All posts by DLihk

Flower

JP 2018 April Kanto (Part 1)

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Visited Japan for 25 days in April for Spring flowers in Kanto region, followed by sakura in northern Tohoku and Hakodate. Returned to Tokyo during the second half of golden week for a break. Visited western Izu, the Open-Air Museum in Hakone and Fuji Shibazakura Park before leaving Japan.

 

Hitachi Seaside Park

In our original plan we had intended to visit in early May. But in this year temperatures have been warmer since late March so sakura and other spring flowers have reached full bloom 7 to 10 days earlier than average.  Based on the blooming status, we made last minute changes in early April to stay in Tokyo for few days.  This has turned out to be a right call.

While based in Tokyo, we visited this park for blue nemophila in full bloom.  Though it was on a weekday, it was quite crowded.   The park was huge and the 4.5 million nemophila were grown in Miharashi-no-oka (a small hill) of 35,000 sqm.  Though we have seen the same in other Tokyo parks, nothing compares to its scale and density.

 

Next we headed to the tulip fields which were gorgeous as well.  Luckily we visited in mid-April otherwise they would have pelted in late April.

 

 

===>  Part 2  ===>

 

Onsen

Kirishima Hotel

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This onsen hotel has been established more than 100 years ago. It has four different onsen sources and a huge indoor onsen akin to a swimming pool, which dwarfs its rotenburo. This is the largest onsen that we have visited (except for the wild onsen in Kusatsu).  In its gallery, Sakamoto Ryoma and his wife Ryo stayed there for  honeymoon, which was a pretty new concept in Japan in that era.

On the hillside there is a huge forest planted with Sugi (Japanese pine) more than 100 years ago.

 

 

Sakura, Sightseeing

JP 2018 March Sakura Minamata

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Yunoko Cherry line – top 100 sakura spots

(湯の児チェリーライン)

The cherry line was 5km long skirting along the coastline of Yunoko in Minamata.

 

Sunset in Yunoko

Stayed in an onsen hotel in Yunoko onsen town.  Sea was calm so nice reflections were caught easily.

 

Fukuda farm

Before leaving Yunoko on the next morning dropped by this farm uphill. Scenery was gorgeous with panoramic views of the sea and coastline. 

 

Returned car in Izumi city and took Kyushu Shinkansen back to Kagoshima city. Checked into onsen hotel on Shiroyama, which overlooks the city and Sakurajima on a hill.

Shiroyama hotel

 

Sakura along Koutsukigawa

Strolled along the river banks again before departing Kyushu. After 1 week since our arrival sakura was in full bloom.

 

 

Sakura, Sightseeing

JP 2018 March Sakura Hitoyoshi

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Tadamoto-koen – top 100 sakura spots (忠元公園)

On the next morning stopped by this park in Isa town before reaching Hitoyoshi in southern Kumamoto Prefecture.

It was awesome with about 1000 Sakura trees in full bloom, while many seniors were competing in croquet.

 

Hitoyoshi castle ruins (人吉城跡)

Arrived at Hitoyoshi  castle ruins where sakura was in full bloom as well. Plenty of locals were having picnics beneath the sakura trees.

 

Sekisui-ji  (石水寺)

After lunch, dropped by this temple of about 600 years old. (Sekisui literally means stone water).

From the main entrance, a megane-bashi (spectacle-shaped bridge) crossed over a stream where it led up to an eye-shaped stone in front of the main hall.

It was serene with Magnolia and Sakura in full bloom.

Onsen hotel overlooking Kumagawa

 

Aoi-Aso Jinja (青井阿蘇神社)

Before leaving Hitoyoshi on the next morning, visited this Jinja of more than 1000 years old in the city.

 

Kyusendou (球泉洞)

Dropped by this limestone cave while driving onward to seaside onsen town Yunoko in Minamata.  It took about 30min for an unguided visit inside the cave. Turquoise Kumagawa was along the way. 

