6 Days In Kyushu

[Canew]

Wow! Great narration. Love the information rich posts too. Thanks Michael. 

[Michael]

What I like about Japan

#1) I love their technology.
Paper toilet bowls? Waterless toilet bowls? Advanced handphones? PlayStation 3?
You name it, they have it. It's gadgets galore in Japan.



.

#2) I love their traffic system.
A complex maze for their train stations. One exit in Tokyo is said to have 60 over exits.
Not to mention the electronic trams and their roads. The drivers are mostly polite and courteous.
Even their traffic lights have indication of time to wait before the green or red man appears.



.

#3) Their Cleanliness & Hygiene

Japanese people are very particular about etiquette and hygiene. During my trip to Japan, I have found all to be sparkling clean, except for one that is located high high on Mount Aso. In shops, in restaurants, at bus interchanges as well as in hotels, the bathrooms are kept dry and clean, right down to the edges and corners. Care for the environment remains one of the top of their interests' list. They love to find innovations to reduce and reuse their products. Most ride bicycles and travel on kick scooters.



Despite having a large majority of the population being smokers, one will rarely see cigarette butts tossed onto the floor. People will most likely keep the butts with them until their reach a bin to throw it away. Even on televisions, one can find advertisements selling nothing but fashionable metallic casings to store their used cigarette butts. Also, water is clean and safe. The Japanese Government takes water issues very seriously. If a shop or company is found to pollute water or to provide water unsafe for drinking, it is shut down immediately and is expected to hit bankruptcy due to lawsuits.

.

#4) Pretty Japanese

Japanese Idol Books. Ok, I admit I was tempted to get them. However, the fact is I bought none. Some of them were as cheap as $5 SGD. Hehehe... If you are a registered member of CanonGraphers, you'd have seen several posts of mine under the thread, Japanese Idol Books. They consist of photos taken of Japanese idols, some of them well taken, some of them more for street shoots, yet all of them gets sold pretty quick when they hit the shelves.

I did pick up one to flip through and it showed the methods and processes that the photogrpher does from the initially arriving on scene, setting up of lights and shooting, to the editing and printing and distributing of such materials. Pretty interesting read for the casual photographer.



And for those who watch too much Japanese TV dramas or Japanese animation or Japanese idol books, here's a tip for you: Don't get the wrong impression! Not everyone over there look as pretty or as sizzling hot! Your school girl fetish will take a nosedive once you see the real thing. However, most of them know how to dress, most of them know how to put on make up and most of them age with grace. So keep an open mind and enjoy the view.

[Michael]

Wow! Great narration. Love the information rich posts too. Thanks Michael. 

Thanks Canew.

[Nick]

You should really consolidate all this posts into a proper trip report journal with all the pictures.

[Michael]

You should really consolidate all this posts into a proper trip report journal with all the pictures.

like how? suggestions?

[Michael]

The 3rd day ended with a visit to a restaurant created by a former Sumo Westling Champion.



The signature dish is of course, a Sumo Meal, which consists of various types of noodles, meat and vegetables.
In short, it is a meal a sumo wrestler normally eats. However, the meal is shared between 4 people as our appetites are smaller.

[Nick]

like how? suggestions?

Print all the photos at get one of those photo album cum diaries.

[Nick]

That's one heck of a big soup bowl for one.

[Michael]

Print all the photos and get one of those photo album cum diaries.

I will be doing it. I sorta collecting photos taken day by day to remember them.

That's one heck of a big soup bowl for one.

They are not sumos for no reason. Large size with a sport that drains lots of energy.

[golded]

Once the tatami was laid out and dinner was over, it was time to hit the hot springs.

Wait, did I say hot springs?

Yes indeed. It's an outdoor pool covered with pretty flowers and bushes to prevent people peeping in.
With water flowing down, the sound of the water and the warmth of the water, both are sure to relax you.
Warm indeed, it's a sizzling hot 38 degrees C that emits smoke on the surface of the water in such cold weather.
Not to mention the red colour dyed by the wine that is added into the spring.

-img-

And so, I set off to the hot springs in my yukata, a thin and comfortable cotton robe.
Yukata is actually derived from the words "yu" (bath) and "katabira" (under clothing).
From ages ago until today, it is still commonly worn when heading to festivals or baths.

*** Do not comment on model or photographer! ***

Hehehe. *pokes thy belly*

[Michael]

Hehehe. *pokes thy belly*

slap. slap. slap.
now then talk.

[Michael]

Day 4

Day 4 has arrived and we are finally heading to the coldest place we will cover throughout the tour.
Setting off early in the morning, it was about two hours drive before we even neared the place.
Then it begins close to an hour's drive in a zig-zag pattern to our destination, Mount Aso.

Mount Aso is largest active volcano in Japan, consisting of 5 peaks, the highest point is Mt. Taka at 1592 metres.
The day that we arrived, it was 4 degrees in the negative, even the drizzle led to frozen bits of rain.
Proceeding up the mount via a cable car, we approached the crater spewing forth sulphur dioxide...

[Nick]

Another shot of the T/S 80mm 

[Michael]

After lunch at the base station of Mt. Aso, we departed the Kumamoto area for a 3 hour ride to Beppu.

[Michael]

Beppu, located in the central region of Oita, is a city of hot springs. Famous as a hot springs resort, Beppu has close to 3000 hot springs of various sources and varieties, resulting in one of the highest water output in the world. Termed as "hells" in Japan, due to the holes in the ground with hot water and steam coming out of them, these hot springs result in many onsen hotels springing up by their sides.

Not all of them are hot springs for bathing, in particular, Chinoike Jigoku (Bloodly Hell Pool in my direct translation :p) is most famous for viewing. The waters are red due to the large volumes of hematite (Iron Oxide Fe2O3) deposited inside. It's 150°C so if you wish to soak inside it instead of just viewing it, be my guest!