Japan -- Kyushu

Happy June, friends and family! Andrew and I just celebrated our 7 month anniversary of living in Korea and feel fortunate for all that we've been able to do.

While Americans were preparing to celebrate Memorial Day, Koreans (and many others) were gearing up for a three day weekend to celebrate Buddha's birthday, which fell on May 25th. In Korea, lotus lanterns cover the temples which often flood down the street to make a beautiful, colorful sight. On the day of Buddha's birth, many temples offer free tea and meals to all visitors. One could spot lanterns in every direction during May.

On Friday, May 22nd, we departed CEV for Busan, where we'd board The New Camellia for our overnight ferry ride to Fukuoka. The distance between Busan and Fukuoka is only 214 kilometers (132 miles). Though we were required to board by 8 p.m., the ferry did not depart until 10:30 p.m. We arrived in Fukuoka somewhere between 6 and 6:30 a.m. and were allowed to disembark at 7:30.

The ferry was a great way to travel between Korea and Japan. It had a nice restaurant, an arcade, norebong (karaoke), and beer in vending machines. What more do you need? Here are some shots taken of Gwangan Bridge in Busan prior to departure:

This really got me.

Our humble abode. 

Here is a map of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands. We stayed in Tosu, a small town about 25 kilometers southeast of Fukuoka. Tosu was a great base for our travel plans.

From the Fukuoka ferry terminal, we took a local bus to Hakata Station, the largest and busiest railway station in Kyushu. The easiest and most efficient way to travel between cities in Japan is by train. Rail transport services in Japan are provided by more than 100 private companies. There are also many different types of trains that operate at different speeds. Japan pioneered the high-speed "bullet train", which links Japan's largest cities at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). The fastest train that we took reached 162 mph.

Traveling by train certainly isn't cheap, however.  We bought a three day rail pass that allowed us to take any train that we wanted in Northern Kyushu. This pass was the most economical way to travel between cities. 

We traveled by train from Fukuoka to Tosu on Saturday morning. The landscape is very similar to Korea. Rice terraces, mountains, and quaint villages made for beautiful train rides. 

Once we checked into our hotel in Tosu, we took the train south to Kumamoto. The city's most famous landmark (and our destination) is Kumamoto Castle and is considered to be on the the three premier castles in Japan. The castle grounds are very large and fit for tourists. Before beginning our tour of the buildings, we stopped for lunch in a small village, where we had our first bowls of Japanese noodles. 

This cute guy is the Kumamoto mascot. I missed my calling as an impersonator. 

The construction of the castle began in the early 1600s and took seven years to complete. It was designed by the feudal lord who ruled the area, Kato Kiyomasa. Kato was an experienced warrior, and he used his knowledge to build fortifications that were highly regarded for their strategic effectiveness. Less than 50 years after its construction, the castle and surrounding area were taken from the Kato clan and given to the Hosokawa clan which ruled the area for the next two centuries.

The castle played a pivotal role in the Seinan Civil War in the 1870s, during which the famous samurai Saigo Takamori led an uprising in Kyushu against the new government. Kumamoto Castle was the main base of government troops in Kyushu, and Saigo attacked the castle in early 1877. Despite being outnumbered and losing many buildings, the government forces were able to withstand Saigo's two month siege, forcing the rebels to retreat. The castle keep burnt down in 1877. In 1960, the building's outward appearance was reconstructed. Inside the building, however, is a modern museum that displays the castle's history and construction. 

Kato:

Here are a  couple of views of Kumamoto from the top of the main tower.

These stone walls surround the castle grounds. 

And I thought he was handsome before.

We spent several hours exploring Kumamoto Castle, then continued our exploration of the city. Japan's public transportation system is exceedingly efficient. Of the four cities that we visited, three included tram systems pictured below. This was an easy way to move about town. 

That evening, we took the bullet train to Fukuoka, where we had dinner at a rowdy local hot spot. The dining experience at Sushiko Honten was described as elegant and dignified on the 2nd floor and raucous on the 3rd floor. We chose the 3rd floor beer garden that overlooked the pier and featured all you can eat sushi and all you can drink alcohol.

The experience was indeed raucous. The buffet included sushi, salads, and an assortment of raw meat that could be cooked at your table, including chicken, beef, and crab. We enjoyed the people watching most of all.

On our second morning in Japan, we departed for Nagasaki. 70 years ago this summer, at 11:02am on August 9, 1945, an American atomic bomb detonated 500m above this exact spot, instantly killing an estimated 75,000 people, mostly women, children, and senior citizens. Another 75,000 were horribly injured by the explosion, which contained ground temperatures of up to 4000 C and searing, fiery winds over 1000km/h. Visiting this site served as a sobering reminder that this sort of weapon has no place in a civilized world and its use is completely unjustifiable from any reasonable moral perspective. Thank God no such weapons have been used since that day, and pray that they never are used again.

This marks the epicenter of the atomic bomb: 

Part of Urakami Cathedral built in 1895 that remained standing after the nuclear bombing:

Groups of schoolchildren learning about the nuclear bombing and paying their respects through moments of silence and song:

Nagasaki Peace Park:

Words from the sculptor:

After experiencing that nightmarish war, that blood-curdling carnage, that unendurable hooror,
Who could walk away without praying for peace?
This statue was created as a signpost in the struggle for global harmony.Standing ten meters tall, it conveys the profundity of knowledge and the beauty of health and virility.
The right hand points to the atomic bomb, the left hand points to peace, and the face prays deeply for the victims of war.
Transcending the barriers of race and evoking the qualities of both Buddha and God, it is a symbol of the greatest determination every known in the history of Nagasaki and of the highest hope of all mankind.
-Seibo Kitamura

We concluded our visit at the Nagasaki Peace Park and took the tram to Nagasaki's city center. We ate noodles, then toured Suwa Shrine, the major Shinto shrine of Nagasaki. The shrine features a 277-step stone staircase leading up the mountain to the various buildings that comprise the shrine. Suwa Shrine survived the atomic bombing in 1945, which is thought to be due to its strategic location in the central part of Mount Tamazono-san. 

That evening, we trained from Nagasaki to Fukuoka for a late dinner. We stumbled upon several street food stalls, called yatai. If we've learned anything about eating while traveling, it's that street food stalls often have the most authentic, delicious food, despite their unpolished appearance. This yatai delivered just that.

The next morning (Memorial Day & Buddha's birthday), we departed Japan via ferry for Busan. This time, our ferry left at 12:30 p.m. and arrived at 6:00. Kyushu felt like the perfect location to get our feet wet in Japan. Overall, we were thoroughly impressed by how clean Japan is and how relaxing the atmosphere felt. The people were incredibly friendly and transportation was painless. 

We have a 5-day weekend at the beginning of August during which we'll fly to Osaka, Japan's second largest city. Thank you for your continued interest in our travels. We miss and love you all!