Gaijinpot: 5 Historical and Quirky Places to Visit in Kyushu

Above, the Peace Statue at Nagaski Peace Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that Japan will be welcoming foreign tourists again in four days, it is now the time to take a look at what places to visit while there.

Gaijinpot has posted five historical and quirky places to visit in Kyushu. I visited Kyushu back in 2007 and enjoyed the trek there.

For daikaiju eiga fans, Kyushu was prominent in Rodan (1956), including Mt. Aso, Sasebo City and Fukuoka. Fukuoka was featured in Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995). While visiting the seven on the list, side trips to other sites are worth one's while. They are covered in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

They begin with:

Kyushu is Japan’s southernmost main island and the third largest after Hokkaido. There are seven prefectures that make up the island: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima. These prefectures are home to a handful of active volcanoes (26 to be exact), world-class hot spring towns and great local cuisine.

While not as popular as Okinawa or Kyoto there’s an undeniable charm to each prefecture that make up this island. From Kokura Castle in Kita-Kyushu down to Sakurajima in Kagoshima, many other destinations await the eager explorer.

Here are our top five spots to get you started on planning your Kyushu adventure.

 To read more, go here.

Japan: Deepest Earthquake Ever Detected

Japan is well known for its volcanoes and earthquakes. It is right on the Pacific's "Ring of Fire".

Many volcanic eruptions have been noted in recorded history, most recently it was Mount Aso in Kyushu and the Tohoku Earthquake (the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami) is still fresh in people's minds despite having taken place ten years ago.

An interesting earthquake took place under Japan's Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Islands) several years ago. At a depth of 423 miles, it was one of the deepest earthquakes ever recorded. National Geographic has posted an interesting article about it.

They begin it with:

One spring evening six years ago, hundreds of miles underground, our planet began to rumble from a series of peculiar earthquakes. Most of Earth's temblors strike within a few dozen miles of the surface, but these quakes stirred at depths where temperatures and pressures grow so intense that rocks tend to bend rather than break.

The first jolt, which struck off the coasts of Japan's remote Bonin Islands, was recorded at magnitude 7.9 and up to 680 kilometers (423 miles) underground, making it one of the deepest quakes of its size. Then another oddity emerged in the cascade of aftershocks that followed: a tiny temblor that, if confirmed, would be the deepest earthquake ever detected.

 To read more, go here.

Mount Aso On Kyushu Erupts

Mount Aso on Kyushu, Japan should be a familiar place to fans of Godzilla and related kaiju movies.

Above, inside Aso Volcano Museum in 2007. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was where the Rodans met their demise in Rodan (1956). I paid a visit to Mount Aso National Park in 2007. I couldn't see much as a snowstorm blew into the area at the same time I was there. However, I was able to see inside of the crater through television monitors set up in the visitor center.

Well, the old mountain has decided to erupt again.

Reuters reported:

TOKYO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A volcano erupted in Japan on Wednesday, blasting ash several miles into the sky and prompting officials to warn against the threat of lava flows and falling rocks, but there were no reports of injuries or casualties.

Mount Aso, a tourist destination on the main southern island of Kyushu, sent plumes of ash 3.5 km (2.2 miles) high when it erupted at about 11:43 a.m. (0243 GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

It raised the alert level for the volcano to 3 on a scale of 5, telling people not to approach, and warned of a risk of large falling rocks and pyroclastic flows within a radius of about 1 km (0.6 mile) around the mountain's Nakadake crater.

 To read more, go here. 

Kyushu: 5 Hidden Gem Places

Above, a snow-covered shrine at Mt. Aso Volcano National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2007, I spent several days at Japan's westernmost island of Kyushu. It was one memorable trip that I recommend to others.

Once the pandemic ends (whenever that'll be), Kyushu is a place to seriously look into during Japan vacation planning.

Japan Today has posted five "hidden gem" places that deserve a visit.

They begin with:

TOKYO - As someone who has been in Kyushu for over ten years, I can attest that it’s a pretty nice place to live. The island consists of seven prefectures: Fukuoka, Oita, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima, and often Okinawa is included too. 

Kyushu is much more laid back than its mainland counterpart, and people here are friendly and full of character. Where else can you can enjoy city life with beautiful scenic views just a stone’s throw away? I wouldn’t trade living down here for Tokyo at all. 

However, Kyushu is often overlooked in people’s Japan itineraries. A shame, because you miss out on visiting places like the Nagasaki Peace Museum, Kumamoto Castle, or other great sightseeing spots. But Kyushu has much more to offer than what a cursory Google search might tell you. Where are the places that the locals like to visit? Here are a couple for you!

