Took a bullet train 180 miles to Kagoshima for the afternoon. Recent visits had been washouts, but today I wandered in shirtsleeves, getting reacquainted with Sengan-en (extensive garden with views across Kagoshima Bay to Sakurajima, an active volcano), the harbor with boats going to unique places like Tanegashima (Japan’s space port), Saigo Takamori (the last Samurai), and a lovely public library atop a department store for a cuppa.
Category: Japan
Hakata (tonkotsu) ramen for introverts.
I’m staying next to Hakata Station, a district of Fukuoka, so, of course I had Hakata-style ramen for dinner. The creamy broth is made from pork bones, cooked at a rolling boil for an extended period, 12 to 60 hours, depending on the recipe. I ordered and paid at a touchscreen at the entrance. When the meal was ready, the flap at the back of the cubicle rose up, and hands appeared bearing the meal. Eye contact was impossible.
Unexpected snow, hike abandoned
I was met with icy blasts as I got off the bus at the trailhead bus stop, and after only a few hundred yards, I abandoned the ascent. Though a comfortable climb I’ve done three times before, today was not the day. There was no snow atop Mt. Yufu this morning, but this afternoon was a different story, as seen in this photo from Yufuin’s main drag.
Simple comforts in Yufuin: a ryokan stay
Checked into a ryokan (traditional inn) in Yufuin, on the island of Kyushu. My room has this personal onsen with free-flowing water from a hot spring (that’s steam!) and I’ll be sleeping on a futon on tatami mats. At US$170 per day, the value is excellent, as it includes a multi-course dinner and breakfast. The tree in full bloom is a Judas Tree (or Chinese Redbud), fitting for Holy Week.
Exploring Kyushu
It’s been a rainy day, a good day to travel by bullet and local trains from Okayama (1) to Kyushu, one of Japan’s four main islands. I’m staying in the onsen town of Yufuin (2) for two nights then I’ll stay in Fukuoka (3) as a base for day trips.
A reconfigurable art gallery by the Inland Sea
Woke up to rain, so took the Shinkansen 130 miles to sunny Iwakuni on the other side of the weather system. At the Simose Art Museum, designed by star architect Shigeru Ban, I enjoyed a dessert lunch overlooking the Inland Sea. Eight brightly colored, rearrangeable gallery modules can be configured by two people to suit exhibition needs.
Temple walk to the birthplace of Kobo Daishi
Kobo Daishi, born 774, founded Shingon Buddhism and established the Shikoku 88-temple 750-mile pilgrimage, among many accomplishments. Today I walked between temples 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 (Zentsuji) his birthplace. I’ve now walked to 31 of the temples, sometimes more than once. The photo shows purification stations, one for each temple.
Yokohama: familiar hotel, familiar treats
Took the Keikyu line from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Yokohama and checked in to the JR (Japan Rail) Hotel as the sun was setting on Thursday. I’ve stayed here before, the rooms are compact, but have everything I need. Note the pajamas on the bed. At a konbini (convenience store), picked up nigiri (rice ball), an egg salad sandwich (Japan does these well), and a small dessert to bring back to the room.
Japan 2025
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Japan trip currency (starter set)
Assembled currency for my upcoming trip. My phone is reading the remaining balance on my Suica card, I use for local transit. That’s Hideyo Noguchi, a bacteriologist who researched rabies, polio, and syphilis, on the ¥1,000 note. Natsu Higuchi, Japan’s first prominent female writer, is on the ¥5,000 note. The nonsense in Washington this week is weakening the dollar, increasing the cost of my trip.