I traveled by car from Tokyo and spent 11 days sightseeing around Shikoku and Kyushu. This is the record.
Trip Planning
The plan before departure is as follows, and we will drive from Tokyo to Kyushu. Finally, we will take a ferry back from Kyushu to Kanto using the Kyushu Tokyo Ferry. 1 night per row.
- Tokyo/Shizuoka Yaizu
- Kagawa Takamatsu
- Kagawa Shodoshima/Ehime Matsumoto
- Oita/Miyazaki
- Kagoshima
- Kumamoto
- Saga (additional)
- Sasebo/Nagasaki
- Fukuoka
- Yamaguchi/Kitakyushu City
- Yokosuka/Tokyo
Departure is September. The plan was for 10 days, with two backup days. I have a fixed schedule until Miyazaki on the 4th day, and after that I'll be touring sightseeing spots as I please, so if there's a place I'm interested in, I'll use the spare day to make adjustments. As a result, Saga was added, making it 11 days, one day longer than planned. It was my first time to land in Shikoku and Kyushu.
I made a travel plan using My Maps of Google Map. The route is automatically optimized for high speed, etc., so it is for reference only.
I left the GPS recording of my movement to the iPhone app's Google Maps timeline function. It is a convenient device that automatically records your travel route and visited destinations. I tried to keep it running as much as possible so that it would record detailed information. (It's basically okay even if it doesn't start)
The timeline is recorded every other day, but it can be exported in KML format (location and route data format), so here is My map with 11 days' worth imported all at once.
The route of the ferry was almost never recorded, so it was handwritten.
Day 1: Departure and Wave-Pool Surfing in Shizuoka
On the first day, we left just after noon. It's a late start for a long trip. The reason was to go to Shizuka's artificial surfing field called "Shizunami Surf Stadium, which is about 250 km from Tokyo and 2.5 hours one way, and the tickets for the last round starting at 18:00 were cheap. Also, the first ticket from 09:00 is cheap, so it was a good value for money to stay in Shizuoka for one night and go out in the evening and the next morning.
We actively use high speeds until we enter Kyushu. The first destination is Yaizu SC (Supercharger), Tesla's EV charger in Yaizu. My means of transportation this time was an electric Tesla, and I wanted to use the SC, which charges as quickly as possible, so I planned to incorporate charging into Shikoku.
From Tokyo, take the Shuto Expressway. And then to Tomei. There was a traffic jam for about 20 minutes on the Tomei Expressway. After taking a restroom break at Shimizu PA, go from Shin-Shimizu JCT to Shin-Tomei Expressway and get off at Yaizu IC.
Yaizu SC was located in the corner of ``Yaizu Fish Center''. If you go with the navigation, you will arrive at the exit side, so you will go around the road around the facility, and if you enter from the entrance, you will arrive at the facility again. There is a lot of foot traffic inside the facility, so please be careful at the SC. I thought it was a difficult SC to enter for the first time, as the entrance was difficult to understand.
Next, we will be staying at Candeo Hotels Shizuoka Shimada, which has a large public bath and is 6,300 yen per night including breakfast. I like soaking in large public baths when I sleep over, so I choose hotels with large public baths as long as the cost performance is worth it. After checking in, I took a break and ate the bread I had brought with me. It's a new and beautiful hotel.
Next, go to Shizunami Surf Stadium. We arrived around 17:00, an hour before the start. After checking in and listening to an explanation of the facilities, you can kill time by wandering around the venue and taking photos and videos.
After that, change into a wet suit and prepare, and at around 17:40 you will receive an explanation for first-timers. The wave levels are beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert, and this time it's intermediate. He explained that the waves have their own unique characteristics, that the take-off (standing on the surfboard) conditions (position and orientation) are strict, that the current (flow of water) is strong, and that the depth of the water is extremely shallow in some places, so don't jump off the board too vigorously.
There were 11 participants this time. All on hard shortboards. You line up in the pool and take turns riding the waves under the direction of the staff. First, let's look at the waves to the left. My turn has come. On the first ride, I tried desperately to paddle (wave the water with my arms), but I couldn't get on! I was left behind by the waves. The next wave for people is coming soon, so I quickly paddle to the side and get out of the pool so I don't get in the way. The full power paddle for takeoff and the paddle for evasion will make you tired all at once.
We entered the water and lined up to ride the second train. About 3 minutes? So this is the next wave. I don't try to ride waves at such short intervals in my normal ocean. This is harder than you might imagine. I thought it would be easier than at sea because there was less fighting to catch waves and moving places, but I was wrong. I can't ride the second one either. There were 4 or 5 waves on the left, but I couldn't ride them all. Along the way, a staff member who couldn't see it pointed out my poor form, adjusted my position while waiting for the waves, and supported my board, but I still couldn't ride it.
After about 20 minutes, the wave will change to regular (towards the right). My stance (front and back of my feet when standing) is suitable for regular, so it should be easier to do than left. I also received guidance from the staff. It's the first day, so there's another day tomorrow, but I'd like to get on at least one ride today. However, my hopes turned out to be in vain, and I couldn't ride all the regulars, so the first day came to an end. It took about 40 minutes from entering the water to finishing. The fee is 6,600 yen. Each wave costs about 700 yen. It's not cheap. However, the staff pointed it out to me, so I thought it was a good value considering it included lessons. However, I was extremely tired because I was turning the takeoff paddle and the evasion paddle at such a rapid pace. I took a shower, changed clothes, and left the facility.
I was so tired that I didn't have the energy to go out and eat some delicious food in Shizuoka on my way back to the hotel, so I had a quick gyudon at Sukiya on the way back to the hotel. Return to the hotel, soak in the public bath, eat yogurt, and go to bed.
Cost breakdown: Expressway 8,140 yen (Ikejiri->Tomei connection 370 yen / Tokyo->Yaizu 7,770 yen) / Surfing 6,600 yen / Food cost 233 + 400 + 160 + 345 yen / Charging 940 yen / Hotel 6,300 yen
Distance 211km / Travel time 4h / Subtotal 23,118 yen
Day 2: Surfing, Then On to Takamatsu
Since the plan included breakfast, I ate a hearty breakfast at the hotel's buffet. After checking out, I headed back to Shizunami Surf Stadium. It starts at 9:00. The second day started with regular waves. Remembering what I learned yesterday, I set out to ride the waves.
The result was a disappointment. I felt like I was missing a few waves, but there were no waves that I was able to ride properly. My fatigue was about half of what it was yesterday. This is probably due to the correction of paddling form under the guidance of the staff and getting used to how to behave in an artificial pool. Shizuoka Surf Stadium is far away and expensive to come from Tokyo for one night just to surf, so I don't think I'll come there very often, but I thought I'd come back when my surfing gets better.