To read more, go here. 

Visit Old Japanese Naval Port Towns of Maizuru, Kure and Sasebo

Above, the Hario Towers near Sasebo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2007, I took a trip down to Kyushu to visit several places of historical and kaiju history.

While there, I visited Kumamoto, Mount Aso Volcano National Park, Sasebo, Nagasaki and Fukuoka.

Tokyo Cheapo has an article on visiting Japan's old port towns, which includes Sasebo. In the Sasebo portion of their article, they focused on the Hario Towers, purportedly the towers that transmitted the signal to the Japanese fleet to attack Pearl Harbor. Near the towers, is the Saikai Bridge that was featured in Rodan (1956).

Above, the Saikai Bridge near Sasebo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are a submarine fan, there is a port town (Kure) where submarines can be viewed and a museum dedicated to the Japanese battleship, Yamato.

They begin their article with:

Many visitors to Japan limit their sightseeing to the country’s major cities, like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. Beyond those hot spots, however, exists a wealth of history and culture in local areas that can offer unique tourist opportunities. Consider Maizuru, Kure and Sasebo—three old Japan port towns chock-full of natural beauty, historical attractions and nautical adventures.

To see the full article, go here.

Access To Mt. Aso Crater Resumed

Above, yours truly at the Mt. Aso Ropeway station in 2007.

For those wanting to visit Mt. Aso Volcano National Park in Kyushu, there's some good news.

The Japan National Tourism Organization reported:

Partners Information: Access to Kumamoto Prefecture’s Mt Aso has restarted with the new Mt Aso Loop Shuttle Bus operated by Kyushu Sanko Tourism Co., ltd. 

This bus provides alternative transport to the Mt Aso Ropeway, which is still currently out of operation. 

Large sized coaches cannot access the crater area so guests must use this Loop Shuttle Bus. 

The Mt Aso Loop Shuttle Bus is wrapped in Kumamon, the symbolic icon and popular mascot of Kumamoto. The inside is also fully decorated with Kumamon.
Enjoy the ride and the amazing scenery of Mt Aso.

To read more, go here. 

Tourism To Mt. Aso's Crater Area Resumes

Above, the Mt. Aso Museum lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The volcano featured in the 1956 Toho feature, Rodan had caused the suspension of tourism to the crater area after an eruption three years ago.

It is now re-opened.

The Japan Times reported:

KUMAMOTO – Local authorities reopened a crater area of Mount Aso on Wednesday to tourists for the first time in over three years following diminished volcanic activity and the installation of safety measures. 

The crater on the 1,592-meter active volcano had been one of the most popular tourist spots in Kumamoto Prefecture before it was closed to visitors in August 2014 after a small-scale eruption. 

About 60 people from the local governments and sightseeing industry attended a ceremony in a park 1 kilometer from the crater to celebrate the reopening. They hope it will lead to the revitalization of the local economy, which is reeling from a series of huge earthquakes that hit the region in April 2016.

I visited Mt. Aso 11 years ago, but I didn't get to see too much as a blizzard hit the national park at the time.

Above, yours truly at the Mt. Aso ropeway station in 2007.

To read more, go here. 

Nagasaki Itinerary For 3-Days, Two-Nights

Above, the Nagasaki Peace Statue. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2007 (Wow! Seven years ago!), I took a whirlwind tour around Kyushu to visit Mt. Aso (I stayed in Kumamoto), Sasebo, Nakasaki and Fukuoka. I wrote about this trip in detail in an article in G-FAN.

On that trip, I had a JR Rail Pass that got me from Tokyo to Kyushu on the shinkansen and then around Kyushu aboard several commuter trains. I saved a lot of money doing so.

City-Cost.com has posted their three-day/two-night itinerary in an article to show what the costs they incurred to give readers an idea on how much money to bring. They flew from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Kyushu.

They begin with:

Anyone who follows us on Instagram will have likely noticed a deluge of ‘grams’ sent out through the SNS ether originating from Nagasaki. It was our first time visiting the city in southern Kyushu and we can hand on heart say they we loved it. Nagasaki is quite unlike any place we’ve ever been to in Japan, both visually and in terms of atmosphere. Hemmed in by mountains and sea, the way the city spreads up the mountain slopes, from a distance almost reminded us of Rio de Janeiro (the abundance of churches adding to the effect). Atmospherically, coming from Tokyo, Nagasaki moves at a distinctly slower pace, and is all the better for it. The local people also, seem to be far more at peace and are some of the friendliest we have encountered in Japan.  Our trip was a three day / two night quickie and given that we’re all about how much things cost in Japan, we thought it might be useful to try and document our spending during our time in Nagasaki and thus help others to budget for their short breaks in the city and get a sense of how much money they might need to bring.  This budget breakdown is loosely listed according to our itinerary across our time in Nagasaki.

