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Jin Travels Japan

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This article is also featured in H.I.S. Travel Malaysia's Blog.

Known as part of the Kansai area, Mie is a region frequented by tourists who travel between the most popular cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, and are very close to Nagoya.

With a population of about 1.85 million, it contains cities such as Tsu, Yokkaichi, Ise-shi and others. Mie contains a variety of tourist destinations that have the essence of nature such as the Kiso River, Nagashima Spa Island, and traditional Japanese culture steeped in Shinto religion including Ise Jingu.




Visitors to Mie can experience a completely different environment than visiting major cities such as Tokyo or Osaka because the destination is mostly relaxing. Although visitors can often relax at many Mie destinations, F1 fans can also enjoy the fun here as the Mie is also the location of Suzuka Circuit, Japan’s first major international racing venue.



Here, visitors will be welcomed by the locals there, and feel refreshed and relaxed while traveling in the Mie region.

Let’s explore more reasons on why you should visit Mie!


1. Experience the different cultures of Japan




In the town of Toba region of Mie, you can see and experience the local culture of pearl. Toba pearls are the most famous in Japan, and are globally recognized for their highest quality.

At Mikimoto Pearl Island, visitors can learn about the history of pearls and female divers known as ‘ama’. Although not only limited to Mie, most of them work at Mie. They dive underwater to carry aquatic jewelry as well as seafood such as turban snails, sea urchins, and abalones.

They have been part of the tradition for centuries, but still keep the environment sustained from not taking too much from their oceans for the sustenance of marine life. To find some divers, visitors can visit the small local market in Toba, where they will see them selling their seaside findings, or dining in the cottage.

With these different traditions, Mie gives everyone a chance to try some very good seafood from Mie.


2. Deepen your understanding of Shinto religion




In the Mie region, there are many Shinto temples such as Ise Jingu which are also visited by the Japanese Emperor every year, and also Meoto Iwa near Toba. In these places visitors can experience traditional Japanese architecture that is simple and different from destinations in Japan that are full of decorations in their temples.



Mie’s Ise Jingu is also a place visited by the Japanese Emperor and Empress for prayers and enthronement ceremony. It is also believed that Amaterasu-omikami, the sun god in the Shinto religion is located in Ise Jingu. With the respect the Japanese have for their gods, Mie is a must visit.

3. Feel the romantic atmosphere




Usually in Japan, you will find beautiful lighting in many cities only at the end of the year near Christmas. But in Mie, there is a place where you can see the lighting from mid-October to May, which has become popular on many social media, Nabana no Sato. At night in the aforementioned months, the place is lit with millions of lights and is easily one of the most beautiful sights in the world with a different theme each year that you can visit every year. In the season with no light, visitors can enjoy the colorful flowers that surround the park.


Mie Prefecture is a place worth a lot more than just a day trip! You can arrive here with various kinds of rail passes too.

I'll talk about the tourist spots that you can easily visit in the next post! :)

Until next time!
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In our previous article about Kagoshima, we have introduced Kagoshima as a city with an active volcano as its main attraction. So, with volcanoes there are definitely great hot springs (onsen)!

And with great onsen, there comes the traditional Japanese inns, or what we call ryokan, will be here to enhance your journey to Kagoshima even further!

While many of the ryokans in Kagoshima are great, here is my list of 10 of the best and popular ryokans in Kagoshima! 

p/s: List is not in order of ranking, but rest assured that they are all great!


1. Myoken Ishiharasou Onsen



Being one of the most famous hot springs in Kagoshima, there is a great reason why everyone loves it, and it’s more than just great scenery and relaxing hot springs!  Myoken Ishiharasou Onsen’s hot springs are rich in minerals, hence they are offering great health benefits! All of these baths have great effects such as promoting the blood circulation, smoothing your skin, and helps to relieve your stiff muscles as well!


Besides, you can enjoy various types of hot springs in one single place, such as the main public bath, public open-air bath, dry carbon dioxide bath, as well as the rooms with private open-air bath.


Of course, Myoken is also famous for its delicious meals, where ingredients are freshly sourced from Kagoshima’s finest and freshest local ingredients. The restaurants at Myoken provides semi-private dining room for its guests, so you can enjoy precious dining experience at Myoken!