Next we will head to Takamatsu. From the Shin-Tomei Expressway, take the Isewangan Expressway. The Ise Bayside Highway, which passes along the coast of Aichi Prefecture, has a series of huge suspension bridges that connect reclaimed land, making it quite impressive.
Enter the Kinki Expressway and take a break at Konan PA. There is a large traffic jam just before entering the Meishin Expressway at Kusatsu JCT. It's a confluence point from Hokuriku and Tokai, so it's probably going to be crowded.
Pass through the traffic and take the Hanshin Expressway 3rd Station Kobe Line from Nishinomiya IC. Get off the expressway at Kobe's Uozaki IC and recharge. We arrived at Kobe SC 5 hours after departure. I'll have lunch with some side dishes from the supermarket in the shopping mall where Kobe SC is located. After charging, head towards Takamatsu. The Awaji Island expressway that you pass through on the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway has three lanes on each side, has no walls, and has many gentle ups and downs and curves, and I thought it was similar to the roads in Okinawa.
As you enter Shikoku, you will see many small mountains that look like beautiful parabolic rice balls. When I looked into it later, it seemed like there were a lot of them. After passing Naruto JCT, we entered Takamatsu Expressway and arrived at Takamatsu in 2 hours from Kobe. After charging at Takamatsu SC, I went to the hotel.
The hotel is ``Shikoku Takamatsu Onsen New Grande Mimatsu'' for 5,610 yen including breakfast. A retro business hotel with a large hot spring bath. I'm tired from driving for a long time, so I'm going to soak in the hot springs immediately after checking in and take a rest.
Since Kagawa is known as udon prefecture, I looked into udon restaurants that were open even late and went to ``Handmade Udon Tsurumaru''. I waited in line for a while and ordered a simple Tsukimi Udon. The soup stock was so delicious that I drank it all. I went back, took another bath, ate some yogurt, and went to bed.
I have made yogurt before bed a rule on this trip. I also eat breakfast. Also, avoid eating raw foods as much as possible until near the final day.
Cost breakdown: Expressway 14,100 yen (Sagara Makinohara -> Nishinomiya 7,770 yen / Nishinomiya JCT entry -> Uozaki exit 540 yen / Maya Saibound -> Kobe Line (main line) exit 670 yen / Suma Main Line -> Tarumi JCT 160 yen / Tarumi Daisan -> Naruto Main Line 3,110 yen / Naruto Main Line -> Takamatsu Chuo 1,850 yen ) / Surfing 6,600 yen / Food cost 620 + 149 + 405 + 215 yen / Charging 2,465 + 1,050 yen / Hotel 5,610 yen
Distance 475km / Driving time 7.5h / Subtotal 31,214 yen
Day 3: Shodoshima Sightseeing and Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama
On the third day, I plan to meet an acquaintance who moved from Tokyo to Shodoshima. We will board the ferry leaving Takamatsu Port at 10am. After eating breakfast at the hotel, I had some free time, so I parked at Takamatsu Symbol Tower near Takamatsu Port and looked out over the area around Takamatsu Port. I didn't know about Takamatsu by car, but it's a fairly large regional city.
As the ferry departure time approached, we moved to the Takamatsu Port Ferry Terminal, purchased a round trip ticket to Tonosho Port, and boarded the 10:00 ferry. We plan to arrive at 11:00.
An acquaintance will meet me at Tonosho Port by car. I wanted a monocular to magnify the scenery, so I stopped by K's Denki on Shodoshima. Shodoshima is a large town for a remote island, and there are several electronics retailers. I checked the stock over the phone in advance, so I found it right away and completed the purchase. I would like to take a tour of my newly built home on the top of the mountain.
I knew they had goats, but I was surprised to see that there were three of them. She's cute but has a ferocious personality, so I'm afraid to touch her horns because I'm afraid she'll seriously hurt me. It has a stiff coat. I spent an hour with him to talk about life and work on Shodoshima, and he showed me around view spots and a supermarket.
When I requested a place with a nice view for lunch, I was introduced to a ramen restaurant in a really nice location with a terrace facing the sea, ``Shodoshima Ramen Hishio Angel Road Branch'', so I headed there. The ramen is Hakata ramen, which is simple and a bit rich. The scenery was beautiful and the food was delicious.
After the meal, head to Shodoshima's standard tourist spot "Angel Road Park. This is a park where the path to the island appears and disappears depending on the tide. While we were chatting around the observatory, a road appeared at the right time and we were able to cross over to the island.
As the scheduled return flight was approaching 14:00, I was taken to Tonosho Port and took the ferry to Takamatsu Port.
We arrived at Takamatsu Port. I decided to eat udon twice in Kagawa Prefecture, so I went to "Teuchi Judan Udon Baka Ichidai. It was full, but since it was around 3pm, the line didn't seem that long. I was able to order in line for about 20 minutes.
The popular dish here is the Kamatama butter udon. It's even topped with coarsely ground black pepper, making it just like carbonara. It's a very B-grade picture, but it wasn't just a B-grade, it had a well-rounded taste and was very delicious.
However, as I noticed at the udon shop yesterday, there were many customers who seemed to be around 20 years old, and there were very few elderly customers, giving the impression that it was summer vacation for college students.
Next, we will head to Matsuyama in Ehime. I took the Takamatsu Expressway at high speed, passed Kawanoe JCT, took the Matsuyama Expressway, exited the Matsuyama Toll Gate, and charged at Matsuyama SC. Matsuyama SC has a maximum output of 72Kwh, which is in the low output category for a supercharger. A so-called supercharger is 130kwh or more. It was my first time using a 72kwh SC and I thought it would be slow, but I had been getting around 60kwh so I didn't think it was that slow. By the way, there is a section in the Chugoku region that only has 72kwh SC, but I felt it was okay. It's much faster than the 40kwh I used when I was a Leaf owner.
In Matsuyama, we will stay at the Dogo Onsen hotel ``Hotel Dogo Yunomachi'' for 5,300 yen for one night without meals. Although there was no public bath, the plan was to receive a ticket to enter the public bath at Dogo Onsen. You can enter either ``Dogo Onsen Honkan'', which is famous for being the model for Spirited Away, or ``Tsubaki no Yu''. After checking in, I first went to the famous main building, but since it was a numbered ticket system, there was only a slot for the last 22:00, so I gave up and went to Tsubaki no Yu because I wanted to work up a sweat before dinner. The building was built relatively recently, and the bathhouse had a unique atmosphere.
For dinner, we headed to Kadoya Dogo Tsubakizaka branch for Matsuyama's specialty, taimeshi. I ordered a draft beer, my first alcoholic drink on the third day of my trip, and poured it on my body after taking a bath. It stains. Since the sea bream rice seemed to take a long time, I ordered a shellfish snack called Kamenote. It really looks like a turtle's hand, but it's for experts only. Crush it with your fingers and eat the small flesh inside. It had a strong salty and sea air, and had a strong taste overall, so I ended up leaving about half of it behind.