To see more, go here. 

Mount Aso Erupts Over Weekend

Above, yours truly at the Mount Aso ropeway station in 2007.

Kyushu has been getting a lot of attention in recent months. But it is the kind of attention they don't want or need.

According to the Japan Times:

Still reeling from a series of earthquakes beginning in April, Kumamoto Prefecture is once again experiencing nature's fury, this time in the form of Mount Aso's eruption Saturday. 

Besides being on high alert for another volcanic eruption, Kumamoto residents are growing increasingly concerned about the long-term prospects for the prefecture’s tourism industry, which has yet to recover to pre-quake levels.

Kaiju fans are familiar with Mount Aso as the site of the final battle in Rodan (1956). I visited Mount Aso in 2007. I didn't get to see much as the area was hit by a blizzard during my visit.

Mount Aso is spotlighted in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan on page 46.

To read more, go here.

Eruption At Mount Aso

Above, the snow-covered parking lot of Mount Aso's ropeway station in 2007. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Kumamoto area has been rocked by two big earthquakes and aftershocks. Now comes news that something is happening at Mount Aso, which may or may not be related.

The Japan Times reported:

A small eruption occurred at Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture on Saturday around 8:30 a.m. local time following a strong earthquake in the area, with smoke rising about 100 meters (300 feet) high, public broadcaster NHK reported.

I visited Mount Aso in 2007. I couldn't see much as the national park was having a blizzard at the time.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Aiming For 10 Million Foreign Visitors To National Parks

Above, the Mount Aso Museum lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Most people who visit Japan primarily just visit the "golden route" of major cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto and don't bother seeing rural areas or the national parks. Yes, folks, Japan has national parks.

During my 2007 visit to Japan, I traveled down to Kyushu to visit Mount Aso Volcano National Park. Although my visit was during a spring blizzard, I still felt the visit was worth it. It was definitely a very interesting experience!

For kaiju fans, Mount Aso Volcano National Park was featured in Rodan (1956).

The Japanese government is making plans to promote their national parks to foreign visiors.

Jiji Press reported:

Kushiro, Hokkaido, March 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan aims to more than double the annual number of foreign visitors to national parks in the nation to 10 million by 2020, Environment Minister Tamayo Marukawa said Monday.  

To achieve the goal, the Environment Ministry will develop tours tailored to foreign visitors based on model projects to be implemented in five national parks and provide an environment friendly to foreigners, such as multiple-language directories.

To read more, go here. 

Tourists Evacuated From Mount Aso

Above, the Mt. Aso Museum lobby in 2007. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japanese authorities have said that the eruption of Mount Aso on the island of Kyushu was a surprise.

The alert level for the volcano is now at Level 3, which prohibits entry to the mountain.

According to the Japan Times:

Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture erupted at 9:43 a.m. Monday, sending ash 2,000 meters into the sky and forcing the evacuation of dozens of tourists, the Meteorological Agency said. 

Police and other authorities said about 30 tourists who were near the crater at the time of the eruption were safely evacuated, and the government said there were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties. 

The Meteorological Agency warned any tourists in the area to evacuate quickly.

I visited Mount Aso in 2007 and only had to contend with a spring blizzard.

To read more, go here. 

Mount Aso Erupts

Above, a screen capture from a YouTube video of the eruption.

The volcano made famous in the 1956 feature, Rodan, erupted today.

According to Reuters:

Mount Aso, a volcano located on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, erupted on Sept. 14, Japan's Meteorological Agency said, sending up huge plumes of grey ash and smoke. 

Japan lies on the "Ring of Fire"--a horseshoe-shaped band of fault lines and volcanoes around the edges of the Pacific Ocean--and is home to more than 100 active volcanoes. 

Last year, Mount Ontakesan in central Japan erupted unexpectedly, killing 63, the worst volcanic disaster for nearly 90 years. In May, a remote island south of Kyushu was evacuated due to another eruption.

