John Harvey Photo

Kurokawa and Takachiho

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Kurokawa Hot Springs

Tofu Lunch
Kurokawa hot spring is collection of 24 onsen ryokan - Traditional hot spring baths with attached traditional inn's.  The inns are booked for months in advance, but are beautiful traditional buildings.  We drove the half hour from Oguni and arrived in Kurokawa just before lunch.  We visted our first hot spring (split up - we were a large group).   After a relaxing soak we got together and had lunch at a vegetarian tofu store.  Mmm, so good.


Tea Pot Over LogEntrance To Ryokan
A few Inn's sell hard boiled eggs, cooked in the hot spring water.  We visited two more springs - we were getting very clean!

Eggs Cooking

I was to busy soaking in hot springs to take photos (and I doubt the inns would appreciate my camera), so you'll just have to visit yourself!

Takachiho Gorge

Klenex And Egg Sandwich
If you read the guide book, there is one route from Kumamoto to Beppu - through Takachiho.  When we got our hands on real maps, we found the route wasn't as direct as we hoped.  We arrived late at Takachiho and missed the play they are famous for, but we didn't miss the Takachiho gorge - a wonderful bit of geography.

Eric And Gabi In BoatEnd Of Gorge

The boats are available for rent (they hold 3 people) at 1500 yen for 20 minutes.  The gorge itself is carved out of volcanic rock and water falls gently cool the air.  We arrived early in the morning so the gorge wasn't very crowded.

Falls And RaysTakachiho FallsMark Rowing
  
Pond With Carp
We had a great morning, but we had to get to Beppu (and the rail network) and get Eric and Gabi home so they could teach the next morning. We decided to take a twisty road to Beppu (it was an unbelievable road).  We arrived at Beppu shortly before dark and with the help of a kind taxi driver, we found our hotel and said goodbye to Gabi and Eric.  Thanks!


Next: Beppu



Tea Pot Over Log
Tags: architectural decoration, Japan
End Of Gorge
Location: Go To...
Tags: boat, columnar basalt, crepuscular rays, Japan
Eric And Gabi In Boat
Person: Eric, Gabi
Klenex And Egg Sandwich
Tags: Japan, shopping
Eggs Cooking
Location: Go To...
Tags: eggs, hot spring, Japan
Pond With Carp
Tags: garden, Japan, pond
Mark Rowing
Person: Mark
Takachiho Falls
Tags: boat, columnar basalt, Japan, waterfall
Falls And Rays
Tags: bridge, crepuscular rays, Japan, waterfall
Tofu Lunch
Tags: Japan, lunch
Entrance To Ryokan
Tags: Japan, lantern
Tags: Japan(9), crepuscular rays(2), Do Not Tag(2), waterfall(2), columnar basalt(2), boat(2)
People: Mark(1), Eric(1), Gabi(1)
From: John Harvey Photo > Trips out of the Country > A Second Trip to Japan > Kurokawa Hot Spring and Takachiho Gorge

The Takachiho Gorge is just beautiful...your photos are very nice.It is a pity you didn't have time to visit the Amano Iwato-Jinga Shrine about 8 kilometres out of the town and in particular the Amano Yasugawara Cave Shrine which is very interesting....and a beautiful walk beside a river and through forest to get there.

The Kagura Dances were interesting.....but a bit long.Certainly nice to have seen a bit of the history of the area.

This is certainly a "must visit" destination for visitors to Kyushu.

Gail Gillespie
Friday, December 11th, 2009 at 01:23:27

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