For the taimeshi set meal, the sashimi is served with a sauce containing raw egg, and is finished off with dashi chazuke.
It was delicious. When I was paying, I caught my eye at the ice cream bar next to the cash register, so I bought it as well and took a walk around Dogo Onsen while eating it.
There was a great spot called the Tsubaki no Yu courtyard.
The third day ended when we returned to the hotel and ate some yogurt. (From now on, I will omit yogurt because I always eat it in the morning and at night.)
Cost breakdown: Expressway Takamatsu Chuo -> Matsuyama 3,910 yen / Meals 298 + 4,000 + 509 + 530 + 1770 yen / Parking 1,400 yen / Ferry round trip 1,330 yen / Charging 1,925 yen / Hotel 5,400 yen
Distance 178km / Driving time 4h / Subtotal 21,072 yen
Day 4: From Matsuyama to Miyazaki
In order to take the car to Oita by ferry, we will head to Misaki Port on the western edge of Ehime Prefecture. From Matsuyama Expressway, get off at Ozu Minami IC and head to Sadamisaki Peninsula. The peninsula where Misaki Port is located juts out into the Seto Inland Sea and is long, narrow and steep, and due to its topography, thick fog occurs. Take the National Route 94 Ferry at 10:00.
One way fare is 10,100 yen. It was my first time taking a car on a ferry, and when I got on it I thought it was so cool that it felt like a scene from a movie.
When I entered the ship, there was a tatami room, so I went back to the car, brought a cushion and a towel to use as a blanket, and took a nap. Arrive at Saganoseki Port in about 2 hours.
From the Usuki IC on the expressway, take the Higashikyushu Expressway towards Miyazaki. Get off at the Saito IC in Miyazaki, take the Hitotsubashi Toll Road along the coast, and head to "Spicy Noodle Shop Masumoto Miyazaki Main Branch" to eat Miyazaki's specialty karamen. Since I was able to choose the type of noodles, I chose the standard konjac noodles, and on a spiciness scale of 1 to 10, I gave it a 3. The noodle dish was flavored with Japanese pepper and garlic and was very appetizing. However, since it's konnyaku noodles, it's a little healthier. I would love to eat this again if it were available in Tokyo.
After eating, we charged at Miyazaki SC and headed to "Aoshima Beach" in the south of Miyazaki City.
Surfing is popular in Miyazaki, and Aoshima Beach is a good spot for longboarding waves. I was planning to rent a longboard and surf if there were any waves, but there were almost none so I gave up. Then we will go to the nearby Kizakihama Surf Point, which is a major point with higher waves than Aoshima. There were some waves that looked like we could ride them, but the onshore wind was blowing and the wave quality was poor, so we decided against it because it looked like it would be better tomorrow morning.
On the fourth day, we stayed in a dormitory at ``Aoshima Fisherman's Beachside Hostel & Spa'' instead of a hotel. There is a risk of not being able to sleep in a dormitory due to noise and air conditioning issues, but other conditions were good, such as a large hot spring bath, which is unusual for a dormitory facility, and walking distance to Aoshima Beach.Furthermore, I was eligible for nationwide travel support and could receive a coupon, so I decided to stay for only 1,000 yen.
After checking in, we took a bath in the hot springs, and then bought a boxed lunch from a nearby supermarket for dinner. The next morning I plan to surf, go back, take a hot spring, and then check out, so I need to get up early, so I'll refrain from eating delicious food and drinking alcohol. As I was eating lunch in the dormitory's common space while watching surfing videos on my smartphone, a fellow male guest approached me. The man seems to have been traveling for about half a year now, and before Miyazaki he was in Okinawa for about two months. He said he was planning to go surfing in Okinawa, but in reality there are almost no waves in Okinawa. At points far away from the city, there are only waves that can be ridden during the brief moments when the tide is low. He had over 10 years of surfing experience, but he went to Okinawa without researching the waves at all, so he came to Miyazaki after finishing some errands.
Since I needed to use the 2,000 yen coupon I received from travel support at check-in, I went to Maxvalu, which was a little far away, and bought drinks and other items that I thought I could use in the future.
When we returned, we took a bath in the hot springs and slept on the bottom side of the bunk bed in our shared room.
Cost breakdown: Highway 4,020 yen (Matsuyama->Ozu 1,300 yen / Usuki->Saeki 710 yen / Kadokawa Main Line->Saito 2,010 yen) / Toll road 150 yen / Ferry 10,100 yen / Food cost 542 + 980 + 220 yen / Charging 1,660 yen / Hotel 3,144yen
Distance 323km / Travel time 6h / Subtotal 20,816 yen
Day 5: From Miyazaki to Kagoshima
The dormitory was quiet, the air conditioning was just right, and the bed was relatively comfortable. After eating a sandwich for breakfast, I went to the Aoshima coast to check the waves, but although there were a few more waves than yesterday, I still felt unsatisfied. Move towards Kizakihama.
The wind at Kizakihama was on the side, but it was calm, so I parked at Solaside Air Surfing Center Kizakihamamae and surfed for about an hour. Although the weather was cloudy, the sea in Miyazaki in mid-September was warm, and several percent of the surfers were in swimsuits.
On the way back to the hotel, I checked the Aoshima coast again, but the waves weren't strong enough to warrant renting a longboard, so I took a hot spring bath at the hotel and headed to Miyazaki city. I am planning to have lunch at the restaurant ``Aji no Ogura Honten'', which is said to be the origin of Chicken Nanban, with an acquaintance who moved from Tokyo to Miyazaki.
The inside of Ogura is a Western restaurant, and the chicken in Chicken Nanban is not cut into pieces, so you eat it with a knife and fork. I thought it was interesting because I had only eaten at Japanese restaurants and the meat was always cut. The cabbage dressing was homemade and delicious. I made a normal portion, but it was a lot so I had a lot left over.
We talked about life and work in Miyazaki, and since he told me he was interested in Teslas, I took him for a short drive to a nearby errand.
The reason I mostly traveled by expressway to Miyazaki was because I had plans to meet people. From here, if you have time and stamina, you can travel by public roads. I'm hoping for a nice view or a place I'd like to stop by. There is also a reserve day, so it is possible to stay for several nights.
We will be staying in Kagoshima City for one night, so we will head to Kagoshima Bay hoping to see the scenery. Once you reach Kagoshima Bay, take the road along the bay and charge at Kagoshima SC located in Aeon Mall Kagoshima, which is south of the Kagoshima city center.
Then, stay at ``Hotel Hokke Club Kagoshima'' near Kagoshima Station for 5,600 yen per night without meals. It has a large bath. After checking in, I put my laundry in the hotel's washing machine. Automatic detergent dispense was 300 yen. Take a bath during laundry time.
