Mount Aso and Onsen region - 23 May 2017

Japanese breakfast this morning at Spagreenness 

Tuesday, 23 May 2017

After a very tasty Japanese breakfast at our resort we drove around the Kuju highlands, where we saw cows grazing in the meadow. Wow, the first cows we spotted in Japan. The black cows that deliver the famous wagyu meat, that by the way, is also very expensive here in Japan. 

But first some impressions of Spagreenness, our lovely home for 2 nights:

our room 

our 'bathroom' with private Onsen

our 'home' with the private Onsen and the garden.

worth making a picture of these carefully cut trees and shrubs

wagyu

Our target today: take the road up to the volcano ring of Mount Aso, however, when we arrived there we found out that due to increased volcanic activity the road as well as the cable car were closed. Damn.

bottom right: smoke coming from Mount Aso

the soft earth of the hills comes down regularly, judged to the many closed road sections we passed

rice fields everywhere in the vast Caldera of Mount Aso

We visited picturesque Kurokawa-Onsen, a small mountain town that is frequented by many Japanese, and foreigners, to use the various hot springs. The town's lanes are lined by ryokan, public bath houses, attractive shops and cafes, and bridges that lead over the river directly to ryokan entrances.

We had a beer, a snack (sort of small hamburger) of horse meat and an ice cream in one of the shops in the 'main street'.  

 bottom right: rusty pipes used for transport of thermal water

After an extensive 'dip' in our private Onsen, we had the best Japanese dinner of this holiday at Nagayama, the restaurant next door. So refined, loved it.
So here are the mandatory food pics:

left: great beef for the shabu shabu, 

middle: this is how the fish used for the sashimi is presented in restaurants

top right: sashimi on an ice ball

bottom right: small bites as starters

sushi in a different way (red bell pepper, vegetable, beef, corn and ham)

 

left: bell pepper filled with a shrimp, 

middle wagyu beef, 

right: ginger sorbet and cheesecake as dessert

Tomorrow is our last day in Japan. We will return to Fukuoka, where we will deliver our rental car.

Difficult to grasp that our super holiday that seemed endless, is going to end.

dikke kus

Carina

Tombs, a gorge and a super resort - 22 May 2017

on the road

Monday, 22 May 2017

Leaving the Sheraton hotel after breakfast and on the road again for several hours coz today we have to cover several kilometers to reach our new home for 2 nights; Resort Spagreenness; wow what an awesome resort, love this place with spacious/minimalistic rooms, a terrace, a private onsen (!) and with a view on mount Aso. Superb.

BUT before heading for Spagreenness we visited:

• the tombs of Saitobaru, which are dating back to 300-6000 AD
  impressive

the largest tomb, which we could enter

harvesting at the tea plantation opposite the tombs

another tomb

fortunately didn't see them ... yet

Next stop the Takochiho gorge with the famous waterfall, where you can hire a rowing boat and canoe around for 30 minutes in the gorge (with many others).

This was one of my Kyushu bucket list destinations; a must do. Loved it!

Peter loved it toooo

the gorge with waterfall seen from the view point

worshipping

waiting in line

mmm not easy to not finger at the other ones ..... (google translate ?)

Fun

after our boat trip we had a drink (cold coffee) at the restaurant above the river/gorge, where they apparently also serve 'hormone pork'

 Continuing our journey along rice fields and mount Aso:

After arrival at Spagreenness we of course extensively used our private onsen and afterwards had a super dinner at the onsite restaurant (mandatory food pics)

explaining to our host, who only speaks Japanese

salad, soo posh

fried fish and vegetable soup

sashimi served on an ice ball

Happy here at this temp home.
dikke kus
Carina