Before leaving Takeo onsen, we dropped by the Takeo gate (Chinese style).

 

 

Headed north to Okawachiyama (大川内山) in Imari (伊万里) – a famous porcelain town less than 1 hour by national road.

While we visited Arita – another porcelain town in Saga more than 2 years ago, this porcelain village is tucked inside mountains. At the entrance is the Nabeshima-Hanyobashi (Clan Kiln Bridge)  decorated with porcelain. There are pottery workshops and store-fronts inside the village, easily visited on foot.

The small Nabeshima Oniwayakikan displayed some precious and beautiful wares, where the abdicated Heisei emperor and other Japanese royal family have visited.

 

 

Next we headed further north to coastal town Karatsu for lunch, also dropped by the renovated Karatsu Castle.

 

Ureshino onsen  (嬉野温泉)

Finally we returned to our next onsen ryokan in Ureshino where we stayed 2 years ago. One of its annexed ryokan (15 min drive) has a large rotenburo by a mountain stream. We soaked in it before having dinner. The onsen was also smooth and good for skin complexion.

 

 

Dinner was sumptuous as expected. The ryokan is famous of its in-house “yu-tofu” (tofu in soup). The pot of yellow Ume (plum) on my back was fragrant. 

 

 

 

====>    Part  3    =====>