2. Hotel Kayoutei



Hotel Kayoutei is another famous hotel in Kagoshima! Many guests loved the meals here, and not just because you can enjoy your meal in your room, but the meals are carefully and deliciously prepared the chef using the finest local and seasonal ingredients! 


That’s definitely not all! Because at Hotel Kayoutei, it isn’t just that your rooms are spacious and cozy, but you can enjoy the scenic view of the nature from your room and the open-air bath as well. 


The hotel is also equipped with natural onsen as well, and you can relax yourself in the public bath, semi open-air bath, and open-air bath. It is also not far from Japan’s cultural asset in Kareigawa Station - the station sells delicious ekiben (bento lunch boxes sold in train stations) on weekends, so consider getting one for lunch!


3. Yukyu no Yado Isshin


Seeing the photos of this ryokan, you might start to think that this isn’t even a ryokan, but being a water chalet or the sort, right? But hey, welcome to Yukyu no Yado Isshin! It is located a little bit further from the center of Kirishima city, and it only accommodates 7 guest rooms!



Isshin is famous for its onsen waters that promotes healthy skin and enhancing metabolisms, and also their delicious meals that are made with home-grown vegetables, fresh caught fish, and Japanese beef taken directly from local poultry.


For non-Muslim guests, don’t forget to visit the shochu bar to enjoy rare Japanese shochu like Mao and Moriizou in the evening!


4. Ibusuki Shusuien

Ryokan Ibusuki Syusui-en, Japan - Booking.com


When it comes to popular ryokan in Kagoshima, and especially in Ibusuki, Shusuien is a place to never miss out! Besides the onsen, its tempting gourmet has gotten them a No.1 rank in food & beverage category among 100 hotels & ryokan in Japan for 33 years in a row! If you love eating, you would definitely want to have a wonderful dining experience during your stay in this ryokan!


In terms of their hot spring, Shusuien uses only the best and freshest onsen water for its public bath and open-air bath, and you can enjoy water foot onsen or sand foot onsen as well. It Offers Japanese style, Western style, and special guest rooms, Shusuien is very popular among the locals and the visitors as well! It is no wonder that it would rank high for decades!



5. Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima



This listing is one exception, because it is not a ryokan, but it is a great place to stay at if you are planning to visit Yakushima! If you have plans for hiking in Yakushima, then Sankara hotel & spa Yakushima is a place you definitely want to stay in Kagoshima prefecture!
 

You can spend a special time on this quiet island that is said to inspire the mystically beautiful Studio Ghibli movie, Princess Mononoke at your own pace. At the spa, courses that incorporate the rich natural essence of Yakushima are popular. Please try your very best at a luxury ryokan / hotel surrounded by the nature of Yakushima. Here, it is equipped with pools and spa center, with sophisticated guest rooms of suites and villa types. Furthermore, it has a luxurious interior with a warm Asian modern feel, making it a great place to relax after a long day of hiking or exploring around Yakushima.


Besides relaxing spa and great facilities, the resort Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima offers high-quality meal as well! There are many fans from overseas for its deliciousness. You can fully enjoy the dishes that are unique to the island. The dishes using plenty of ingredients selected from Yakushima and Tanegashima of Kagoshima!


6. Komatsu



Located in Kirishima Onsen Village of Kagoshima Prefecture, Komatsu is a small inn with only 6 rooms in a forest with a warm and homely atmosphere. You can spend a relaxing time with the modern Japanese atmosphere with the warmth of wood, where you can reminisce the good old days of Japan.


All rooms have indoor and outdoor baths. Relaxed from the heart, wrapped in the gentle scent of the simple sulfur spring. You can spend a luxurious holiday where you can soak in the hot spring whenever you want. This is a luxury ryokan where you can feel relieved somewhere and enjoy the service of shaved ice after bathing.


7. Onsen Garden Yumotoan Kiyohime


Kiyohime Onsen is a long-established hot spring inn that was founded in 1916 (Taisho 5) and has the oldest history in the Kirishima Onsen’s Hinatayama Onsen Village. Onsen Garden Yumotoan Kiyohime is a designer ryokan that has more than 100 years of history! As a challenge after 100 years, Kiyohime Onsen grandly opened to public on December 3, 2018.


