I have rarely stayed in such a luxurious inn, Yakakutei. I would definitely recommend this place to foreign visitors who are taking advantage of the weak yen. The garden, surrounded by a cloister and covered with shrubs and moss, is beautifully maintained. A gazebo for viewing the garden faces the courtyard, but it is carved into a lower level than the courtyard, so that the moss garden can be viewed at eye level.
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yakakutei garden5 see from one step down
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The rock bath hot spring is also located on a vast site, with rocks arranged like a garden, and the hot water is filled to the brim. Of particular note is the ingenious and creative menu for dinner. The plates on which the dishes are served are also excellent. Unusually, the appetizers (similar to an assorted antipasto in Italian cuisine) that usually precede the main dish are served last. Perhaps this is to avoid eating the appetizer too slowly and being too full by the time the main dish is served? The waiter was a man dressed as a butler in a crested hakama, which reminded me a bit of a male version of a maid cafe in Akihabara, and that was the only thing that felt a bit strange.
yakakutei7 dinner
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yakakutei18 apetit after main dish deliberately
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yakakutei32 breakfast
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yakakutei35 al dente of local brand rice
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Detour
If you climb the outer rim of the caldera behind the inn, you will soon arrive at Kagoshima Airport, but before checking in, it is worth stopping by Kareigawa Station, with its nostalgic wooden station building, Inukai Falls carved into the cliff, and Shiohitashi Onsen, where Sakamoto Ryoma and his wife, Oryo, were invited by the Satsuma clan to heal the wounds he received when he was nearly assassinated in Kyoto, and where he stopped on his honeymoon.
Black vinegar is made by taking full advantage of the sunny inner slope of the caldera’s outer rim and the blessings of the groundwater that springs from there. We often hear about black vinegar on health food programs and in commercials, but unless we come here we can’t truly understand that it is made inside the caldera, in a large number of jars. The jars are filled with koji, steamed rice, and groundwater, and multiple fermentations take place in parallel inside the sun-warmed jars.
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black vinegar field5 rice and malt and groundwater from caldera
black vinegar field6 fermentation 3 steps
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The view of the jars lined up on the slopes inside the caldera overlooking Sakurajima is spectacular, and there is also a heartwarming scene of sparrows flocking together to keep warm on the warm jars.
black vinegar field1 in front of Sakurajima island
Not only did you get to see the vinegar production area, but you also had the chance to try some health foods at a restaurant that uses black vinegar, and then finally, a souvenir corner. This is the usual flow of the tour. By the way, the longer you age the black vinegar, the less acidic it becomes and the smoother it tastes, but the price also increases in proportion to the aging years, so it’s all down to your wallet. However, the ingredients in the vinegar that enter your stomach are probably the same regardless of aging. From that day on, I started drinking black vinegar mixed with apple juice every morning for my health.
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Detour
In addition to Kirishima Jingu(Shrine), there is another Jingu in Kirishima city, Kagoshima Jingu. “Jingu” is ranked higher than other shrines (>>read a hierarchy story on this blog). But why is Kagoshima Jingu in Kirishima City, when Kagoshima City is nearby? It is said that Sakurajima was called “Kagoshima” in the old days, and it is certainly true that the shrine faces due south towards Sakurajima. It also enshrines “Yamasachihiko,” the same deity as Aoshima Shrine in Miyazaki Prefecture.
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kagoshima shrine1 sacred tree
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kagoshima shrine6 ceiling painting
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kagoshima shrine8 dragon
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There is a real sacred horse at the entrance to the shrine, just like the one at Konpira Shrine in Shikoku. Most of them are horses that have been active in horse racing. In eastern Japan, fake horses are enshrined at the entrance, but in western Japan, most of them are real.
Kirishima Shrine was originally enshrined just below the top of Mount Takachiho, but it was burned down in an eruption and moved to the middle of the mountain. It was then burned down again in another eruption, and after learning its lesson, it was moved to its current location, much further down the mountain.
shrine moving map
You can drive up to Takachiho Kawara (Kawara is “Riverbank” in English but actually the meaning is a landscape with stones scattered all over the place, like those found on a riverbank. ), the shrine’s second moving location. There’s a short walk through shrubs covered with volcanic debris, but the altar stands alone in the desolate plain, completely silent, and is more charming than the current divine temple. The only regret is that parking fees are charged even though it’s a desolate, empty place. Since there aren’t many tourists or tour buses, it would be better if it was free.
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The Kirishima mountain range continues to erupt, with Mt. Shinmoedake erupting recently and covering half of the mountain with black volcanic debris. Right next to the Ebino Highland Rest House where we took a break on the way, Mt. Iou was constantly spewing smoke, giving the impression of an active volcano.
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ebino plateau3 iou mountain
For this reason, it is claimed that this is the right place where the heavenly grandson descended to earth. But on the other hand, it is claimed that a valley called Takachiho Gorge is the right place. So it would be great if the two sides could debate it thoroughly and come to a conclusion. Either way, it’s a world of mythology, so either way, it’s not the correct answer.
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takachiho canyon5 manai wate fall
The current Kirishima Shrine is built on a slope, so when viewed from the front it looks like a beautifully tiered platform decorated on Girls’ festival. Part of the shrine is a national treasure, and even though it cannot be seen from the outside, amulets commemorating the national treasure are sold there. Occasionally it seems that you can visit the inner sanctuary during special viewing days. But the admission fee is twice the price of the amulet.
