Shimabara Peninsula, this is where we visited the volcanoes and hot springs around Unsen, see earlier post 6.a 2 to 6 Mar – From Amami-Oshima to north of Nagasaki. Starting from south we passed some nice rice terraces with solid stone walls (notice their angle). We stayed 2 nights at Shimabara-Shi, a nice town on …
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6.c 2 to 6 Mar – Even more along the way from Amami-Oshima to Shimabara
4th March … continuing from last post, so still in Amakusa but leaving Hondo city. We had heard of a sea salt production… But also found a small factory processing wakame a seaweed used for instand in traditional miso soup or simply as salad. As it was the girls’ day shops were selling dolls… for …
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6.b 2 to 6 Mar – More along the way from Amami-Oshima to Shimabara
There was more than the volcano and Shimabara Rebellion, more in the line of classic tourism… Amami-Oshima: We parted from the Gomairu team… Rented a car for 3000¥, pickup and left at different town, no need to refill! And went along west coast from end to end. At Nagara bay, we ask few questions to …
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6.a 2 to 6 Mar – From Amami-Oshima to north of Nagasaki
Between WWOOF 2 and WWOOF 3 we did a bit of sightseeing. First across Amami-Oshima to Naze, where we took a night ferry to Kagoshima (on Kyushu main island). Then we rented a car from Kagoshima and went up north along the coast to take a car-ferry to Amakusa’s main island (Shimoshima), overnighting at Amakusa-Shi …
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5.d 17 Feb to 2 Mar – Other experiences during our stay at 5-Mairu
Sugar cane factory We went back to see that sugar factory in action… seems to be the same recipe and tools for generations. Yoga sessions Although tiny island with even tinier village, a lot of activities seemed to be organized to make it all a bit more lively… We joined two session of the yoga …
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5.c 17 Feb to 2 Mar – Around half of Kakeromajima
On our second day, a day off, they even lent us their car for us to look around!! We went around half the island, from tiny village to tiny villages. The roads got up a hill, then down, all that in the forest, and each bay had a tiny village spreading along the coast and …
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5.b 17 Feb to 2 Mar – 5 Mairu
Between Rie and Mocchi, it is almost as if there was a cooking competition. Not that they competed, but both are excellent cooks, with slightly different methods maybe but same spirit of using fresh / natural products. Rie was astonishing in how she always seem to be improvising on last minute and at same time …
5.a 17 Feb to 2 Mar – Kakeromajima, Amami-Oshima
Yann flew back to Switzerland from Kagoshima, we went back south for another WWOOFing experience. Further south than Yakushima, but not quite as far as Iriomote, not even Okinawa. To get there we took a plane from Kagoshima to Amami airport, then a bus from there to Setouchi, via Naze – basically across the Amami-Oshima …
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4.c 11 to 15th Feb – More from Yakushima
That was not all, there were still some other wonderful aspects of this island. Nature that inspires imagination Food Did we not mention food yet!?!! (*) in 1783 they encouraged fishing the Tobiuo as a substitute to logging, which does not mean it was yet to be the end of giant sugi killing! Onsen – …
4.b 11 to 15th Feb – More wonders from Yakushima
Yakushima has many more wonders on top of the giant thousands of years old Yakusugi, here are a few that we appreciated: Other types of trees… Other fauna & flora Rivers and waterfalls With so much water pouring everyday (almost) on these granitic mountains, we were bound to find great rivers and impressive waterfalls. Japanese …
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