After I got out of the bath, I searched for Kagoshima cuisine in my room and found out that there is a local dish of deep-fried sweet potatoes called ``Ganeage.'' I searched and asked the front desk of the hotel about restaurants where I could try it, but I was told that it was home-cooked food and had never been to a restaurant outside. I gave up and decided to go to ``Kagoshima Furusato Yatai Village'' in the alley street located underground in front of Kagoshima Station.
Put your laundry in the dryer before leaving. 100 yen for 30 minutes. There were only two dryers, and since I was going to eat after this, I invested 300 yen and set aside 90 minutes. It will dry thoroughly. I took the tram to Kagoshima Station.
It was Friday, and the alley was busy. We went around twice and decided on a restaurant that served tempura. It was really delicious, probably because eggplant was in season. The sweet potatoes were also very sweet and chunky, which I enjoyed.
Apparently there is a flourishing downtown area called Tenmonkan near Kagoshima Station, so I went for a walk to see it. It was a Friday night, so it was quite busy with people. I bought breakfast for the next morning, returned to the hotel, took a bath, and went to bed.
Cost breakdown: Expressway Miyazaki->Miyakonojo 1,070 yen / City tram 170 + 170 yen / Laundry 500 yen / Parking 500 yen / Food 239 + 1780 yen / Charging 520 + 1,475 yen / Hotel 5,600 yen
Distance 155km / Driving time 4.5h / Subtotal 12,024 yen
Day 6: Kagoshima Sightseeing, Then On to Kumamoto
In Kagoshima, there is a history museum centered on Mr. Takamori Saigo. href="https://ishinfurusatokan.info/">Municipal Meiji Restoration Furusatokan" and "Chiran Special Attack Peace Hall, which is themed on the relics of the Chiran Special Attack Corps. First, I went to the Municipal Meiji Restoration Furusatokan at 9:00, which was exactly when it opened.
I don't know much about Japanese history before the end of the Edo period, and I only remember a little about Mr. Saigo from biographies of great figures and what I learned at school, so the content was new to me. And from the state of this museum, I could tell that he was an extremely popular person in Kagoshima Prefecture.
In addition, I recently started reading the Habitual Morning manga by Miko Yasu called "Dand Dawn", which is a story that begins at the end of the Satsuma Edo period, and is about Saigo and other feudal lords of the Satsuma clan. href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B3%B6%E6%B4%A5%E6%96%89%E5%BD%AC">Nariaki ShimazuHe is from Satsuma and is called the father of Japanese police.I had studied up on Toshiyoshi Kawaji's work, so I had a lot of fun matching the answers. There are also two puppet shows featuring life-sized robots.The puppets are elaborately made and move, the stories are interesting, and the voice acting (character voice) by Koichi Yamadera is gorgeous.We recommend watching both puppet shows.
However, I couldn't find any mention of Mr. Toshiyoshi Kawaji's name in the hometown museum, so I wondered why, but this foreshadowing was soon recovered.
After leaving the Furusato-kan, there was a park right next to the park that had a nice monument called ``Birthplace of Saigo Takamori.'' When I stopped by and looked at it, a volunteer guide came to talk to me. When I told him that I knew nothing about the Satsuma clan and hadn't watched any taiga dramas, he told me all kinds of trivia.
When I asked why there were no materials about Mr. Toshiyoshi Kawaji in the Furusatokan, I was told that Mr. Kawaji was one of the historical figures most hated by the people of Kagoshima Prefecture. Another hated person is Toshimichi Okubo, also from Satsuma. Takamori Saigo was popular with the people and samurai of the Satsuma domain, and did everything he could to help establish the Japanese government. However, during the Seinan War, a battle between the disgruntled samurai (the Satsuma army centered on samurai) and the Japanese government army, the Saigo clan became the commander of the samurai side. That's ironic. The Okubo clan was heavily involved in the dispatch of the government army, and the Kawaji clan participated as a major general on the government army's side to attack the Satsuma army. In the end, the Saigo clan was forced to commit seppuku, and the Satsuma army was defeated.
Because both Mr. Kawaji and Mr. Okubo are recognized as the ones who murdered the most popular Mr. Takamori Saigo, even though they were from Satsuma, they are hardly introduced in local museums, and every attempt to create a historical site for them is not realized because of protests from the citizens of the prefecture.
Even the ones that were realized had trivia. At the same time as the birthplace of Takamori Saigo, there is also the ``Birthplace of Toshimichi Okubo'', and the guide says, ``The monument to Toshimichi Okubo was built with exactly the same purpose, but with one trick.'' The calligrapher who was in charge of the letters on both monuments was from Kagoshima, and because he disliked Mr. Okubo, he apparently shifted the last letter of the monuments from Mr. Okubo to such an extent that it could not be seen at first glance. It seemed interesting, so I asked him to show me around, and I found out that only the last part, ``earth,'' was shifted from Mr. Saigo's.
The same goes for the Kawaji clan, and currently there are only a few place names and bronze statues.
Our guide recommended "Senganen", which is the official residence of Saito Nariaki, and "Nanshū Park, where the Saigo Takamori Only Museum is located. I'll go if I have time.
Just as I was about to head to my next destination, I remembered about fried chicken, so I asked the guide if there was a place where I could eat fried chicken, and he said, ``It's sold in the prepared foods section of the supermarket.'' It was in an unexpected place.
I called several local supermarkets and found that the Co-op Seiryo store had it in stock. I was torn between regular and chocolate fried rice, but decided on the simple one. The topping is a simple kakiage made only of sweet potatoes, and the filling is quite filling. We will eat on the bench outside the supermarket.
The fried chicken was filling and not too greasy. It's also rich in dietary fiber, and if it were sold in my neighborhood, it's a side dish I'd buy again.
Next, go to the Chiran Special Attack Peace Hall, about an hour south of Kagoshima City. Chiran seems to be the site of the most special attack sorties by aircraft, and the museum was large and had a large amount of artifacts on display.
After watching it, I had some time, so I headed back to Kagoshima City to go to Senganen. On the way, I recharged at Kagoshima SC. I'm hungry, so I go to the Kagoshima ramen shop "Honya Ramen. It was a unique ramen shop, with soy sauce poured over the oshinko that came out as an appetizer, and homemade-looking umeboshi (pickled plums) on display. The ramen is a simple pork bone ramen.
Senganen was home to the first reverberatory furnace built in Japan. There is also a museum, but it was under construction so I couldn't see the permanent exhibitions, and the 1,000 yen entrance fee and 300 yen parking fee felt expensive. It was a sunny day, so I could see Sakurajima clearly from the garden, and the scenery was nice.
Next, I went to Saigo's only museum in Nanshu Park, "Saigo Nanshu Memorial Hall, but since it was 15 minutes before closing, I rushed to see it. There was a lot of content that overlapped with Furusatokan, so I was able to take a quick look at it.
The park is home to the "Nanshū Cemetery," which apparently houses the graves of Takamori Saigo and many other samurai who fought and died in the Seinan War.
