[Trip Report] 12d11n Kyushu - Oct 15 (Photo intensive)

[crntbs]

Day1: Fukuoka -> Nagasaki -> Unzen Jigoku -> Nagasaki (lodging)

Unzen Jigoku

Day 2: Nagasaki -> Kumamoto -> Kumamoto Castle -> Lodging

Kumamoto Castle
Outside the castle

Entrance into courtyard

 

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Castle Interior

View from the top

Day 3: Pickup car rental -> Kikuchi valley -> Daikanbo peak -> Kurokawa -> Beppu (Lodging)


Kikuchi Valley

 

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View along the road to Daikanbo Peak

Daikanbo Peak
Couldn't see anything much due to the fog. The breeze and the grassland is kinda nice tho.

Kurokawa
Getting excited over seeing something red finally.

 

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Day 4: Beppu Jigoku -> Usuki Buddha -> Harajiri Fall -> Oka Castle Ruins -> Aso (Lodging)


Beppu Jigoku

Tonado Jigoku: Have waited 15mins just to see this.

Blood Jigoku: abit disappointing, not as red as seen in guide.
Some tourist commented it's just a muddy pond which I totally agreed.
That's where we've decided to skip the rest of the jigoku.

Usuki Buddha

A small shrine near the buddha statues

 

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Harajiri Fall: Stop by 10mins or so to take photo.

Oka Castle Ruins
View while climbing to the top

At the castle ruin

Amazing view that looks like chinese painting

 

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Lodging at Luna Observatory
There was a under the stars talk conducted in japanese.
Altho we didn't really understood the most part of it, it was nice looking at the starry sky.
They even let us peak under the telescope.
Front Desk

Hotel room key

Lounge area

Small Library

Front door

 

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Exterior

Breakfast

 

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Day 5: Aso -> Takachiho Gorge -> Kunimigaoka (Sea of clouds) -> Nobeoka (Lodging)

Views on the road towards Takachiho Gorge

Takachiho Gorge

 

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Kunimigaoka (Sea of clouds)
No amount of photos could justify the beauty of this place.
It was so peaceful and nice that we almost wanted to camp here.

Day 6: ****oka -> Aoshima -> Miyakonojo (Lodging)
Today was mostly r&r driving along coastal line.

Finally seeing some oceans after days of driving through mountains.

Aoshima

Picture of the day

 

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Day 7: Miyakonojo -> Sekinoo Fall -> Ebino Plateau -> Senganen -> Kagoshima City (Lodging)

Sekinoo Fall

Ebino Plateau
Hiking to the 3 lakes

Lake No. 1

Autumn Colors

Lake No. 2

 

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Lake No. 3

Senganen

Sakurajima from afar

More photos inside Senganen

 

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Day 8: Kagoshima -> Yakushima -> Shiratani Unsuikyo -> Morinokokage (Lodging)

Shiratani Unsuikyo

 

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MorinoKokage (Lodging)
Cottage Exterior

Day 9: Yakushima -> Kagoshima -> Sakurajima (Cancelled due to rain) -> Kagoshima (Lodging)

Driving around Yakushima
Pitstop at Lavafield

Kagoshima nightview

Day 10: Kagoshima -> Fukuoka - Tenjin (Lodging)
Today mostly spent on the road and shopping at Tenjin. Not much photos.
Snapshot of Tenmonkan while waiting for bus.

 

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Day 11: Yanagawa + Daizaifu + Shopping at Kawabata Shopping Arcade & Canal City Theater

Yanagawa boat ride

Daizaifu

My most fav part of Daizaifu, no tourists >.<

Amazing sky effects outside Daizaifu

 

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My spoilts for the trip

 

[purpleberry]

Kyushu is beautiful. Was it easy to drive around the countryside with GPS? Hope that the earthquake did not do too much damage. Seeing a 400yr-old temple collapse is painful enough.

 

[Integra.TypeR]

Very beautiful.

It's pretty sad to see the current state at Kyushu right now.

 

[crntbs]

Kyushu is beautiful. Was it easy to drive around the countryside with GPS? Hope that the earthquake did not do too much damage. Seeing a 400yr-old temple collapse is painful enough.

Coastal area and flat plain was easy... driving thru mountains could be challenging especially when some of the roads are pretty narrow... thank goodness we've managed to scrap thru without any mishap... only time we've faced hipcups was having to reverse to a wider road for some buses to pass thru...