Tag: kyushu
Lafcadio Hearn’s Kumamoto Residence: Home is Where the Bugs Bite
Nestled in downtown Kumamoto city, Lafcadio Hearn's former home offers insight into his complicated life. Plus, free mosquitoes!
Exploring Amano-Iwato, the Celestial Cave, in Miyazaki Prefecture
Entering the cave at Amano Iwato Shrine
The story of Amano Iwato Shrine and its celestial cave begins with the tale of the divine couple Izanagi-no-kami and Izanami-no-kami who give birth to the Japanese islands and various other...
Three Days in Fukuoka: Food Stalls, Islands and Hakata Ramen
One of Japan’s 10 most populated cities, Fukuoka is a bustling, vibrant place. With white-sand beaches, blue water, fresh seafood and sumptuous Hakata style ramen, there's so much to do and eat that you'll likely want to return to sample it some...
Canal City: A Shopping Oasis in Central Fukuoka
Called the oasis within the city, Canal City is a massive complex housing hundreds of shops, a theatre, game centre, cinemas, two hotels and a namesake canal that winds through it all. With everything you need to shop until you drop, rest...
Family Fun At Fukuoka’s Uminonakamichi Seaside Park
If you’re searching for a fun family activity in Fukuoka, look no further than Uminonakamichi Seaside Park. Located on a thin peninsula opposite the city, with the Genkai Sea on one side and Hakata Bay on the...
Your Complete Nagasaki Itinerary: Hills, History and Happy Days
Located on the southern Kyushu Island, Nagasaki is a different kind of Japanese city. When the nation’s borders were closed to much of the world, it served as the main access point for foreign trade and the Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch influences...
Exploring Fukue Island: A Goto Island Adventure in Nagasaki
The Goto Islands are an archipelago of 140 islands located off the west coast of Kyushu. As the name would suggest, there are five main islands, the southernmost of which, Fukue, is the largest in the chain. Goto is famous for its...
A Day Trip to Ainoshima: Fukuoka’s Cat Island
Peaceful scenes on the cat island
If you’re even a little bit of a cat person, it will interest you to know that Japan has a number of ‘cat islands’ off its coasts. Over time, the number of...
Rare Treasures and Chinese Architecture at Nagasaki Confucius Shrine
On my first day in Nagasaki, I wanted to explore the cluster of historical attractions in the city’s south-east, to learn more about the interesting mix of cultures that make up modern-day Nagasaki. First on my route was the Confucius Shrine (or...
Doza and Shianbashi: Secret Shrines and Nagasaki Nightlife
I first stepped into Shianbashi, Nagasaki’s best nightlife area, around lunchtime. It was predictably quiet, with most places shuttered up after a long night’s trade. I would witness the infamous evening atmosphere a bit later on, but...