Gaijinpot: 24 Hours In Nagasaki

Above, a Nagasaki streetcar arriving at a station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2007, I went to Kyushu to visit several locales used in Japanese giant monster movies such as Mount Aso, Sasebo and Fukuoka. Along with those places, I went to the city of Nagasaki to see the Peace Museum and park.

The train ride to Nagasaki is very scenic and well worth the trip.

Gaijinpot.com has posted an article on one person's 24-hour visit to Nagasaki. Nagasaki itself wasn't featured in any kaiju movie, but the 1945 atomic bombing of the city did serve as an inspiration of Godzilla.

If one should visit Kyushu, a stop to take in the attractions of Nagasaki should be included in one's itinerary. The main mode of public transportation are the Nagasaki streetcar lines. They will take visitors to most of the city's attractions. Besides that, they're fun to ride.

The article begins with:

Nagasaki is Japan’s most international city. Tokyo is of course more cosmopolitan and the Kansai area definitely has more foreigners but Nagasaki is the only Japanese city that truly feels international. Where the rest of Japan has added and adopted elements of foreign cultures only recently, Nagasaki has been Japan’s international center for hundreds of years. 

This makes it a special place to visit because it is historically unique. It is also a great place to visit because, in my opinion, it is the perfect one-day city. There is plenty to do in Nagasaki, and yet not so much that it will overwhelm you. Of course with more time, you can see all that the city has to offer, but in one (very busy) day you can take in all of Nagasaki’s main attractions and get a taste of the international flavour that the city is so famous for.

To read more, go here. 

Tourism Impacted By Mount Aso Eruptions

Source: Google Maps.

Outside of the Tokyo metropolitan area, Kyushu has the largest concentration of kaiju-related locations and landmarks.

They include:

• Fukuoka (featured in Rodan, Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla and Gamera: Guardian of the Universe)
• Sasebo (featured in Rodan)
• Mount Aso (featured in Rodan)

Of these places, Mount Aso is currently somewhat off-limits due to a magmatic eruption of the volcano on November 25. There is currently a no-entry alert within 1 kilometer of the crater. But some local businesses are trying to find ways of getting around this.

According to the Asahi Shimbun:

ASO, Kumamoto Prefecture--Although the continuing eruption of Mount Aso is hurting tourism, including the cancellation of accommodations in the surrounding area, local businesses are trying to lure visitors back, even promoting the view of the smoking mountain.

The volcano is still continuing to spew smoke. This is causing financial hardship for businesses who rely on tourists.

Mount Aso is spotlighted on page 45 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read more, go here.

Newest Blog Post Pick-ups

The good folks at The Japan Daily picked up several blog posts from here (and one from Monster Island News) for sharing with their readers.

They are:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

Latest Blog Post Pick-ups

The fine folks at The Japan Daily have picked up three blog posts from yesterday for sharing with their readers.

They are:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

Mt. Aso Eruption

Back in April 2007, I paid a visit to the Mt. Aso Volcano National Park in Kyushu. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see much as the park was having a blizzard at the time.

The volcano decided to erupt this week and the above photo is a screen capture of a news report video posted at News On Japan about the eruption from FNN News in Japan. The Iwao Temple Okuno-in can be seen in the background.

The reporter was standing near the ropeway station from where I took the photo below.

Above, the Iwao Temple Okuno-in. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To see the video of the eruption, go here.

Mount Aso Rumbles To Life

Above, the Mt. Aso Museum lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Either Rodan has awakened or Mount Aso is throwing a fit.

The Japan Times reported:

A huge volcano in southern Japan was belching smoke and ash 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) into the air on Wednesday, the latest eruption in one of the world’s most volcanically active countries. 

Mount Aso, whose huge caldera dominates Kyushu, rumbled into life on Tuesday.

To read more, go here. 

JR West Introducing New Travel Passes To Visit The "Land of Rodan"

Above, the Saikai Bridge near Sasebo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Fans wanting to visit the "Land of Rodan" can do so more cheaply thanks to three new travel passes for foreigners from JR West.

According to Kyodo News:

West Japan Railway Co. said Wednesday it will expand its lineup of unlimited ride passes for foreign travelers from next March. 

By newly offering three area passes that can be used in western Japan, the company, better known as JR West, aims to explore new demand from foreign travelers in connection with next year's 40th anniversary of the Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train line between Osaka and Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Hakata Station is in Kyushu's largest city, Fukuoka. From there, visitors can travel to Mount Aso Volcano National Park and Sasebo City (and the nearby Saikai Bridge), where much of the action in Rodan (1956) took place.

To read more, go here.