They were also practicing something in the park, and it was a good atmosphere. I wanted them to say ``Chesto'' in the shout, but it was ``Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee''.
Now that I've finished sightseeing in Kagoshima, I'm heading to Kumamoto. Before I left, I looked into hotels in Kumamoto City and found that the accommodation prices were quite high, probably because it was a Saturday.Since I would be arriving late, I didn't want to pay such a high price just to get a night's sleep. So, I decided to stay in a private room with a lock mat at the internet cafe Kaikatsu Club. I headed there by taking the high-speed Kyushu Jukan Expressway.
There is a Kaikkatsu Club in the suburban shopping mall Cross 21UTO in Uto City, south of Kumamoto City, and on the way there, I checked the availability of private rooms with locks on the app and found that there were 10 seats available. Kaikatsu Club has hourly rates, so in order to get in as late as possible, I tried eating udon at Marugame Seimen in the shopping mall and shopping for breakfast at the supermarket before checking in, but the club was full and I couldn't get in. I had no choice, so I looked into nearby Kaikatsu Clubs, and found that there was free parking and two stores with space, so I spent about 30 minutes each way looking around, but both were fully booked by the time I arrived. Feeling depressed, I looked at the original store and found it empty. Even in a private room with a lock, not everyone stays until morning, and some people leave, so it seems like they should have waited from the beginning. I ended up driving around Kumamoto for an hour to get back to where I was, and there was one room available, so I took it.
This was my first time using Kaikatsu Club. The shower facilities seem to be comfortable and are standard for people who travel around Japan. Showers were included in the hourly rate and bath towels were also free. This is certainly convenient. The private room with a lock was a completely private room, and I could turn off the lights and go into total darkness.Maybe it was a coincidence, but there was no noise and I was able to sleep soundly until morning. Maybe it was because I was tired from sightseeing in 4 different places in Kagoshima and walking around.
Cost breakdown: Expressway Kagoshima Main Line -> Jonan Smart 2,790 yen / Admission fee 200 + 1,000 + 500 + 300 yen / Parking lot 300 yen / Food cost 520 + 138 + 750 yen / Charging 860 yen / Toothbrush 170 yen / Kaikatsu Club 2,930 yen
Distance 267km / Driving time 6h / Subtotal 10,458 yen
Day 7: Mount Aso and Saga
The Kaikatsu Club price is a 9-hour pack and then a 12-hour pack, so there is a big difference in price, so I woke up early, ate the free toast, left, and charged at Kumamoto SC so that I could get within 9 hours.
In Kumamoto, we will sightsee Mt. Aso. After preparing for the trip at ``Aso Volcano Museum'' in front of the crater, we headed to the crater. Along the way, there was a helicopter ride for sightseeing, and since I had never flown in a helicopter before, I decided to take a ride as it seemed like a good fit. There are plans for 3 minutes for 6,000 yen and 8 minutes for 12,000 yen, so I'll go with the 12,000 yen plan. We were leaving in about an hour, and we had made a good plan so that we would be able to take a leisurely tour of the crater by then. Head to the crater observation deck.
At the toll booth gate on the road leading to the crater, each vehicle was clearly warned by a staff member, ``Due to toxic gas being generated, those with chronic illnesses such as asthma cannot enter.'' It certainly smelled like gas at the gate, about 1km from the crater. If there is active volcanic activity, there may be days when entry is restricted due to entry restrictions. There were no problems on this day.
The Aso Nakadake crater is bigger than I imagined, and I'm shocked to think that there was enough energy to blow up the entire hole. There was a lot of smoke coming out of the crater and there was a fair amount of wind so we could see all the way to the surface. The monocular I bought on Shodoshima has been very useful. Monoculars are much more compact than binoculars, and even ones that cost 2,000 yen have 7x magnification, so monoculars are recommended for traveling.
After visiting the crater, we will take a sightseeing helicopter. This helicopter was a small, four-seater helicopter, and it was a highly agile vehicle that could easily sway from side to side in the slightest gust of wind, or tilt all at once when controlled by the pilot. The view from the sky was as good as expected. The shaking was so strong that I got a little sick, but it was only 8 minutes so I was fine.
Return to Kumamoto City from Mt. Aso and recharge at Kumamoto SC. For lunch, go to "Kumamoto Ramen Kurotei Main Branch. I waited in line for about 30 minutes to get the most popular item, egg ramen with two egg yolks. The pork bone ramen was eaten by breaking the egg yolk and mixing it in, and it was delicious.
Next is Nagasaki, and when I was researching Nagasaki sightseeing, I learned that there is the famous Gunkanjima tour. Departs from Nagasaki Port in Nagasaki City. I really wanted to go, so when I checked the ticket reservations online, the tickets for the next day were sold out. Since I have a morning flight the day after tomorrow, I decided to use the reserve day. Tonight, I decided to spend the night in Saga, which is halfway between Kumamoto and Nagasaki, and tomorrow I would go sightseeing in Sasebo before heading to Nagasaki City.
Since I activated my reserve day, I headed to Saga on the general road along the Ariake Sea.
The hotel is "Saga City Hotel" in front of Saga Station. Comes with a large bath. After taking a bath, I went to Meal Coffee Nagi to eat Sicilian rice, a local gourmet dish in Saga. This Sicilian rice was a B-class gourmet dish with dashi-flavored beef, cabbage, dressing, tomato and warm egg, and a Western-style beef bowl dish. It was quite delicious. It was voluminous, but I finished it all.
After the meal, I decided to walk to the entertainment district to burn off some calories. On the way, I had a conversation with a guy in his 30s who was talking, and I don't know if it was Saga dialect, but I couldn't really understand half of it. The entertainment district seemed small. I bought breakfast at a convenience store, returned to the hotel, took a bath, and went to bed.
Cost breakdown: Admission fee 1,100 yen / Parking lot 500 yen / Entrance fee 800 yen / Helicopter 12,000 yen / Charging 1,960 + 1360 yen / Food cost 367 + 900 + 300 + 120 + 1030 yen
Distance 173km / Travel time 5h / Subtotal 22,827 yen
Day 8: Sasebo and Nagasaki
Leave Saga and go to "Maritime Self-Defense Force Sasebo Archives" in Sasebo. I headed to Sasebo without doing any particular research other than this museum, but as I approached the port I saw 4 destroyers or Aegis ships anchored there, and I got excited. You can also see other unusual ships. I had no idea that Sasebo was such a military port. I decided to enjoy the view from a vantage point later, and arrived at the museum feeling excited. It is a 7-story building.
