Japan 2011

Day 1 - Yufuin Cycling in Yufuin The most prominent features of this town are Mt Yufu and paddy fields neatly laid out in the basin. The day's cycling allowed us to see the whole Yufuin town and gave us an opportunity to get familiar with twisting roads in Kyushu villages. We visited Lake Kinrin-ko and the lakeside tea house to taste the best quality green tea and Japanese sweets. Accommodation: Ryokan Altitude gain: 800m Day 2 - Yufuin to Aso A very hilly but rewarding day! We cycled on a narrow winding old road to the first mountain pass then onto "Yamanami highway' which is one of the top 100 scenic roads in Japan.  From the road, we could see an active steaming volcano.  After overcoming the second mountain pass on the edge of the caldera of Mt Aso, we free wheeled to a quiet old Onsen town on the caldera of Mt Aso.  The accommodation had a natural outdoor Onsen, and traditional Japanese cuisine. Accommodation: Ryokan Altitude gain: 1400m Day 3 - Aso to Kumamoto We started with a visit to the Shinto Aso shrine where local farmers pray for their harvest to the god of the mountain. After leaving the sacred gate from the shrine, we cycled up to the top of Mt Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan. This ride was quite a climb up hill to the summit, however, as we were surrounded by beautiful caldera mountain ranges and breath taking views of Mt Aso, we were oblivious to the hard work! That's meant to be a joke!!! We observed the steaming crater from the top, and cycled down to Kumamoto city. Accommodation: Hotel Altitude gain: 1000m Day 4 - Kumamoto to Amakusa One of the most beautiful Japanese war time castles is Kumamoto-jo, which we visited in the morning.  The castle was built in 1607 and is famous for the architecture and the notable stone walls.  Only a few structures have survived the centuries since the castle's construction in 1607 intact. The castle keep and most other buildings are modern reconstructions, but the reconstructions are mostly of a high quality and new buildings are continually being added. After a leisurely lunch in Kumamoto, we left the city by van and had a restful afternoon travelling to Amakusa, located in the southwestern part of Kumamoto.  Kami-shima and Shimo-shima islands are the two major islands in the area, there are also 120 other islands varying in size, which all belong to Unzen-Amakusa National Park.  We stayed at a seaside hotel in a small island off Kami-shima, facing ever calm Yatsushiro Sea. UPDATE: Kumamoto Castle suffered serious damage in the earthquakes of April 2016. Many roof tiles fell, foundations were damaged, walls crumbled and entire structures collapsed. On June 1, 2020, an elevated walkway was opened to the public, allowing for views of the inner castle grounds. The interior of the castle's main keep is scheduled to be reopened to the public in spring 2021, while the rest of the grounds are expected to require about 20 years to be fully repaired. Day 5 - Amakusa to Kushikino We enjoyed an Amakusa island ride while crossing bridges designed only for walkers and cyclists.  Cycling along the coast with a view of the beautifully calm inland sea brought us to the end of the road, and then we enjoyed a comfortable half hour ferry ride to the next island.  We then got back on the saddle and keep cycling on the island, transferring by train to a fishermans' town, Kushikino, which is the biggest port in Japan for blue fin tuna. Accommodation: Hotel    Ferry: 0.5hr  Train: 1.5hr Altitude gain: 800m Day 6 - Kushikino to Makurazaki This morning we left Kushikino and rode along a cycle path stretching along the coast for 25km.  We cruised on the cycling path with a cool sea breeze on the sand dunes and later braved the VERY strong winds over the bridge.  After 50km of flat riding, the mountain pass burned some calories and built our appetite for the evening's dinner.  We finished at Makurazaki town, famous for its Shochu "Satsuma-Shiranami" origins. Accommodation: Ryokan Altitude gain: 840m Day 7 - Makurazaki to Ibusuki From Makurazaki, we cycled up to a hill where vast green tea farms were laid out.  The road around the beautiful cone shaped Mt Kaimon brought us to a quiet ride with ocean views.  We had a break at a natural sand Onsen on the beach - a steep descent from the road.  Some of us experienced the whole-body in-the-hot-sand warmed by geothermal activity.  Relaxing in the sand, while you listening to the sound of waves, was an unforgettable moment on the trip. Accommodation: Hotel Altitude gain: 650m Day 8 - Ibusuki to Yakushima Island - Rest Day In the morning we took an 80 minute jet ferry from Ibusuki leading us to the final destination, Yakushima Island, a World Heritage Site since 1993.  As one of the wettest places in Japan, the island is home to the thick Yakusugi forest and deep valleys with crystal clear flowing water.   The rest of the day was free, however, everyone except Helen, Dennis and David did the half day hike in the Yakusugi forest which was highly recommended. Helen, Dennis and David enjoyed a walk around town followed by lunch and ice cream. Accommodation: Hotel Day 9 - Yakushima Island Cycling around Yakushima Island was a great finish to the trip. As it happened, we were blessed with a perfect day weather-wise. We rode through lush forest and along the very scenic coast. When we reached the western side of the island we spotted wild Japanese monkeys and deer though we had been seriously warned to avoid eye contact with the wild monkeys.