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kirishima shrine7 mountain shrine2 amulet divided into two
kirishima shrine7 moutain shrine3 the other amulet
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Detour
“Aso” is unmistakably a caldera because of its perfect shape, and when you look around various regionsin Kyushu, you can find traces of caldera everywhere because they are all surrounded by outer rim mountains. One of them is the “Kakuto Caldera,” and when you climb up the Kirishima mountain range, you pass an observation deck (Shiratori) from which you can see how huge it is, which is comparable to Aso Caldera.
kakuto caldera1 left
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Previously, it was thought that whole of Kagoshima Bay was a caldera, and that Sakurajima was a volcano that formed in the center of the caldera, just like Aso. However, it seems that the entire Kagoshima Bay is not a single caldera, but that the Aira Caldera formed in the northern half of the bay, farther north than Sakurajima, and then Sakurajima formed on the edge of the caldera’s outer rim. It’s interesting to search for calderas in Kyushu.
Hitoyoshi is my top 3 hardest places to get to. It’s located deep in Kumamoto Prefecture, but I noticed on the map that it’s surprisingly close to Kagoshima Airport.
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hitoyoshi station closed due to disaster
hitoyosshi kaname fall4 chestnut bento in front of fall
First, I went to Hitoyoshi Station from the airport and bought the famous chestnut bento (lunch box). Even the shape of the bento is chestnut. Before the flood, the old-fashioned ekiben vendors on the platform used to shout out their good-old cries. Now, I pass by the deserted station building and buy a bento at the bento shop next to the station building. With a bento in hand, I head to Kaname Falls (Ohdaki), a waterfall that tumbles vertically down a columnar jointed wall, and eat my lunch while being showered with the spray from the falls. Although the Medaki waterfall is nearby, it is impossible to get any closer due to the large stones and timber that were washed away by the flood. This shows the extent of the damage caused by the flood.
hitoyoshi kaname fall2suiranro1 flood water level
At the hotelwhere I’m staying tonight, there is a marking near the ceiling of the front desk showing the water level of the Kuma River when it overflowed. Apparently, the flood caused driftwood from nearby areas to flow into the Kuma River, where it became caught on railway bridges and other bridges, causing the muddy waters to overflow and wash away the entire town. Now, the Kuma River flows calmly and steadily in front of the hotel.
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suiranro7 in memory of steam locomotive
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suiranro20 bonito flakes
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Aoi Aso Shrine is a national treasure that has managed to survive under such circumstances, and it is definitely worth visiting. The shrine’s sanctuary is generally not open to the public, but an elderly man who seemed to be the chairman of the preservation society, who was watching over the restoration work around the shrine, invited me to see the sanctuary. There is a pamphlet with beautiful color prints, which is free of charge. What is amazing is the 400-year-old building, the thatched roofs of the tower gate and worship hall, the colorful decorations and colors of the Momoyama style, and the intricate plaster decorations of the inner sanctuary. It has an overwhelming presence.
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Detour
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During the Satsuma Rebellion, Takamori Saigo’s troops traveled around the country fighting the Meiji government forces, and here in Hitoyoshi, they had their headquarters at Eikokuji Temple. This place is also known as the Ghost Temple, and a hanging scroll of a ghost has survived the ravages of war without being burned. I found it interesting to read a piece about what one would say if someone came to take them from the afterlife. There are many other attractive temples and shrines remaining in the Hitoyoshi Basin. As the area has been ruled by the Sagara clan since the Kamakura period, it seems that many things of great historical value remain.
eikoku temple7 if someone comes to pick you up from the other world
eikoku temple1 saigo army headquqrter
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Near Eikokuji Temple is Hitoyoshi Castle, famous for its cherry blossoms, and the famous rice shochu brewery Sengetsu, which you are welcome to come and sample the drinks. The shochu “Kawabe,” which can only be purchased locally, uses water from the clear Kawabe River, which flows into the Kuma River, but recently there has been talk of building a dam to prevent flooding, which worries me.
The view of the railway that goes around the mountains is itself a tourist destination. Jungfrau Railway on the European Alps is a typical example, but due to Hakone’s proximity to Tokyo, Hakone Tozan Railway is now overflowing with foreign tourists. In order to transfer at Hakone-Yumoto Station and secure a good seat on the Hakone Tozan Railway, the front car of the train from Odawara Station is as full as a commuter train. I had mixed feelings when I saw foreign tourists dashing onto the Hakone-Yumoto Station platform and being the first to secure seats on the left side for a better view.
loop and switchback4 left line to loop and right line for switchback
Now, on the Hakone Tozan Railway, you can experience three switchbacks, but here on the Hisatsu Line heading towards Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto Prefecture from Hayato in Kagoshima Prefecture, you can see two switchbacks and a loop at the same time around Okoba Station. It’s sad that railway transportation has not resumed as Hitoyoshi is currently recovering from the flood damage, but instead you can walk along the tracks at the site and get a feel for it. Furthermore, in February, white flowers of the nearby Hitoyoshi plum grove are beautiful, and in March, the cherry blossoms along the railroad tracks inside Okoba Station are also beautiful.
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loop and switchback5 line switching
hitoyoshi plum garden
In fact, the sacred place for railway fans is not here, but the landscape from the train window at “Yatake Goe”, which steeply climbs the inner wall of the Kakuto Caldera Somma, reaching the highest point on the line. However, railway fans naturally enjoy the switchbacks and a loop around Okoba Station as well. To get there by car, you need to go from the bottom of the caldera through the outer rim of the mountain, so the road is connected twice by loop bridges at the front and back.
loop and switchback1 okoba station
Now, regarding the station building of Okoba, there is an urban legend that if you put a business card on the wall, you will get promoted, and when I went there, I found business cards stuck all over the walls of the station building. Maybe you’ll find a business card of someone you know. Now, in preparation for the reopening of the railway, they have been completely removed, and I wonder where the removed business cards are. It is of great interest to know what happened to the career afterward of the person who inserted the business card.
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