When I entered the museum, I briefly expressed my excitement to the man in charge, who seemed to be an active member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and while looking at his notes, he told me in detail the name of the ship that was anchored there and the fact that there was a US military base there. When I visited a place with a good view, I was told that it could be seen from the 7th floor of this building, so he followed me up to the 7th floor and explained it to me. Although I could see it from the 7th floor, it was hidden behind a building, so I asked if there was a place where I could see more, and they recommended several places and ``Yumiharidai Observation Deck'', so I decided to go there later. He also told us other trivia, such as why Sasebo was chosen as a military port (because it is surrounded by mountains, has calm winds and no waves). He was very talkative and could accurately talk about the dates of various events.
After speaking, you can move down from the 7th floor to see exhibits from the past to the present around the Russo-Japanese War. It has quite a lot of content, so if you are interested in the whole thing, I think you should watch it for at least an hour. It takes 2 hours including watching a movie inside the venue. I didn't see the movie myself.
After viewing the exhibits, we headed to Yumiharidai Observation Deck. It is located at the top of a fairly steep slope. The park where the observatory is located has a large parking lot, and the view was spectacular.
I wanted to see it even closer, so I went to Home Plaza Nafco Sasebo Minato Inter Store, which is located along the coast. I was able to see the ship much closer than before from the side of the parking lot, so I was satisfied.
To eat the Sasebo Burger, which you can't miss in Sasebo, go to "Stamina Honpo Kaya", which is a few kilometers away. They said it would be better to make a reservation over the phone, so I called them and they said they wouldn't keep me waiting, so I headed over without making a reservation. Perhaps because the location is across from an Aeon supermarket, the price of the hamburger seems to be for everyday people rather than for tourists.
I ordered a special burger with all the ingredients, and when I moved to the eat-in space, there were three cats there. Two of them are fast asleep. I love cats, so I took lots of pictures and waited for the finished product. After about 5 minutes, I was called, and since I was told that I wanted coke with my hamburger, I bought a plastic bottle of coke from the vending machine, and when I went back to eat in and was about to eat, one of them landed on the table. It's clearly aimed at Osusawake. I couldn't give him something so high in salt (I'm sure he eats it on a daily basis), so I ate it, looking at his wistful expression. It was a hamburger with a large fried egg.
Next is Nagasaki. The expressway from Sasebo will get you there faster, but I headed slowly from the general road on the Omura Bay side of Saikai City. My destination is an EV charger, but there are no Tesla SCs west of Saga. However, the one-time charges for general charging plans are quite expensive, so when I searched for it on a charger search app, I found ``Hashimoto Ohato EV Stand'', which offers free 44Kwh charging and free parking. 500 yen for 30 minutes, then 100 yen for every 30 minutes. E-mobility Power costs 1,500 yen and takes 30 minutes, so it's quite cheap compared to that. However, since there is only one plane, I was worried that it would be full, but luckily it was empty.
When I got out of the car and walked around with the intention of charging it for about an hour, I saw a sign that looked like a massage parlor right next to it. It was the 8th day of my trip and I was still doing some sightseeing, so I thought it was about time for a foot massage. However, the price is not listed. When I searched the internet for the signboard name ``Massage Relias,'' I found information that it was run by a blind woman, that the cost was 2,000 yen for 30 minutes, and that there were several positive reviews. I decided to give it a try since there was nothing else within the distance that I could return to within an hour, the price was reasonable, and there were good reviews.
The entrance was the back door of a so-called Showa-era house, and it was unlocked, so I had to press the intercom, which was quite a hurdle, but when I pressed it, the answer was exactly as I had read in the review, and the person was very friendly. The price was as per the information, so I asked for a lower body massage, mainly focusing on the soles of my feet. Although the inside was small, she was very skilled at massaging and was diligent about adjusting the pressure, so I was able to relax from my thighs to the soles of my feet.
After leaving the massage parlor, I returned to my car and went to a hotel in nearby Ginza-cho, ``Dormy Inn Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown'' for 7,000 yen for one night without meals. This is not my first time at a Kyoritsu Resort hotel, but it is my first time at Dormy Inn. It is one of the best services for a low-cost business hotel (slightly more expensive), such as free night snacks such as night noodle noodles and ice cream. Considering the rest of my schedule, I barely had time to change my clothes, so I went to wash my clothes after checking in. The laundry was free, and drying was 100 yen for 40 minutes. It seems that the slogan ``A hotel where you can live'' is not just an afterthought.
After taking a bath at the hotel, I looked up Nagasaki's local gourmet food and found out about Sasebo Lemon Steak, a teppanyaki steak with a steak sauce that uses a lot of lemon juice. A short walk from the hotel was a local chain restaurant called ``Gyuemon Hamamachi Branch'', so I decided to go there. It was definitely a lemony sauce, and it was perfect as a beer snack.
After I finished eating, I went for my usual walk around the entertainment district and went around Shianbashi Yokocho twice. There were many narrow alleys. Many shops were closed on certain days of the week, and there were few people walking around. I returned to the hotel and had a meal at Dormy Inn's free Yonai Soba.
I take a bath and go to bed. The clothes worn inside the hotel were very comfortable.
Cost breakdown: Expressway 1,530 yen (Takeo Minami Main Line uniform 300 yen / Saga Yamato->Takeo Minami 830 yen / Sasebo Misendai Main Line 290 yen / Sasebo Daito Main Line 110 yen) / Meal cost 1,628 yen / Charging 600 yen / Massage 2,000 yen / Parking lot 2,000 yen / Drying 100 yen / Hotel 7,000 yen
Distance 141km / Driving time 3.5h / Subtotal 14,858 yen
Day 9: Gunkanjima Tour, Then On to Fukuoka
Today is the Gunkanjima tour departing at 10:30. We will gather at "Gunkanjima Digital Museum," a Gunkanjima-themed museum located near the port. I bought breakfast at a convenience store and headed out. Perhaps because some of the remains of Gunkanjima are registered as a World Heritage Site and the island is famous, this museum seems to have been very well-funded. We arrived at 9 o'clock, but only about 30% of the participants were able to see it until after the meeting time of 10:00. It will probably take more than 2 hours to see everything. There seem to be several tours, and the one I chose was the "Gunkanjima Concierge' tour. It felt the most official as it included an admission ticket to the Gunkanjima Digital Museum.
When you gather on the second floor of the museum, a former island resident guide will begin to explain using a model. By the way, you can only listen to this explanation if you have a premium ticket or higher, which is tier 2 or higher of the 3 ticket grades. You can't listen to it with a standard ticket. The only tickets available two days in advance were standard or super premium tickets, so I decided to go with super premium. It was 10,310 yen. Enjoy the best seats on the ship, access to the observation deck, and drink service.
Gunkanjima, officially known as Hashima, is an island that was the base of a coal mine that closed in 1974. The guide said he was a junior high school student at the time of the mine's closure. When the mine is closed, all residents are separated from the island. The light talk and the story about the offshore coal mines, which I knew nothing about, were fresh and interesting, and before I knew it, it was time to leave the port.
