Here and there but not quite everywhere!
Our last full day in Kyushu! After breakfast at the 長崎マリオット Nagasaki Marriott, we took the train over to 島原 Shimabara and visited 島原城 Shimabara Castle. After lunch, we visited the town’s historic 武家屋敷 samurai residences and its streets lined with natural spring water canals, which is a bit of an odd description! After a snack at the over 100 year old 銀水 Ginsui, we returned to Nagasaki for dinner.
Continue reading “Shimabara Castle and Town”
After waking up at the ザ ブラッサム熊本 The Blossom Kumamoto, we checked out and headed over to 長崎 Nagasaki by a combination of Shinkansen and conventional rail. We left our bags at the 長崎マリオット Nagasaki Marriott and visited the 山王神社 Sanno-jinja and its one legged torii, having lost the other leg during the atomic bombing. After, we took the 長崎ロープウェイ Nagasaki Ropeway up to the top of 稲佐山 Inasa-yama for a fantastic view of the city. Next, we took a quick look at the 眼鏡橋 Spectacles Bridge before having a sushi dinner and checking in at the Marriott. Our room ended up being fantastic! In the evening, we took the Shinkansen over to 武雄温泉 Takeo Onsen to ride on the Super Mario train which was operating as the Midori.
Continue reading “Nagasaki and Super Mario”
We checked out of the フェアフィールド･バイ･マリオット･熊本阿蘇 Fairfield by Marriott Kumamoto Aso this morning and took the train over to 熊本 Kumamoto and left our bags at ザブラッサム熊本 The Blossom Kumamoto, the hotel we’ll be staying at tonight. We had lunch at Ajisen‘s honten before checking out the Monkey D. Luffy statue and 水前寺成趣園 Suizenji Jojuen, both nearby. After, we visited 熊本城 Kumamoto Castle before having a sushi dinner in Kumamoto Station.
Continue reading “Kumamoto, Home of Kumamon”
After enjoying the in-room onsen and breakfast at the アマネリゾート ガハマ Amane Resort Gahama, we took the train to 阿蘇 Aso in 熊本県 Kumamoto Prefecture. We checked into the フェアフィールド･バイ･マリオット･熊本阿蘇 Fairfield by Marriott Kumamoto Aso and took the あそぼーい Aso Boy one stop over to 宮地 Miyaji where we visited the 阿蘇神社 Aso-jinja. We returned to Aso for dinner and watched an illuminated fountain show near the station in the evening.
Continue reading “Beppu to Aso”
We enjoyed breakfast and our in-room onsen at the アマネリゾート ガハマ Amane Resort Gahama before visiting nearby Oita in the afternoon. We didn’t do much, mainly visited AMU Plaza and its rooftop garden as well as the pop-up Super Mario x JR Kyushu shop, before returning to Beppu for an early dinner. And more onsen time, of course!
Continue reading “A Slow Day in Oita”