs:
Tokyo -> Kumamoto One-Way: 9,870 yen
Miyazaki -> Tokyo One-Way: 8,670 yen
Kumamoto -> Takachiho Bus: 2,370 yen https://www.highwaybus.com/gp/reservation/rsvPlanList?lineId=529&onStationCd=1280
Takachiho -> Nobeoka Bus: 1,790 yen
Additional Transport: 9,480 yen
Takachiho B&B: 4,000 yen each, https://bit.ly/2SG9z84
Hyuga B&B: 5,800 yen each (2,900 yen per night) http://www.fuego.co.jp/
Spending: ~ 13,250 yen
Total: 55,230 yen (~$508.50)