There is also plenty of content on board. As we cruise, presentation materials are played on the monitor inside the ship, and we also have a lighthearted conversation explaining everything from Nagasaki trivia to Gunkanjima trivia. You will arrive without getting bored at all. It was great to land on Gunkanjima and see Gunkanjima itself up close. Even after landing, I heard many interesting stories about each point. The story of the salaries of coal miners is very impressive.Due to the high demand for the highest quality coal that could be obtained from Gunkanjima and the life-threatening nature of coal mining, the starting salary was said to be 10 times the daily wage of a university graduate at the time. 10 times, 10 times. A statistic that reflects this is that while the home appliance penetration rate at that time was 10% nationwide, it was 100% in households on Gunkanjima. Hyakuparsentete.
During the talk after landing, I was impressed by the guide frequently checking the time on his wristwatch.The reason for this was that several other tour companies were landing in quick succession, and if you were even a little late, you would be stuck behind and your remaining time would be shortened.
Gunkanjima is very hot at this time of year, so I bought ``Gunsho-kun's Castella Ice'' that was sold on the flight home and ate it, and it was delicious.
After returning to the port after 1:00 p.m., I went to the nearby "Shikairo" to eat Nagasaki Champon. It is said to be the birthplace of Nagasaki Champon. The restaurant floor had a nice view.
After eating, re-enter the museum and view the remaining exhibits. The video content was well made, so I watched it all.
Leave Nagasaki and head towards Fukuoka on the high-speed Nagasaki Expressway. On the way, there was emergency construction work due to a problem with the IC connection on the expressway, and we ended up stuck in a traffic jam that was worse than traffic jams, almost at a standstill. When I checked the length of the traffic jam on the map app, I found that I had only made about 30% of my progress in an hour. If you're not good at this, it will take more than 3 hours. I had made a reservation at a restaurant in Fukuoka to eat some delicious food, but I canceled because I didn't think I would be able to make it in time. The traffic jam cleared up in about 2 hours, and it took us 4 hours to reach Fukuoka instead of the planned 2 hours.
Fukuoka City was a city so developed that it had a high-speed system called the Urban Expressway, which was similar to the Metropolitan Expressway. As expected, it is the largest commercial area in Kyushu.
The hotel is "Hotel Vista Fukuoka [Nakasu Kawabata]". After relaxing in the public bath, I headed towards Nakasu, the entertainment district where I had planned to go, and searched for a restaurant. I ordered beer, mentaiko, and water eggplant. It was a very stylish and visually appealing arrangement. I also ate the fried tofu and paid the bill.
Stroll around Nakasu and the surrounding area and head to Nakasu Yatai Yokocho. I ate Hakata ramen at Yatai Hidechan Ramen, which has relatively good reviews on Google Maps.
After eating, I bought breakfast at a convenience store, returned to the hotel, took a bath, and went to bed.
Cost breakdown: Gunkanjima tour 10,310 yen / Nagasaki Dejima Road 100 yen / Nagasaki->Dazaifu Main Line 3,610 yen / Dazaifu Main Line 630 yen / Parking lot 550 + 1,000 yen / Gunkanjima tour 10,310 yen / Meals 250 + 1,210 + 350 + 750 + 328 yen
Distance 148km / Travel time 4h / Subtotal 18,760 yen
Day 10: Akiyoshidai, Kitakyushu, and the Ferry to Yokosuka
I wanted to eat something fancy and delicious in Fukuoka, so I went to Hakata Seafood Uoda, which serves a seafood bowl topped with a large amount of salmon roe and mentaiko. However, even though it was a weekday, there were a lot of people even before the store opened. When I read the QR code on the reception system, I was number 90. Since I'm going sightseeing in Yamaguchi today, my time in Fukuoka is limited, so I gave up on Uoda and went to Tekkadon's "Tuna Cuisine Kibun. When I ordered the top of the Tekka-don set meal, it was a hearty dish of Tekka-don, tuna sashimi, tuna-filled yam, and tuna-filled items. I feel like I ate a month's worth of tuna. I couldn't eat it all.
Leave the store and go to SC. 72Kwh SC located on the 3rd floor of Hotel Okura Fukuoka underground parking lot. I got lost at the entrance using the navigation system, and there were no guide boards inside the underground parking lot, so I finally got there after asking the staff for directions.
Today I am planning to go to Akiyoshidai in Yamaguchi. The sightseeing route to the limestone caves in Akiyoshidai is 1km long, so you'll want to allow at least 2 hours before the gates close. However, today I lost a lot of time by changing shops and getting lost since morning. I wanted to fully charge the battery since I would like to charge it here for the last time, but I had to balance it with the sightseeing time, so I rounded up the battery to the limit I thought I could, including the margin of error, and headed for Yamaguchi. We took the urban expressway Fukuoka Expressway, the Kyushu Jukan Expressway, the Kanmon Expressway which crosses over to Yamaguchi via the Shimonoseki Ohashi Bridge, and finally arrived at Akiyoshidai on the Chugoku Expressway.
Akiyoshidai has a large limestone cave called ``Akiyoshido''. I went without doing much research beforehand, but it was amazing. First of all, you will be surprised at the entrance of the large hole, which is too large to be called a cave. Once you enter, you will be speechless. The scale is just huge. I feel that the average width and height of the hole is over 25m. The muddy stream is flowing normally, and the sound is amazing. There were audio guides for each highlight, available in four languages, and the content was interesting.
If you take an elevator to get out of the 1km long cave path for about an hour, you can reach the Akiyoshidai Observation Deck. There was a steep uphill slope of about 300m from the cave exit, and it was a good amount of exercise. From the observation deck, we looked at the karst-shaped hills (the limestone cave itself is part of the karst terrain), and then headed back the way we came.
There is a special paid adventure route inside the cave. I had planned to take it on the way back, but it had already closed for the day. I definitely want to try it if I visit again.
After leaving the cave, we drove to ``Mine City Akiyoshidai Science Museum''. After looking at the exhibits related to Akiyoshidai inside the museum, I started to want to see the exposed karst, a terrain with dense limestone pillars that I saw in the photos of the exhibits, so I asked the museum staff (probably a researcher) where I could see it. The place he told me about was a 30-40 minute round trip walk over rough terrain from the time we arrived, and it looked like it was going to rain, so we decided not to go there. However, I was told about a driving route called Karstrode, which has a very nice view, so I decided to take it.
The Karstro Road was a very scenic drive route where you could drive slowly while overlooking Akiyoshidai, a hilly area with little forest. On the way, I saw a bare karst topography, so I stopped and looked at it with a monocular. I was glad that I finally got to see the exposed karst.
All sightseeing plans have now been completed. The ferry departing from Kitakyushu City and arriving at Yokosuka to return to Tokyo leaves at 23:45, so it's still before 18:00, so there's plenty of time left. Finally, I decided to eat something flashy and delicious, so I went back the way I came and went to ``Aozora Sakaba Maguro no Kiharuya'' in Kokura, Kitakyushu City, where I ate a sushi plate topped with salmon roe, sea urchin, green onion, and yamakake. It had a rich flavor and was delicious.