Kiyohime Onsen has long been popular as a hot spring with beautiful skin and a hot spring that brings good luck. The beauty of the hotel's bountiful natural spring water will heal your daily fatigue. It is an important hot spring and want to be a hot spring inn that is loved by everyone!



8. Ibusuki Hakusuikan Rikyu



With a list of the best ryokans in Kagoshima, Ibusuki’s Hakusuikan Rikyu is a place that no list would want to miss out! It is a place where you can enjoy a luxurious traditional Japanese space while gazing at the magnificent blue sea of Kagoshima Prefecture. 



The 84 square meters of spacious and elegant Japanese-Western rooms offer spectacular views of the blue Kinko Bay and pine gardens. Its beauty is so breathtaking that you will almost forget to breathe! The contrast between the blue of the sea and the green of the pine trees is very beautiful, and the pine trees are illuminated at night, which makes it very fantastic. 


There are various types of baths, including the Genroku bath, which reproduces the bath of the Edo period, the open-air bath with a panoramic view of the sea, and the sand steaming bath. Ibusuki Onsen is also called the hot spring for beautiful skin. Why don't you refresh yourself both physically and mentally, away from your daily routine?


9. Yakakutei


Yakakutei is located in the oldest hot spring in Kagoshima Prefecture, Hinatayama Onsen. This is a recommended luxury ryokan / hotel where you can spend peaceful time as birds rest their wings. The hot spring is a bathhouse that is said to have been loved by the historical figures Takamori Saigo and Ryoma Sakamoto. 




The hot spring water here is a clear, colorless and transparent weak alkaline hydrogen carbonate spring. It is also called "Bijin no Yu", which means “The Beauty Bath”. Their relaxing Japanese-style room allows you to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the four seasons and feel Japanese culture. 

10. Wasure-no-sato Gajoen



Contrary to its excellent accessibility, Gajoen is a beautiful inn that blends perfectly with the lush green trees of Kirishima. There are only 10 detached rooms with a thatched roof relocated to the site along the Tenryo River, with eight (8) of them are equipped with 100% free-flowing hot spring baths, and the rooms with open-air baths started here. 



The delicately cooked dishes made with vegetables produced in their own garden that delivers the taste unique to the region. You will feel at ease with the traditional Japanese scenery, such as thatched roofs, hearths, and rivers that flow near the inns. 



Gajoen is an inn that not only forgets your daily routine and thoughts, but at the same time reminds you what important things you should never forget.


Among the ryokans (and hotel), which of them is your favorite? 
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Yakushima

This article is also being featured on H.I.S. Travel Malaysia!

As a part of Kagoshima Prefecture of Kyushu, Japan, reachable by flights or ferries, Yakushima is a subtropical island covered by an extensive cedar forest that contains some of Japan’s oldest living trees called the yakusugi, which is a word formed by the combination of Yakushima and sugi, the Japanese word for cedar. It is said that the oldest tree may be over 7000 years old!

Although the island’s forests were extensively logged in the past eras, the forests have now well recovered from past logging, and is now a national park, and some areas were declared a Natural World Heritage Site in 1993.

So, why did tourists come here for?

Being titled as the place that inspired the famous Studio Ghibli movie Princess Mononoke, it is no doubt that most tourists come to the island to hike through the forests and see the ancient cedar trees.

Being a subtropical island with nearly 2000 meter high mountains, Yakushima attracts a lot of rainfall around the year as it at least a bit of rain on almost a daily basis, especially in the mountainous interior. During winter, the higher grounds will have precipitation falls as snow.

Yakushima too, offers beautiful beaches in their coastal areas, and relaxing hot springs for a complete retreat into the nature. If you are interested to visit this beautiful island, read on to find some great places to see!



Jomonsugi – A 2000 to 7200 year old cedar tree

Yakushima Jomonsugi 

Being the main attraction of Yakushima Island, Jomonsugi is no doubt one of the biggest attractions of Yakushima. This giant cedar tree which scientists estimate to be 2000 to 7200 years old, hence it is said to be the oldest tree in Japan. In terms of height, it is not very tall (only around 25 meters tall) but it has a massive trunk with a diameter of about 5 meters.

