Day 3 -On the trail of the last Samurai
Trip Start
Dec 17, 2007
1
5
30
Trip End
Feb 14, 2008
Kagoshima,
Japan
Thursday, December 20, 2007
I wanted to have a nice sleep since it was a nice room and bed (plus expensive) so I wanted to get my moneys worth. Unfortunately, when I have an early wake-up (6 am) along with the fact I was worried about missing the train (and if there is a 7am train), I couldn't sleep and woke up every hour. 6 am finally came and I was soon out the door but what about the room key? Since it is a small inn, it is not staffed 24 hours. I went up to the front shed and no was there. I saw a board with hooks with the room name next to each one and "Thank you" was written on the board so I guessed that this is where I had to put the key
The Nichiren express
.The sun had yet to rise and I could see the dark shape of the Yufuin mountain looming over the quiet quiet Yufuin town. It was a cold morning, near freezing and the bare rice fields were covered in frost while steam rose from the ditches and streams from the hot water coming from the onsens.
Got to the station with plenty of time to catch the local train to Oita city. It was nice ride of an hour down the valley to the built up city where I bought my papers and bread for my breakfast just in time to catch the Nichiren red arrow express for Miyazaki which was over 3 hours away. The Red Arrow was a little letdown from the day before train, Yufuin no Mori, it was a nice red train outside and inside was a little old and there were no cute train attendants this time. As the train headed south, Oita was pretty well developed and I saw one huge cement complex with the mountain half gone as it was being used for the making cement. But gradually, the train climbed into the mountains that separate Oita and Miyazaki. The train was a creeper as it just crept along the twisty single rail tine.
The train made it to Nobeoka which I have visited over 10 years ago with my friend KF to visit his relatives
The cat
. Nobeoka was just like I remember it, a kind of Grey industrial city. What I really remember about that trip is when we visited his father's hometown in the mountains which was fantastic. A large old farmhouse in the mist of terraced rice fields on the side of the mountain which I will always cherish. I do remember eating the most delicious yakitori in Nobeoka, the best in Japan according to KF's uncle which I believe.The train made it to Miyazaki and AI just had a few minutes between trains so I bought a Hyugadori ekiben and some water to eat for my lunch. The lunch box featured some of the famous Miyazaki chicken which was delicious. I transfered to the Kirishima Red Arrow express train (basically the same train) to go the little over 2 hours to Kagoshima. One of the interesting things about traveling around Japan is that you can see the different farming practices of Japan. Here, I saw in the fields, long racks in an A frame, drying something. I couldn't get a good look at what actually they were doing.
I made it to Kagoshima and took a street car the short distance to my inn. After a bit of a search (I am blaming it on the map), I found the inn tucked in a back street. After ringing the bell, the inn keeper came out to check me in. The inn was of course a big letdown from the precious nights palace with the private outdoor bath but is cost 66% less and the inn keeper was very friendly and showed me on the map where to go.
I didn't have an exact plan but headed up the hill pass the ruins of the castle to have a good view of the city and Sakurajima which a big volcano across the bay. The weather was hazy so I didn't get the best view of the mountain
Sakurajima
. The bay is huge and I could see the ferries crossing to Sakurajima along with two Japanese naval destroyers at anchor.As I was making my little hike, I saw signs talking about Saigo Takamori, the real last samurai and whose life, the movie, "The Last Samurai" was partially based on. Saigo led a samurai rebellion in 1877. After a few early victories in Kyushu, his army was driven down south to his hometown of Kagoshima following a route similar that I took. He holed up in some caves with 400 of his men and held off the government troops for awhile before he was shot twice and hold his retainer "Shin, my friend, this is as far as I go" before having the retainer cut his head off in a manner similar to seppuku. I went to the place where he died where a monument stood besides apartment blocks and the rail line.
Then I headed down to the ferry port which is quite large as there are many ferry lines to the islands south of Kagoshima and Okinawa. I am a little sad as AI wanted to take the ferry to Yakushima to see the ancient Jomon ceder trees. There is a nice development called "Dolphin Port" which houses many shops and res taunts arrayed in a a crescent facing Sakurajima. There didn't seem to be very many people and I drank some apple juice in a nice cafe and wrote in my journal and I was the only customer
Where the last samurai died
. I went to an another restraint in the complex and had Ebitendon (shrimp tempura over rice). It was OK.I headed back to the inn but I was thinking of going to an onsen either up on the hill near the Saigo monument which was outside or one near the inn which was more like a sento, public bath. I was tired and I had never been to a sento so that is where I went. Entered the men's side, paid the 350 yen and took a bath while listening to Enka (Japanese music for old people). They had several different baths to choose from; a cold bath (too cold), a regular tub with jets (nice), a salt bath (too hot) and another bath with water that looked like light-green anti-freeze that was supposed to be good for many health problems (despite the color, felt pretty good). After the bath, the short walk back to my small room where I had a good sleep.
Tomorrow, Nagasaki.
Note: Sorry, I am a couple days behind updating my journal as I didn't have access to a computer. I want to thank everyone who is reading this.
Comments
hello
Hi there! It's very nice to read your descriptions, thanks for posting! No pictures?
Cheers,
Hila