We bought food and drinks to take to the ferry at a convenience store and headed to Shinmoji Port. It's a big ship. I had some time until departure, so I opened my PC at the terminal and killed some time. When it was time to go back to the car, I went back, but I waited for over 30 minutes to board the ship. Suddenly, I realized that the battery was draining due to the car's air conditioning operating while I was waiting. My home is 62km from Yokosuka, but the remaining distance is 72km, which means there is only 10km left on the display. It seems that the Tesla Model 3 can run several tens of kilometers even when it reaches 0 km, but I was too worried, so I turned off the air conditioning and opened the windows to save battery.
You will be guided by a staff member to board the ship and go to your private room. The ticket I got this time is a private room called Tourist S that costs an additional 6,000 yen. Vehicle transportation fee is 40,000 yen for classes less than 5m long. The total is 46,000 yen. I think the cost performance is good considering the expressway fee, accommodation fee, gas (charging) fee, and physical exhaustion of returning from Kyushu to Tokyo. Prices vary depending on the season. We will arrive at 8:45 pm, so the voyage will take 20 hours, but you will be able to recover from the fatigue of your journey as you will be in a comfortable private room. There is also a free public bath and open-air bath. Tourist S does not have any amenities, so either rent them or bring your own. Cell phone signal is very weak and may not be available for several hours. There is almost no entertainment for adults on board. I had prepared for these, so I prepared by downloading e-books and Amapura movies. I am planning to write this travel diary as a way to kill time on the boat, so I won't miss anything.
After unpacking my luggage in my private room, I took a bath. It was very clean, spacious and comfortable. The sea breeze in the open-air bath feels good. It was night so I couldn't see the scenery.
After taking a bath, I wanted to have a drink, so I bought a 500ml can of beer and Jagariko at the shop, and had a drink with the fish sausage I had bought at the convenience store. I thought that the windows looked like futuristic space science fiction, and the combination of the fish and meat sausages made it look like a depiction of a dystopia. While we were eating and drinking, a man opened a seat and started eating cup ramen. While eating, I noticed that he was shaking a lot back and forth, and I thought something was wrong, but while he was eating, he stuck his face into the cup of ramen and fell down on the table with the juices all over the table. I was a little worried, so I checked on him and found that he was snoring loudly, so I'm not sure he's okay, but he seems to be fine. I finally felt like this place was like a dystopia. He got up after about 30 minutes, finished the noodles left in the cup, wiped the desk, and left.
The cell phone reception was surprisingly good, and I had fun killing time with drinks and my smartphone, so I bought an extra highball and got pretty drunk. I brushed my teeth and went to bed thinking about the introduction to my travel diary.
Cost breakdown: Fukuoka->Mine 3,270 yen / Mine->Moji 1,550 yen / Entrance fee 1,300 yen / Food cost 2,740 + 1153 + 2700 + 820 yen / Charging 910 yen / Ferry 46,000 yen
Distance 228km / Travel time 4h / Subtotal 60,443 yen
Day 11: The Final Day
I was able to sleep for about 7 hours without waking up in the middle of the night. I eat breakfast at a convenience store and take a morning bath. The open-air bath is bright outside and feels comfortable. When I got back and was lounging around in my private room, I fell asleep again. At noon, you will be woken up by the on-board announcement announcing that the ship's restaurant will be open. I wanted to eat something a little chunky, so I decided on the Miyazaki Prefecture Kijon Yamabuta pork cutlet set meal. They also have Kyushu-like menus such as Sasebo lemon steak and mentaiko gratin, so it's convenient if you miss out on local gourmet food. There is also a menu from Yokosuka River.
When I finished eating, I was full, so I lounged around in my private room again, and fell asleep from my full stomach. I wonder if this drowsiness is caused by the rocking of the ship or just the fatigue from the 10-day journey, but it's been a long time since I've slept this long.
I woke up in the evening and started writing my travel diary. After writing for a few days, the ship started to roll a lot and I felt like I was getting sick while sitting at my computer, so I'll end this here. Arrived on time. As I was slowly packing up my things, the person in charge rushed me. Unlike before departure, I feel like I don't have much free time. As soon as we got into the car, we were able to disembark. After disembarking, we were immediately taken out onto the public road, so we didn't have time to take any photos.
This car traveled about 2,000km on this trip, and we went along the coast a lot, so I looked for a gas station with a drive-through car wash to wash the car.
The roads around Yokosuka are extremely undulating, and the remaining cruising range quickly decreases, causing the buffer to shrink. Tesla's remaining range is quite accurate, so I'm worried, although I think it's okay. As I rode at high speed and saw more flat ground, the buffer returned, and when I arrived home I was safe with only 9km left.
I slept a lot on the ship, but when I got home, I took a shower and ate yogurt, and I felt sleepy and was able to sleep.
That's it for the travel diary. Thank you for your hard work.
Cost breakdown: Yokosuka->Kariba 750 yen / Shinbodogaya 320 yen / Hodogaya->Tamagawa 390 yen / Car wash 600 yen / Food cost 1,700 yen
Distance 55km / Driving time 1.5h / Subtotal 3,760 yen
Trip Statistics
Total vehicle mileage: 2,354km
Total vehicle running time: 50 hours
Total travel cost: 239,356 yen
How the Trip Changed Me
- Now that I have memorized the place names and location relationships in the Shikoku-Kyushu region, I have started to notice news about the Shikoku-Kyushu region.
- I wanted to ask how people in Kagoshima Prefecture actually support Takamori Saigo.
Things I Was Glad I Brought
- Lots of T-shirts. I wear at least one pair of clothes every day, and since I don't feel comfortable going into restaurants after sweating a lot, I sometimes end up using two pairs in a day.
Things I Wish I Had Brought
- monocular. When looking at a landscape, there are quite a few things that you want to zoom in on.
- toothbrush. Most hotels have it, but the Kaikka Club, dormitory, and ferry didn't have it. I have purchased disposables several times.
Things I Did Not Need
- A lot of underwear. Well, it's not that bulky, but you can use it for two days without sweating.
- Sub monitor for PC. During long sightseeing trips, I never worked so intensively that I needed a sub-monitor.
Precautions That Paid Off
- My bowel movements were always good, probably because I made sure to eat yogurt in the morning and at night.
- Avoiding raw foods as much as possible until the end. It's hot weather, so eating perishables is risky.
What I Would Reconsider Next Time
- The travel time was so long that I arrived at the hotel late, and I faced the next day without having fully recovered my physical strength. If possible, I should have made the schedule a little more flexible.
- It took me about a week to compile my travel diary after returning home. I wish I had set a schedule that would allow me to write every night.
- But I don't have any plans to go to Kyushu next, so I wanted to squeeze in. troublesome.
