Panoramic views of Sakurajima and Kagoshima from Shiroyama Park viewpoint

After visiting the Xavier Park, we went up to Shiroyama Park viewpoint. From here, you can see Kagoshima city center across the Kagoshima Bay/Kinko Bay with Sakurajima in the background.

There's no cloud on this day, we could see Sakujima clearly.

A view of the Kagoshima city center.

After that, we bought some souvenirs at the nearby Shiroyama Kanko Hotel. When we came back to the parking lot in the park, we saw many Chinese tourists getting off from the bus. They go on a cruise to some major cities of Japan such as Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka, Tokyo etc.

Xavier Park, the place where the first Christian missionary comes to Kagoshima

Next we were going to Xavier Park in Kagoshima. Although we went to Kagoshima many times, but it's first time to visit there. The park was made in commemoration of 400 years of arrival by Francis Xavier who first came to Kagoshima for missionary work of Christianity in Japan.

A part of the church was left when I went to the park.

It seems that the Father Ragge who creates the first Japanese - French dictionary in the Meiji era and is a part of the old stone church that was built the Catholic church for the achievement of Xavier.  However, the church was completely burnt down in the last great war and is not left now.

There are other bronze statues in the park showing how Xavier was conducting missionary activities with Yajiro, the Shimazu warrior and Bernardo.

After that, we went into the St. Xavier's Cathedral Church on the opposite side of the park.

But we don't know where the entrance is. Then we met a guy on the first floor. He was so kind, he took us to the prayer's room. He also told us everything about history of Christianity in Kagoshima.

Visiting Shofu-en, a lovely Japanese garden in Fukuoka

On December 21, we made a short trip to Shofu-en (松風園), a Japanese garden in a residential area of Chuo-ku, Fukuoka. The garden was originally used for the old mansion of Mr. Zenpachi Tanakamaru, the founder of Tamaya, a long-established department store that once existed in Fukuoka. After his death, the city of Fukuoka bought his house and opened as a Japanese garden on July 1, 2007.

Passing through the gate and going up some stone stairs, we came to a ticket booth. We have to pay a 100 yen entrance fee to go inside.

A view of the garden from the hall.

A tatami living room with the Shoji (障子) paper sliding door.

After visiting the tea room, we went back to the entrance hall. Then we walked in the garden.

The house seen from the garden.

We went further to the back of the building through the stone cobbles. There is an Azuma-ya (東屋) or the Octagonal pavilion in the back of the garden. It's the best place to rest, you can take a closer look at the big beautiful garden.

Visiting Uenohara Site, Kirishima, Kagoshima

On the second day, we went around the southern part of Kagoshima Prefecture, such as the Uenohara Site (上野原縄文の森 -jyomon-no-mori), the oldest restored Jomon village in Kirishima city.

Taking on National Highway 10 and passing through central Miyakonojo, we arrived to the Uenohara Site.

This is a trace of a large settlement which is said to be the oldest in Japan. From the volcanic ash of the Sakurajima eruption about 9500 years ago, the village trace of the early Jomon period was discovered.

The beautiful autumn colors with pit-dwelling houses in the background.  

Views from Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort, Miyazaki

After leaving the Mimitsu area, we headed to the Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort. We just stay one night and booked on the hotel site at cheapest price, 17,800 yen per person per night with two meals. Although there aren't many kind of foods available, but we enjoyed very much.

From Wikimedia commons

The room was a standard twin on the 26th floor. It was enough for us with ocean view. We could see the Pacific Ocean at dawn.

The site of Seagaia Ocean Dome. The building was demolished in early this year.

A view from the window in front of the hotel elevator.

The Miyazaki city center can be seen on the left side.

Waking around Mimitsu, a historical place in Hyuga

After seeing Umagase, we went to the Mimitsu (美々津) area in Hyuga, Miyazaki. This area has been designated a national important preservation district for groups of historic buildings.

We went there once before, but we only see the Uemachi (上町) main street last time. This time we walked around the Nakamachi (中町) area where are the Machiya (町屋) style houses in the street.

The Hyuga City Historical Folk Museum is in the center of Nakamachi area. This used to be a lighter shop between Edo and Meiji periods. Now it has been restored as a folk museum.  

Seeing Umagase, Hyuga, Miyazaki

After seeing the five mountains of Aso from Tsukimari Park, we went down south to see Umagase (馬ヶ背) in Hyuga, Miyazaki. It's a scenic spot where you can see a beautiful coastline of the Pacific Ocean.

We arrived at Umagase-chayaya (馬ヶ背茶屋) rest house. Like most famous sightseeing spots in Japan, there's a free parking lot in front of the entrance so it is very helpful for us. From here, we took a walk down to the observation deck. Eventually a dazzling rock appears in my eyes; with a height of 70 meters, a width of 10 meters, and a depth of 200 meters. And the height of a 70 meter cliff is the highest in Japan, surpassing Tojinbo (東尋坊) in Fukui Prefecture.

After that we went down to the path. Finally we came around the Cape Hyuga. We could see the beautiful evening before sunset.

 

What did we see in Minamiaso, Kumamoto

Here, I'll tell you the places we went in Minamiaso, Kumamoto. Minamiaso is a beautiful village located in the southern foot of Mount Aso, the world's largest caldera.

We took a short lunch break at Aso-no-bo-no-sato Kugino (あその望の郷くぎの) rest house. From here, you can see the Five mountains of Aso right in front of you.

After that, we were strolling around the Shirakawa Suigen (白川水源) fountainhead. It's the origin of Shira River (白川) flowing through the Kumamoto city center. There's a rich spring water gushed out from the prescient of Shirakawa Yoshimi Shrine.

Before going to Umagase (Hyuga, Miyazaki), we dropped in Tsukimawari Park in Takamori. Mount Nekodake (根子岳) is the symbolic icon of the park. The jagged and edge mountain range draws one's eyes. And the place where green on the hillside got stripped is a mark of disaster strikes such as the Kumamoto earthquakes in last April.

Aso panorama from Tawarayama Pass viewpoint, Minamiaso, Kumamoto

We went to Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima for 2 days on November 27 and 28.

First, we had visited the Tawarayama Pass Viewpoint (俵山峠展望所 -touge tenbojo) in Minamiaso, Kumamoto. This is the best viewing spot for great panorama of the Five mountains of Aso (阿蘇五岳 -godake) from the west side.

Driving on Kumamoto Prefectural Routes 36, 206 and 28 from Mashiki-Kumamoto Kuko Interchange on Kyushu Expressway and passing some gentle curves, we came to the Tawarayama Pass. However, there are parts of some detours in Nishihara due to the Kumamoto earthquakes of last year.

From here, you can see the Five mountains of Aso right in front of you. Mount Komezuka (米塚), a volcano parasite of Mount Aso, is in the center picture.

A view of the south outer Aso mountain ranges. As you see in the picture, the entire village of Minamiaso is surrounded by Aso caldera.