The Jomonsugi was probably first discovered hundreds of years ago by Edo Period loggers, and, like the other ancient cedars of Yakushima, it escaped logging due to its irregular shape. It was rediscovered in the 1960s and has since been protected along with the rest of Yakushima’s forests when they became a national park

Shiratani Unsuikyo – Inspiration for the film Princess Mononoke

Yakushima Shiratani Unsuikyo

Hikers and nature lovers would absolutely love the Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine on Yakushima. This lush, green nature park containing a great number of the island’s famous ancient cedars, and the best part? Not much strenuous hiking needed – making it a popular destination to see the forests.

The park offers a network of well maintained hiking trails that run along the ravine. Depending on the routes, the routes can be from one to five hours long, and for those with higher amounts of stamina, you could join a guided camping and hiking tour for the challenging trails. Of course, you are free to wander around at your own pace and choose your own route among the paths, as English signs are provided throughout.

Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen – One of the Mixed-gender Onsens in Japan

Yakushima’s Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen

Though Yakushima is not a volcanic island, it is blessed with several natural hot springs, or onsen in Japanese. There are many onsens by the sea, and this one is only accessible when the tide is low. You may be lucky enough to get the onsen and sea view all to yourself, or you could find yourself sharing it with elderly locals and other tourists.

Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen, though initially was not made as a tourist attraction, it with the ocean rock formations and beautiful views, it has became increasingly famous as a tourist spot.

What makes it even more special is that, although there is a sign that explicitly states “no swimsuits allowed”, this is a mixed onsen! So, don’t be surprised if you see someone joining you nude. Though, if you are on the shy side, you can always use a clean towel or a sarong here. This particular onsen is all about experiencing an abundance of Japan’s natural treasures. The view at sunset — or even in the moonlight — will leave you fully relaxed and refreshed.


Access


There are generally two ways to reach Yakushima:
  1. You can fly domestically to Yakushima Airport (KUM) via Japan Airlines from Fukuoka Airport (FUK), Kagoshima Airport (KOJ), or Itami Airport (ITM); or
  2. Board a ferry (Toppy or Hibiscus) from Kagoshima. You can book the tickets from our agents in H.I.S. Travel Malaysia!


And a few ways to get around Yakushima:
  1. Public transport: Buses are available to go around popular spots of Yakushima. However, the bus schedule is not frequent so you will need to watch your time properly or otherwise you might need a much-more costlier taxi ride; or
  2. Car rental: By far the most convenient method as you get the freedom to your own schedule – where you can also arrange your rental from H.I.S. Travel Malaysia provided you have an International Driving Permit (IDP).


Precautions for Hikers

If you are planning to hike, especially to the Jomonsugi, there are a few tips that we would love to share!
  1. Before hiking, you are required to fill out a climber’s declaration and insert in a box before your hiking trail starts, so it will help the search team in case if accident happens.
  2. Depending on the route taken, there may be old rail roads tracks and bridges. Some of the bridges do not have barriers on the sides, and due to the humidity and rain in Yakushima, they tend to get slippery. Shoes with a strong grip is highly recommended.
  3. Resting points are easy to find! There are toilets at the resting points but there aren’t any in between, so it is recommended to bring some “waste storage bags” with you! There are also spring water sources here.
  4. Usually, if you climb at a faster pace, climbers in front tend to find a safe spot where you can pass them. Likewise, if you are at a slower pace, do let others pass when it is safe.
  5. It is also not uncommon for climbers to greet each other with a Konnichiwa! or Ganbatte!
  6. Sometimes, you get to see wild animals along the trail such as deers or monkeys. You can take photos (without flash is recommended) but don’t touch them.


Hope the above helps! 

After all the Covid-19 end, let's plan a trip to Yakushima~ 

See you again!
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About Me

Image may contain: 1 person, standing, ocean and outdoor
Jin, Type A ENFP, Virgo-Libra Cusp
Slytherin
Multilingual and travels to Japan for various purposes.
Avid mobile game player.

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ジン・A型・ENFP・乙女と天秤座のハーフ
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