 

===>  Minamata ===>

 

 

Sakura, Sightseeing

JP 2018 March Sakura Kirishima

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Kirishima Jingu (霧島神宮)

It was first established in the 7th century AD though due to multiple eruptions of nearby Kirishima volcanoes it had been destroyed and rebuilt. The current site was built in 18th century.

Sakura was in full bloom while locals lined up to offer their worships in the Jingu.

In the nearby park on the hillside sakura were blooming as well, stopped by Maruo-no-taki (waterfall) before reaching Kirishima onsen hotel. Due to fallen rocks it could only be observed from a distance.

 

Onsen hotel with huge onsen and pine garden

 

===> Hitoyoshi ===>

 

 

Sakura, Sightseeing

JP 2018 March Sakura Ibusuki

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Picked up rental car in the city on next morning and headed south to Ibusuki, which is famous for its hot sand bath, apart from onsen.

Chiran (知覧)

Stopped by Chiran – a small town along the way, to visit former Samurai residences.  There were seven of them though we visited a few.

 

Kagoshima Park

After lunch, visited Kagoshima Park in southern Satsuma Peninsula for various Spring flowers.

 

Kaimon-dake (開聞岳)

Not far from the Kagoshima Park is a viewpoint for cone-shaped Kaimon-dake, which is highly prominent while driving in southern Satsuma Peninsula.

 

 

Uomi-dake (魚見岳)

On next morning, headed uphill where plenty of sakura trees were planted in a park. The sakura were in full bloom and at the top it offered panoramic views of Ibusuki.

 

 

Ikeda-ko

Lake Ikeda is the largest lake in Kyushu, stopped by before heading north to Kirishima.

 

===>  Kirishima ===>

 

Sakura, Sightseeing

JP 2018 March Sakura Kagoshima

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The original conception of this trip in early February 2018 was to visit the Kagoshima Prefecture for onsen and local cuisines, after more than 20 years since our first visit. 

However from mid-March, the weather in Japan had been much warmer than normal and sakura full bloom was expected to be 5 to 7 days earlier. We were lucky to bump into it, along with sunny days for the entire week in late to end March.

Our itin included Kagoshima city, Ibusuki, Kirishima, Hitoyoshi and Minamata. The last two locations are in southern Kumamoto Prefecture. 

 

Sengan-en (仙巌園)

Visited this landscape garden by city view buses. Apart from Sakura, there were other spring flowers such as Momo (Peach), Shakunage (Rhododendron), Tsubaki (Camellia) etc.  The Sakurajima volcano – a major symbol of the city, could be seen clearly across the Kagoshima Bay from the garden, including from its restaurants. Had a nice lunch there and took a quick stroll inside the Shuseikan adjacent to it before leaving.

 

 

Sakurajima (桜島) 

Took ferry across the bay to visit Sakurajima. A loop bus served up to Yunodaira observatory – the closest point to the crater, in one hour and back to the ferry terminal. The loop bus also stopped by at a few points for 10 minutes along the way.

Volcanic ash and gases had been erupting for most of the time on that day. Though the ashes and plumes were blowing away from us towards an easterly or south-easterly direction, a thin layer of volcanic ashes were on the road uphill and inside the loop bus.

 

 

Kagoshima City

returned to the city in late afternoon to check out the sakura status.  It was around 50% along the banks of Koutsukikawa – a stream.

 

 

===>  Ibusuki ===>

 

 

Onsen

Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto

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Stayed in this historical hotel for few centuries in Miyajima during koyo season. 

The room was a modern Japanese style with 2 twin beds. It was a surprise that our room also opened up to a balcony with spacious sitting area outdoor but also a view of the Torii gate !

Dinner was sumptuous with Kawahagi as sashimi, oysters grilled and in steamed rice etc.

Location – it sit on hillside right behind the Itsukushima Shrine. Thus, it was pretty central for sightseeing.

Although public onsen bath is available with small rotenburo, on its Japanese website it states that artificial onsen is used.