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Of the 47 prefectures in Japan I’ve now been to 41 of them with the newest new addition being Oita within the north-eastern a part of Kyushu; Japan’s most southerly major island. I’m positive I’ll vist all of them ultimately however Oita was the one remaining prefecture I had one thing of a want to go to and that was lastly realised final 12 months once I took a one-way flight there.
A flight being simply 20 minutes late is just not often an issue however on this event it meant that I simply missed my supposed native bus from the airport. As an alternative, I needed to take a extra luxurious (and costly!) coach to Kitsuki Interchange. That was adopted by a 40 minute stroll to the samurai district of Kitsuki which is famed for its sloping streets and Japan’s smallest citadel. Extra particulars right here.
As soon as at Kitsuki station, I then caught a practice the pretty brief distance to Beppu station. Once I initially booked this journey to Oita I needed to take a scorching spring tub on this area which is famed for such a factor. Sadly the seaside onsen place I’d seen some mates do in earlier years had closed, and with time not on my facet I needed to forego one of many indoor ones. Nonetheless, I bought to dip my finger in a single outdoors the station so not all was fully misplaced!!
My major aim on this space was simply to see Beppu Tower; a 100 metre development that was inbuilt 1957 to try to enhance tourism. I don’t know if that labored or not however it’s beginning to look its age however that makes it extra interesting to me than the slick modern-day towers. There may be an commentary deck on the seventeenth ground (800 yen) however I didn’t have time to go up which I wasn’t too bothered about.
As I rushed again to the station I used to be fairly stunned to see a neighborhood buying avenue known as Sol Paseo Ginza. With a reputation like that I assumed this 300 metre lengthy buying arcade may need one thing of a Spanish flavour to it but it surely didn’t. As an alternative, it was a reasonably abandoned avenue stuffed with Japanese eating places and bars. I believe it comes alive extra at nightime!
One of many major causes for visiting Oita was to see the soccer stadium however earlier than that I took a fast detour to see essentially the most native of unstaffed stations at Takio. Sadly, it had modified a bit from what I’d seen in an previous Japanese journal however nonetheless retained its very native appeal and spirit. Extra particulars right here.
As soon as again at Oita station, I got here throughout an enormous kokeshi doll outdoors the primary entrance. Once I first got here to Japan I truly took a reasonably sturdy curiosity in these easy picket dolls (I even purchased a pair which I nonetheless have on show now!) that are thought to push back evil spirits and defend houses from fireplace. If your own home was on fireplace then I doubt that such a picket decoration would do a lot to cease it burning!
A reasonably lengthy bus trip to Oita Large Eye stadium adopted. It was nice to see the architectural marvel which has hosted World Cup soccer and rugby matches however sadly the J2 recreation I noticed was a depressing 0-0 draw. Extra particulars right here.
I might’ve slept throughout that match however truly needed to wait until I bought to my lodge late that night after which it was a really early begin the subsequent morning. In fact this native fashionable artwork museum (merely referred to as Artwork Plaza) was closed at 5:00 am on a Sunday morning however fortunately I solely needed to see the distinctive concrete exterior which was designed by a neighborhood architect.
Regardless of leaving for Saga prefecture simply after 8:00 am, I made a decision to squeeze in a spot earlier than that which is why I took a two hour return practice journey at 5:30 am simply to see some signage at a station with a connection of types to the USA! Extra particulars right here.
After a whirlwind 20 hours in Oita it was time to go away as I splashed out on a extra luxurious practice than ordinary to take me west for about two hours to the quirky-looking kappa station in Fukuoka prefecture earlier than heading on to my vacation spot in Saga Prefecture.
Click on right here to learn ‘An Afternoon In The Samurai District With Sloping Streets Aplenty, Japan’s Smallest Fort & It’s Largest Iron Buddha Statue Too!’
Click on right here to learn ‘Unstaffed Stations Of Japan #18 – Takio’
Click on right here to learn ‘An Away Day Journey of Word to One in every of My Bucketlist Japanese Stadiums’
Click on right here to learn ‘USA Is Really Nearer To Tokyo Than You Might Assume!’
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